help optimising an outdoor map


prone ranger
01-14-2006, 07:47 AM
my map is taking shape quite nicely and has a nice feel to it now all the routes are opened up but by creating the rooms I seem to have killed the fps :S and as most of the buildings are still undetailed place holders, I am worried that the map will be totally unplayable when I make them look like buildings :(
I've read a few tutorials about using hints/occluders/portals but they don't offer much hope or advice for open, outdoor maps.

I think I am going to have to use fog to limit the visibility but although I can get the fps up to a respectable level, I am having real problems getting it to look right

suggestions please

travis
01-14-2006, 08:32 AM
gl (http://www.student.kun.nl/rvanhoorn/Optimization.htm)

Ginger Lord
01-14-2006, 09:42 AM
On an outdoor map I'm making, I used a combination of fog (starting at around 3500 units, ending at 4500, Z clip at 4600) and making models fading out within that range.

Of course the rest was pretty much displacements and the odd house here and there. I get 60fps at a bare minimum looking over the most concentrated area which is probably a good 500m+ area in view.

El Capitan
01-14-2006, 09:44 AM
Is the terrain very complex? Is it made from displacement surfaces or created manually?

prone ranger
01-14-2006, 01:33 PM
thanks for the replies
most of the terrain is displacements although so far it is only so I can paint alphas on them, and as it is an open rural map, a lot will have painted geometry as well.

I think I might have found some areas where I can remove the terrain and put it in the skybox but I don't know if that will actually help or not, will just have to try it and see.

will try those settings for the fog and hopefully I can get the fps back up.

thanks again :)

travis
01-14-2006, 11:42 PM
well you're lucky in a way, displacements are actually very good, I believe it's in the way their lod fades so if its a lot of terrain and very little world brushes you shouldn't have too much of a problem getting decent performance from your map.

prone ranger
01-15-2006, 08:53 AM
thnx Travis
I was thinking that I would have to get rid of some of the displacements but if they are lighter on the fps load than brushes then I can leave them :D

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