[Source 1] Hammer Tutorial V2 Series #21 "Optimization"

[@mykecurry7675]

Newbs - LISTEN UP! Even though this video is 37+ minutes, watch it! It'll teach you everything you need to know in under an hour... What took me weeks to figure out on my own, you'll get in 40 minutes. This is the best newb-friendly video I've ever seen. I'm a huge fan of 3kliksphillips's tutorials, but you took it to a new level. Congratulations, TopHattWaffle.

[@zergidrom4572]

+500

[@darkfireproject2102]

Still trying to figure out what needs to be func_detail. Exactly what is it supposed to be blocking my view from? And everything is showing up as func_detail already.

[@Bullfinch_orig]

@@darkfireproject2102 func_detail is mainly used to reduce numportal files that are being made because a brush has way too many different sides and corners. For example, cylinders in hammer have loads of different corners and sides so normally they are making loads of numportal "splits" so u need to make it func_detail. When its func detail the visualisation motor just pretends that the brush dont exist, and looks straight trough it, so it doesn't cut any numportals. Waffle explained it greatly in this video, and there are loads of different videos explaining it aswell.

[@katrinacummins9644]

Func_detail 00:19 Skybox creation 5:52 Hint / skip 16:46 Func_occluder 24:42 Func_areaportal 25:34 Func_areapotal windows 30:41 Fog z-clip 33:32 Prop fade distance 34:23

[@CenturyRev]

Thanks!

[@Krays_]

12:15 holy f**k! I just did "go to coords" and pasted coords that compiler told me, trying to figure out what the leak was, this is so helpful 10/10

[@BigBang1112tm]

Can't believe you made me understand this so clearly when I was 12 years old

[@spacesheep6547]

So you're 19?

[@BigBang1112tm]

@@spacesheep6547 yes

[@friendofp.24]

That's wholesome as fuck. Wholesome mapping moment 100

[@BigBang1112tm]

@@friendofp.24 Always positive vibes when I get to see Hammer mapping tutorials again

[@hamnTF2]

Func_Detail 0:19 Skybox Creation 5:52 Hint / Skip 16:46 Func_Occluder 24:42 Func_Areaportal 25:34 Func_Areaportalwindow 30:41 Fog Z-Clip 33:32 Prop Fade Distance 34:23

[@ryannickens7848]

Last! No, seriously, this guy's tutorials are awesome. You've come to the right place.

[@nausic]

This tutorial is so very amazing! I just want to thank you for taking the time and actually making this. I've been mapping for fun since 2004 and i wish i learned optimization as one of the first things because this is so crucial to actually understand how the engine works

[@matthewsalerno1993]

I use to know you tophatt, we were in xF |:. together, I was death, and have been known as mattyy25 for a few years. Tophatt you were nothing but nice, active and helpful when I was a noob map maker and I hope you keep doing what your doing.

[@leerman22]

The hammer compiler holds my computer hostage and crashes itself when I try to use it. That doesn't happen with an external compiler though.

[@RobMartens]

***** There's also a -low switch you can pass to the tools to run them in low priority, I've found it to be a tremendous improvement in system responsiveness.

[@m0nsoon660]

Damn, this is such a great video. I published my first map a week ago, and now updated it by optimising it. at launch the map has 1.3K num portal. But after this video, it went down to 600! Thats 700 holy shit. (1.3K > 800 > 900 > 600). Optimising your map and fine tuning them is so satisfying.

[@the_mycicle827]

What map is it

[@m0nsoon660]

@@the_mycicle827 Juss a 1v1 map, had the box skybox method and had many numportals under the map. This video fixed it.

[@the_mycicle827]

@@m0nsoon660You said you published it, I want to play it sir

[@m0nsoon660]

@@the_mycicle827 Oh, lmfao. Here: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2375873067 have fun

[@XeeLog]

certainly one of the best tutorial i've ever seen on hammer :p THANKS A LOT !

[@batemanopr]

I'm on my first try, my map ended up kinda big and I was about to start the details and almost forgot about optimizing, my stairs were messing the hell out of the numportals, now it is way better that I have discovered your tutorials

[@mattshu]

I gotta tell ya you pulled me out of my mapping slump. Between this video and Advanced Lighting, I'm back on mapping :) Thanks again

[@artemselivanov2129]

I actually re watch this video from time to time, I 1st watched it when I was a complete noob in optimization and still do 1 year through. Totally worth watching

[@Tergative]

dude this helps so much! i had no idea func_details would save my level as much as they do

[@stroyed4229]

Just a tip for everyone since he said that area portals are good for hallways, don't place one on each end. One wounds up not rendering the other and that will not render anything behind it and look like you're level just cuts off.

[@renatovaldes6059]

man you realy are the king of the sdk mapping comunity, the tutorials are amazing Thanks for you videos :D

[@3axapka]

Where were you 10 years ago?! I love you! Thanks dude!

[@david67481]

Thanks! This helped me so much, my map tooked hours to finish. Then I watched your video, cancelled the progress and optimized it (2 minutes) and then it was finished in under 3 minutes.

[@Nick-ij5nt]

Holy shit, I so underestimated how important it is to make stairs func details. I only have 5 staircases in my level and after I made them all func details I went from 3007 numportals to 1987. I was wondering why it was taking so long to compile, thanks.

[@WallaceMoura]

Thanks a lot man, i'm currently mapping a big one and i'm stuck at: 883 portalclusters 2281 numportals And i'm about to go to the final version! I did everything that i could in the map, but this tutorial gave me other idea about optimization. :)

[@Dm1tre]

Thank you man for all tutorial videos you've done, man, it's much easier understand how it work when you actually see it, instead reading forums. From Russia with love ^_^

[@Doomologist]

Very awesome. I have been using hammer for some time and I never knew about the splitting of vis by the teal center lines.

[@nofacee94]

Thanks for the epic tutorial - 40 minutes, nice;) As for the last comment you made, it's possible to set a fade distance for all props globally (unless the prop has already got a fade distance set) by clicking map at the top left and then map properties... and setting the fade distances. Happy mapping :)

[@thelegendofwolfi]

Thank you for taking the time :)

[@MichaelNguyenVita]

So good, and actually necessary in later stages of maps. Who dislikes vids like this? :(

[@anssikamila6235]

Thank you for 5:52!

[@Nightmare10311]

If func details cause the load times and performance to improve, what's stopping me from making the entire map a func detail? It doesn't change visually... lighting is the same...

[@doxypony]

Havent tried it out, but im guessing youd just be back at your original problem, that is your entire map will be rendered.

[@penggrin]

func_detail's dont cut vis leaf's, your gonna get leaks

[@larks.]

when i compile my map after fixing the skybox it tells me there isnt a portal file. Please help. edit: nvm

[@Nightmare10311]

Question taht idk if anybody asked, do func_details cause leaks? When I disable the visability for the details, i can see that my skybox goes into the void but when the vis on the func is on the void is covered. My main question is do details protect leaks like brushes do?

[@e-test9810]

Why can't I put a hint in my C drive?

[@mikeisbad2]

Well, that part about visleafs really helped. My level had 11137 when you are supposed to have less than 4000. Time to go optimize the shit out of it.

[@ced5552]

i have the same problem with a gmod map, god help me because it's an open map

[@MrLyosea]

36:30 whenever my props have fade distances they just pop out and don't actually render half and half like you said?

[@MetalPonja]

thank you TopHATTwaffle for your tutorials :D

[@MaxCE]

can a fence be a func detail it blocks view but i dont think its important EDIT: the fence is right next to sky box and you can walk behind it.

[@paulbunyangonewild7596]

Does it have alot of small pieces or is complexly shaped? Then it might be a good idea to make it a func detail. And if it really does block enough of the scene to function as a wall, just place an occlusion brush on there.

[@marl3x]

Dont grenades just fly off the skybox ? Isnt that rather bad then ?

[@Oscarous64]

Thank you soooo much for making this video! I can finally compile my map

[@mattshu]

At what point in your travels do you optimize your map with hints? As you go or after you have the basics of your map built?

[@stroyed4229]

No. Optimization is always one of the last things you do. If you start to optimized as early as after the basics then you're going way too fast. It's ok to optimize a bit as you go along with the advanced parts when the game might get slow with all of the details but full optimization should be one of the last things. But I. My opinion the lads thing should be cube maps.

[@Nyllsor]

Thank you so much! Going into this is depth was really useeful for me! Thanks again for helping us all visualize our worlds in higher fps! :)

[@Nightmare10311]

i know he wont answer but for whatever reason, whenever i load a portal file, nothing happens. Nothing shows up.

[@Tmob]

You need to have compiled your map at least once for a portal file to be generated

[@Andrew90046zero]

I have rooms that are not accessible by the rest of the map unless noclip is used. How can I make it so that no visleafs are created in the rooms

[@therealsourc3]

either use nodraw brush or skybox brush... then it is ignored by the compiler

[@ericbruunk9120]

If it's more expensive to render props in the process of fading, why do you recommend to set fade distances to every prop in the level? Wouldn't it just be simpler and more efficient to optimise visleafs/areaportals to be the method of removing what the player can't see?

[@Cronicium]

How did you move everything using the arrow keys at 8:50? If I do it myself I only seem to be moving my camera.

[@actioninja8654]

Do you have nudge enabled in the options?

[@4hpsy]

Toggle auto-selection

[@micspamgod2324]

@@4hpsy Where is Auto-Selection? I don't see it, I'm trying to "nudge" my map off the lines too. Lol please help. I'm not a noob, never had this problem though.

[@micspamgod2324]

@@4hpsy Nevermind, I did figure it out myself in 1 minute. It says Tools > Options > 2D views > Then check mark "Arrow keys nudge selected object/vertex" so I got it.

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

Very interesting, informative, and helpful. I've already shared it twice :D

[@Infarlock]

Gosh, I still can't understand how skip & hint work and areaportal makes everything behind it invisible for me until I pass to the other side of it even though it's set on open =\

[@dottych]

27:45 thought it would say "alright so here we are in front of the elephants"

[@outpost42]

Love your tutorials man, keep it up. also, never thought of diagonal visleaf cuts, always kept them cubed and/or stuffed an areaportal at the ends of halls into larger areas, I'll definitely have to try that out tho, thanks for the tips. Also had no idea about the teal line auto-split but that brings up a question, does that skew off the 3D skybox when you move your level off the center? I tend to build my maps dead-center for skybox alignment. Oh and sometime up can you do a tut on how to make sure gmod loads the textures and models you've packed into the bsp with VIDE (or have any tips on proper gmod workshop compilation) I keep getting reports of error models and missing textures from my map testers.

[@jeremyniels]

hello mister tophatwaffe, i have a problem, my LDR leaf ambient is running very full 88% and i'm at 50% of the map, its a very detailed map. What can i do? Help would be appriciated thanks!

[@RobMartens]

I don't think there's anything special about the teal grid lines, except as markers of each plane's center. The extra chops are just the mandatory ones you get every 1024 units, and the improvement you saw by shifting the whole map seems like only an accident of the distance you moved. I don't have CS:GO, and the VMF won't open in Ep2 Hammer, but if you try it again, selecting the whole map and moving it a multiple of 1024 units on any or all axes (with Ctrl+M, to make it easier), I believe you'll find there's no difference in face splits, even if you're entirely in one of the major quadrants of the grid. It might also be noted that the only benefits to nodraw come in out of reach but still potentially visible areas (tops of buildings you can't access, that sort of thing), and world geometry/detail geometry interfaces. Faces touching the void, and interior faces that are world/world or detail/detail (with the exception of alpha tested textures, like many of the metaltruss series), are automatically given nodraw by the compiler (Goldsource and earlier BSP compilers would remove them entirely, now they're kept but made invisible). I think people tend to get the impression they need to be intensely stressed out making sure every single invisible surface has nodraw on it, when a sizable majority of them are handled automatically. Building everything out of nodraw brushes to start with does implicitly take care of faces that will benefit, yes, but it can make texturing a bit more annoying and typically makes the map a garish, literal eyesore to work with in the 3D views. If you still prefer to work with mostly-nodraw brushes, however, my final point is that you may wish to point out to people that there's a button all the way at the right end of the toolbar, just next to the leaf, that lets you disable the display of the nodraw texture itself, allowing you to see through them mostly the way you would in game. In fact, despite my previous note, I've begun to prefer lots of nodraw myself since learning of that option. It's nice to see through walls when I'm trying to work on complicated areas. Great video otherwise! I like tutorial authors who get to the point and treat me like I'm capable of understanding something.

[@TrustedScience]

The .vmf should load up, all .vmf's work on all versions of hammer

[@RobMartens]

A Trusted Friend In Science™ You're right, I was too quick to blame it on the Hammer version. I just downloaded Tutorial_21.vmf again from the Dropbox link, and it turns out the file I got somehow has a bunch of ASCII escape characters in it where there should be commas. In a text editor that can show special characters, like Notepad++, look down toward the bottom, for example the logic_auto with id 14505. Doing a quick search and replace to swap those out for commas let the file load just fine, errors from unmounted content notwithstanding. Thanks for calling my attention back to this, I'm glad to have figured out what the problem was!

[@DuckTheFinn]

Thanks for the tutorial! There is no playlist for v2 tutorials, so why dont you make one? I would watch all of them some week :D

[@metasamsara]

Could you please make an advanced hint/skip tutorial for more open maps that aren't necessarily square and without separate areas please?

[@RickTol]

at 8:50 he moves objects with the arrow keys so they don't go off-grid. How does he do that? i just move the screen itself and not the objects.

[@RickTol]

***** Thanks! :P

[@lucashoffmannn]

Hint and Areaportals are really hard to do when your map is full of displacements

[@ThDavvyd]

About map placement on grid , i played a little bit. and i found that hammer always generate new protal or portal grid ( i dont know how to call it ) on brown lines on gridview.,i reduced my portflow for 36. i didnt have roof on half of my map and i removed my big old skybox. reduced portflow from 1823 to 510,

[@jilmak]

Good tutorial! My surf map is creating over 12 000 numportals but the map is pretty huge, just made many, many brushes func_details to make it even possible to compile. Was wondering if there was a trick to use on the surf ramps? Can i make surf ramps details or will it mess the map up?

[@moomin2439]

Daniel Kiiski Surf ramps should probably be details, as long as you aren’t using them to seal your world

[@WonderlandWarGaming]

I can't believe when I was new to mapping, I only boxed my map with skybox when there was a leak. But other than that I made the maps fine when there wasn't a leak.

[@KiriakosBlackWolf]

When i was using bots in my maps, they were all stuck and jumping on the walls. Does it have to do with the optimization?

[@extremeanalogmusic6296]

woa. I didnt know the skybox alone was so important

[@G.A.N.]

13:24 on my map i don't have any .prt file, how can i make one? or force program to create one or write in game to make me one?

[@Fhilip79]

Portal file is created after compiling map. If you still don't have it, your map may be leaking.

[@Cd5ssmffan]

nodraw also bounces light

[@hugh3495]

how did you nudge using arrow keys? whenever i select an object and press arrows my cameraview pans not my model.

[@saaikanaal]

i have a gigantic problem, and hammer is really pissing me of... always when im making a map it looks good, but hammer decides to come up with the most weirdest errors, im making a map and suddenly ALL my props dissapeared?? and there's no way to get them back, ive to place them alll over again, and it's really pissing me off, can someone help meee please :(

[@therealsourc3]

if you place a prop inside a brush or if it is touching the black void i have discovered that Hammer deletes them upon compile or loading vmf.. dunno why, though..

[@MrShiftyhead]

+Gordon Freeman Hammer does it because the prop is outside the brush area aka OUTSIDE of your level in order to prevent leaks. You must make sure that props don't go outside the level

[@4dblock314]

nice guide but i didn't get the skip brush

[@vandal92ok]

Very good tutorial. Thanks!

[@foggers0476]

Great tutorial!

[@someoneguy9242]

Thank you! Very nice tutorial

[@CharIie83]

im amazed. really informative.

[@JKH-BDK]

Why don't I just copy all brushes and then turn them into Func_Occluders, or will that still be as expensive as leaving the map without it?

[@ProPuke]

func_occluder's only hide entity models not normal brushes, so with good vis this they shouldn't be necessary. Also - yes, they are more expensive than normal visleafs. Occluders and portal visibility has to be calculated live as you move around, so will stack up and slow you down if used too much. Portal leafs are statically calculated during the vis stage, so during play are very fast/cheap.

[@nofacee94]

Occluders are the most expensive optimisation technique, so use them sparingly and when they block a lot of models. If you made all your brushes occluders, it would be very inefficient because of the caluclations at runtime instead of them at compile time with leaves. Areaportals are also expensive but less than occluders. Using hint/skip and controlling visleaves is very cheap, most of the caluclations are done at compile time, only if theres loads of leaves such as with non func_detailed complex brushes will there be any problem.

[@joewinkler666]

does the hint have to be touching from one brush to another? or can it sit in the middle of 2? my map has alot of open space and i dont know if im doing it rite

[@demogaming8895]

Ok you should't box your level, but what about TF2? You can rocket jump and stuff, so if the skybox isn't hight enough, you'll bump into it, right?

[@the_mycicle827]

You will bump into it, all you need to do is increase the height of the skybox

[@PstrywBerryVids]

Uh.... How do I optimise a map that consists of nothing but a 32256x32256 unit power 4 displacement brush, and a 11264x23240x1024 water brush?

[@theosgift654]

func Detail is just something that is exist but hollow? , players can go through it?

[@stealthysnacks5255]

Do you know why my indoor water textures are reflecting the skybox? I don't think any skybox textures are even in the same visleaf.

[@avernus3078]

you need to add cubemaps, and type buildcubemaps in the console ingame

[@ojkbr9764]

When I try to load a portal file it opens my file explorer

[@ChristmasMeat]

open the point file instead and check for leaks.

[@SirShrimpey]

What about nodrawing outside textures of skybox? Is it required? Does it change anything?

[@nofacee94]

No its not required. Any texture outside the map interfacing with the void is automatically made nodraw by the compiler.

[@Dafuqinator7]

Is there a way to seperate brushes from a func_detail entity?

[@therealpanse]

do animations still cycle while they're not rendered? or do they start a cycle when they pop into existence? (i know i could easily test this myself, but just asking after seeing it seems to work better for me. everytime i open hammer, i knda get sidetracked... dunno why)

[@rlHypr]

How can I minimize my map file-size? Made a jailbreak map and after packing everything with VIDE it's on 148mb.. O.o

[@Asno2nd]

why that "z clip" does not clip as plane?

[@micspamgod2324]

What if your compiling your map to not "Fast" and it's taking your 2 hours to compile... it seems never ending someone help.

[@micspamgod2324]

I have an 8 core processor and it's taking a while. It's pretty much infinite. When I compile it was fast only takes 4 minutes. I have a very detailed map so that's why it takes so long already. lol

[@89elmonster]

I cant find my prt file how do i get it

[@MrKleiner]

It seems, that you have a leak. Just create a nodraw box around whole map. Compile again, and thats it !

[@ralphclink379]

Brilliant mate! Thanks! :)

[@jamiewright2556]

Alloc bloc full error how can I avoid this half-life 1

[@admiration4442]

can you do a tutorial on portal sides missing?

[@cdcd-bk2wv]

Was the level in your intro made with Hammer? Looks very good

[@blackblob500]

TopHATTwaffle Hoogland, Valve uses the make literal skybox around level except indoors areas, when they should do what your dooing

[@dinisssousa]

(I know that I'm answering to a 5year old comment) (What I'm saying only applies to counter-strike) Valve and many others make the skyboxes huge around the maps so the skybox won't interfere with grenades.

[@tassarna2470]

oi could u make a tutorial on clientsided things and how to make them

[@luckyduckydrivingschool3615]

So basically one of the biggest tricks is to use hint brushes to cut visleaves? I always wondered why the goddamn "clip" and "player clip" textures never did this... not only that but they don't seal leaks...

[@KalkuehlGaming]

Is this also optimizing the rendering of Hammer? Because my map needs more then a day.. and i want to reduse the time.. i did not optimize in any way until now

[@lereff1382]

Yes of course, optimisation severely cuts compile times.

[@xenderfacex4122]

do i need to func_detail windows?

[@LUNARIAproject]

Is there a way to walk the map without the characters of the game? Just like flying with the camera so to say?

[@flobb91]

put this in the console: sv_cheats 1 r_drawviewmodel 0 noclip now you dont see your weapon and can fly

[@LUNARIAproject]

Thanks a lot! I found it on another website later on, but perhaps other people will be helped by this comment too. :)

[@bunny_dudette]

Sorry man but an open skybox is natural for me. I don't like throwing nades out of a map only for it to bounce back at me. But this tutorial was super helpful, thank you

[@Zino2201]

Don't worry, open skybox don't kill FPS. if your map if very large use func_viscluster on the open areas and your map will compile well fast

[@TeschkeFilms]

so helpful!

[@zerberus108]

hey THW! great vid as always. Could you make a tutorial about maptesting in CSGO. I just cant work out how to open the console and getting everything to work :/

[@TobeasJ]

What's with the depressing music in the beginning? O.O

I have done all the steps for the numportals but i still have 11589 numportals and 3765 portalclusters xd send help. (im making a big battle royale map)

[@Syntox94]

use func_viscluster

[@Pacca64]

Barrels. Barrels everywhere...

[@pizzfank6038]

8:55 i got feels

[@benm6861]

First like! :D and thanks for the tutorial! :)

[@momlookicanfly2685]

thx