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DarkBASIC Professional Discussion / Reducing a model's poly count?

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Broken_Code
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 14:49
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Hello!

Ok, I have the 'Zombie Apocolypse' model pack from TGC. Problem is that when I have a Horde of Zombies on Screen (20+) then there's just too many polies and it brings the FPS down to about 5 or 10 (using a box primitive I get 58+FPS with 40 enemies). The models are around 4800 polys each and are in .x Format.

Is there an easy/effective way to reduce the poly Count?
Does anyone have any tips on increasing Performance in this Situation?

Thanks,
Bruce
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chafari
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 15:16
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What I would do, is to use 2D enemies if they are far away from camera , and just some of them in 3D if they are fighting with the player

I'm not a grumpy grandpa
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Broken_Code
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 20:47
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Using animated billboards? Good idea, I've been thinking along the same lines but I'm not really sure how to go about it , is there a animated billboard system out there already?

Thanks,
Bruce
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Broken_Code
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 21:16
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Hold on, I can use DBP's LOD system to check out the performance. BRB.
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chafari
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 21:17
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Quote: "is there a animated billboard system out there already?"


I've seen something in the forum, but you could capture all frames of your model and animate it like animate sprite, or using billboards .

Cheers.

I'm not a grumpy grandpa
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Broken_Code
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 22:02
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Quote: "I can use DBP's LOD system to check out the performance"
... or not. DBP's LOD system crashed each time the object changed from one LOD to the other.

Still, thinking about it, wouldn't using LOD give uneven performancce? If enough zombies can come within the LOD range the FPS impact would still be significant.
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Brendy boy
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 22:19
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did you create the lod objects? Dbpro doesn't create that for you, it just switches lod when needed for you so you don't have to code that, but lod objects...that's your job

BBB GUI Plugin
Landscape & Map Creator
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Broken_Code
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Posted: 3rd Oct 2013 22:27 Edited at: 3rd Oct 2013 22:33
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Yeah, I tried to set it up with a primitive plain object but that didn't work.

[edit] Clarity.
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Mobiius
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Posted: 4th Oct 2013 00:03
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And try instancing or cloning objects rather than just loading 20+ of the same object. That'll save you some FPS.


Now Visit My Website
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Broken_Code
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Posted: 4th Oct 2013 10:47
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Instancing really helps with the FPS but then all objects are always on the same animation frame which is not good when some enemies should be attacking, some walking, some idling etc.!

Cloning saves time when making the object (I do clone the objects when they need to be created) but dosen't help performance after creation.

Good tips, if I didn't have a problem with the animation I'd probably inctance all of the objects.
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Nabz_32x
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Posted: 4th Oct 2013 15:04
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Quote: "Good tips, if I didn't have a problem with the animation I'd probably inctance all of the objects"


You can even have seperate animations on your instances, as long the Animation is seemless.
Just make 2 Clones of your object, animate each one with just one Animation Loop ( one object for Walking, the other for idle ).
Make all instances from the object Looping the idle Animation.
If you want one of the instances to Play the Walking Animation just delete the instanced object and instance it again, but use the allways Walking, cloned object as source.

When you need one of your objects to Play a non seemless Animation Loop, you would have to delete the instance and replace it with a real clone, when finished, replace it again with an instance.

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Chris Tate
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Posted: 5th Oct 2013 21:53
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Quote: "What I would do, is to use 2D enemies if they are far away from camera , and just some of them in 3D if they are fighting with the player"


There is a plugin that was created for the purpose; Dark Imposters.

You could still use the DBPRO LOD method in combination with billboards.

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basjak
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Posted: 5th Oct 2013 23:15
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I think dark imposters and dark occlusion can solve your problem

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