Torque 3D 1.1 - Sluggish with RTS
by Dewaldt · in Torque 3D Beginner · 11/13/2011 (3:50 am) · 10 replies
Hi everybody
I need some directions in Torque3D 1.1 I'm busy to make a RTS game & it's starts to seriously get sluggish performance & it's not even big scale, I test about 100 units on the map. below will give more details.
Basic information.
1. Height map - 1024X1024 (8bit)
2. No HD textures.
3. Low poly models - average about (2000 to 2500 poly's)
Not really sure if that is low poly? I saw on some forums that one guy said it average from 500 to 700 (but, technically you can't say!)
Any advice & feedback will mostly be appreciated.
Dewaldt
I need some directions in Torque3D 1.1 I'm busy to make a RTS game & it's starts to seriously get sluggish performance & it's not even big scale, I test about 100 units on the map. below will give more details.
Basic information.
1. Height map - 1024X1024 (8bit)
2. No HD textures.
3. Low poly models - average about (2000 to 2500 poly's)
Not really sure if that is low poly? I saw on some forums that one guy said it average from 500 to 700 (but, technically you can't say!)
Any advice & feedback will mostly be appreciated.
Dewaldt
About the author
http://www.xzaliongames.com/
#2
The classic trick for RTS design is low poly counts and higher quality textures to compensate. Remember that with pathfinding and multiple object actions on screen at any one time, you're always going to want to keep everything optimal.
11/13/2011 (7:34 am)
I would absolutely say that 2500 polys for an RTS object is too high... unless its some kind of show peice type object i.e. never more than one or two of them.The classic trick for RTS design is low poly counts and higher quality textures to compensate. Remember that with pathfinding and multiple object actions on screen at any one time, you're always going to want to keep everything optimal.
#3
@ Richard: I paid an artist to make me low poly models, & I really trusted his input & did not question him at all! However, when the project started to get sluggish I started to ask questions & found (shockingly that the models are way too high for RTS)
I will try to get better artist next time, that makes low poly models & with high quality textures. I'll keep in mind what you said Richard.
Thanks yet again.
11/13/2011 (8:20 am)
@Svengali: At this stage I think it's out of the question then, because I notice 1.1 is advance & it would require a brute PC to fully master. @ Richard: I paid an artist to make me low poly models, & I really trusted his input & did not question him at all! However, when the project started to get sluggish I started to ask questions & found (shockingly that the models are way too high for RTS)
I will try to get better artist next time, that makes low poly models & with high quality textures. I'll keep in mind what you said Richard.
Thanks yet again.
#4
11/13/2011 (8:33 am)
Is there no free models I can test which is in DTS & low poly? To test out the performance & reliability. 
#5
I think this is an interesting lesson for lots of new developers and artists
Personally i think that artists knowing things are for games should make LODs for models, on the flip side, developers should ask their artists.
As another side note, high poly models can be used for cutscenes, promo screenies, advertising, books, websites and so on.
High resolution textures also, theres a lot of free models out there that when retextured with a better texture look fantastic.
If you want models, theres all kinds on turbosquid, you might want to check out evolver too, it may even be worth investing in a cheap 3d package to convert you own models to lower poly, its not a very complex process depending what you use.
11/13/2011 (10:03 am)
I think this is a simple thing to fix, talk to your artist!I think this is an interesting lesson for lots of new developers and artists
Personally i think that artists knowing things are for games should make LODs for models, on the flip side, developers should ask their artists.
As another side note, high poly models can be used for cutscenes, promo screenies, advertising, books, websites and so on.
High resolution textures also, theres a lot of free models out there that when retextured with a better texture look fantastic.
If you want models, theres all kinds on turbosquid, you might want to check out evolver too, it may even be worth investing in a cheap 3d package to convert you own models to lower poly, its not a very complex process depending what you use.
#6
11/13/2011 (10:01 pm)
I've gone ahead and moved this forum thread to the correct section.
#7
3drt.com/3dm/wargear-turrets/wargear-turrets-shots.htm
The above link is a random page from their store, but notice that the highest poly count is 796...
You can in fact get away with higher quality models by being clever in your design decisions. But however you approach it, higher poly counts will always result in lower numbers of units on screen and probably some sacrifices in various on screen FX too for the sake of framerate.
11/14/2011 (3:39 am)
One place to see some good examples of low poly models are the guys at 3DRT.com:3drt.com/3dm/wargear-turrets/wargear-turrets-shots.htm
The above link is a random page from their store, but notice that the highest poly count is 796...
You can in fact get away with higher quality models by being clever in your design decisions. But however you approach it, higher poly counts will always result in lower numbers of units on screen and probably some sacrifices in various on screen FX too for the sake of framerate.
#8
I still wait for my model application 3dmax. which will be here next week sometime, is there any DTS exporters you know of maybe Richard?
Anyway, yet again thanks for the input Richard.
11/14/2011 (4:18 am)
@Richard: I will experiment, because my game is planned to be huge scale warfare. Which also will be exited for other Torque developers to see as well, especially real time strategy fanatics.I still wait for my model application 3dmax. which will be here next week sometime, is there any DTS exporters you know of maybe Richard?
Anyway, yet again thanks for the input Richard.
#9
11/14/2011 (4:44 am)
No problem. By the way, if you're working with T3D, why not simply go for the open collada format (DAE) for your 3D assets ? Avoids the need for lossy format coversions! :-) 
Svengali
SvengaliGames
Even our best machine can't use 1.1 to it's full potential, which for a top of the line engine should be the case. Our desire is for our project to usable by all about 6 months after release, to ensure we are on the edge of technology.