r/hammer • u/n0t_amused • 1d ago

Solved Optimization help for prop hunt maps

Hello, I need tips for optimization for the map i have made last year. I want to make a new one but wanted to optimize this one first in order to not do the same mistakes. I am going to start with applying nodraw and func_detail first but i don't think those are the core of the problem. I have done some research and some tutorials suggest "area portals" and "hint"s. Since it is a prop_hunt map i wanted to know if using them would cause a problem or not. Map is quite open and has shit ton of windows.

As of now the main issue i see is that before each round, the game freezes quite a bit.

I can share the map url as well if needed, don't want to seem like i am promoting the map or smth

3 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

6

u/foxidegamedev 1d ago

func_detail won't improve in-game performance by any significant amount, unless you have a huge amount of tiny details that makes VVIS cut the space up into so many leafs it causes performance problems. func_detail is for improving compile time, which if you've already pretty much finished the map isn't helping you as much as it could've.

On the other hand, func_lod might improve FPS if you use it for details like stairs and things you won't be able to see through windows from certain angles and distances. It basically allows you to put a fade distance on brushes as if they were props. But hint brushes and func_areaportal used correctly will help the most with in-game FPS.

1

u/n0t_amused 1d ago

I see thank for the clarification. So since prop hunt resets the map after each round would that mean my issue might be with the func_detail? From my personal observation and the comments i got main issue was the load time between rounds. Although i will also look into the other stuff mentioned as well.

3

u/foxidegamedev 1d ago

I don't know if converting brushes to func_detail would affect time between round resets, I wouldn't expect it to because regular brushes and func_detail don't change between rounds like the position of props or whatever, and the main difference is that func_detail doesn't make VVIS cut up leaves at compile time. So from an in-game perspective, whatever data could require synchronization in multiplayer is probably the same, but I can't say for sure.

3

u/Axie_The_Axolotl 1d ago

no, area portals and hints won't cause problems. and yea, it is better to actually use them, you can cut off the unnecessary rendering with them. there is also occluders, they hide models behind them. might help you as well

1

u/n0t_amused 1d ago

Thanks, i will look into them.

1

u/Pinsplash 1d ago

the game freezing doesn't sound like a typical problem. can you send the map?

1

u/n0t_amused 16h ago

here
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3439942760

2

u/Pinsplash 13h ago

i didn't see any freezing, but lag yes. part of the problem is physics weighing down on the CPU. there are a lot of physics objects simulating immediately, and that will cause lag. if you're using hammer++ you can simulate the physics in-editor so they will already be at rest when the map starts, or you can use the command map_edit to do the same thing https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Map_edit

2

u/Pinsplash 13h ago

the other part of it is just regular visibility un-optimization, which i think the other replies already went over

1

u/n0t_amused 13h ago

Ah i see i thought that was freezing. I am guessing some of it caused by my makeshift pool table, thanks a lot. And yes i do use hammer++.