View source for Talk:Optimization (level design)

The page had no useful content, so I added some: an article I'd written originally for http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Optimization but now choose to place at a more official wiki. It predates the wikification of Valve's SDK docs (eg, [[Optimizing and Checking Your Map]]) so it might be reasonable to do some merging. [[User:Maven|Maven]] 07:47, 13 Sep 2005 (PDT)

== re: Program Optimisation For Mod DLL's ==

This article is for map optimisation. Isn't there a code equivalent where that can go? --[[user:TomEdwards|TomEdwards]] 00:23, 24 May 2006 (PDT)
:Whoa! compiling is not very nice.. The compiling eats here at the end 650mb of my memory and compiling takes forever.... And maybe move it to [[Pre-publication_evaluation]] --[[User:Dutchmega|dutchmega]] 08:35, 24 May 2006 (PDT)
:Well.. I can't even compile server with it... takes 1200mb of memory... lol! --[[User:Dutchmega|dutchmega]] 08:42, 24 May 2006 (PDT)

== Optimisation articles need work ==

Map optimisation is a mess on VDC. I've found these pages all talking about the same thing:

*[[Optimization (Geometry)]]
*[[BSP Map Optimization]]
*[[Controlling Geometry Visibility and Compile Times]]
*[[Optimizing and Checking Your Map]]
*[[Optimization (Non-Geometry)]]

There's at least some unique content on each page, but most still overlap dreadfully. They need to be condensed (optimised, you might say...) into a single location (though not necessarily article).

Here are my thought on a structure for this document, that would be found at this URL:

    * Visibility
          o Visleaves
                + Leaks
                + glview/mat_leafvis/OB Hammer leaf view
                + func_detail
                + func_viscluster
          o Hints
          o Areaportals
          o Occluders
    * Rendering
          o Lightmap scale
          o Dynamic light
          o Fade distances
          o Overdraw
          o Models in water
    * Physics
          o Start asleep and hammer_updateent
          o Debris

Any further suggestions? --[[user:TomEdwards|TomEdwards]] 00:29, 1 Sep 2008 (PDT)

-----

I wrote the most consulted french version of optimization guides [http://hl.logout.fr/?p=optimisation], I believe you can borrow some ideas from my own structuration. Here is a translated version of the plan, and no, I'm not going to translate the guide in english. I believe you guys already have zombie's version [http://www.student.ru.nl/rvanhoorn/optimization.php]. --[[User:NykO18|NykO18]] 01:49, 1 Sep 2008 (PDT)

    * Introduction

    * I. Compilation : how and why
          o 1. BSP
          o 2. VIS
          o 3. RAD
          o 4. Compile time

    * II. Optimization methods
          o 1. Cutting the map
                + A. Using VIS only
                + B. Using VIS and hints
                      # a. Example 1
                      # b. Example 2
                      # c. Example 3
                + C. Using VIS and invisible walls (nodraw)
                + D. How to see through the compilator's eyes
                + Func_viscluster
                
          o 2. Saving polygons
                + A. Cylinders and arches
                + B. The Carve and Hollow functions
                      # a. Carve
                      # b. Hollow
                + C. Func_detail
                + D. Nodraw texture
                + E. Texturing in general
                + F. Hammer's grid
                
          o 3. Controlling visibility
                + A. Func_occluder
                + B. Func_areaportal
                      # a. With a door
                      # b. Without a door
                      # c. Areaportal brush doesn't touch two areas?
                      # d. Caution
                      # e. A few console commands
                + C. Func_areaportalwindow
                
          o 4. Other methods
                + A. Func_lod
                + B. Props and physics
                + C. Lightmap
                + D. Displacements
                + E. Prop_detail_sprites
                + F. Light_dynamic
                + H. Blocklight texture
                + H. Brush overlap : avoid it
                + I. Water : the FPS eater
                + J. Start/End Fade Pixels
                + K. When everything else failed: env_fog_controller

    * III. Understanding optimization in-game
          o 1. +showbudget
                + A. Access
                + B. Meaning
                + C. Bind it to a key
                + D. Caution
          o 2. Console commands

    * Conclusion
:Thanks, there's some stuff I missed there. [[User:TomEdwards/Optimisation|I've posted a draft of the article here.]] --[[user:TomEdwards|TomEdwards]] 04:14, 1 Sep 2008 (PDT)