[ALPHA] Switch to LINDA Atmospherics

[Surrealistik]

CM Version (alpha or Regular):

Alpha

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary):

Per the title.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole):

Massively less lag, griefers bombing the Sulaco, and terminally incompetent Engineers/Commanders that breach it will have less of an adverse impact on rounds due to LINDA not featuring explosive pressure/gas transfers.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc):

The existing ZAS atmospherics system takes up roughly 55% of the server's CPU cycles according to Absynth; LINDA is apparently much more efficient, so it should replace ZAS, particularly since atmospherics and atmospherics manipulation is generally not even a tertiary thing, and only factors when someone is either griefing or fucking up royally.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it):

Coding changes.

[Surrealistik]

So, about that lag when we get 140+ players...

Seems like a solid step towards resolving it.

[Aztectornado]

Okay, Linda does lag less.

However, Linda also doesn't process shit in any sort of a timely manner, leading to breaches essentially not affecting the room they're in until several minutes after it had happened.... Also, wanna know another bad thing? Supermatter wouldn't work with it. "But Aztec, how's that a bad thing?"

Well, when the engineers muck up the supermatter, their department goes boom, but nothing else does.... What would it be replaced with in Linda? Singularity.

Do we REALLY want our engineers to have one of those?

Thumbs down, -1.

[johners12345]

While the Singularity in someways is easier to set up and contain.. I am NOT dealing with the lag a singularity causes when it escapes. No way, No how.
-1

[Surrealistik]

First of all, when we're talking less lag, we're talking _massively_ less lag; it's important to underscore the exact magnitude of difference.

Again, as stated, ZAS by _itself_ accounts for more than half of the server's CPU cycles, and I can only see that getting worse as atmospherics are stress tested.


Second, even if the Superengine by default could not work with LINDA, it shouldn't be too difficult to tweak it such that it could continue to do so, even in a simplified form.


Third, Solars are also a distinct possibility, especially if their outputs were increased (which is extremely easy to do).


Finally, freed CPU not only makes the server much more playable during high population, but it also gives developers resources to invest in more interesting things and mechanics.

[snow5445]

Should'nt we also get a better server? But if it is is so much less laggy i approve. plus one. Mainly because most of my deaths are caused by lag.

[Aztectornado]

Second, even if the Superengine by default could not work with LINDA, it shouldn't be too difficult to tweak it such that it could continue to do so, even in a simplified form.

The supermatter REQUIRES a fast, responsive atmos system or it overheats and explodes. You wanna try retrofitting it yourself, be my guest, but as a dev for another server, I personally won't touch atmos code. Too bitchy and complex, even for me. I doubt anybody else would like to, either.

[Surrealistik]

As long as we have serious lag issues, and we currently do, this will be worth the trouble.

Again, worst case scenario, we roll with solars and increase their energy output; SM adaptation or use alone is not a good reason to refrain from using LINDA in light of the benefits.

[LordLoko]

The supermatter REQUIRES a fast, responsive atmos system or it overheats and explodes. You wanna try retrofitting it yourself, be my guest, but as a dev for another server, I personally won't touch atmos code. Too bitchy and complex, even for me. I doubt anybody else would like to, either.

Remember that we still have the termoeletrical generator, which is used on some /tg/ maps like ministation, and it's avaible on baycode.

[snow5445]

Ok ive crunched the numbers. We are looking at a 95.133333 repeating decress in lag.

[Thrain]

I imagine we could replace the engine with a slightly modified version of the thermogenerator so that air-code isn't required at all in the generation of power.