Does nodraw block visibility?

[psihomir]

Ok, so I've started detailing my map. In certain places, I've got rocks big enough that they actually block visibility. Now that I'm prettying everything up, I've made those rocks into displacements. But since displacements don't block vis, I'm thinking I should make a brush inside the rock that would act as a visblocker.

My question is - what should I texture that brush with? Will nodraw do? I'm kind of puzzled - thinking logically, nodraw brushes shouldn't block visibility, since they're not rendered. On the other hand, I know that you can seal your map with nodraw brushes, which leads me to believe that this would actually work.

So, which is it - does it or does it not block vis? If it doesn't, what should I use instead?

Edit: Ok, I can't delete my own thread, but I feel pretty stupid for not checking the Valve Developer Wiki first... terribly sorry mates.

Anyhoo, yes they do - you can lock/delete this

 

[hydrage]

The nodraw texture on world geometry brushes will block vis.
The nodraw texture on brush entities will not block vis.

 

[YM]

Just replace the text with some other question and change the title, no one will notice

 

[Jive Turkey]

Yes, nodraw block vis.

For instance, you could func_detail a complicated wall facade, and place a simpler no_draw wall inside of it so that visibility is blocked whilst not cutting your level into shards in the process.

The following in particular might be helpful, and you should probably read the whole thing:
http://www.student.ru.nl/rvanhoorn/optimization.php?chapter=func_detail