[Map] Umm Qasr (4km) [WIP]

[pr|Zer0]

Updated Link/files on first page:
-now its an .rar file instead of exe
-created localization file specifically for this map in order to keep PR files intact. Now map localization can be deleted without the need of editing PR localization files.

[Kevokpo]

has the file been removed? I can't download it D:

[pr|Zer0]

Seems the host deleted the files. Nvm..Updated.

[Onil]

Yeah seems that the download link doesn't work anymore.

[pr|Zer0]

It does now.
Small update: STD flag sequence layout on 1st page

[pr|Zer0]

I run into serious problems with lightmaps.
As per this post, and I want to continue the discussion here, I have a great number of lightmap atlases after finished LM'ing on final.
Following the discussion with Rhino in the above post, I drastically reduced the number of destroyables(from 190 now are 97( doors, gates) and also removed a huge number of afghan statics which helped me creating some of fallujah( or gaza) style kind of 2 store houses.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Number of static object decreased from 6789 objects to 5735 objects ( there are still some of afghan statics present on the map) and therefore the number of lightmap atlases went down from 170 to 130.
130 LM atlases is still quite a lot considering that all of them needs to be loaded into clients RAM.
Im out of ideas on how to decrease the number of atlases down to an acceptable number, like 80 or so. Its been like 3 days of continous work on trying to optimize the statics and no avail.
Do I have to remove ALL afghan statics(buidings, walls and so on) ?

[Mineral]

The only reason my simple brain can find is that you have an extreme amount of super large statics that use up most of the the atlases? And quite possibly buildings with destroy-able versions of them? Try to open the atlases and figure out which buildings are taking up so much room. Goose green has about 700 objects and 9 atlases. Of which most are taken up by the house_dest series. That's all I can tell from my own experience .

[Rudd]

Open your lightmaps folder and arrange the files by size, look at which objects may have lightmap files that are larger than they may need.

There are certain objects you can probably get away with not having lightmaps if your sky.con doesn't highlight them too much, like cablepoles.

[pr|Zer0]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

Should i try to replace some of these objects which have a big LM size?
How do I know which size SHOULD they have?

[Rhino]

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/9892 ... 165350.png

The 2 story building is part of the Afghan v1 series, a dest object (they do have non-dest versions, but still have wreck models that require LMs) and are being phased out of the mod, so you shouldn't use them.

[pr|Zer0]

im in a process to replace all afghan buildings...ive noticed that during LM, the wreck model is being LM'apped.

[pr|Zer0]

Found another annoying mistake Ive made on the map...didnt think to combine different walls with a single one( 2x20m=1 of 40m). Im talking especially about brickwall statics which, in my case occupy 170.8 kb EACH( and I have 1011 brickwall LM files o_0 )
The question I have now, except the obvious(combining or not) is this: is sun position and light setting in general, influence the size of lightmaps? I mean, on my case, statics casts a fairly long shadow on the ground. Changing sun's position (lets say mid day position) will affect the LM size?

[lucky.BOY]

No, i dont believe so.

[Rhino]

Found another annoying mistake Ive made on the map...didnt think to combine different walls with a single one( 2x20m=1 of 40m). Im talking especially about brickwall statics which, in my case occupy 170.8 kb EACH( and I have 1011 brickwall LM files o_0 )

The problem with most walls in BF2/PR (and many other statics but walls are most common) is they have a hell of a lot of wasted LM space, which if you look in the features bit of the new wooden fences highlight I did a bit ago it goes into it: https://www.realitymod.com/forum/f196-p ... atics.html
[quote=""'[R-DEV"]Rhino;1531714']Added Custom Lightmap UVs that minimize the amount of wasted lightmap space while keeping the quality of a high-rez lightmap by using non-square lightmap sizes, like 512x128px sized lightmaps. Also these Custom LM UVs also come with LM samples for use with BF2 Editor LMing that support the new LM sizes, although 3DsMax LMing scripts have yet to be modified to support the new LM sizes, that should be with us by the time we need them. This is something that to my knowledge has never been done in BF2 before and will save a huge amount of lightmap space, really just this is probably worthy of its own blog post

[/quote]

Also goes into it a little bit here with the tent_v2b tent: https://www.realitymod.com/forum/f196-p ... tents.html

Rhino;1635171']Tent_v2b Series:
The "v2b" statics are improved and optimized versions of the old "v2" tents which can be seen in many current PR maps, with the most significant difference being the optimized lightmaps which are 1/4 the size they where before with still keeping quality high, if not improved in some areas.

[quote="pr|Zer0""]The question I have now, except the obvious(combining or not) is this: is sun position and light setting in general, influence the size of lightmaps? I mean, on my case, statics casts a fairly long shadow on the ground. Changing sun's position (lets say mid day position) will affect the LM size?[/quote]

No difference what so ever. You still generate a full rez LM, even if it has a constant light all over it (although if it dose, you could manually optimize the LM but very unlikely you will find such an object on your map, providing you have good LM settings).

[pr|Zer0]

The "temporary" workaround I could find quickly, is to render all brickwall statics on medium. Im doing this to get the map thru the testing process. Honestly I have no idea how Im gonna get rid of this atlas issue on final for ALL statics ( following my above post, I optimized the wall statics by using optimal lenghts and the issue got worse: from 138 I end up with 141 LM atlases. Damn), but for the moment I hope this "trick" will work.
Final option would be to save the map only with the walls on it and LM?ng them on 3dsmax, but using custom LM UV is a bit over my head

[pr|Zer0]

Nothing works.
Project scrapped.

Thanks.

[IINoddyII]

Exciting news - pr|Zer0 has found a way forward. Map back in development

[Arc_Shielder]

Glad to know about this. Keep it going mate.

[Mineral]

you fixed the lightmap issue? this is good news, another map risen from the deep hells of dead community maps!

[pr|Zer0]

Update on first post with some SS's in the editor+the minimap.