Avoid func_lod, do not use a lot of those within a map. It consumes much of precious fps when rendered compared to func_detail. You might not notice the difference on high end machine but low end it shows pretty clearly. I have used func_lod on my own projects only once or twice per map.
As an example (not from l4d2 but from cs source), i encoutered a map with a friend that had used func_lod on brushes, instead func_detail which should have been used. So with permission from the owner, we updated that map and fine tuned it a bit. Fps became very steady and increased with 100+ from what it was. Func_lod is very expensive to use, if used a lot. -ics 17.6.2010 19:20, Benjamin J Dunbar kirjoitti: > Hey man, that's an enormous help for me. Thank you. > > It looks like func_lod is worth trying out. > > Question about "waterindices": Does it say anything about there being a limit > or breaking point for them? I'm only halfway to the brush limit but the > "waterindices" is up to 85%, do you think the engine will break if I ended up > going much higher? The map itself has great frame rates. > > The other wierd thing is that I normally get those "glimmering edges and > cracks" in my brushes no matter what I do. They usually appear in dark areas > and at distances greater than 500 units. I have learned to deal with it and > map in such a way that gives very few long-distance views in darkness - ei > dark tunnels. > > Thanks again > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kenneth B. Swisher"<capt...@qis.net> > Date: Thursday, June 17, 2010 10:44 am > Subject: Re: [hlmappers] Optimization Questions > To: Discussion of Half-Life Mapping<hlmappers@list.valvesoftware.com> > > >> Hey Ben, >> >> Here's what VDC has (seein' as how you can't access it). >> >> >> func_lod >> >> >> From Valve Developer Community >> >> Jump to: navigation >> <http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Func_lod#column- >> one>, search >> <http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Func_lod#searchInput> >> >> This is a brush entity >> <http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Brush_entity> >> available in all >> Source games. >> >> >> Entity Description >> >> Brush-built >> <http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Entity#Brush_entities> model >> that fades out over a specified distance. Useful for creating >> world >> detail that doesn't need to be drawn far away, for performance >> reasons. >> * Note:*The fading is not always consistent; brushes may >> suddenly "pop" >> into view depending on where the player is looking. This happens >> because >> of a hardware issues with rendering translucent materials. Low- >> end cards >> will fade nearer than the distance specified, and smaller >> objects fade >> nearer than a larger object with the same fade distance. >> * Note:*The overhead required by this entity is substantial. Use >> it only >> for special effects or when fading very dense geometry, and one >> could >> then argue, shouldn't that better be a model >> <http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Model>? >> >> As for waterindices, here's as much as I could gather: >> "t-junctions are edges with more than two collinear verts. This >> happens >> when dissimilar geometry meets sharing an edge, vbsp >> automatically adds >> all verts along the edge to each polygon sharing the edge to >> avoid >> cracks. vbsp has a -notjunc option that will skip this process, >> but that >> will leave you with cracks in your level. You probably want the >> t-junctions fixed. Cracks usually look like sparkling edges >> (bright >> pixels in the skybox showing through). >> >> There are several references on t-junctions online as it's a >> general >> problem when processing geometry for any rendering engine. It's >> not >> unique to anything specifically in Source." >> >> Basically, it looks like it has to do with when you have two >> brush edges >> with vertices along them that don't line up, so vbsp does some >> work to >> prevent unsightly cracks from showing along the edges. >> I'unno, that's >> my best guess. >> >> And, thanks for your service (Army). >> >> >> >> Benjamin J Dunbar wrote: >> >>> Hi, >>> >>> I am asking my questions here on the mailing list because I do >>> >> not have access to the VDC at this time...it's considered by the >> US Army to be a "gaming" site, so they have blocked it on our >> machines.> >> >>> What exactly is func_lod, and do you think I should use it >>> >> instead of func_detail? I have a high amount of >> func_detail in my map and after looking at Valve's maps I >> noticed some func_lod where I would have assumed to use >> func_detail. Can someone clear up it's purpose and usage >> for me? >> >>> Also...same map as above...when I compile, I get 85% >>> >> "waterindices", which the compiler calls "VERY FULL". But >> I have no water in my map at all. Can someone tell me >> what's up with that? What are "waterindices"? >> >>> Thanks very much guys. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list >>> >> archives, please visit: >> >>> http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlmappers >>> >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list >> archives, please visit: >> http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlmappers >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please > visit: > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlmappers > > _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlmappers
