I am new to mapping and have a couple of questions. I searched the forums but could not find answers to my questions.

1. Is there a way to view models in my map in hammer from a distance without having the box around them appear and block my view of the model.

2. Is there a rule for having models (or the box that surrounds them) touch each other.

3. I am trying to place many trees in my map on the side of a hill and wanted to know if this will cause problems, having alot of trees. Maybe like 30 or so in one area.


Thanks in advance. If there is a thread already answering these questions, please point me in their direction as I have searched but could not find.

Originally posted by |G.I|-Roosevelt
I am new to mapping and have a couple of questions. I searched the forums but could not find answers to my questions.

1. Is there a way to view models in my map in hammer from a distance without having the box around them appear and block my view of the model.

2. Is there a rule for having models (or the box that surrounds them) touch each other.

3. I am trying to place many trees in my map on the side of a hill and wanted to know if this will cause problems, having alot of trees. Maybe like 30 or so in one area.


Thanks in advance. If there is a thread already answering these questions, please point me in their direction as I have searched but could not find.

These are better asked in the mapping forum but...

1) The newest version of hammer lets you see your model in the editor without the annoying box.

2) Nope. Models are non-solid in game unless you put a solid clip brush over it to make it impassible. Just avoid overlapping brushes.

3) Yes - models stull use polygons as do normal brushes in hammer. A large concentration in a small space all viewable at the same time decreases frame rate drastically.

- Jed

1. Tools/options/ in the 3D views tab : Model render distance
2. ...
3. Each model will add a specific number of epolys.
Create a small test-map. Place in it 1 of your tree and compile.
In game, type r_speeds 1 and you'll get the number of epolys added by this model (in spectator mode). Say 200 for example.
Then, if you add 30 trees in your map, you will get 30 * 200 = 6000 epolys.

The mapping limits : http://www.slackiller.com/tommy14/rspeeds.htm (thx u once more Tommy)

100 wpolys + 10,000 epolys
200 wpolys + 9000 epolys
300 wpolys + 7500 epolys
400 wpolys + 6000 epolys
500 wpolys + 5000 epolys
600 wpolys + 4800 epolys
700 wpolys + 4200 epolys
800 wpolys + 3200 epolys
900 wpolys + 1800 epolys

That means :
- If your wpolys are 600, you can't add more than 4800 epolys.
- If your epolys are 6000, you can't go above 400 wpolys.
(in fact, yes you can, but in this case call your map dod_charlie :D )

Please post in the mapping forum this kind of question. Many more people will answer to it ;)

Thank you both for answering my questions. I was debating on whether I should post here or mapping...Oops. Thanks for your help...I will have to take a different approach for my map but it seems still doable. Thanks again.