Like to speak with some "optimization experts"

[FMPONE]

Hey guys, so my new map gwalior has decent FPS but not great FPS. I've done some basics with hints/skips/areaportals, but I feel I still have a lot to learn, and the map deadline is in 7 days. So I'm kind of looking for someone with a lot of know-how who can take a quick peak at the map and critique the job I've done with my optimization -- I just want to get it as perfect as possible.

If you're a knowledge person about Source optimization, add me on steam, FMPONE and we can take a look over the map. I'm looking to learn

[Armageddon]

I can do it, just send me a pm with the .vmf I'll get to it later tonight.

[FMPONE]

I can do it, just send me a pm with the .vmf I'll get to it later tonight.

Very nice

[Fathomless]

This is more of a bandaid to a level. The level should be designed with corridor(s) that provide some vis control.

[Botolf]

If the map is outdoors and the need is drastic, you can bite the bullet and implement a far z clip plane with env_fog_controller (Hard Rain [L4D2] does this, if memory serves). If it's not as severe as that, you can also use giant area portals that serve to portion down (the approach Death Toll [L4D1] takes) the world into what is effectively corridors.

[nub]

Death Toll had a lot of variation in height, too. I imagine that helped a lot with controlling what was being rendered. If your map is relatively flat, it's probably going to be more difficult to optimize it. For starters, try the far-z clip and some fog to go with it and see how that looks and performs. If I recall, ever since Episode 2 was released, Valve implemented some other methods for large, outdoor environments so they could run smoother.

[Botolf]

There's also func_occluder if you really need to cull a lot of models dynamically in wide, open maps (say you have a huge and open forest map).