If I take a regular model, and then shrink it down to 1/8th its size (but not making any other changes), will placing it in the skybox reduce the engine's workload at all?

I'm curious if just putting the objects in the skybox actually helps, even if i dont simplify the models/textures. Everything would just be scaled down, and then come game time, the engine would scale it all back up. Is there any benefit to this? or would i be better off just placing the full scale model into the main portion of the map?

I don't know too much about this particular subject, but in theory, I think it'd be the same, unless you somehow made the model not have a collision model or *have* lods. I'd think that no matter where it is in the map, the model would still be drawn with all it's detail, hence causing the same strain on the engine.

I would have to agree with Wateva, in THEORY that's what should happen, the engine would still draw the same level of detail, getting the same strain no matter the distance. In theory at least. Then again, I know jack about the workings of the skybox and maps.

that's sorta what I was guessing. I dont know who to ask about this...

:\ I'm sure someone like Jed, Fuzzy, etc. would be in the know...might wanna try knocking on their doors...

Go away, I'm sleeping...

Actually to be honest I don't know the in's and out's out the skybox system but logic dictates that whatever is the skybox still has the same performance hit if its got a high polygon count. After all whatever scale the model is 2000 polys is still 2000 polys...

I don't know if the skybox uses LOD so you need to use a lower resolution version of your model as drawing something like the tank at 10,0000 polys is going to crunch, especially as you can see the skybox from everywhere in the map.

You could make a blank map with a skybox and try putting a model in it and use the debug tools, vprof, etc. to see what the engine is drawing polycount wise.