Source update: Force mobs on a depop

[DanCanDo]

I noticed this update to source code with a git pull today in the changelog.

noudess: Force mobs on a depop @ end pathgrid to still do this on idle zones.
This makes them be more random after a zone is idle, rather than always showing
up at start point when 1st person logs into an idle zone.

I was only curious how it factors in with this setting in features.h
For the above to work properly. Do we comment this or uncomment it ?

//Uncomment this to cause a zone to basically idle
//when there are no players in it, mobs stop wandering, etc..
#define IDLE_WHEN_EMPTY

My own preferences, I would love to have mobs NOT always being at their
spawn point when a player boots a zone up.

[ghanja]

#define IDLE_WHEN_EMPTY

This will build the source so that when a zone is empty, it will go idle. If you comment it:

//#define IDLE_WHEN_EMPTY

Then even when a zone is empty, it will not idle (aka "truly static" zone -- mobs will still path, do their thing, timers, etc.). Though, there is no reason I can think of (at this time) to comment that (using //) before building the source, unless you have zones as static in your 'launcher_zones' table. But I haven't investigated it either.

[DanCanDo]

Oh yes, ghanja, I am aware of what the function does, I was just curious as to how
that source update applies along with that option.

[N0ctrnl]

It wouldn't apply at all. If the zone isn't idle, it doesn't need to pop when you zone in. NPCs are already up and pathing.

[demonstar55]

It only applies when that feature is on actually. Basically when the zone is ideal, we skip mob processing (except for some droop conditions to prevent some NPC build up)

This change will allow some kinds of wandering NPVs to still fully process while the zone is "idle" so they don't just sit at the start of their path until a player comes a long.

[DanCanDo]

Oh ok, makes more sense now, thanks guys !!!