env_fog_controller : Far Z Clip Plane render as Chunks

Garry's Mod mapping
#1

Hello, i have a strange problem :
It seems that my map is render in “chunks”
So, there is an IMPORTANT clipping that cause some massive fps drops and unstable

Some informations about my map :

  • It’s a private map, so i can’t post the vmf sorry :cry:
  • This map is fully open (for planes and helicopters)
  • Some brush have been converted into models (houses)
  • I have a 3D skybox (i have put the same settings in the sky camera and env_fog_controller)
  • This map is the biggest we can in sourcemod (512 units separe the edge of the map and the source engine limit)
  • This map is NOT sealed into one big skybox
  • The sky is very hight
  • Map optimised with func_occluders and some area portals

What i have done and search :

I post this thread because i have absolutly NO solution to fix this :angry:

If needed, there is the compile log of the map
(Run bsp = Fast ; Run VIS = Fast ; Run RAD = Fast ; HDR = unchecked ; Additional game parameters = +sv_cheats 1 +developer 1 -allowdynamicpropsasstatic )
NOTE : I can’t render to normal because it takes an infinite time to compile. (more 4h)

I have a video to see what is going on and how i want my map to be render

Summary

0:06 - 0:12 = Screenshots of env_fog_controller and sky_camera
0:12 - 1:18 = Look of the bug
1:21 - 1:44 = How i want the map to be render

NOTE : The sky used in my map is sky_day02_10

[video]https://youtu.be/Lq3HlZZrEn8[/video]

So, how can i fix the “chunks” and render the map like at the end of the video ?***

Hope i gave you all of the informations needed

Thank you for responding
(and sorry for my language)

#2

There are tool textures designed for optimizing your map:

#3

I think the problem isn’t really a problem, it’s just how it works. Basically you need to either increase far z clip enough so that doesn’t occur OR optimize the map like a pro (or both). I think how it works is when a center of a visleaf is outside the range of far z it gets hidden causing it. Visleafs are the “chunks” youre talking about.

edit
regarding increasing the far z causing lag, source engine sucks dick for making huge maps. Check other methods of optimizing

#4

Thank you for this link, this will help me a lot to optimise my map with different tools

Thank you for your reply and Yes, i see in my video the “chunk” of the visleaf, but i don’t understand why in the map i show you in the video (at the end), the problem is not present BUT the far z clip plane is at 5600 and in my map it’s 8000.
Maybe because my buildings are in func detail but i don’t think so because the ground is not in func_detail and it does the same thing (my buildings are complex so i need to turn it into func_detail)
Last, i see in the map and on my video that the displacements are not infected by this problem :s:

Anyways, i will try to optimise more my map

But that’s strange
**
edit :** Okay, for the displacements, it appear it’s a bug of sourcemod now, when i re-compile my map to original or changing the values, the displacements are now infected

#5

The clip from the other map in the end has a lot of displacements which are easy to optimize. You shouldn’t be turning entire buildings into func_details, that causes more trouble than what it gives you.

#6

I was having the same issue this tutorial helped me out http://shystudios.us/blog/zclip/zclip.html
if you set your zclip higher you will get better results !

#7

This is why Valve should update the older engine to use proper radial fog like in L4D, as well as proper non-chunky Z clip like in L4D too.

#8

don’t use fast bsp & vis. Fast rad (or no rad) is fine.

[editline]19th August 2017[/editline]

Vvis leafs will do that if there’s a problem with them, and only render the leaves (chunks) it thinks are linked to the one you’re currently in

Either bear the compile time or the visibility error, that’s all you can really do.

At the very least just set bsp to compile normally, so that fast vis has something decent to work with. Not sure if it’ll work for your case though, but doesn’t hurt to try.

[editline]19th August 2017[/editline]

One more thing: Use the cordon bounds if you want to test a smaller portion of your map. It’ll compile much faster.