Hello everyone,

Lightmap and File Format Comparison in Acknex A8 – Advice Needed

Content:
Hello everyone,

I’m currently working on an indoor block-based level in Blender for the Acknex A8 engine. Since dynamic lights in A8 are limited to 8 light sources per model, I’m considering different methods for handling shadows and lighting while balancing performance.

Here are the three options I’m evaluating:

MDL file with baked textures (shadows and lighting fully baked in Blender).
OBJ file as concave geometry with static lights (no shadowmap).
FBX 2010 as concave geometry with static lights but using a shadowmap.

I’m also using PSSM shadows, but since this is a closed indoor level, I currently don’t get proper indoor shadows unless I go with method 1 or 3. However, I’m concerned that these might negatively impact performance.

My key questions are:

Which method offers the best balance between visual quality and performance in A8?
Is there a significant performance difference between baked lighting (MDL) and static lights with a shadowmap (FBX)?
Are there any known limitations or best practices when using OBJ or FBX for concave geometry in A8?

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences or advice on this topic!

Best regards,
Henrik