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Level Design How To Optimize Your Map

Fel

Grizzled Veteran
Aug 9, 2009
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This thread is to give mappers tips on making faster running maps. If you have anymore suggestions, please post below

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Ways to Optimize Your Map


1: Add cull distance to meshes and emitters

2: Put No collision on complex meshes, or even simple ones. Then add a blocker around them

3A: Convert Solid brushes to mesh, then add no collision

OR

3B: Right click your solid brushes (Blue) goto Type> Non-Solid NOTE: Only works on solid brushes

4: Zone Portals

5: Add anti portals inside walls

6: Open up the Mesh browser, for your meshes, select the mesh, then, (up top of the window) Collision Tools> Fit 6-DOP

7: All surfaces unseen by player, Goto properties (F5) and set Unlit

8:
All surfaces unseen by player, Set the texture to a solid black texture

9: Reduce the MaxParticles in your emitters. (F4) > Emitter > General > MaxParticles

10: Com-pres Lights to Dxt-1 Goto your build options, and under lights, select Dxt-1 then build all in that window

11: Set all complex terrain items (aka: groups of trees, grass, bushes) to a deco layer

12: Set
bshadowcast to False on meshes that dont require a shadow

13: DONT FORGET TO USE THE DEPTH COMPLEXITY VIEW (3D Window) Anything red is laggy

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How to convert complex brushes to mesh


Note: It is easier to select your brushes, then copy and paste into a new map

Also note: I refer to the group of brushes that you want to convert as an object.

Step 0: Make sure you object is suspended in mid air

Step 1: Take your builder brush (red brush) and cover the tops bottoms and sides of your "object"

Step 2: Once the Brush is completely covering the object, press the intersect button (its below add)

Step 3: Make sure you click one of the corners so you have a pivot point

Step 4: Right click the brush tool (which is now in the form of your object) and select Convert > StaticMesh

Step 5: Package: MyLevel
------- Group: Whatever
------- Name: TheMeshIMade
-------
Step 6: Goto your static mesh browser, your mesh is in the MyLevel group (Pull down tab)

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How to make custom collision for complex objects


For complex collision meshes, you can edit the collision brush.

A- Right click 3d window> view> collision

B- Position the builder brush (red brush) where you want the collision to be for that mesh

C- Select the builder brush, and the mesh. Right click(mesh)> Save brush as collision

D- This will remake the collision for this object, so you can make a simple collision
brush, instead of a complex many angle collision

E- Dont forget to do number 6 up top


6: Open up the Mesh browser, for your meshes, select the mesh, then, (up top of the window) Collision Tools> Fit 6-DOP


 
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