Questions about the 2.3 Client.

[GunHammer]

Hey all - a few months ago I gave up on Nexuiz because it always ran horribly slow (as in framerate, not lag) on my computer, but recently I tried the new client and find it to operate much better.

Was the new release optimized in any way for Intel integrated chipsets or dual core processors? I'm just wondering if this new speed was a conscious effort (thanks Alientrap!) or coincidence (lucky me!)

[divVerent]

No, no specific optimizations for Intel chips were done, but quite some general OpenGL usage optimizations... they apparently help on your chipset too.

[Ed]

I have in one case seen a 75% average improvement with Intel onboard graphics going between 2.2.x and 2.3 so I wouldn't be surprised if it sped up for others with similar setups.

[Ildamos]

Hmm since this is fast becoming a performance thread (and since no one is replying to my queries in THE performance forum) I have a question that all may benefit from:

Can you guys give me (and people w stuttering problems) a list of console commands that dabble in:

Precaching
Images
Culling

I tweaked console commands like these in Doom 3 and voila! No more stuttering! These are optimization tweaks I learned from Tweakguides.com and Nexuiz ---- and its player base ---- can benefit greatly from these if we are provided a list. (and explanations for each one and ranges of numbers we can fiddle with)

Currently I noticed 2.3 seems to draw resources quite heavily in rendering models and gibs. That's on thought developers should consider when they make future versions. (Models and Gibs quality settings in the Options menu?)

[divVerent]

Model LODs is a feature wanted for ages, but we don't know how to "simplify" a model so that it still looks right from a distance.

Morphed once tried to use 3D Studio Max to simplify them to less triangles, but it looked really ugly... and if even 3D Studio Max doesn't get it right, we can't really expect LordHavoc to come up with a fast and good algorithm for usage in the engine to automatically simplify far away models.

So the only choice would be manually simplifying models for viewing them from a distance - or maybe not using the highest quality level at all by option - but that's a LOT of work to do.

[Ildamos]

Ehm, I'm no programmer but I get the general idea. Dang.

Anyways, about the console commands stated above, may I have the list?

Culling (backface_cull --- eliminating polygons behind the player's FOV, Shadow_cull -- eliminating polygons lost in shadow)

Texture and image precaching ---- removes stutter

I'm not sure about their names but I'm sure there are Nexuiz equivalents. You guys can then sticky it or merge them with that performance thread in the forums.

[divVerent]

backface culling is always done IIRC...

shadow culling is not worth it, as Nexuiz doesn't have totally black shadows

precaching is a server setting, but it should not affect stuttering (actually, it does, but only when a new player joins)

but no idea what specific settings you are looking for... but you can view all using "cvarlist".

[Ildamos]

Cvarlist. Thanks! (EDIT: Typo. Sorry about that!)

By my tweak list, I mean something like this: (under Performance Commands and Graphics Tweaks) http://www.tweakguides.com/Doom3_8.html

Or the list found in:

http://forums.alientrap.local/viewtopic.php?t=1628

but the latter doesn't have some of the commands Doom 3 has. Of course, both games are not identical but I would like to see that list in the second URL lengthened to help players with stutter problems. (take note my FPS in this game goes from 34-251+ so it's not my hardware)

I'll also post a tweaklist in my blog when I finally tweak this game to optimal levels and do a review of it.

[tZork]

http://icculus.org/twilight/darkplaces/ ... eVariables

[Ildamos]

Thanks!

EDIT: Sorry for this newbie question but I'm very new to this cvar deal. Are commands that start with "SV" for servers only? Or can clients use them? (Experimenting with values)