Models based level design

[YouGroove]

After BSP, now a look at model based level making.

A simple and good example : Tomb Raider thread from polycount

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119045

 

 

 

 

There are super tips, like using Zbrush and retopo to make golobal moutains and cliffs, as this is not terrain system based.

 

 

Well the texture use, and lot lot of reusable and modular stuff, just look awesome and allowed ot make levels faster.

The result is just top.

[Naughty Alien]

BSP existed as a way to optimize and speed up rendering/collision in older generation engines/GPU's by utilizing CPU's partly on BSP side..very efficient 10 years ago, but on modern hardware is, mildly spoken, obsolete..BSP is still faster if you want to do raytracing or something along these lines, but its far less flexible in any aspect of asset production, and even less standardized for that matter(if you need media from various artists, it may be a nightmare to work with)..

[Josh]

CSG modeling isn't the best for advanced artists, but it allows those of us who aren't expert modelers to quickly sketch out a map.

[Naughty Alien]

..while it is very friendly for non experienced modelers or artists, it is also very tightly connected to specific engine using it..that leaves very very narrow space if project need to be moved to other platform, practically, it cant coexist with anything else out there, and that is for sure risk for developer, as no flexibility exists at all..