Hello everybody,
I would like to list all know limitations to improve level design with fixed engine and fixed SDK (0.4, 0.6 and 0.7). I mean poly count, diversity of LOD, Grass, size of aimap, density of spawn and others.
Without confirmed data or access to tools/engine, I will not talk about values as in RoH project.
Object>Total Faces: 5.1 millions faces for CS Marsh
Object>Total References: around 7500 in CS marsh
Object>Total LOD Faces : 3.6 millions faces for CS Marsh
Object>Total LOD References: maximum 128 models by scene with 2048*2048 level_lods.dds, can be 75 per cent of Total References
Hom object: unknow limit, to use with low poly design
Giant level as in "South Zone project" (probably around 100 millions faces) is know to generate random errors in uvmap.
Light: unkown limit, <400 in vanilla levels
Sound Source: <40 sources in CS levels, unknow limit
Sound Env: unused since Soc builds, except occluder
Glow: unknow limit, <100 in vanilla levels
Spawn Element:
- around twenty npc in online radius create fps drop (Bar, Skadovsk), more npc kill the game (tested myself with 100 tushkano or a scene with tens monsters against tens npc) => define a limit for "base" design & good distance between each smart terrain
- less than 350 graph_point by level
- hundreds space_restrictor increase the risk to break the game too (remember L.U.R.K mod with all space_restrictor to replace Sound_Env)
- dynamics object: invisible for alife, bad physics without changes, create strong collision
Way point: unknown
Sector & portals: unknown limit, to use
Group: unknown
Static Particles: <10 per level in vanilla scene, it can create bad visual at long distance and static particles are always "on", prefer particles controlled by spawn with online/offline switch radius
Details Objects: 17 models by levels for SoC, 12 models for CS, 12 models for CoP
Aimap:
- 3 km² full plane (tested on SDK 0.4 by Bangalore, not tested on SDK 0.7), unknown nodes number
- reduce use of "1-Link" node and be careful with "smooth" to prevent strange collision between npc or monsters and the geometry
- be careful with "autolink" or command "Link all" in buildings with different stairs, it's common to see npc walk through the floor or walls
Wallmarks: 100 max wallmarks (reported by 2C.Lyrics on SDK 0.7)
Fog Volumes: unused
Snap List (max items selected): unknow limit, probably several thousands
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SDK/gamedata/textures: limited to around 6000 .thm files
SDK/gamedata/textures/LOD: limited to around 3000 .dds files
SDK/rawdata>statics .object files: .object >10Mo create trouble in LE
SDK/rawdata>details: around 50 to 80 polygons by model
SDK/rawdata>LOD/trees & bushes: less than 6000 polygons by model
SDK/rawdata/textures: what is the quantity limit for .tga and .thm to maintain good fps in LE?
SDK/Rawdata/Object: less Go of rawdata/object maintain good fps in LE (use only files needed to create the scene), remove unused datas as others levels terrain & buildings
All comments will be helpful.
Regards