AARGH *pulls out hair*

benmols

L1: Registered
Oct 1, 2008
17
0
Okay Guys, i officialy hate Visleafs and all things associated with them. I dunno wether it is because im a noob or not, but ive read every tutorial on Hints and Visleafs but I cant optimise my map for the life of me. My map runs nice and smooth in areas but when I look into the center of the map (Which is a big area: Youtube vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKUxT7mAHkI ) FPS drops to about 40-50fps (from about 150). This map is running on a server with 12 players on each side, the FPS drop is reely noticeable, but still playable. Is there anyway i can optimize FPS other than bloody Visleafs! I have nodrawed all texture that players cant see, everything that can be func_detail is (I think!). Ill admit some things "behind the scenes" are a bit messy with the map RE: overlapping textures and blocks.

If anybody would like a .vmf of the map to delve deeper into it, then please do ask!

p.s. I am not normaly a source engine mapper! Usualy map for cs1.6 and others.... just getting to grips with things with my first TF2 map!
 

teddyruxpin

Sr. Hygiene Technician
Mar 24, 2008
83
26
Long shot here....

What kind of lights are you using that are just outside of the teams spawns. It appears to be a large room like a garage. Your video seems to shutter when you look up at them. I would suggest you look them over and see if there is a different type of light that will give you the same affect but not lag out your map. IIRC dynamic lights will cause lag similar to that and they can be fixed by switching to static.

-Teddy
 

Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
300fps on 1280x1024 @ full settings (including hidden ones) full AA in windowed mode on tf2 here :p (ok I admit, i dont have 300 on hydro)

On topic: Also normal (static) lights with names are dynamic lights!
If you haven't read this yet, read it:
http://www.student.ru.nl/rvanhoorn/optimization.php
 

benmols

L1: Registered
Oct 1, 2008
17
0
Okay i suppose i should explain in a bit more detail. I have not added any hints or anything to do with Visleafs into the map now because I cant compile my map fully even when ive added hints, VIS always gets stuck compiling for HOURS on end... it only works with VIS set to Fast. So my map is rendering EVERYTHING in the map. Which is obviously why my FPS drops when i look into the center of the map.

Basicaly what im trying to say is that i dont have a clue how to set up my own Visleafs...

Z33W13R: I did try looking at my lights and sorting them out and there was definatly an improvment thankyou.


FaTony :
ctf_filth_beta50000.jpg


Dynamic Light Rendering is HIGH in places.
 

Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
do the lights have names? If so make them nameless! (only reason I can think of why there is that much dynamic light rendering needed)
 

benmols

L1: Registered
Oct 1, 2008
17
0
yeah some of them were named, but they arnt anymore. only a slight difference but it helped.
 

benmols

L1: Registered
Oct 1, 2008
17
0
Mangy i have done that with everything I can. Its definatly not the problem. I have investigated a bit more now. And its definatly something to do with my lights.
 
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Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
what type of light do you use? (and settings)
 

benmols

L1: Registered
Oct 1, 2008
17
0
I only have lights, light_spot and light_environment... im checking over them all now. making sure they are shining too far etc...
 

benmols

L1: Registered
Oct 1, 2008
17
0
Okay, the lights are not effecting the FPS as much as i thought... i have changed all my lighting, fps > aesthetics. BUT, the fps problem was still the same. So i removed the detail from the top of the buildings. And fps has improved by 20fps. So the problem must be related to Visleafs. basicaly im just going to keep my map in beta with less detail, untill i teach myself how to sort out my Visleafs, because they still baffle me.
 

Altaco

L420: High Member
Jul 3, 2008
484
120
Try compiling your map with only vbsp enabled, then go to map>load portalfile. Visleaves will be outlined in blue, see if they're really nasty anywhere, figure out what's causing them and make it func_detail.
 
Oct 6, 2008
1,947
445
what should I be looking at when using that screen shot above?