Conqueror Pre-Builts - I broke it

[MrCJohn]

So, to make this short and sweet, I have been working on the next round of released pre-builts for Nexus, showcasing the City Plan Contest winners and finalists. The round I am working on to release includes March and April - so Nordhagen, Coup Manor, Abernathy, etc...

I just completed the 1st 4 levels of batch 1, which captures all the past finalists I didn't get in, plus the new plans (of finalists) - I will do a new Winner's Circle when I have more months.

What I have found is that the time to build the pre-builts (at the vault door control panel - so player can bypass the pre-war) ... is the time to process each level, starting at the foundation to level 3 ... is 50% more at the foundation level and more than 2x at level 3 (4hrs and 46mins). File sizes of the saves are consistent with other releases, so not due to file bloat.

I am afraid I have hit a scripting limit? That's why I am asking here because a) need to overcome, b) is this even an issue... is 5hrs for a level 3 prebuilt - which is all city contest plans replacing the ROTC plan.

1) Do I need to cut settlements out? Example: Far Harbor
2) Do I start cutting out City Contest Winners/Finalists back in October..
3) Do I set % of settlements built that would over come this?
4) In Conqueror, are there settlements not so popular, not used, provide the least amount of help for the Conqueror play through
5) In Conqueror, are there settlements that have to be there for quests.

Seeing @kinggath playthrough on YouTube, I get why Greentop and Slog is next for food.

So, my first inclination is a) cut Far Harbor, b) cut Red Rocket, c) replace Contest files back with ROTC (lopping off the Contest City Plan list)... d) cut out Starlight, etc. etc. etc...

Unless there is a mechanic that would help, this is what I am going to do... or unless someone can validate for me that almost 5 hours is not a problem.

I don't want to release it because of fear it won't work and be problematice.

If anyone can provide insight / help / advice, would be greatly appreciated. More along the lines of "cut out x, y, z, 1, 2, 3 ... "

@kinggath @uituit @VersusXV @WetRats @Phil_T_Casual and any others ...

Thanks,
John

 

[Phil_T_Casual]

Yeah I would cut Far Harbour, for me it a zero bearing on Conqueror, but that's just me.
Stick to contest city plans as they will have a max of 15 population and will be a max of x2 build budget. RoTC plans are beefier so will add more load.

Cut Starlight - Bunker Hill - Jamaica Plain, they are the 3 most problematic settlements for CTD issues outside of the ToD

 

[MrCJohn]

Yeah I would cut Far Harbour, for me it a zero bearing on Conqueror, but that's just me.
Stick to contest city plans as they will have a max of 15 population and will be a max of x2 build budget. RoTC plans are beefier so will add more load.

Cut Starlight - Bunker Hill - Jamaica Plain, they are the 3 most problematic settlements for CTD issues outside of the ToD

So with the cuts, do you think I should cut out the ROTC plans (for those without a contest plan)? That may leave too many empty settlements?

John

 

[Phil_T_Casual]

Maybe add RotC plans for any farms that are not covered by contest plans and leave the rest?
I actually don't know every settlement that covered by contest plans, is there a list handy?

 

[MrCJohn]

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/35648

 

[Phil_T_Casual]

oh yeah
Duh Phil!! Dopey fucker.

 

[WetRats]

Off the top of my head, The Slog and Greentop Nursery are the most important settlements still lacking contest entries, and neither of them are super extensive at level 3, if i remember correctly. (Hoping they're the June contest [edit: They are! Hooray!])

Level 3 for all is pretty ambitious (it was an overnight proposition the only time I attempted it), have you considered randomizing levels? It will still take quite a while, but Good Omens just dropped on Amazon Prime, so let it churn while you enjoy a different Apocalypse for a while.

 

[Phil_T_Casual]

I could be wrong on this and would need KG to confirm, but I think prebuilding to L3 reduces script load throughout game play as there is no upgrading happening other than plots.

 

[kinggath]

Taking 4 or 5 hours to get through all of the stages is pretty normal if you're doing a lot of settlements and have a lot of addon packs installed, primarily because it has to effectively refresh every single plot - that's why the final stage takes the longest.

I'm sure if any of you has used the Refresh Local Plots tool, you're very familiar with how long that can take. The final stage of the Conq prebuilds effectively runs that on every settlement.

 

[WetRats]

I could be wrong on this and would need KG to confirm, but I think prebuilding to L3 reduces script load throughout game play as there is no upgrading happening other than plots.

That makes so much sense!

 

[MrCJohn]

Taking 4 or 5 hours to get through all of the stages is pretty normal if you're doing a lot of settlements and have a lot of addon packs installed, primarily because it has to effectively refresh every single plot - that's why the final stage takes the longest.

I'm sure if any of you has used the Refresh Local Plots tool, you're very familiar with how long that can take. The final stage of the Conq prebuilds effectively runs that on every settlement.

I am sorry @kinggath this is 4 to 5 hours for a level 3 pre-build while I am still in the vault .... not about an actual built settlement. I was asking if I broke it since it took 4.75hours to do the level 3 pre-build for release to the public. I didn't want to put out anything "broken".

john

 

[MrCJohn]

Off the top of my head, The Slog and Greentop Nursery are the most important settlements still lacking contest entries, and neither of them are super extensive at level 3, if i remember correctly. (Hoping they're the June contest [edit: They are! Hooray!])

Level 3 for all is pretty ambitious (it was an overnight proposition the only time I attempted it), have you considered randomizing levels? It will still take quite a while, but Good Omens just dropped on Amazon Prime, so let it churn while you enjoy a different Apocalypse for a while.

When I 1st did these packs in an older mod page, the downloads for "randomization" - called "Who Knows what's out there" ... was very low - that I didn't see an interest in those.

I want to try and appeal to a broader group so SS/Conqueror gets promoted and played more.

If there is another scenario of doing pre-builds, with mass appeal, then let me know. I do currently foundation, L1,L2,and L3. With this last package, it took about an hour for foundation (35mins before), 1.67hrs L1 (instead of about 1.1), 2.5hrs (instead of 1.7), and 4.75hrs(instead of 2.9).

And the only thing I did was swap out the ROTC for the additions of the city plan contest from March & April...

build each level = (city contest plans) + ROTC (no contest plan) - (exclusions) + RR

I make lists of which plan I included so then next round gets refreshed with other finalists so I am trying to showcase everyone.

John

 

[MrCJohn]

Taking 4 or 5 hours to get through all of the stages is pretty normal if you're doing a lot of settlements and have a lot of addon packs installed, primarily because it has to effectively refresh every single plot - that's why the final stage takes the longest.

I'm sure if any of you has used the Refresh Local Plots tool, you're very familiar with how long that can take. The final stage of the Conq prebuilds effectively runs that on every settlement.

So maybe the answer is not do a Level 3 prebuild - because we will have more contest winners/finalists.. but Phil said ROTC was beefier, so theoretically, swapping out the ROTC should be less load than what I am seeing

The question is then, if 0 through 2 is sufficient for release... let the player get it updated to level 3...

John

 

[WetRats]

So maybe the answer is not do a Level 3 prebuild - because we will have more contest winners/finalists.. but Phil said ROTC was beefier, so theoretically, swapping out the ROTC should be less load than what I am seeing

The question is then, if 0 through 2 is sufficient for release... let the player get it updated to level 3...

John

First, sorry for misunderstanding what you were asking before.

Second, from what Phil & KG said, going to Level 3 and taking the hit on your end so the folks who use your mod don't have to probably makes the most sense.

 

[MrCJohn]

First, sorry for misunderstanding what you were asking before.

Second, from what Phil & KG said, going to Level 3 and taking the hit on your end so the folks who use your mod don't have to probably makes the most sense.

Well, yes! So the real answer I am only needing is 4.75hrs level 3 prebuild is okay and should not be broken! I am fine doing this... I just did not want to put out a bad product for the players!

My LO is not setup to play a game... I will upload V2 Finalist Group 02 this evening... if you @WetRats or others want to download and test it out for me, that would be awesome!

John

 

[MrCJohn]

EDIT: Considering almost 600 downloads of the files I have posted, I have received few positive comments and no bad ones... so I am kind of operating under the assumption the saves work...

John

 

[MrCJohn]

Do you guys/gals think people are using anything but the level 3? is it worth doing a foundation/L1/L2?

 

[WetRats]

EDIT: Considering almost 600 downloads of the files I have posted, I have received few positive comments and no bad ones... so I am kind of operating under the assumption the saves work...

John

It's sad how few Nexus users take the time to post comments on mods they like.

It just takes a minute, and few folks dislike being told "thanks for doing this thing you did!"

 

[WetRats]

Do you guys/gals think people are using anything but the level 3? is it worth doing a foundation/L1/L2?

Probably not. Especially considering how much work just keeping up with the contest is.

 

[MrCJohn]

It's sad how few Nexus users take the time to post comments on mods they like.

It just takes a minute, and few folks dislike being told "thanks for doing this thing you did!"

Well, at this rate, it is almost 12 hours of my computer being tied up to prebuild pack... at least nice to know it works for them!
John