[Tutorial] Optimization

[Immortal-D]

First off, this is not my guide. Full credit goes to the original author. This tutorial is by far the single best I have ever known. I've been using it since day 1, and feel it's well worth posting here. The tutorial is over 80,000 characters long, not counting pics, and would take a minimum of 9 posts to copy. So instead I'm simply gonna link it. Enjoy! http://www.student.ru.nl/rvanhoorn/optimization.php?chapter=intro

[Vilepickle]

Ahh optimization, I'm glad it's actually quite universal from engine to engine. Coming from Q3 I had to relearn most of this the least, thankfully. :D

[Snipergen]

awesome but i still cant figure out where to place the areaportals in my map :(

[Vilepickle]

awesome but i still cant figure out where to place the areaportals in my map :(

Doorways. Any other semi-enclosed areas you can box off with areaportals... even a somewhat large area with a lot of models might be a good idea. I've used them much more in my updated Castle that I'll have to release for the new scoring system soon.

[spaceweasels]

Doorways. Any other semi-enclosed areas you can box off with areaportals...

This is the key point with areaportals. You have to set it up so it seals a part of the map. So say you have a room with one door , a hall and a window, and you need an areaportal. You would setup a closed areaportal in the door, associated with the door. You would setup an open areaportal in the hall. Finally, setup and areaportalwindow inside the window brush as well.

The areaportal entities have to touch four sides (such as two side walls, the floor and ceiling), If they don't they will leak.

[Vilepickle]

This is the key point with areaportals. You have to set it up so it seals a part of the map. So say you have a room with one door , a hall and a window, and you need an areaportal. You would setup a closed areaportal in the door, associated with the door. You would setup an open areaportal in the hall. Finally, setup and areaportalwindow inside the window brush as well.

The areaportal entities have to touch four sides (such as two side walls, the floor and ceiling), If they don't they will leak.

Do Valve maps used closed portals in their doorways? Their wiki says open ones are almost always used in MP. I'll have to check I suppose.

[DJive]

Ahh optimization, I'm glad it's actually quite universal from engine to engine. Coming from Q3 I had to relearn most of this the least, thankfully. :D

!? You came from Q3A GTKRadient? Another Q3A mapper? =)

[Vilepickle]

!? You came from Q3A GTKRadient? Another Q3A mapper? =)

Yessir. Actually, Quake 3 Fortress was my first mapping experience, so I've been in fortress mapping for a long time.

[shpladoink]

This tutorial is a good tutorial so I am posting in this thread.

[Scotland Tom]

Absolutely excellent tutorial. It covers all the bases of optimization and has gotten me to change my approach to mapping as a result.

[Immortal-D]

Absolutely excellent tutorial. It covers all the bases of optimization and has gotten me to change my approach to mapping as a result.

Same here. Were it not for this tut, I wouldn't even be using nodraw, and think that cutting was a good idea lol.

[Dox]

This probably should be a sticky. :)