HLVIS

Intro

""HLVIS"" - Compiler program it's generates the visibility matrix (specifies which polygons the player can't or might be able to see) for the map and helps speed up its rendering. It replaces QVIS/VIS (vis.exe) from the original compile tools.

Commands

• -fast
  • Fast vis (NOT FOR FINAL COMPILES).
    • A fast vis is handy for running around in a developed map without dropping polygons. However r_speed values will usually be pretty bad, as well as epoly counts. The map can still be lit with HLRAD, however its quality and compile time will both suffer as a result. Maps should regularly be compiled without fast vis, as fast vis can mask a sudden increase in normal vis compile time.

• -full
  • Full vis.
    • This option enables extra calculations during vis, which help reduce the number of vis errors in a map over a normal vis. The speed hit is approximately 30% over a normal vis. r_speed values will generally be the same, though lower in some areas, and higher in others (primarily due to vis errors being fixed). This switch should be used when running final map compiles.

• maxdistance #
  • Set the maximum visibility distance (in units).
    • Maximum Distance Visibility (MDV) is a feature that prevents leafs beyond a certain distance from being rendered (or even sent to the renderer at all). In conjunction with fog, it can become the ultimate catalyst when building and compiling large maps, especially those with open areas. However, due to the nature of the calculations, not all leaves beyond a certain distance are guaranteed to be prevented from being rendered; but those that are within the maximum distance are guaranteed to be rendered. There is a small side effect when using the Maximum Distance feature, because HLRAD relies heavily on the visibility matrix to speed up lighting operations. As such, a normal rad of the map will result in ackward, "cut off" lighting. This means that a special version of HLRAD is required (all compile tools in this series since MHLT 1.6), which accomodates for the MDV lighting problem. When you use this parameter, an extra file named <mapname>.vdt that contains the real visibility matrix (i.e without any MDV performed) will be created, which will be used to correctly light the map.