VBCT - Valve Batch Compile Tool

[eerieone]

I stumpled upon a tool i´m testing right now with hdr compile of pl_cashworks

It´s called VBCT - Valve Batch Compile Tool




Gotta say, it looks professional, tons of options, advanced command strings, blinking windowbar and timer so you know it didn´t freeze during compile, a handy "cancel compile" button and much much more

also seems a bit faster and the pc doesn´t slow down as immensly as with the sdk compile

any of you got experience with it? are the compiles any good?
i´ll report back once it finishes

edit: i added a poll so people get a faster look if its good or not, plz poll after you compiled with it, the poll is public

[grazr]

Yea, let us know how efficiently it actually compiled the map. Quality of shadows.. quality of vis stringing. I'd like to think that Hammer compiles take so long because it's doing it's job properly.

edit: Are they the same executables?

[ikem]

well it didnt compile hdr for me

[eerieone]

WOOPWOOP!!! GREAT!!
Compiled my map in an acceptable time, everything great and working.
I´ll be using this baby from now on.

Ikem, check your hdr settings, my compile went fine without any problem.

[A Boojum Snark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grazr

Yea, let us know how efficiently it actually compiled the map. Quality of shadows.. quality of vis stringing. I'd like to think that Hammer compiles take so long because it's doing it's job properly.

edit: Are they the same executables?

I'm sure it's running the same compilers just through a different front end. Just like the one I use... Batch Compiler. I don't think I'll bother trying out this new one because BC has panels for other things too, and it's not as ugly Only thing is I think there might be some OrangeBox functions that don't have tickboxes, but you can always put them in manually.
Also, I can't tell from the page you linked... does VBCT let you save compile config presets (BC has them)?

[grazr]

Maybe someone could explain why a different front end runs the same executables and produces a final compile of equal quality at a faster speed. Because i sure as hell don't understand. If the capacity is there... then why isn't it?! Especially when it comes from a free third party application but not the real deal.

I am most intrigued.

[eerieone]

i think, correct me if i´m wrong, that is because you can close hammer, which uses a lot of memory with big maps, these resources are then available for the compiling process

[A Boojum Snark]

That's exactly it. Hammer is a resource hog and not having it running will give a small increase in compile time.
Another small factor is the compile process is actually delayed waiting for the slow GUI update in the Hammer process window. I'm not talking about Hammer blanking-out and not responding, as when it does that the process window still un-blanks and updates when there is something new. I mean the actual displaying of the info that window. It's particularly noticeable at the end of VRAD, when it spews out a page worth in info... in a command prompt it is instantaneous, in Hammer it takes awhile to get through it.

[YM]

There isn't an option for "The compiler is useless since it can't find the right game path to run in and the recent fix that is supposed to allow manual path entry doesn't work"

It might be quicker but my compiles are all <2h and if I can't bear the slowdown on the PC I'll go do something else.

[Spike]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grazr

Yea, let us know how efficiently it actually compiled the map. Quality of shadows.. quality of vis stringing. I'd like to think that Hammer compiles take so long because it's doing it's job properly.

edit: Are they the same executables?

The exes are the same, thereisn't no-Valve compilers. This program is just a GUI for those executables.

It's a very useful tool. Better than compiling in Hammer