Find and select all "dynamic lights" in my scene?

(s2a) yahodahan

L3: Member
Apr 22, 2009
144
18
Doing my best to make s2a_compound run worth a bugger, have already done a lot, but now Dynamic Lights seem to be the last (big) issue.

+showbudget told me "Dynamic Lights" were destroying FPS- so I deleted the only one I know of in the level.

However, I still see "Dynamic Lights" chugging away, over half way to max on the +showbudget display.

To find the light, I tried displaying only light entities via the visgroup panel, but no luck, I searched them ALL, no dynamic lights I could find :(

I also checked all my point_spotlights to make sure they weren't going dynamic (there's a flag that can do this, i found).

Does anyone know of a way to find what could be causing the problem? It's really going ugly on my FPS, but there shouldn't be any at all. arg!

thanks all
 

Malcolm

L3: Member
Jul 10, 2008
123
25
Do some of your light-entities have names? Because if a light-entites has a name (or custom appeareance) it is a dynamic light entites for the engine... so you could also check that.
 

(s2a) yahodahan

L3: Member
Apr 22, 2009
144
18
nope- checked that already, thanks though, malcom.

maybe if a point_spotlight had a name for some reason?? but isolating those is much harder...
 

Geit

💜 I probably broke it 💜
aa
May 28, 2009
598
1,161
Also, make sure that your "point_spotlight" entities have the "No Dynamic Light " flag checked.

You can use the filter tools on Map->Entity Report to find groups of objects.

EDIT:

Here's an example of use (Entity Report):
UaX.png
 
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(s2a) yahodahan

L3: Member
Apr 22, 2009
144
18
Also, make sure that your "point_spotlight" entities have the "No Dynamic Light " flag checked.

You can use the filter tools on Map->Entity Report to find groups of objects.

This is EXACTLY what i was sure I had seen used before- thanks!! I did already check that "no dynamica light" flag, at least on a few, but it seems that is the default, so didn't check all. I know i didn't change any of those.

ABS- I'll check that out, though I believe there are only several doors that are dynamically lit, nothing else. Thanks!
 

Geit

💜 I probably broke it 💜
aa
May 28, 2009
598
1,161
This is EXACTLY what i was sure I had seen used before- thanks!! I did already check that "no dynamica light" flag, at least on a few, but it seems that is the default, so didn't check all. I know i didn't change any of those.

Oops, sorry, didn't read the full of the first post, glad I could help anyway though.

If all else fails, you may want to run around your map with "r_dynamic" set to 0 and see what's not being lit when it's off. It should help you track down the exact area of the lag.

Also, you may want to add areaportals to the map, again, this will help track down the cause of the issue (If the light's not in the same area, it shouldn't appear on showbudget. I think.) and will give a performance boost all around.
 

(s2a) yahodahan

L3: Member
Apr 22, 2009
144
18
Thanks Geitiegg, all good suggestions. r_dynamic is a switch for the dynamic lights, I take it? that should fine it very quickly.

I'm still learning how to use Area Portals properly...for instance, if I have a doorway with a func_detail door fram, do I fit the Area Portal inside the func_detail, or expand it out through/into the func_detail, till it touches the surround word brush that actually generates vis??

also (if I may further hijack my own thread...lol), are occluders good in TF2? looks like a great way to stop props from being rendered, but I don't see 'em used much at all in Valve's maps.
 

Geit

💜 I probably broke it 💜
aa
May 28, 2009
598
1,161
I'm still learning how to use Area Portals properly...for instance, if I have a doorway with a func_detail door fram, do I fit the Area Portal inside the func_detail, or expand it out through/into the func_detail, till it touches the surround word brush that actually generates vis??
An Areaportal has to define an area, or split two area's in half, so it has to completely seal an area of worldbrushes, entity's are (Obviously) not world brushes, so you have to expand through the door frame to the worldbrush. If you experience an error when compiling with area portals, you likely have an areaportal leak, use the point file to find it as your normally would.

also (if I may further hijack my own thread...lol), are occluders good in TF2? looks like a great way to stop props from being rendered, but I don't see 'em used much at all in Valve's maps.

I don't think i've ever seen an occluder in a TF2 map, mainly probably because, areaportals are more effective and won't ruin the look of the map. (An occluder blocks everything behind it, until you pass the brush, from what I remember.
 

(s2a) yahodahan

L3: Member
Apr 22, 2009
144
18
hmm. but wouldn't occluders be a very cheap and easy way of quickly hiding static meshes, at least? (since it only blocks those, but doesn't require vis leafs).

Just curious :)
 

Geit

💜 I probably broke it 💜
aa
May 28, 2009
598
1,161
hmm. but wouldn't occluders be a very cheap and easy way of quickly hiding static meshes, at least? (since it only blocks those, but doesn't require vis leafs).

Just curious :)

The wiki say's that they are suitable for places where area portal's are not, which, I guess, would be large open spaces where you couldn't place an areaportal easily. if you have a lot of confined area's and not many, large, open area's, the areaportal is the most effective option, and vice-versa.
 

(s2a) yahodahan

L3: Member
Apr 22, 2009
144
18
thanks a bunch geitegg, compiling it out now, with some area portals and more world geometry

still, can't figure out where the heck that dynamic light is coming from...arg.
 

Geit

💜 I probably broke it 💜
aa
May 28, 2009
598
1,161
If you like, you could send me a copy of the bsp (PM) and i'll have a quick runthrough and tell you where the problem is.

Glad I could help anyway.:3