I would post a compile log but everything ends up freezing where I gotta shut off my computer. I don't recall it taking long but it takes long on the PortalFlow part. It takes 20 minutes with the screen frozen until I decide to restart the computer which I must do manually..
Ridiculous Compile Time
- Thread starter Juice
- Start date
The log gets saved as a text file. Not sure of the exact location off the top of my head, I think its in the Hammer directory in your steam folder.
spaceweasels
aa
- Oct 25, 2007
- 219
- 690
It should be in the same directory as your saved VMF files.
I found out how to get on the internet while its compiling so ill post a log when its done. Im saying it would take 2-5 minutes now its takes 15+ minutes.
spaceweasels
aa
- Oct 25, 2007
- 219
- 690
Depending on what you've added and how powerful a PC you have, you might have to wait that long. I've had maps where VIS alone take almost 20 minutes.
Try running VIS and RAD on quick mode, and see if it still takes that long.
Scotland Tom
L6: Sharp Member
- Jan 19, 2008
- 332
- 64
Changing some of your brushes to func_details will help with compile times. Detail brushes aren't factored into the vis process. Though it is important not to convert world brushes to details when they'll cause a leak in your map. Func_details are best used for smaller elements that don't block major lines of sight. Things like trim and small ramps for example.
bazola
L1: Registered
- Feb 12, 2008
- 34
- 1
From my somewhat limited experience, VIS should only take a minute or two. What I experienced was a sharp increase in VIS time when adding things like stairs without planning for optimization.
This guide: http://www.student.ru.nl/rvanhoorn/optimization.php?chapter=intro
I found to be really helpful, although it could just have been reading and reading about optimization until it finally made sense.
The key is to visualize your map in boxes. What VIS does is divide your map up into sections based on drawing lines from the brushes you have in your map. Thus you make everything that doesn't obscure large parts of the map into func_detail entities. These interact with light but are ignored for the VIS process. It also helps to keep all brush sizes under 1024, because they get broken up anyway if you don't. Use the nodraw texture to create pretty much everything, and then use shift+a and manually selecting faces to apply textures on only what is visible. Use the clip tool rather than the arch tool in order to keep things on the grid lines. Don't make your map one large arena; even if it is entirely outside, only use skyboxes where you have to and make sure to have corners that obscure other areas. All of this keeps your VIS times low, and your framerates high.
Hopefully some of that makes sense; I'm just starting to understand it myself.
This guide: http://www.student.ru.nl/rvanhoorn/optimization.php?chapter=intro
I found to be really helpful, although it could just have been reading and reading about optimization until it finally made sense.
The key is to visualize your map in boxes. What VIS does is divide your map up into sections based on drawing lines from the brushes you have in your map. Thus you make everything that doesn't obscure large parts of the map into func_detail entities. These interact with light but are ignored for the VIS process. It also helps to keep all brush sizes under 1024, because they get broken up anyway if you don't. Use the nodraw texture to create pretty much everything, and then use shift+a and manually selecting faces to apply textures on only what is visible. Use the clip tool rather than the arch tool in order to keep things on the grid lines. Don't make your map one large arena; even if it is entirely outside, only use skyboxes where you have to and make sure to have corners that obscure other areas. All of this keeps your VIS times low, and your framerates high.
Hopefully some of that makes sense; I'm just starting to understand it myself.