What is better for PC performance

[csj 0]

I am doing a model that has I plan 4 to 5 variants of the origional model in the same p3d using hidden textures etc.

Some of the hidden selection can run up around 300 plus vertices

Performance wise for PC running game

is it better to construct the models this way or

is it less taxing on PC to have say or maybe 2 or 3 pbo files making up the same models.

or it don't make diddely squat difference either way?

I figure that even though selections are 'hidden' when a player selects a particular model the PC still draws the hidden selections for all the other variants, blank as they are but still has to draw them.

[nephilim 0]

hidden selections arent calculated

so if u put on like 5 300face models as a slection only one model is calculated

[DanAK47 1]

I don't think that is correct. I had a model that used a lot of hiddenselections and I seemed to gain some FPS by deleting them and using setobjecttexture instead.

However setObjectTexture is forgotten after a save - but this is fixable with some simple scripting.

[nephilim 0]

oh well if u delete them with setobejct texuture sure

they are still there!

if u select them of the cfg the other hidden selections wont be calculated

so u can have multiple models for a price o one!

there was a tute aroudn somewhere

dont have a alink

[DanAK47 1]

You got my post backwards.

When using hiddenselections the faces and vertexes seem to be calculated even when they are "hidden" in the config. If you hide them with setObjectTexture you will get the same result.

I would use one selection and use setObjectTexture to change it around.

[dm 9]

No, Nephilim is right, mainly depending on if you use Hardware T&L or Software T&L...

With HT T&L, hidden selections are ignored completely. Without it all vertices in those selections are transformed and lit, but faces are ignored and not rendered.

Hidden faces are still loaded in the memory and with SW T&L there is some significant ammount of processing connected with them. Moreover, I think that deleting them is the same work as hiding them - therefore in final version of your model I would rather delete them.

[feersum.endjinn 6]

I guess everyone is using HW T&L nowadays.

With FDFMod we used one model with lots of hidden selections mainly because it makes editing and updating models easier, you don't have to update 20+ .p3d's if you move one vertex here or there. Also you save a lot of disk space and memory, you only have one single model loaded and all different variations like medic, officer, etc. on it are done just by having different configs.

[DanAK47 1]

Don't know about that, but I made a soldier, gave him about 10 duplicate "layers" that were labeled as hiddenselections, checked the FPS, then deleted all of those "hidden layers" and tried again using setObjectTexture. The latter had better FPS.

Maybe it's just me, but there was a concrete difference in framerate.

[feersum.endjinn 6]

Well, 10 layers might be overdoing it a bit, also if you've got exactly same model but just different textures, then setObjectTexture is obviously way to go. Hidden selections are useful when you have same basic model, but just different gear for different variations like beret, helmet, medics bag, ammo pouches and you want to have different combinations of those.

[csj 0]

Speaking of hidden selections

I have 39 on model - works good.

When I add a couple more I get CTD in game.

Is there are limit of 40?

Disregard question the problem is something else.