yikes, thanks for the info. i was mainly concerned about the "waterindices" and I was thinking using func_lod would reduce the "very full" "waterindices" warning on the compile log.
----- Original Message ----- From: ics <i...@ics-base.net> Date: Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:35 pm Subject: Re: [hlmappers] Optimization Questions To: Discussion of Half-Life Mapping <hlmappers@list.valvesoftware.com> > 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 > > _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlmappers
