Warning: Over 90% Structure Map

[Tempust85]

Ok so I'm getting this warning when doing a -vis compile: "Warning: Over 90% structure map, compile time affected"

 

I take it this isn't normal lol, so what can I do about it? Everything that isn't to be seen already has caulk on it, and I've made all my NPC's spawn in segments.

[therfiles]

I don't know for sure, but I think you need to make some of your brushes detail brushes, rather than structural. Not sure, though...

[MoonDog]

During bsp, a recursive operation splits the map into volumes based on the planes of the structural brushes. (The entire grid of the level is treated as the initial volume)

 

The newly created volumes are called child volumes. If the recursive(repeating) operation encounters more structural brushes inside the child volumes it will create more child volumes inside those child volumes until it no longer encounters structural brushes inside a volume.

 

Now this may seem confusing, but trust me you need to know it. This is the first stage of how visibility is handled. You see, during the vis process, where one face of a volume is constrained by another face a portal is created. (Use the portal viewer on a bsp compiled map and you'll see) This is where terms like PVS(Potentially view able set) may seem familiar. For a player in a node that can see through the portals into other nodes will render the geometry in those nodes. (Which is why you need to think about angles and hint brush usage)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN ANY CASE.

 

 

You have an extremely unnecessary large amount of structural brushes in your level. Hopefully in my explanation above you can see why. The only brushes you need to be structural are ones that are necessary for culling geometry when it comes to vis in your level. All the small details can be made into detail brushes (The recursive operation ignores these). A some what silly rule of thumb(because it may not always apply) is to keep walls, floors and ceilings structural. For the player is not supposed to see through them, no? 

 

 

 

Things you don't have to do

 

-Detail brush your patch meshes. (Patch meshes don't affect the vis no matter what you do to them. You can ignore them.)

 

-Detail brush brush models. (These are brush entities like trigger_multiples, func_doors, etc.... They too will not be used to determine volumes. Safely ignored.)

 

-Detail brush most translucent brushes. (Stuff like clip. Obviously this doesn't apply to hint, area portal etc...) 

 

 

*edit* I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you what to do.

 

 

Select the brushes that do not need to be structural. Right click the grid and press "Make Detail"

 

-or-

 

Select the brushes and press Control + Shift + D. (Preferred) 

 

 

To see how you are progressing filter out detail brushes with Control + D.  It also helps to filter out patches Control + P and translucent Alt +4.  

[mrwonko]

To see how you are progressing filter out detail brushes with Control + D.  It also helps to filter out patches Control + P and translucent Alt +4.

And Entities can be filtered with Alt + 2.

[MoonDog]

And Entities can be filtered with Alt + 2.

 

 

 

Detail brushes, patch meshes and translucent brushes are not entities unless you make them into entities.

 

 

 

*edit*

 

Disregard. I thought you were telling me "All Entities can be filtered with Alt + 2". Misread. As to say, "oh you can do all that with alt + 2". Yes, filter entities as well.

[mrwonko]

Detail brushes, patch meshes and translucent brushes are not entities unless you make them into entities.

I'm fully aware of this. I was just mentioning it because, as you correctly noted, entities are ignored by the vis process, so if you only want to see the brushes q3map2 takes into consideration you'll want to filter out entities, as well.

[MoonDog]

I'm fully aware of this. I was just mentioning it because, as you correctly noted, entities are ignored by the vis process, so if you only want to see the brushes q3map2 takes into consideration you'll want to filter out entities, as well.

 

 

Yeah, sorry. I misread your post. Happens occasionally. 

[Tempust85]

Thanks for info guys. Just so I understand, I only have the walls/floor/ceiling as structure and the rest detail?

[MoonDog]

Thanks for info guys. Just so I understand, I only have the walls/floor/ceiling as structure and the rest detail?

 

 

 

Generally, yes that is a good rule. You only need things to remain structural if you want them creating splits.

 

You should read this. http://www.quake3world.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3620

[Futuza]

 

You only need things to remain structural if you want them creating splits.

For example a massive level that has a giant wall of china built into the center might benefit from making the wall structural so that it blocks vis from one side.  That sort of thing.

[MoonDog]

For example a massive level that has a giant wall of china built into the center might benefit from making the wall structural so that it blocks vis from one side.  That sort of thing.

 

 

Something like that would also benefit from a larger blocksize.