Grabbing Lo's - Views & Preferences

[mikey]

Hi All,

After the release of these layouts, I received some interesting comments, and I would like to make some retractions, and then corrections so that everyone feels a little warmer and fuzzier about them. Thank you for your input by the way.



When I made this string of layouts, certain assumptions were made as to the version the bumper was using, as well as the ways that people bump, etc... Here are the assumptions that I made before I created these.

Bumpers all use the version 1.2
Layouts are bumped ten times only
Game crashes at 500 bumps roughly
Everyone has the same amount of favorites stored in thier player file
Everyone has at least a thread of dignity and respect for others

That being said...this morning I did some bumping and got 667 bumps before it crashed...yes I counted. I originally started playing, and bumping using version 1.3, now I'm using 1.2. I myself bump layouts more than 10 ten times on purpose, and by accident. Obviously, not everyone has the same favorites stored as well. How naive am I?

;D

All of these statements can make a difference in how quicky the game, version 1.2, crashes. For example, if my favorites are empty, you could get a few more bumps than 667, adversly if you have many favorites, you might not even get to 667 bumps. In the next release of this type of layout spread, I will edit the bump fact to 667 plus or minus. As for times it takes to bump, I bumped using the shuffle, as well as the hint buttons. The high range of the bump times will be increased by 7% due to fat fingers, crazy clicking, or just plain oopsy daisies. Also, I will add 10X to the descriptions as well so that everyone knows that these figures are for layouts bumped ten times only. Last but not least, I will also try and add the words respect and dignity to the last layout's title.

I also wanted to say that I will bumping these strings more than 10 times. So even if the you know who's, do you know what, everyone will have a chance at getting decent points, and the newbies will be able to acquire more information, instead of being turned off by a layout with low points. Not to muddy the waters, but I will refrain from playing the layouts just to help keep the points up, and the information fresh for the newbies. But please don't let that discourage you from playing them. After all, it is a game.

This subject is always open for debate or comments, so please reply if you need to say something about this subject.



Hugs to everyone !!

Mikey

p.s. - I did figure out a way to keep from losing the points, and continuing to bump. After the crash, I disable the internet connection before re-starting up MTE. After it's disabled, start MTE, and when it's completely up and running, bring the internet connection back online. Points are intact, and I'm not cryin' about losing 22,000 points that the grabbers would have caused me to lose.

[Marilyn]

for the info Mikey!
Also, with the exception of, I believe the macromedia error, if your game crashes, if you quickly zip your MY file before you re-open it, you will preserve your layouts at the 10,000 points to be plalyed offline at a later time if you wish.
If you go back in immediately, you would of course need to load up another template to launch if you want to continue to launch or just finish the ones that you had not launched prior to the crash, but by having your MY file zipped and saved, you'll have those layouts at 10K to play later offline.
Karma Hug to you for all these facts!!

[Spazza]

Good point Marilyn, u are so right!! Saving the 'my' file after a crash but b4 going back into the game does preserve the point value on any shared & bumped lo's - have done this myslf b4 also - Karma hug to you coming

Great facts Mikey - Well done!! Karma Hug to you too Mikey

I'd just like to point out another fact along the line of bumping & game crashes -

I did put this info into a few lo's quite som time back now, actually it seems like forever ago, think it was way back in me original Spazza player but anyway -

Thr r probably many reasons why the game crashes but the 1 that really stands out & comes to mind for me - is memory - computer memory!!

Mte uses a huge amount of yr computers memory when you launch & bump your layouts - & i believe that 9 out of 10 times the game crashes due to the lack of it

This is more than likely one of the reasons why many of us share on average 40 - 50 lo files. Like Marilyn i can get away with bumping 60 - 70 los during 1 launch - by this time my computer starts slowing down - wen i bought this computer a cupl of months prior to christmas (second hand, totally cleaned out) i had more Ram installed because the programmes i had installed onto it had slowed it down hugely - after having more Ram installed & having it running smoothly, on October 27th 08 - i did a launch night with my *Spazza player & i launched continually 5 files = a total 240 lo's & didnt crash once, but like many, i have alot more installed on my computer now compared to then - hence more space used up with programmes, yet some peoples game will crash wen they launch & bump 30 lo's - Why?? Me being the inquisitive Kiwi that i am likes to know these things & why, so i started to investigate & made a discovery

OK - thr is 1 way in which i know of to keep an eye on how much memory yr Mte game is using when you launch & bump - & that is by keeping an eye on yr puters virtual memory -

Please bare with me - thr is a point to this -

If yr not very computer literate, this is how you go about finding the Virtual Memory on yr puter

(Please note: this is for yr standard windows xp computer - if anyone knows where or how to find this info in Vista then please feel free to add the information to this thread for other Vista users)

On yr desktop - right clik yr 'My Computer' icon - clik properties - clik Advanced - In the Performance box at the top, clik Settings - this brings up a performance options window - clik Advanced - at the bottom of this window you will see a box called 'Virtual Memory', this box shows you the "Total paging file size for all drives:" then has a number with MB beside it

PLEASE NOTE: THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATIONS ARE SET FOR MY COMPUTER AS TO THE AMOUNT OF RAM INSTALLED ON MY COMPUTER - PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE ANY OF THE SPECIFICATIONS IN YOUR OWN COMPUTER - THIS IS BEST DONE BY A COMPUTER EXPERT UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING

Mine for example looks like this -

Virtual Memory
A paging file is an area on the hard disk that Windows uses as if it were Ram.

Total paging file size for all drives: 1000MB

Then down here almost under the 1000MB thr is a change box - clik on it
( this bits not in thr but - yr not going to change anything, yr just going to view it)

OK - this window is yr virtual memory info - i wish i knew how to use infranview then i could hopefully get a shot of this box for you - but i dont

Anyway - mine looks like this -

Drive [Volume Label] Paging File Size (MB)
C: This is the main drive of my puter 1000 - 1500

It also shows my 3 external drives currently connected to my puter - E:[Mums] F:[Bckup] & G:[My Stuff] no MB Size as they are external flash drives (additional space on the outside of the computer) Grt investments by the way!!!

Paging file size for selected drive

Drive: C:
Space available 32283MB

Next - Mine is set on -

Custom size:
Initial size (MB): 1000
Maximum size (MB): 1500


The following are the other 2 options
System managed size
No paging file

Then further along thr is a "set" box

OK - wot this is telling me is that the initial size of virtual memory i can use on my puter is 1000MB

So i'm bumping my lo's & my Virtual Memory gets to 1000MB - a yellow system warning appears on the lower right of my puter screen - near the clock - telling me that my Virtual Memory is low & that Windows is increasing it, i stop everything & wait until Windows has increased it & the warning goes away, then i go in to view my Virtual memory to find out wot it is up to in MB's

The Initial size: of 1000MB number will have increased to eg: 1350MB

Therefore i only have another 150MB of Virtual Memory remaining b4 i hit my Maximum Size: of 1500MB

1350 + 150 = 1500

If i continue at this point to bump my lo's the chances of my puter crashing are huge because as soon as it hits that my Virtual Memory usage is 1500MB - thr is no more memory to use so to recover some memory the computer shuts down - aha - Crashes - & reboots itself - wen this happens you can go in & view yr Virtual Memory & WAALAA -

It is back to -

Initial size: 1000MB
Maximum size: 1500MB

& thr ya have it - very simple - & it is so worth keeping an eye on in this game

Before i close on the subject of the virtual memory - (for those that have done the above to get to the Virtual Memory Window) at the very bottom of the same window thr is also a box called -

Total paging file size for all drives

(again this is how mine looks)

Minimum allowed: 2 MB
Recommended: 1906 MB
Currently allocated: 1000 MB

This means i can increase the paging file on my puter upto the recommended level - i set it at 1500 as that is all i currently require

To get out of the virtual memory windows just clik ok or cancel & it will close thm as you do so on each one

Any questions along this line - please dont hesitate to ask

I hope this gives you all another view into yr game crashes & helps to alleviate the prob as much as poss for you

And lastly - ya can lose huge point losses with game crashes if you dont save often enuf - i keep my backup up to date by saving after every file i play - cant get anymore up to date than that - was a pain wen i first started saving like that but it is now number 1 priority!!

Enjoy yr game!!!

Huge to all - Fi

[tinamarie]

Hi Fiona, I look at Virtual Memory on my laptop as follows and I have Vista Ultimate installed.

* Computer
* Control Panel
* System
* You will see "View basic information about your computer"
* Look about halfway down for: Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings
* You will see the Windows Shield on the right of that area with Change settings
* Click on Change settings to open it
* New window opens titled System Properties
* Click on Advanced tab
* You will see Performance and click on Settings
* New window opens titled Performance Options and click on Advanced
* You will see Virtual Memory about in the middle of window with information as follows:

Virtual Memory - A paging file is an area on the hard disk that Windows uses as if it were RAM. Total paging file size for all drives: and there will be a number in front of MB pertaining to the individuals computer system.

* Click Change for more information (and all this does at this point is allow the user to view what is Minimum, Recommended and Currently allocated. After viewing or making any changes then click OK or Cancel.

Hope this helps. Did me - I see I need MORE!! LOL

[Tia]

Thank you Mikey, Fi and Tina Marie for this great info.. I am always learning new, useful info here and I think it will be a big help to others too. I never even knew you could watch your virtual memory.. so I am going to go see if I can find mine now! Thank you all so much and a great big Karma Hug for you all!!!

[Marilyn]

Fi and Tina Marie!
Karma Hugs to you both!!!

This is what mine said, I have XP....

Custom size Initial size: 2246
Maximum size (MB) 4292

Total paging file size for all drives
Minimum allowed: 2MB
Recommended: 5373MB
Currently allocated: 2246MB

I didn't change anything cause stuff like this freaks me out to change without a puter person telling me to change it. LOL

I just know that the larger the MY file is of Layouts (gathering while launching) the higher the risk of a GAME crash, not puter crash.
That is why I launch with Maven, while Nag "grabs" for me to save the LOs to zip and play later. Nag grabs Mavens too. If Maven was to grab others LOs as she was launching, she'd crash much more often as her MY file would be getting much larger during the launch.

[Marilyn]

Wooooooooa Tia! Ya snuck in there on me! I had started to read this post and then realized I needed to get to my physical therapy so left this post open while I was gone so didn't see ya had posted until after I did. ;D Amazing what all these folks know isn't it
Good to see ya sweetie!!

[mikey]

I have the max memory, 4gb, my puter will handle. That's the cool thing about being a puter geek. Thanks for the information about the virtual memory, and different ways to keep informed about when a crash is eminent. I still need to add my name to the shared zip list. I plan on doing it tonight. Thanks everyone!!!

Mikey

[koalakutie]

There has been some times I have been playing and a player puts in some games and after 15 mins or so I take them. I am getting sick and tired of one particular person accusing me of grabbing when I have waited all that time and still no one has played them. I got earbashed last week and was not going to give in but this person sent games about me so I sent them to the moderator. I think no one should be called names or be abused for that reason. I have just recently lost my very best friend and I thought I'd play the game to soothe my heart. I am seriously thinking of giving up the game because this person will not stop hurting my feelings. I also have started playing another game and am really liking it so if you don't see me anymore I'll be on my other game......Thank You to the person who has made me a nerverse wreck and has made it just about impossible for me to play.....if we could all be friends that would be great but to the person who has had me in tears on several occasions.....I hope you are happy that you have reduced me into a mental mess. I love this game I would not be playing for 4 years if I didn't. Don't you have a little compassion in that hard heart of yours, you are making people scared and not play anymore, I have their names but for personal reasons I am not going to say who they are.....Just let us play in harmony.....to the sicko why not you give up the game and we'd all be a lot better off........Koala Kutie

[9judy]

Wow Koala Kutie, I would hate to see you stop playing some game because a person is being mean to you. People need to remember this is only a game. Sending a karma hug your way-catch.

[Marilyn]

It is sad to see players bicker like this.
Nikki I am glad you did NOT name the person here.
You have been playing long enough to know this will never stop.
Players are always going to bicker among themselves.
So it's either accept the game for what it is, ignore the BS that goes on in the game, or stop playing.
I'm sorry you are dealing with this, but again, you know it is going to happen, and you know the steps to take.
It is your decision to make.

[rositafresita]

Dear Koala: Learn to ignore them. I have played with you and I like doing so because you are always polite and nice. You play your own layouts after you launch them, but that is YOUR Privilege. I would ignore the rest of the people, as Marilyn says, there are always mean people. You should just keep on playing and leave it at that, others like you so do not deprive people of your company, and just concentrate on those who are worth your love and energy.
Rose

[Giesela]

Dear Nikki,
was not sad. There are always people, others make life difficult. I think you should play the game as you like. If a player his layouts are free, then it makes all the players available. Of course it is nice if you wait a few minutes, so many players get high points. However I respect it. But game is game, and it should be fun. So, do not be angry. Games and more with joy.

It greets you warmly and