$lod

The $lod QC command describes how to reduce the level of detail on the model at a given distance. It handles the removal or replacement of expensive parts of the model so it can be rendered more efficiently. It only takes effect on the client.

Tip:You don't need to worry about weightmapping LOD models. Studiomdl will transfer from the reference mesh.

Note:You cannot introduce new materials in an LOD SMD. Use replacematerial instead.

See also

• LOD Models
• LOD system

Syntax

$lod <threshhold>
{
	<options>
}

$shadowlod // Used to generate cheap render-to-texture shadows (not shadow maps)
{
	<options>
}

The threshhold value is based on an inverse of the screen space. The smaller the model is on-screen, the larger the LOD threshhold will become. {{tip|The practical way to achieve a good set of LOD threshholds for your LOD Models is to use the HLMV Model tab to find numbers where the LOD transitions with a low amount of visual popping.

Options

Note:LOD blocks do not inherit from previous blocks. They always modify the reference mesh.

replacemodel <Reference smd> <LOD smd> [reverse]

Replaces the given reference SMD (can by anything from $body, $bodygroup or $model) with an LOD version.

Reverse is used to correct reversed normals on the LOD, which can be caused by SMD export problems.

removemodel <Reference smd>

The specified SMD will not be rendered at all at this level of detail.

Bug:Causes compiles to fail in Alien Swarm and the Episode 1 compiler.  [todo tested in ?]

replacematerial <Reference material> <LOD material>

Replaces all instances of the reference material with another. Useful for removing expensive processes like $bumpmap and disabling the Eye shader. Paths are relative to $cdmaterials.

removemesh <Reference material>

Removes all triangles attached to the named material. Unlike in replacematerial, paths are relative to the root materials folder.

nofacial

Disables facial animation.

bonetreecollapse <Reference bone>

Causes children of the specified bone to be removed. Their attached vertices return to the reference position. This is commonly used on fingers. Remember that it only applies to clients!

replacebone <Reference bone> <LOD bone>

The precursor of bonetreecollapse. Replacing bones is much more complex, but allows all kinds of unusual bone optimisations that a simple collapse wouldn't achieve.

Example

$lod 12
{
	replacemodel "Police_reference.smd" "lod1_Police_reference.smd"
	replacemodel "Manhack_reference.smd" "lod1_Manhack_reference.smd"
}

$lod 18
{
	replacemodel "Police_reference.smd" "lod2_Police_reference.smd"
	replacemodel "Manhack_reference.smd" "lod2_Manhack_reference.smd"
	bonetreecollapse "ValveBiped.Bip01_R_Hand"
	bonetreecollapse "ValveBiped.Bip01_L_Hand"
}

$lod 42
{
	replacemodel "Police_reference.smd" "lod3_Police_reference.smd"
	replacemodel "Manhack_reference.smd" "lod3_Manhack_reference.smd"
	bonetreecollapse "ValveBiped.Bip01_R_Hand"
	bonetreecollapse "ValveBiped.Bip01_L_Hand"
}