Ability Preloading Times

[emootootoo]

I'm sure there is someone with enough preloading experience to answer my question.

I am to have several heroes in my map, who will each have 6 abilities, and these abilities will each have 50 levels.

I would have loved to simply use level 1 abilities, and scale them dependant on the hero's level, however, dynamic mana costs would not be an option unless triggered.

OK, so lets say I preload all of my abilities to prevent the lag from appearing IN-GAME. At what amount of heroes do you think the loading-screen would be unbearably long?

Would 20 heroes be fine?

 

[AceHart]

No one will notice, or, let's say, complain about, a loading screen that takes 27 seconds instead of only 22.5 ("it's slow but plays fine").
However, everyone will clearly notice even just 0.5 seconds of first time cast or appearance lag ("OMFG, this shit LAAAAGGGGS!!!!!").

Though, 50 levels? You sure that still makes sense?

 

[Exide]

Although, what AceHart is saying is true..
There's one special map, that we all know about, that doesn't preload any abilities. -Dota.
All lag is taken care of when the heroes are chosen.

I believe it's because there are something over 80 heroes with (almost) 4 specific abilities. It would take quite some time to preload, and the game is only using up to 10 of them, anyway..

 

[emootootoo]

Well, yes. I require 50 levels per ability, as whenever the hero levels, all of his abilities scale up one level aswell (heroes have 50 levels).

I have thought of other solutions already, such as scaling an ability up every 5 levels instead of every 1 level. However, every 5 levels seems a little too far between spell upgrades.

I suppose just scaling spells every 2 levels halves spell preloading and won't make that much of a difference.