Problem With Info_locations Causing Blocalloc Full

Hypergrip · June 2004

<div class="IPBDescription">MAYBE related to compiler tools or NS...</div> lo guys

I finished my latest project ns_falcon a few days ago and everything worked just fine. However after adding info_locations to the map (nothing else has changed in any way) NS crashes with a "AllocBlock: full" when trying to load it.

After searching to forums and the web I came across the hint that overlapping info_locations can cause this problem, but i made sure all the locations are at least 8 units apart from each other, so this can not be the source of the problem.

Then I thought the reason might be that the map has too many entities so i combined several block entities (mostly overlays for computer screens or other lights) into single entities - didn't help either.

My next try was the thought that there might be a limit on info_locations (wich i never heared of). So basically i deleted an info_location, compiled, tried to load, removed another info_location, compiled, tried to load and so on until the map would load without problems. I then moved and resized the remaining info_locations so they would cover more of the map (I did not add anything, I only changed existing entities). When trying to load the map "AllocBlock: full" again >_<

So my conclusion was that, ance the combined size of all info_locations on the map reaches a certain value the error will occur. I tried a single big info_location covering the whole map and got the error. I resized the info_location to cover only a small room and it loaded just fine.

I think i tried pretty much anything I can on the side of VHE so I guess it MIGHT be an actualy problem with the compiler tools or NS itself. I have no clue really...

/Hyper

ShenTraX · June 2004

do you still have one or two huge info_locations?

Hypergrip · June 2004

the largest one is in the hangar area. However when I tried to remove a couple of locations because i thought there might be a limit...
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My next try was the thought that there might be a limit on info_locations (wich i never heared of). So basically i deleted an info_location, compiled, tried to load, removed another info_location, compiled, tried to load and so on until the map would load without problems. I then moved and resized the remaining info_locations so they would cover more of the map (I did not add anything, I only changed existing entities). When trying to load the map "AllocBlock: full" again >_<
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That location was still in the map and it worked <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' />

/hyper

DarkSeraph · June 2004

i've never heard of this happening, but it sounds like you have a location over an entity or something that it doesn't like, but i have no clue what the error means. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> perhaps go about it finding it like a leak using the box method. however if there are multiple spots... then ur screwed lol

good luck, hope i never get this error <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' />

Hypergrip · June 2004

the map definitly has no leak. As said before it compiles without info_locations just fine. Also there can't be any entities belov the locations, because the info_locations are about 300 units below the lowest point of the map. I too thought it might be something with an entity that somehow produces and error when it's above a location, but during my tests it did not matter where the locations were. I even moved all locations outside the map (outside of the playable map, not outside the grid) and still got the error. So I think we can say that this is not the problem.

/Hyper

Reebdoog · June 2004

Weird Error, it relates to memory being full, usually because of a bad texture scale. I covered my whole test map in locations, 1 didnt work;error, but 4 huge ones did. I made 50something locations, no error, so there isn't a max amount (Not that there should be, but just checking)

Just checking you made it null and didnt change the texture sizes? The compiler and hl will not handle rooms as big as the whole map.

Try adding locations 1 by 1, and see when it crashes. The size shouldn't matter (Obviously not huge, but i tested 3200x3200 and it worked). Just compile till where you get the error when you check, no use running the whole thing if it works.

Skiller · July 2004

I just got that error on a map I'm working on, it happened when I added a func_rotating, I figured it was probably an entity limit so I deleted a func_wall and lo and behold it worked again. I dont have any idea of what causing the error for sure tho.

brute_force · July 2004

<b>allocblock:full</b>
A tough one to figure out, vague error that usually shows up when you start the game or during compile, or even when WC/Hammer starts up - you have gone over the memory limit somewhere for some reason. It can be too little RAM (128M is about minimum), a leaf saw into leaf error, too long pathnames, too many textures, too big a level, too big or too many model/sprites, too big a wav sound file - or it could be that old "too many wads" mistake, a huge "noob" brush around the map to prevent leaks, too many SKY faces on hidden brush faces in the level - or even something else. <i>Example: In early versions of NS, the 3D area info location entities were a major cause.</i>
If it happens during compile, do not use WC/Hammer to "run" the map, but use a front end or batch file to compile with. You could also get more RAM.

Taken from <a href='http://www.slackiller.com/tommy14/errors.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.slackiller.com/tommy14/errors.htm</a>.

Wolv · July 2004

Only advice I can give is to make sure your info_location is only 16 units tall, has a texture scale of about 4x4 (higher may work as well) and is NULL textured.

Note that the problem doesn't come from just the info_locations, they simply are the drop that spills the bucket, so you can also try increasing texture scales on any large surfaces in the map itself (also helps r_speeds).

Skiller · July 2004

Just fixed the prob on my map <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />
All you have to do is scale up textures alot, even if the texture wont be rendered in-game it helps, so scale up all the outside textures (they never seen by player) to 10x and it should fix the problem <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

Problem With Info_locations Causing Blocalloc Full

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