Map compile time. Need some advice/help.

Garry's Mod mapping
#1

Ok. I’ve only, just this week started to use Hammer. I’m making a map for Garrysmod - RP. I’ve made quite a few buildings etc with breakable windows which each spawn individually after 60 seconds of being broken. As for compiling, I left it compiling for 9 hours and it reached 60% ( PortalFlow: …5…6 ).

I’ve yet to even finish creating the map. i.e. There are no lights within the map, no ENV light or other effects. I’ve not even finished creating the level.

I’ve heard around these forums about func_detail. Could someone shed some light as to what this is and what it actually does? - OK, stupidly, I just found a wiki on this. and in case andone else wants to know about it: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Func_detail

And could someone possibly give some advice on reducing compile times or good mapping techniques.

Although it may not help, this is the log file for the compile:


materialPath: e:\vista installs\steam\steamapps\bigdave876\counter-strike source\cstrike\materials
Loading E:\Vista Installs\Steam\steamapps\bigdave876\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc	est1.vmf
fixing up env_cubemap materials on brush sides...
0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...100...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10Processing areas...done (0)
Building Faces...done (0)
FixTjuncs...
PruneNodes...
WriteBSP...
done (1)
writing E:\Vista Installs\Steam\steamapps\bigdave876\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc	est1.prt...done (1)
Creating default cubemaps for env_cubemap using skybox materials:
skybox/assault*.vmt
Run buildcubemaps in the engine to get the correct cube maps.

No such variable "$hdrbasetexture" for material "skybox/assaultrt"
Can't load skybox file skybox/assault to build the default cubemap!
Finding displacement neighbors...
Finding lightmap sample positions...
Displacement Alpha : 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10
Building Physics collision data...
done (1) (1093924 bytes)
Placing detail props : 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10
Compacting texture/material tables...
Reduced 1560 texinfos to 1139
Reduced 128 texdatas to 127 (2968 bytes to 2945)
Writing E:\Vista Installs\Steam\steamapps\bigdave876\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc	est1.bsp
7 seconds elapsed



2 threads
reading e:\vista installs\steam\steamapps\bigdave876\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc	est1.bsp
reading e:\vista installs\steam\steamapps\bigdave876\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc	est1.prt
3785 portalclusters
10995 numportals
0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...100...1...2...3...4...5...6

Thanks for any help, it’s greatly appreciated.

Screen shots:

1024×768 97.9 KB

1024×768 91.7 KB

1024×768 95.8 KB

1024×768 90.5 KB

#2

That’s an horribly optimized skybox. I recommend making walls of skybox alongside the edge of your map.

Like this: http://optimization.interlopers.net/index.php?chapter=notices

You’ll get the general idea.

Also, that site contains loads of optimizations tuts, use them, as I can see you use none in your map.

#3

Oh, nice. I never actually thought you could make skyboxes in that kind of way. Thanks for the link.
My skybox at the moment is just a ‘mock up’, for testing purposes. The brushes are not even mitered yet.

But as I said, I only started mapping around a week ago, so thanks for the again for the link, I’ll have a good read through the site now.

#4

Read it, learn it, and make great maps! Also, func_detailing is a big part of that tut, along with hintbrushes and areaportals.

Just a tip though, even if it is for testing you should make the skybox the good way, that way you probably don’t have to remake it that much later, and it will compile much faster.

Just ask if you run into problems, ask on the forums or pm me (yeah you are actually allowed to do that). :smile:

#5

When you really must absolutely have a box around your map, use cordons.

Also, try increasing the lightmap scale on surfaces that are invisible or unlit, such as the skybox.