Hello, I recently started a new map project, and I would like to work on it with optimization in mind from the beginning. There are two things I am wondering about, and I couldn't find the answer neither here nor in the optimization guide First, say for example there are two rooms with different heights next to each other (Images below), does the hidden part of the lower room get deleted at compile time, or is it better to split the wall in two layers with the two different heights? Second question: Should props be set to Not Solid if they are not in the play area, or does this have no impact at all?
As for the first question splitting the wall in 2 wont affect much, tf2 will only draw what is inside the visable area of the map so as long as the map is leak free. Although making every possible surface outside the map nodraw speeds up compile time considerably. I would section the wall right at the bottom of the lower roof across this way you can nodraw the exterior of the top part, but have fewer leafs. Second question I dont know if it makes much of a difference, it may speed up the map slightly to turn off the collision on these props.
2: I don't know, but as you may have noticed, Valve does this. It makes sense, though, that the map would run smoother and/or the compile would be shorter if there's less colission code to think about.
I don't think it is so much compile time as shaving the bit of collision data off the file size/collision data being loaded for props at runtime that will never have anything colliding against them (which would be a tiny framerate improvement).
