Multithreading? Loading models as we approach from far away.

[scratt]

I was wondering if anyone had looked at any sort of multi-threading so that complex objects such as spacecraft and VT planet terrains can be loaded in parallel with the main program, so that as you approach them there is not a pause or delay for them to load etc..

I am looking at doing this myself, and if anyone is interested I'll pass on what I have done.. But wanted to check if there was already work ongoing for this and save us all some time..

Cheers,
scratt

[buggs_moran]

I know you can preload textures in a cel script. That would limit preloads to your predetermined flighpath. Search for preload in the forum, there is a Voyager cel script example you can follow. The problem is that travel is very fast in Celestia. How would it know what textures to preload if you were just flying about through the galaxy?

[scratt]

Thanks.. I'll check it out..

Basically I am talking about travelling inside planetary systems at reasonable speeds (whatever they are!).. Let's suppose we are coming up on Mars and their are a couple of satellites in orbit.. Once we are inside a specific range (perhaps a little before the satellites look like more than a pixel or two) we start loading the models...

It would mean, hopefully, that you don't suddenly have a massive satellite right infront of you as it pops on the screen..

[buggs_moran]

Noticed an interesting thing with the colsole window open (hit ~). Textures do load upon acieving a certain "distance". I assume that is based on an apparent diameter? Is there any way to increase that? It would fix you interplanetary travel if everything preloaded for your solar system (of course it would hit your RAM pretty hard)... How about this. When a user selects a new destination with ENTER. The textures are preloaded and THEN leaves for the destination.