hi guys...
I had downloaded the free levels(qoole 36 maps) from the download section
and somehow they build at considerably less time(in level build
mode).
can anyone tell me how this happens.Does making the levels in some
other software(like max) makes faster levels or there something
else because of which levels run and build faster ?

hi again...
i hope there is someone to answer my query..
thanks from before..

I think its because the geometry does not intersect as much. In other words instead of having your pillar go through the floor and ceiling a little, and letting A4 clip off the invisible part, thus increasing build as it calculates what can be cut off, and what not. So if you let the pillar Meet exactly at the floor anc ceiling, it will compile faster.

Hope this helped.

The old quake levels are very well designed. Thats why they build and render so fast. One can learn a lot from the old quake level building tutorials.

[This message has been edited by Spirit (edited 28 February 2001).]

however, by following Skaters example, you increase portal count, which in turn dramatically increases build time. You are much better off overlapping blocks.

------------------
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning."

Spectre

Yes, Spectre is right... Skater is wrong. Follow this link to my explanation of this same topic to someone else:
http://www.conitec.org/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000722.html

------------------
Brian P Donohue
Thumbprint Interactive™
brian@thumbprintweb.com
www.thumbprintweb.com

[This message has been edited by bpdonohue (edited 28 February 2001).]

by intersecting a pillar with a groudn plane, the plane is plitted into many many triangles.

-->less portals
-->less build time
-->less ingame speed

best thing is to let the pilalr and 1 quant above the ground plane. this produces portals, but is best for later game performance. you can set the none flags for the bottom of the pillar

I'd agree with skater. Make the pillar meet the floor. And the face that is out of view, i.e touching the floor, make it's texture property none that why the portal count is the same as if you overlapped blocks, but A4 doesn't have to calculate the area to clip, so the build time isn't increased, and everyone happy.

[This message has been edited by Smiffy (edited 28 February 2001).]

But there are inaccuracies in WED. Sometimes an object that looks like it is touching in WED (snapped to the same grid line, etc.) is NOT actually touching and you may end up creating a portal none-the-less. If you overlap, then you guarentee that an extra portal is not being created.

Hopefully the new WED/MED due out this summer(?) will fix these inaccuracies.

Yeeesh. Ok, people, this is about build times, not polygons, right? So, let's get it straight. Firo's method is great if you want strange shadows, but it applies to reducing polys, and increasing portals. Thus increases build times.

So, let's just get one thing perfectly clear here...PORTALS take 99% of the build time! BSP tree takes mere seconds! Stop trying to decrease build time by making a more efficient BSP tree! Understand now? To decrease build time, overlap blocks to create less portals!

For faster running levels, the less polys the better. Forget about build time, if you want high FPS, you have to sacrifice something. Find the balance.

------------------
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning."

Spectre