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Active: 6642 users

Unit preloader - effect caching custom map

Forum Index > SC2 General
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jnkw
Profile Joined November 2010
Canada347 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-03-01 10:12:45
August 08 2012 09:47 GMT
#1
[image loading]


Launch shortcuts
(Alternatively, search for "preloader" on the Arcade)
Click here to launch the LotV version in-game
Click here to launch the HotS version in-game
Click here to launch the WoL version in-game

What is Unit Preloader?
Since the release of patch 1.5, a large number of users have been reporting stuttering issues in-game. Unit Preloader is a StarCraft II arcade map which builds every unit, casts every spell, and triggers all context-specific death animations to force the game to cache the effects. It's available under the arcade section as "Unit Preloader" and can be found by searching for "preloader". The map may also be useful as a tool for tournaments for testing or when setting up computers to avoid any potential lag issues.

tl;dr
Map may help reduce game stutter. Search Arcade for 'preloader'.

Usage
- Search for "preloader" on the arcade section of battle.net
- Run the map once when starting the game

Found a bug? Have a feature request?
You can help improve Unit Preloader by suggesting features or reporting any bugs you find. Here's how:

  1. Go to the Unit Preloader issue tracker.
  2. Use the Find issues search box to see if someone has already reported the bug / feature request.
  3. If there's no existing report for your bug, click Create Issue. If there is an existing report for your bug, feel free to add a comment.
  4. Title: Briefly summarize the problem. For example, "Missing effect: Phoenix graviton beam"
  5. Description: Please include the following:
    • Required: Unit Preloader edition: HotS or WoL
    • For missing effects, the name of the effect that is missing and any applicable unit(s)
    • Optional: The game clock time (get this from the replay) that the bug occurs, if applicable
    • Anything else you feel may be relevant

  6. Assignee: Leave this blank
  7. Kind: "bug" if you are reporting a bug, or "enhancement" if you are requesting a feature
  8. Priority:
    • Blocker: Don't use this
    • Critical: Bugs that prevent the normal operation of the map, e.g. lobby won't start, game crashes
    • Major: Most bugs should be initially filed here, e.g. missing units, outdated abilities (if you aren't sure, use this)
    • Minor: Bugs may be filed as "minor" instead of "major" for rarely-seen units or abilities
    • Trivial: Purely aesthetic bugs, e.g. camera doesn't pan



Acknowledgements
Thanks to Existor for the banner.

I should mention that I originally got the idea for Unit Preloader from a unit tester replay made by Phoenixed that achieves a similar effect:

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=358664

Realm availability
Note: the same map is uploaded to all realms, but version numbers differ because of varying upload dates
- NA: Available as "Unit Preloader v3.0" (latest)
- EU: Available as "Unit Preloader v3.0" (latest)
- KR: Available as "Unit Preloader v3.0" (latest)
- SEA: Available as "Preloader v2.0" (latest)

+ Show Spoiler +

Note: On Feb. 14, 2013, the map was branched into two separate versions: the main (latest expansion level), and a legacy version (Wings of Liberty). The latter will still be maintained with important bug fixes if necessary, but on a lower priority.

Originally available on NA. EU support added afterward, followed by SEA support as of 15:05 KST 23/09/2012


Latest Changes (update #7)
https://bitbucket.org/jnkw/unit-preloader/issues
Updated for Legacy of the Void
Re-published HotS version for those without the latest expansion
SomeONEx
Profile Joined April 2011
Sweden641 Posts
August 08 2012 09:57 GMT
#2
Thanks a lot, I will check it out as soon as my computer starts running!
BW hwaiting!
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
August 08 2012 10:00 GMT
#3
Awesome! Thanks for making :D
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
AmericanUmlaut
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Germany2594 Posts
August 08 2012 10:09 GMT
#4
This is a really good idea. It's unfortunate that this isn't already done by default. I can't really comprehend why the game would be startled to discover that it's going to need to load the assets related to Gateways when a Protoss player is in the game. It seems like it should even be doable to load them into memory using a forked process at the beginning so that there's no additional wait time (I assume making the loading screen go faster is the reason assets are loaded on demand). With a reasonable ordering, there's no reason you couldn't have every asset preloaded in plenty of time for its first use in-game.
The frumious Bandersnatch
Jordan_
Profile Joined March 2012
Italy50 Posts
August 08 2012 11:23 GMT
#5
Is it only available on NA? I searched for "preloader" on EU but nothing appears.
jnkw
Profile Joined November 2010
Canada347 Posts
August 08 2012 19:26 GMT
#6
On August 08 2012 20:23 Jordan_ wrote:
Is it only available on NA? I searched for "preloader" on EU but nothing appears.


Sorry I forgot to mention, it's currently only available on NA.
SpiZe
Profile Joined December 2010
Canada3640 Posts
August 08 2012 19:32 GMT
#7
Oh god I love you thanks !
501TFX
Profile Joined March 2011
Austria345 Posts
August 08 2012 19:39 GMT
#8
Could you please upload the map to MediaFire or something, if you're not able to upload it on EU?
So the rest of the world can atleast access offline to it, would be good enough (I think)
Never let your dreams fade, run after them, run until you get them !
Randomaccount#77123
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States5003 Posts
August 08 2012 19:47 GMT
#9
--- Nuked ---
jnkw
Profile Joined November 2010
Canada347 Posts
August 08 2012 19:58 GMT
#10
On August 09 2012 04:39 FeelTHeBluEZ wrote:
Could you please upload the map to MediaFire or something, if you're not able to upload it on EU?
So the rest of the world can atleast access offline to it, would be good enough (I think)


I can just generate a replay file from the map and upload that once it's confirmed to cover everything. For example, it's currently missing the corruptor's active spell (which I've since added in).
WeedRa
Profile Joined February 2011
Germany815 Posts
August 08 2012 20:03 GMT
#11
On August 08 2012 20:23 Jordan_ wrote:
Is it only available on NA? I searched for "preloader" on EU but nothing appears.


yeah someone PLEASE upload to EU
501TFX
Profile Joined March 2011
Austria345 Posts
August 08 2012 20:27 GMT
#12
On August 09 2012 04:58 jnkw wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 09 2012 04:39 FeelTHeBluEZ wrote:
Could you please upload the map to MediaFire or something, if you're not able to upload it on EU?
So the rest of the world can atleast access offline to it, would be good enough (I think)


I can just generate a replay file from the map and upload that once it's confirmed to cover everything. For example, it's currently missing the corruptor's active spell (which I've since added in).


That's a possibility too! :D
Never let your dreams fade, run after them, run until you get them !
jnkw
Profile Joined November 2010
Canada347 Posts
August 08 2012 20:43 GMT
#13
On August 09 2012 05:27 FeelTHeBluEZ wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 09 2012 04:58 jnkw wrote:
On August 09 2012 04:39 FeelTHeBluEZ wrote:
Could you please upload the map to MediaFire or something, if you're not able to upload it on EU?
So the rest of the world can atleast access offline to it, would be good enough (I think)


I can just generate a replay file from the map and upload that once it's confirmed to cover everything. For example, it's currently missing the corruptor's active spell (which I've since added in).


That's a possibility too! :D


Done! Updated the OP with a link to download.
WeedRa
Profile Joined February 2011
Germany815 Posts
August 08 2012 20:58 GMT
#14
On August 09 2012 05:43 jnkw wrote:
Done! Updated the OP with a link to download.


nice but i cant open the replay file somehow...
jnkw
Profile Joined November 2010
Canada347 Posts
August 08 2012 21:46 GMT
#15
On August 09 2012 05:58 WeedRa wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 09 2012 05:43 jnkw wrote:
Done! Updated the OP with a link to download.


nice but i cant open the replay file somehow...


You have to drag and drop it onto Starcraft II.exe, or copy it to [Documents folder]\Starcraft II\[Account name@#]\Replays\Challenge

Then you can access it from the replay browser under the "Challenge" tab.
MentalGNT
Profile Joined January 2011
Denmark1264 Posts
August 08 2012 21:50 GMT
#16
I'm surprised no one has made this before... It's so simple, yet brilliant!

Nice work OP
What a player
KrazyTrumpet
Profile Joined April 2010
United States2520 Posts
August 08 2012 22:57 GMT
#17
If it's still not uploaded to EU, I can do that
www.twitch.tv/krazy Best Stream Quality NA @KClarkSC2
Hane
Profile Joined November 2010
France210 Posts
August 09 2012 12:23 GMT
#18
doesn't work here
Tom Cruise
Profile Joined July 2012
Denmark482 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-08-09 12:33:10
August 09 2012 12:28 GMT
#19
except you don't really need a custom for it to work, all you need to do is load up any melee game against a computer or replay, as these "stutter" issues only affect the first game after launch. if these "stutters" still occur, then theres no fix. it's on blizzards end, i.e., they must fix it in a patch.

back when i used a less powerful pc, i used to load up a custom game vs. an a.i. just to remove the stutter from ladder, but 1.5. has fixed that for me and for many others, so it would really not make any sense if this "custom game" should hotfix the issue, as it's a compatibility/optimization issue.

tl;dr: for eu users, just load up any custom game vs. an a.i., this will do exactly what this "custom game" does, if that doesn't fix it, then wait for a hotfix by blizzard.
R1CH
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
Netherlands10342 Posts
August 09 2012 12:35 GMT
#20
Actually many of the animations load on demand, so simply going into a custom game will not help. This preloader is a great way to ensure everything gets loaded. I also find it pretty funny that the map description gets censored if you have the mature language filter turned on .
AdministratorTwitter: @R1CH_TL
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