Final Models for LOD's

**Burninator** · August 18, 2008, 09:33 PM

Hey guys, I've been slowly making LOD models for the Romans, and thought it would be a good idea to have an area we can collect the finalized High LOD models, so we can begin to make LOD's for them. I'll do the Romans, as we are quite near them and I can tweak things here and there for them. Ideally, we can have links to zips of all the models, by faction, with the excerpts from the modelDB so we know which skins belong to what models.

The layout I was thinking would be as such:

Macedon
(Link to Macedon_Final_Models_HighLOD.zip)

(Link to Macedon_Final_Models_CompletewithLODs.zip

There would be a link to the High models, and when the assigned person had completed the LOD's, they upload them to that section, at which time the HighLOD link could be removed. Over time, we would have an archive containing all of the unit models, making it that much easier to package into the final version of 2.0.

**rory o'kane** · August 19, 2008, 05:46 AM

LOD?

**Burninator** · August 19, 2008, 08:20 AM

Level of Detail. In the DMB, theres say macedonian_phalangite_high.cas, macedonian_phalangite_med.cas, macedonian_phalangite_low.cas, macedonian_phalangite_lowest.cas, then the sprite. They have progressively lower polycounts, so at distance between the high model and sprites, you don't lag out when it has to render 8000 high detail models....

What I've been doing is using rs 1.5 LOD models and re-mapping them/adding parts to match the new models. Truust me when I say we need to include LOD files, because even with as much ram cpu and video power as i have( X2 6400+, 4GB ddr800, 2x BFG 8800gtx oc's), I get lag when i have 16000 man battles with high detail models lighe the 1.5 city hoplites who have no LOD's, just the high detail models. so imagine what the 2.0 units will do.

**gennosuke43** · August 19, 2008, 09:44 AM

Traxx and Tone were working on this on the DMB I think the best optimum performance is to take away all the entries except the max part which is replaced by a high LOD model. Then adjust the sprites to around 40 to 50 so the sprites will generate at a closer distants. You;ll notice a suttle change in quality but it adds 5-6 fps. I think since there is only 1 entry (max) the game doesn't have to switch from different types of LOD models just one and the sprite. I can run almost 30,000troops at around 15 fps on my GTX 280 which is still playable.

**tone** · August 19, 2008, 10:27 AM

That's fine for the lower end units, but some of these legionaries are clocking about 100kb per model which is too high without LODs, hence I asked Burn to produce some lower LOD models for these.

**Burninator** · August 19, 2008, 11:05 AM

I actually started them on my own, after testing them in 1.5.... They're just too much, and not everyone playing has an 8800gtx...or a 280. Using just high LOD and sprites ain't gonna cut it., even if you bring the sprites in a bit. We need at LEAST a medium LOD, and I've been making mine to go from high, med, low, to sprite, and it works incredibly well. I'm also trying to get models together to make any custom projectiles I may need, see if there are any weapons I might upgrade, etc. I just think a central collection of updated models would be a good idea. LOD's aren't too tough to make....

**tone** · August 20, 2008, 02:24 AM

I'm so glad you're doing this Burn. I really haven't got the energy to do all the LODs as well!

**dvk901** · August 20, 2008, 08:25 AM

This is a good idea, as I think it will be problematic for lower end PC's no matter what we do if we don't have them. Having gotten a look at the Romans and some units...the detail is incredible, but having 5000 plus guys on the field is going to be laggy.

**tone** · August 22, 2008, 04:44 PM

Burn, I don't know whether you saw these that I posted a week or so ago.
It's the finished legions:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/attac...6&d=1218828334

**Burninator** · August 22, 2008, 10:42 PM

Got those bad boys downloaded, but I do not have final ones of the auxillia cavalry and infantry and centurions. I re-did the spatha's to bring the poly's down, but I want to know what kind of room i have to work with on the hilts, and which auxillia hail from where. I've made a few neat celtic spatha's that would go great with celtic auxillia. I'm finishing those up, making swords for the early/late generals, and then will resume progress on the Roman LOD's.

**tone** · August 30, 2008, 09:27 AM

OK, I'll upload some Aux textures as soon as I can

**tone** · August 31, 2008, 07:03 PM

The ala are:

IV Hispanorum
I Venetiae
VII Illyricum (german cav model)
VI Germanica (german cav model)
II Thracia
V Gallorum

Those other than the Germanic ones share the same model - here are the cavalry auxilia - there's a glitch on the skin of aux cav 6 for some reason. I think I managed to overwrite a younger file with an older one, so will need to redo things slightly:
http://files.filefront.com/germanic+.../fileinfo.html