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Found some light optimization problems in TDM


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Hello guys started finally level making in TDM, don't know if this will take somewhere or just something to pass time so don't expect anything, but by building my level i found some problems, first i found that light entities are spawning more than a light and they all cast shadows, this is VERY bad for performance, especially on idtech 4, where overlapping lights are very expensive, and i'm not talking about the "shadow lights" that are used to simulate soft shadows on candle sticks, i'm talking about normal lights.

 

This are the light entities i used till now with this problem:

 

atdm:sconce_2candles_rigid -> spaws 2 shadow casting lights

 

atdm:chandelier_3_candles -> spaws 3 shadow casting lights

 

This should be avoided at all costs.

 

Btw I'm also having a strange case where a prefab candle stick is getting doused but the flame is still visible.

 

candle_ext_nopinch.pfb

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I'd have to think on the others but I believe the chandelier with 3 candles was done on purpose so that you would have a choice

over what percentage was extinguished.

 

That said, it would probably be wiser to use multiple projection images and selectively disable them per light douse.

 

I think Bikerdude regularly customizes these to improve performance?

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I'd have to think on the others but I believe the chandelier with 3 candles was done on purpose so that you would have a choice

over what percentage was extinguished.

 

Ah ok, but the problem with that is, newbies like me don't know that, so we just put this on the level has is, and if you don't douse it there's three lights there eating performance and casting ugly multi shadows, imo it should be one single light and when using the water arrow just kill them all, the idea of giving choice to the level designer/player is good i concur but imo in this case i would chose performance above all, spend lighting budget where it makes the most of it.

 

If you still want to give choice to the player over what percentage was extinguished (that i personally don't see the need), you could make a special prefab that has three lights (but only one casts shadows, perhaps even normals and specular) and when the player strikes it with a water arrow, it hides the shadow casting light and sets shadow casting on another one, in this way you only have one shadow casting light at the time, better for performance, but still not ideal.

Edited by HMart
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