DM-Sweet-Death-Beta-2 is available

[legacy-advman]

Beta 2 of Sweet Death (http://www.unrealplayground.com/maps.php?mapid=4586) is on Unreal Playground. Note: the map requires both bonuspacks (DE and Epic)!!!

EDIT: Please don't report the BSP hole under the rocket launcher platform (looking up) any more. P1nky already pointed it out. I've already fixed it in my working copy!!

This is the second beta. Feedback to the first was mostly FPS-related, thus this is the "Performance Release" aka "Ugly Static Meshes Release"

I have zoned the map to death and replaced countless CSG brushes with static meshes. About 11000 polygons of terrain below the rocks or in other invisible places were removed.

The performance should be very acceptable now, it's better than or equal to that of CTF-Face3, DM-Icetomb, DM-Iron-Deity or CTF-Magma. All interior parts should be more than OK, and even the long view from the lower pool up to the building is on par with the long vistas in CTF-Face3. In other words: apart from possible performance benefits from rebuilding and optimizing the static meshes in Maya, I see no further chance to increase performance. Well, maybe you do

In any case it would be helpful to get not only comments like "it's too slow for me", but also your hardware configuration (graphics card + processor) and a hint about if you can run the official maps mentioned above.

Other changes: I have removed the two corridors from the RL platform through to the SG yard. They were introduced at a very late stage, did not contribute to gameplay (if not the opposite) and were born out of a despicable urge to fill empty spaces

The facade in the middle, next to the big standing pharao, was completely changed and looks better now. As a by-product, as requested, the portals of the upmost connections between the two main yards have become wider.

The next beta (well, probably the final if I get no fundamental objections) will have rebuilt static meshes. In order to do that, I will have to install Maya PLE and learn my lessons, which will take me some days.

Furthermore, I know that there are still places on the rocks, where it's easy to get snagged. I'll have to adjust rock heights here and there or add the odd blocking volume. Any hints, as to where this is needed most, are welcome, but please be specific.

The image below shows the new facade in the courtyard with the RL:



Overall I kept the looks



Here some of the new static meshes:



A happy new year to you all!

[legacy-P1nky]

Theres a BSP hole problem from the top section under the bridge and looking up.

Good job on the meshes so far, and theres still a TON you can convert, so keep going!

[legacy-advman]

Originally posted by P1nky
Theres a BSP hole problem from the top section under the bridge and looking up.

Oops! Funny, that's a new one

Well, yesterday morning I had one for the first time, at the same spot, but in the underworks. Went away when I moved a zone portal. Must be something very old, lurking in the structure of BSP from the beginning. One of my last actions before releasing was splitting one of the major BSP blocks of which the building is carved out. I guess that moved the problem to the top and made it apparent again. OK, that'll make for beta3 in a short time

EDIT: Fixed

Good job on the meshes so far, and theres still a TON you can convert, so keep going!

Yeah, sure, but need I? I mean: what's with performance? It should be very much better now, and, at lest on my system (9700pro/XP2000+) the major benefits were not from static meshes, but from zoning.

Thanks

[virax]

I'd lay a dirt texture on the terrain. Not heavy, but enough to make it feel like there's actual grains there. Right now it's like... a smooth thing, the color of sand. o_o;

[Plumb_Drumb]

Originally posted by Virax
I'd lay a dirt texture on the terrain. Not heavy, but enough to make it feel like there's actual grains there. Right now it's like... a smooth thing, the color of sand. o_o;

Yeah, it's like butterscotch pudding.

(mmm, pudding)

[legacy-advman]

Originally posted by Virax
I'd lay a dirt texture on the terrain. Not heavy, but enough to make it feel like there's actual grains there. Right now it's like... a smooth thing, the color of sand. o_o;

I'll see to it. It was already requested after beta1, but the current beta was mainly intended to fix FPS problems.

Thanks

[legacy-P1nky]

Originally posted by advman
Yeah, sure, but need I? I mean: what's with performance? It should be very much better now, and, at lest on my system (9700pro/XP2000+) the major benefits were not from static meshes, but from zoning.

Thanks

Zoning helps some, but in a map like this where you pretty much have to see a TON of stuff at once, it helps to convert as much as you can.
Dont know whether you know this or not, not meaning to "school you" if you already do, but BSP is intended for bare bones construction only (and for zoning).
Anything that is in the map and doesnt serve a major function (which would be a large object to recieve shadows, or walls to zone off part of a map) should be static mesh.

The arched windows are a lot of BSP, they could be converted, and they repeat, so it will keep the load down.
Many other things could be converted as well.

If you are concerned about the lighting looking bad on the meshes, you can bake lighting on to them, and it is rather simple.

I wouldnt base all your FPS off that of a 9700 pro, not everyone out there has a high end computer.

[legacy-advman]

Originally posted by P1nky
Dont know whether you know this or not, not meaning to "school you" if you already do, but BSP is intended for bare bones construction only (and for zoning).

The arched windows are a lot of BSP, they could be converted, and they repeat, so it will keep the load down.
Many other things could be converted as well.

If you are concerned about the lighting looking bad on the meshes, you can bake lighting on to them, and it is rather simple.

I wouldnt base all your FPS off that of a 9700 pro, not everyone out there has a high end computer.

No problem

OK, I will try to convert more of them. Up to now I have done the mass work, stairs, doorways, etc, and I have done it directly in UED, just to find out how it would aproximately look. The more I do this way, the more I will have to rebuild in Maya, so this is probably a good time to switch tools.

Hmm ... but: is it still slow for you? On what hardware/resolution/AA/AF? How does it compare to CTF-Face3 (exterior and flagrooms).

Sure, maybe I have a fast graphics card, but in my configuration I get higher FPS with my level than with most official levels from the bonuspacks. Do you feel this comparison is valid at all? Does anybody play, say, DM-Icetomb?

In other words: I can optimize any map always a little further, but from a certain moment on it gets pointless as your return of invest becomes marginal. As everywhere, the 80/20 rule applies. So, where am I from your point of view? 40? 60? 80?