Polygon levels of an HL2 map?

[killahsin-[CE]]

Does anyone know what the max counts are for a hl2 map? I've heard before many times that HL doesnt work like this, because of the way its rendered. Does anyone know what the max counts are for a multiplayer level in HL2?

I only ask because I've been working on a design concept in max that is very detailed that hasn't really been done before to this extent. - (think actual venice italy architecture) -What I am mainly wondering is if I say sacraficed alot of shaders formore poly's would i be able to get more detailed poly's in. Or am i stuck to a hardcoded poly limit?

 

[ComradeBadger]

We don't know tbh, sorry ;(

 

[OCybrManO]

It's not the total polycount that you have to worry about. It's how many polygons you can see from any given point in the map or the "r_speed." Valve hasn't given us any actual numbers yet for the official HL2 maps.

 

[The Dark Elf]

You will need to convert all those polygons to brushes in Hammer.. otherwise well, it just wont work

As far as the engine is concerned. Brushes block the view, polygons don't.

maps also have limits. So something on that scale probably wont work period, brushes or not. And if it did, you'd be very very limited to adding anything extra. And when you consider an average decent map can contain a heck of a lot of entities that aren't even visible (lights, triggers etc.) and to use polygons as part of a map they are some form of mdl format. And applied like an entity. And you'd need to use sections made of polygons to get the details, Brushes aren't good for details. Infact they are very bad. And there are limits to how many of those you can use

So.. unless you split up your model into many many smaller .bsp files and convert it all to brushes. It probably wont work. Sorry

 

[killahsin-[CE]]

I'm hoping to go for the static mesh lego piece style format. In fact in the office scene most of that was made in xsi, its sort of the same way. Except all outside. This can already be done in ut2k3/4 etc. So im hoping valve has made hammer more ripe in .3ds importing. Or even switching to XSI to be able to do it.

To clear things up fenric im doing the concept design in max. The layout will be done again inside hammer and the architectural_detail's would be brushes, or another format if valve supplies one.
For instance the bridge of sighs, would have a one sided face of all the detail thats joined with the bsp like a layer. Almost like a sheet or sheets that connect like legos over the bsp base architecture.