Ground texture flicker...

[JohnN]

Hi All,

Made a start on a new test/map yesterday in SED1.
Made a biggish main CSG (8192x8192x512) and zoned it into a skybox.
But when I move, or even just mouse-look up and down a small amount, the ground texture flickers and bounces, almost like it's snapping to an unseen grid.
Anyone else seen anything like this?

Tests with different size main CSG's shows that the effect gets worse as it gets larger.

The problem was still seen when I patched SED1 to 1.05 and it is also seen in SED2.

I currently have a 4096 square and it's not too noticable.

I think it could be my nice new GF3.

Any thoughts from anyone?

BR
JN

[Michael Harris]

I think I recall there having been a discussion regarding problems that occur with extremely large unbroken polygons (i.e. with a very very large flat ground polygon). I don't remember the specifics, but I believe the fix was to split or cut the polygon up into several pieces.

The underlying problem apparently had something to do with numeric precision...... small errors or imprecisions that are normally unnoticeable, but which get amplified to the point of noticeability if one uses extremely large polygons.

Hope that helps.

[JohnN]

Thanks.
I'll have look at splitting sectors.

BR
JN

[Michael Harris]

.... and/or splitting or cutting polygons......

[HighMaintenance]

ya, I think it was said to keep them below 512 m. I try using 256 m blocks just in case.

[JohnN]

Correction - the main sector is 1024 square

In addition I've noticed that at least one other CSG - I have a "railway track" as a simple CSG running the full sector length - bounces around too, though only if you view it at an angle. If you stand perpendicular to it, with the long side running left-to-right, there's no issue.

And another thing, I needed more map area so yesterday I copied the main sector and "added" it by the side of the main. And guess what?, no problem with the copy!
So, I can now stand at the join between the 2 sectors, mouse-look up and down and see the original sector bounce but the copy is fine...so it ain't JUST a numerical rounding issue, :confused:

I've seen today another thread regarding this issue in the Bugs forum so I'm transfering my effort there.

Thanks again.

BR
JN

[Winter Night]

Why in the world would you need a 8192x8192x512 sector? :confused:

[darkstar]

DAMNIT! i just made my avatar and you already had the exact same one! Yours looks alot better too.Now ive got to go get another!

[darkstar]

There. Got a new one. Came out a little bettter too.

[DiEgo]

Only two things i can think of:

1) Make sure the zoning flags are checked,

2) Re-optimize the brushes. Select the brush in entity mode, right click, and select Re-optimize brushes.

[Winter Night]

Originally posted by darkstar
DAMNIT! i just made my avatar and you already had the exact same one! Yours looks alot better too.Now ive got to go get another!

Was that me???