Combo Aliases high suggestion (speed up performance)

[zcAmazing]

Could the developers implement the exporting and deletion of all combo aliases? This would be a very good thing to cut back on the quest filesize to shorten loading times in ZC and ZQ.

Implement Combo Aliases for Import and Export. Exporting them only saves the markup for the aliases (what combo numbers the alias is using), not the graphics from the tile.

Implement deletion of all Combo Aliases. A good thing to do before releasing your finished quest since it cuts back the filesize. Screens that have combos placed by an alias remain intact. They will have to export the aliases first before deleting all Aliases in the quest file, because in the event there is need of enhancements in the quest which can occur seldomly, they will import back the aliases and do some re-working.

[DarkDragon]

Other stuff can also be done to slim down a "release" version a quest, such as clearing the ZScript buffer. Adding a special "Save for Release" command would be useful, but I'm reluctant to do so pre-2.5.

[ShadowTiger]

Are combo aliases that big? :shakeno:

.. (Are they?)

[DarkDragon]

Not really. The main sources of bloat in a .qst file are the SFX data, maps, and tiles.

[zcAmazing]

Then I think aliases only increase the size very little on how big one alias is. The more aliases of different sizes, the very little more of the size.

Aliases is only meant for the ZQuest program and not ZC. ZQuest stores the aliases in the quest file when saving quest. When sucessfully finished the quest and ready for release, it could be better to cut back just a little bit by removing all aliases.

In short, aliases is only a minor increase I believe.

[Dark Nation]

I think quests should only save SFX data if it has changed from the default. And there should be a Default SFX menu option to reset the SFX data (like you ca with tiles, combos, etc.). Again, this would be considered a new feature so would probably have to wait (unless people think it should be classified as fixing a file save issue due to unnecessary bloat). :shrug:

[ShadowMancer]

unless people think it should be classified as fixing a file save issue due to unnecessary bloat
Yes, yes, yes, ANYTHING to reduce bloat would be benificial to ZC espically with the way (i perdict) It will grow in popularity when 2.5 is released. (it takes me about 5-10min from clicking Launch ZC to actually starting to play, that is skipping the title screen, loading a custom quest and starting it.) Also keep in mind i have a stone-age 450MHrz Processor whit 384MB RAM, but still that is a looooooooooong loading time

[DarkDragon]

I think quests should only save SFX data if it has changed from the default.

I already did this a couple of builds ago ;)
Doesn't affect already bloated quests, of course. You have to go in and "Default All" or "Default" the relevant SFX, then resave the quest in a recent build.