Dear, TF2M! Here is some little optimization questions:

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
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Nov 14, 2009
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(1) Do areaportal brushes also double as visleaf hints? Seems like they ought to, since pretty much every areaportal represents a doorway or window of some kind, but I'm getting some places where it's dividing up the visleaf on one side based on the hole's vectors.

(2) I was planning to add draw distance to all my props that's high enough that it only fades when it's around some sort of corner anyway. But since being around the corner almost always puts the props into a different visleaf anyway, is this actually going to help anything? Is draw distance only for making props fade out while they're still technically in your field of vision?

(3) I have a set of silos in two rows, touching. There is also a building touching the set on one side. Between them, you can't see around them, but the silos have to be a func_detail. How do I go about blocking visibility? Allow me to demonstrate with a visual aid. The people in the red area can't see into the green area, and vice versa, but they need to be able to see everything in their own color area.

visblocking.gif
 

lana

Currently On: ?????
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Sep 28, 2009
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2, yes. PVS is a very strange thing, and often the engine will render things around corners. Draw distance couldn't hurt if you add it right, anyway.

For 3, consider placing a closed areaportal between the green and red zones.
 

StickZer0

💙💙💃💙💙
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Nov 25, 2008
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1. Yes APs do cut visleafs, but don't block vis.

2. You can put fade distances surprisingly close to players in very visible places and they won't notice. Run around some valve maps and look at how the fade distances aren't limited to just ridiculously far ones or corners.

3. Either a nodraw block, or an occluder.

edit:

@ Grim, a closed areaportal renders nothing and therefore shows the HoM effect, an occluder just stops props+models being drawn behind it, but still draws the world and brushes.
 

Sergis

L666: ])oo]v[
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Jul 22, 2009
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1. i remember reading somewhere (probably on wiki) that areaportals create a visleaf in themselves. so yes.
2. i'd worry about draw distances and stuff only when the framerate gets close to minimum acceptable level. also being in a different visleaf doest mean a prop is invisible. as long as props visleaf is visible from any point of players visleaf, prop will be drawn.
3. i assume players cant go over silos and see between them? put a nodraw in between silos

Untitled-44.jpg
 

lana

Currently On: ?????
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Sep 28, 2009
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@ Grim, a closed areaportal renders nothing and therefore shows the HoM effect, an occluder just stops props+models being drawn behind it, but still draws the world and brushes.

Closed APs also take up less processing power.