Post your VIS reducing tricks here PLZ

Dr ABAP · Post by **Dr ABAP** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 8:19 am

One way of helping with compile times and VIS (to some extent) would be to use the HINT brush. This basically cuts your map into segments, making the map quicker during playing and also helps during compile time too. There's some interesting topics regarding HINT brushes on some of the top Q3 Editing sites (cannot remember all of em!), they explain VIS and HINT brushed in more detail.

I did a map on RtCW, I used HINT brushes after I found it very slow during game play. When I compiled the map again not only did it run faster during games play it cut my VIS down by a good 20%

You can make some of your brushes Structural etc.....

You think you have problems!!? My VIS was 5.8!!!! It's currently down to 3.1 and still shrinking. VIS is a B'tch as I wanted to release my map last weekend... SORRY!! SURGEON!!

Dr ABAP · Post by **Dr ABAP** » Fri Aug 09, 2002 1:42 pm

OK... As I said in my previous post my VIS was 5.8 meg... with the method I applied and have mentioned I got it down too 1.1 meg. I have 345ish models on the map too... I used full everything on compile and it now takes about 3hrs max to compile.... the map is fairly large too.

Basically any brush that isn't used as a door or window (anything that isn't interactive i.e. walls/roofs/stairs etc...) make them DETAIL and split your map up into ZONES via hint brushes... effectively splitting your map into managable zones (Any UT mappers will now about this!!). Which not only speeds your map up FPS!!! It also helps with VIS.

Anouther tip is to CLIP LIGHT, lights that leak between walls from one room to another... when the compiler applies lights it realy struggles with this... logically if you switch your kitchen light on you won't see the light coming thru where two walls meet at right angles would you???

Getting away with it all, messed up. That's the living - James

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Fri Aug 09, 2002 2:54 pm

CLIP LIGHT?
Sounds great, can you tell me, how to do this?

Thanks!

Dr ABAP · Post by **Dr ABAP** » Mon Aug 12, 2002 7:12 am

Well, I eventually got my VIS down from 5.8 to 1.1 and now it's down to .6 mb (6184bytes).. I did this with Detail brushes/hints and caulk. My map takes 2hr 40mins (roughly) to compile using light +extra +final and +fulldetail.

If anyone's having trouble with VIS send me you map and I'll see what I can do.

One other tip when designing maps is to use very few facets as possible. Always create a brush using CAULK and then apply textures to those facets that are going to be visible.

kdja · Post by **kdja** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 12:03 pm

Got my map file back fomr the others this week and reduced it from 4.9 to 3.4 (we doing a group map thing )

Now i only have some brushes detail but downlaoded your map (ABAP) and have to know how the hell did you implement those hint brushes my FPS was baning on that map and it shouldnt???

pic of map file ,if what im thinkin about Hint brushes is correct i can Qtr this map and have 4 segements,is that correct??

kdja

Dr ABAP · Post by **Dr ABAP** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 12:29 pm

HINT brushes effectively segments what the engine draws usually if you have a room coming off a corridor or a corridor goes around a corner (

wow that's easy for me too say!).. you should use hint brushes to block it off at the bend... as the engine (from the current players eyes) isn't yet seen......... however, VIS reduction is minimal from a HINT point of view. However FPS will benefit greatly... also on big maps even though you don't need fog make fog (see my scr for that!) make the farplane 10000 (or just play with it) again the engine will not draw past the visible fog distanace helping with FPS.

I turned every brush into detail, with the following exceptions..

SKYBOX (NEVER make detail!!! BUT make the bottom brush CAULK!!)
MODELS
FUNCTION_x (i.e. rotating doors/ladders/windows)
ANY FACE (facet) not seen by a play make CAULK!)

You can make clip brushes detail and hint brushes too....

Don't just put a big hint halfway over your entire map, as this will not work... it will make matters worse.

Another tip... reduce the number of brushes used.... where ever possible.

If you want send me your .map and I'll optimise it for you.

kdja · Post by **kdja** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 1:01 pm

Got it to 2.5 with detail , nothing else to detail.

there are bigger maps so i assume its too many faces.

kdja

Dr ABAP · Post by **Dr ABAP** » Sat Aug 17, 2002 3:11 pm

I'm not sure what the max number of brushes/facets you can have in MOH?? But judging by the changes to the engine, it would be far more than RTcW for instance (But I can't be sure! 8) )

Pitty, the developers (modifiers) could have given some indication (as with many other thing!)?? I know this was mentioned on Q3Rad ages ago but many Games Dev. Houses have made modifications to the engine since then????? Plus I thought you where limited by your GFX hardware too..... (or was that a myth?)

I do believe that using MAKE STRUCTURAL might help with the number of faces.. I think I read that somewhere too... usually you would use this on roofs or where a players don't come into contact with the brush?? I do use this.....

Gizzy (nl) · Post by **Gizzy (nl)** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 9:38 am

well, I have the same problem in my Razzia map. The visdata size was 7mb !!! I reduced it to 4mb by merging some brushes and deleting brushes that where used on dummy buildings. Since the map is about a couple of houses in Amsterdam (there are screens on this forum). When you walk the street surrounding the houses and you look at the skybox (your back turned towards the houses) the FPS is real high and mtex about 5-6 BUT when you turn around towards the houses it becomes real real real bad... (mtex of 50) I use caulk where ever is needed. I did make some details using the rightclick method...turning the bnrushes into green lines in 2d view.. I cannot do a full compile due to the visdata size. I do not know how to implement hint brushes or visleafs so i am kinda a desperate....