Option to disable birds

[Yiski]

While I do like the addition of birds on the maps, it's beginning to take a toll on my computer. Granted my computer isn't the best equipped for gaming, but it's all I got.

If anything, an option to disable the birds would be nice.

[N-Sunderland]

If you're such a good shot, maybe you should just shoot them out of the sky and drive them extinct

[RearAdmiralZill]

Hard to shoot things when you're lagging.

[N-Sunderland]

But in all seriousness, this is probably a good idea. I can imagine that they might hurt some systems pretty badly.

[Yiski]

It does, usually I'll have 30-40 fps (not great, but then again I did say my computer was meh), but the birds now give me between 15-30 fps.

[Moo]

You're sure it's the birds, and not some other change that was introduced with the new version?

[LordFunPants]

hrmm, this is an interesting one, i actually mentioned this post earlier today and was told "we could literally have a million birds and it'd cost nothing" more or less. soooo either something else happens to be causing an issue with framerate right now, or that statistic about having a million birds is wrong. something to definitely double check before we litter the sky with flocks and flocks of birds though. . . 

[Yiski]

Well, after playing more, I noticed a pattern. My fps dies only on Labyrinth. No clue why though (maybe the clouds... I swear you and your clouds) because the other maps seem fine.

[Chango]

Labyrinth does appear laggy to me also. Worst Lag Spikes i've ever had are happening there. There are a lot of objects on the map. I'll note my fps change next time I'm on.

[Honeybadger]

I think we should replace dust clouds with bird clouds. At least you can kind of see out of it.

[dragonmere]

I don't think the birds have any effect on performance, but I would like an option to turn the encounters down or off completely. I feel they show up a bit too frequently.

On the topic of Labyrinth; I don't have the best computer, but with my settings on the lower end I can usually pull at around ~25 fps. However, on labyrinth i literally get 5 fps. The whole time. The latency seems to be fine, and I don't really notice any lag spikes. It's the frames that are a problem with me.

[Lord Dick Tim]

Sometimes I think this game was built for my pc.  I get no lag on the new map, or latency, or fps issues.  I do have a higher end pc though, so this could be it.

[HamsterIV]

*Conspiracy mode activate*
I was watching a V formation of geese on the Fjords map when I realized that their movement was very similar to the NPC biplane moment I saw on one of the kick starter videos. This leads me to the suspicion the Muse is trying to QA their new Adventure mode NPC airplane AI by unleashing it on the general community as these innocent looking "birds." Any comment LordFunPants?

[LordFunPants]

*slightly evil, but mostly vague developer artist mode activate*
ha, it truly does amaze me how observant you guys are in regards to just about everything, makes all the fine details we put that much more worth it. but i only tease things i've worked on directly or comment if i can generally help out with problems! so i'll let you keep guessing, cause its always fun to watch  

amusing theory none the less.

[HamsterIV]

That doesn't sound like a denial to me. I am going assume these birds birds are secretly plotting to cover my airship in dookie then light it on fire whenever the methane levels get to just the right point.