Things to do while you compile

Armadillo of Doom

Group Founder, Lover of Pie
aa
Oct 25, 2007
949
1,228
My contest entry is roughly as big as Dustbowl, even though 90% of the first stage doesn't exist yet (the second and third stages are fine, long story). So I'm compiling away, and even with my beast of a machine (built myself, thank you very much), it still takes forever and a day. So I'm curious, what do you all do while waiting for a semi-final compile of your map?

1. Make and eat a sammich
2. Lie in sun w/ dog
3. Bother the admins w/ stupid questions
4. Check favorite online comics
5. Try to play other games and fail, b/c compiling eats up most of my dual-core cpu
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
6. Fap
7. Read up on the latest internet memes to make sure you know what people are talking about when they say I'M CHARGIN MA LAZOR
8. Post a developer blog but realise you can't get the latest screenshots of your map because you haven't compiled the damn thing yet
9. Talk aimlessly on Vent about how much of a bitch hammer is when it doesn't compile properly
10. Watch a film
11. Practice solving the rubik's cube (which btw, I can do)
12. Theorise about the next map you will make
13. Open the garage door (remotely) and watch the terrified chickens in your garden with glee
14. Complain loudly about how slow the PC gets when its compiling so that others nearby get annoyed
15. Make stupid threads like this
16. Search desperatly for information about the release date of the next bitching update for TF2
17. Try and work out why valve used 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 instead of a sensible percentage scale
18. Send text messages to those half way around the world before remembering its midnight for them
19. Fiddle with the endl;ess junk on your desk
20. Tidy your messy desk

*note I only do some of these as my compile times are usually too short for some of the longer tasks
 

Hawk

L7: Fancy Member
Dec 3, 2007
419
213
During the quick compiles I either watch TV for a bit or play some kind of game on my DS. Sometimes I draw. The quick compiles usually last from 7 to 15 minutes.

For the final-quality compiles, I usually just set those up to go overnight. They take around 6 hours.
 
T

The Asylum

My latest beta of cp_normandy took close to 15 minutes to compile, so I played "Cortana" on Halo 3, Legendary.

I'm not sure why I hate myself so much.
 

apocguy

L2: Junior Member
Jan 10, 2008
51
2
1. I walk to the kitchen and drink some water from the faucet.
2. Walk back to computer to see that VIS is only at 1...
3. Repeat 1.
4. Take a leak.
5. Drink more water.
6. Check computer, VIS is at 4...
7. More water, more leaking.
8. VIS is at 6...
9. Take another leak, I guesstimate that this compile will help me lose 5lbs.
10. Check scale. Was 185lbs. last week, now 175lbs.
11. VIS at 9...
12. VIS done... Damn time for RAD.
13. Stare at lava lamp.
14. Compile finished, but I am sleeping.
 

Earl

L6: Sharp Member
Dec 21, 2007
284
38
I usually compile with the -low flag, so my instances of minesweeper or freecell don't get too laggy. :)
 

TheDarkerSideofYourShadow

L10: Glamorous Member
Apr 12, 2008
792
286
Well, right now I'm learning to juggle. However, sometimes I actually do the school work that I'm supposed to have been working on.
 

JTG

L2: Junior Member
Nov 19, 2007
61
1
1: Use restroom
2: Watch Monty Python
3: See where my cat's gone to
4: Get some food
5: Stare into space
6: Read some Lovecraft
7: Periodically walk back into room to see where compile is, cuss, walk back out
 

Spike

L10: Glamorous Member
Feb 13, 2008
716
82
I've seen +80 hours compiling for Goldsource (not me)
 

Dox

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Oct 26, 2007
588
62
1. Read up at TF2maps.net
2. chat in the chatroom
3. read webcomics
4. read news (Cnet, slashdot, wired, and if im bored, Fark)
5. check my RSS feeds (I use google reader)

Usually my compiles dont go over 3 minutes unless its a release compile so I dont have time for much else.