LOD models & distance


(FireFly) #1

To keep fps/r_speeds as low as possible I’ve been experimenting with LOD-models. I want to use them in the ‘open’ areas in my map. At the moment I’m working on palmtrees, stairs and perhaps eventually whole buildings…

The thing is that I want full control over the distance (in units) when a low-polygon model is replaced with a high-polygon model.

I always thought that the amount of verticles the model contained determined when a low-polygon model changes into a high-polygon model… boy was I wrong… After some experimenting I found that you can only control this by changing the size of both high & low models in a 3d-program ( i’m using 3dmax8 ) and export it as a md3…

I was wondering If there’s anything about Lod models in the ET source code that can give me a clue, so I can calculate how ‘big’ my md3 must be so I can determine at what range (in units) it will change from the low-model into the high-model…


(Shaderman) #2

I’ve tried the same some month ago: http://www.splashdamage.com/index.php?name=pnPHPbb2&file=viewtopic&t=7113#129489

I was wondering If there’s anything about Lod models in the ET source code that can give me a clue, so I can calculate how ‘big’ my md3 must be so I can determine at what range (in units) it will change from the low-model into the high-model…

IIRC the distance where LOD levels change isn’t calculated, it’s set by one of the r_lod* cvars on the client instead (should be game units) which means that you can’t control the LOD system. AFAIK the LOD system can be bypassed with something like r_lodbias 0.


(FireFly) #3

:frowning: Oh My God: I wasn’t aware that people could bypass the LOD feature with the r_lodbias and/or r_lodscale in the console!
For the past 2 weeks I’ve been working on modeling/uv-mapping/texturing multiple LOD models, but this changes everything! Why o why did SD created this Cvars and why o why isn’t that Search button fixed so I could found this out myself before I created theses models for the past 2 weeks?

I guess it’s back to the drawing board…


(Jaquboss) #4

r_lodbias is used to adjust lods to fit better your performance, it is there since Q3…