vis & detail

7th Es Cyborg · Post by **7th Es Cyborg** » Fri Jan 31, 2003 5:33 pm

ok by reading the forums I'm starting to get an understanding of the vis process. Now I've got a few questions. Most of what I've read talks about compile time. I personaly could care less about the compile time of my map, I'm worried about ingame FPS. Right now most of my brushes are structural, with only things like staircases and molding made as detail ( basicly anything that is enclosed in some way with in a structural brush ). But when I do a fast vis and light My FPS in the game are starting to drop. The map isn't very large but does have a few open spaces ( which will probably be cut out for the final version ).
What I'd like to know is what is the best way to increase my FPS for the map, more detail brushes or what? Keep in mind, compile time I don't care about - this pc can run for 2 weeks compiling for all I care, I just want a better playable end version.

Post by **jv_map** » Fri Jan 31, 2003 5:51 pm

Don't do a -fast vis.

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Fri Jan 31, 2003 6:07 pm

........because FAST VIS does not take into account the vis blocking/sightlines, etc. Meaning that it's still seeing/drawing everything anyway.

It's tough, everyone knows it. You have to work a balance between detail and structural but in the end some areas just can't be helped. I can suggest that if you have any walls that butt up against your sky box... IF they do, make them detail as the skybox is structural and blocks what the wall would, only move effectively as it's 100% your height. This may not work for all buildings, but use it as may work case to case.

Plus, detail not only the stuff you mentioned, but also any brushes that have strange angles, i.e. holes in walls, destroyed stuff for sure and any metal/glass clip brushes. I detail all the stuff that is patially transparent, also, like fencing, wires, stuff like that as they can't block vis either.

I also think that NOT using cylinders in wide open spaces helps.. for telephone poles, etc. Depends. If you can NOT use cylinders, patches, and LOD, don't. Use brushes for unaltered, flat terrain and don't run them across the 'block' lines, if possible. Can't promise that's 100% accurate, but I've found it helps in some situations.

Might be wrong about some of this, but the people who know better will respond.

7th Es Cyborg · Post by **7th Es Cyborg** » Fri Jan 31, 2003 6:13 pm

thanks for the tips.

If anyone would like to look at my map so far here is the .map and the pk3 ( there are custom textures ). It's about 1/4 done - I still want to add in a building next to the garage and I have to do the terrain texturing better. Also need to add in the little stuff like trees and interior junk.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/eboone11/map.zip

I'd like peoples comments on it so far.......

Post by **jv_map** » Fri Jan 31, 2003 6:17 pm

Anything transparent is automatically ignored by the vis compiler, so you don't have to detail these things manually. Also, a bsp compile with -blocksize 0 will stop blocksize splits.

8)

7th Es Cyborg · Post by **7th Es Cyborg** » Fri Jan 31, 2003 8:43 pm

should I use the blocksize 0 only for fast vis or for final also?

Post by **jv_map** » Sat Feb 01, 2003 6:58 am

Use it for bsp, always.