Back to basics

rbelluso · Post by **rbelluso** » Fri May 09, 2003 3:26 pm

i have 3 problems:

#1: i have been using the texture that says "caulk", however out of 7,000 faces only 68 are removed! i never fixed this problem. i thought this was the correct one, i guess not. any thoughts?

#2: normally, my compile time is 15 min on fast options. however, i did a semi-final compile without fast options and my compile time was estimated to be 139 hrs - thats like 5-6 days! any input would be greatly appreciated.

#3: finally, i have some great screens for u guys for my upcoming release of my map. how do i post them? i don't have a website.

- BellSnig

nihilo · Post by **nihilo** » Fri May 09, 2003 3:58 pm

I can answer two of those questions, sorta.

3) A great place to upload pictures to the net is:
http://www.dodstudios.net/uploads/upload.php

2) Extreme compile times have been heard of on a large enough map, but there are all kinds of variables that determine how long it will take for you (mostly, how fast your computer is). However, in my experience, if you have some nasty brushes (degenerate planes, etc) the compile time can take ALOT longer. On my first map I had a couple of degenerate brushes, and with them in there my compile took FOREVER, but once I removed them my compile took like 10 minutes. Could be the same thing?

Post by **Surgeon** » Fri May 09, 2003 5:13 pm

#1: i have been using the texture that says "caulk", however out of 7,000 faces only 68 are removed! i never fixed this problem. i thought this was the correct one, i guess not. any thoughts?

As far as I know those 7000 faces are visible faces that are covered in normal textures (not caulked faces). The faces removed are ones that the compiler has removed because it is being efficient.......

Hope that makes sense....

#2 - A large outdoor map will take much longer to compile than a small indoor map...you can improve compile times by reading about VIS hint brushes and turn all non blocking brushes into detail.....

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Fri May 09, 2003 6:35 pm

I did some testing:
I compiled a map with caulk used(version A), than replaced all caulk with something different (version B). Here's what it said:
Version A: 10614 faces from 10827 (213 removed)
Version B: 13863 faces from 14122 (259 removed)
This makes a difference of about 25% less faces, which could be worse. I think, those 213 faces the compiler removes are a (rather neglectable) plus to the faces that are removed by using caulk!?

panTera · Post by **panTera** » Sat May 10, 2003 1:28 am

I think, those 213 faces the compiler removes are a (rather neglectable) plus to the faces that are removed by using caulk!?

All faces you manually caulk are removed. The removed faces that are reported after BSP-compile are the 'leftovers' of overlapping brushes.
Don't forget that faces are triangles that were split by the BSP-process. When you apply caulk to a face (read: one side of a brush) you are removeing two faces (triangles). The BSP-process splits your brushes in the most efficient way and the faces that were removed during compile would not have been visible in-game anyway but still be drawn and therefore removed. But it's negligible. Usually this effect is taking place there where brushes overlap.

bdbodger · Post by **bdbodger** » Sun May 11, 2003 1:55 pm

maybe better use of detail brushes may help compile time . Make sure you are not useing q3map format because the detail brushes don't work if you do .