Arghrad and qvis3 in my new space map.

[4Bidden]

Hi !
I've got a problem with map in space, because i cant compile it with lights... when I click GO! (textures + build + quake2) it just freeze after q3bsp(no errors, looks like compiling take forever).
Is it possible to compile that big room with lights?

[knightmare]

So it freezes on qvis3? Sounds like it may be a vis data overflow. Have you been using detail brushes for stuff that doesn't block line of sight?

[Deleted]

4Bidden your map layout is wrong, it`s TO BIGG ( Vis is choking! ).

This map (Margaal14), Dark City take a full 12 hours compile time .

( Margaal14 )


i rebuild map (Margaal14) and split room in two ( Margaal16 )
place one large building in the middle closed to the ceiling
compile take 30 minutz ...Yeah...thats eleven ½ hours difference .

It,s all about blocking the line of sight between open areas!.

( Margaal16 )

[4Bidden]

I didnt use any detail on brushes. There is one map big like my in space with lights. So it is possible ye? but it will take a lot of hours to compile?

[thehappyfriar]

That map looks a lot simpler in design and layout then yours.

To get huge maps to compile I had to up the chop size in qrad3. How are you compiling? It would be great to see the errors it's putting out to the console. What the command line you're using? If you're using GTKRadient you can click Build - Customize then click on the option in the "Build Menu" to see what it's running. In the preferences you can also check "enable build process monitoring" under the build settings.

I like a .bat file so I can always see what it's doing.

[4Bidden]

I'm using QuArK without any extra options in command line, because i dont remember them.

[Deleted]

Oct 29, 2013 8:51:29 GMT -5 4Bidden said:

So it is possible ye? but it will take a lot of hours to compile?

( Yeah possible, but you must wait ( be patient a couple hours ).
or change the layout?, reduce vis waiting time...and place a smaller sky poly cube to your map.

Oct 29, 2013 10:53:19 GMT -5 4Bidden said:

I'm using QuArK without any extra options in command line, because i dont remember them.

Here is my Quark setup ( Kmq2 ) Xp machine Dual core. ( Quark ---> threads 2 = two cpu,s ).

txqbsp39.exe ( is for Q2 )
kmqbsp3.exe ( is for Kmq2 )

[jaydolan]

If you're still having trouble, post your .map file. I can push it through q2wmap and see what it does, and / or check it out in Radiant and see if you're not using details / hints correctly.

[Panzer]

Just about every space map takes so much longer to compile than the usual maps. My remake of Q3DM17 took 17 hours to compile and I did this more than once! Your best bet would be to compile the map for testing without RAD so you can check the item placement, layout, brushwork and ensure textures are aligned properly, then after all else is good, do a full compile...and go away for a while. The biggest thing is to get everything set for your brushwork and textures. You can do quick entity compiling in less than a minute, so the layout isn't as much of a hassle. The lighting however...if it's wrong after the first compile and you have to alter it, it still has to do a full lightmap which takes longer than the VIS compiling. I would say if your computer looks like it froze during the process, it didn't actually "freeze" and it just might take 2-4 hours to see it jump another 10 percent. Good luck with it! Space maps are usually fun to play on, but this is why you don't see too many of them out there.

www.clanwos.org/pub/q2/maps/panzerq3test2.zip

[Berzerker]

never understood hint brushes and such to well but then again I never had a map to put up for testing or play. I just made them and compiled them and put them on my private server for a couple of us to play worked fine. most of my maps were test maps for how something worked like rotation and conveyors and such. read alot of stuff on all that but to someone who don't understand its all greek. To me all you needed was a light 4 walls and a start player or two and a change map for a game. wish I would have took the time to learn it all but didn't have it, work, work, work.

[Panzer]

A few more tips that I found useful:

Keep your map editor view showing a grid based on 64 units and make your geometry fit in increments of 8, 16, 32, 64, etc...
Use uniform structure throughout such as similar size doors, uniform size floor trim, etc...
If creating angular geometry, keep it to 45 degrees, 60 degrees, etc...

Most, if not all, of my maps are symmetrical. It's easier to build and certainly easier to compile. Making things easier for the CPU during the compiling process will speed up that process. Replacing steps with ramps helps reduce poly and brush count. Think about it...for every step you create, there are probably at least 6 brush sides. All of those exposed faces need to be calculated for the lightmap which increases the RAD compiling. A ramp has only 5 sides and can span the entire range for elevation, plus ramps fit better with science fiction themed space maps.

Good luck with your projects. Each one is a lesson in something, so have fun with it.