Vis sucks.

I have gotten to the point where I have discovered the autosave feature! Yippee! It has only failed on me once so far (AAARRGH!!).
Like it because if I want to know how much progress has been made, if I restart the computer, or stop the app, then restart it again (from worldcraft prompt, with only vis selected) when vis starts (as long as it doesnt fail to read the saved vis file) it tells me roughly how much progress has been made!

I think Im pushing 13-14 percent!!!

Question:
Does the process window get to a point where it nolonger has any room for more text?
It often looks as if it has frozen!

Tried '-priority 2' but got bored with it (its pretty boring anyway).

What do you mean 'make sure you havent blocked the vis console window with mouse or keyboard'. How do you make sure vis is still hogging the cpu without pressing ctrl,alt and delete? Or is that what you would have me do?

Also, using XP, I always run compile tools from Worldcraft. Not being a programmer or anything, is there another way of running them?

If anyone can answer any of these questions (AguirRe), say something funny or say something to boost morale, it would be much appreciated! 

It's not VIS that sucks, it's mapping in a way that does not work well with Quake/VIS. 

Large open areas with little vis blocking always result in long processing times. Sometimes it even takes days to get one single portal done.
Don't run vis from Worldcraft, run it in the command prompt with -v. You can break the process with ctrl+c to resume it later (safer than restarting the computer). 

So many questions ... Like neg!ke says, don't run any tools from inside WC, its console window is not very good. Use a std command prompt "dos-box" for builds.

If you're using the AutoSave feature to see the vis progress, something's seriously wrong. Don't do that, you'll just slow down the vis operation by constantly restarting it. You'll get plenty of progress info while it runs if you haven't disabled it.

In a real console window, you can block the process by e.g. starting to select text with the mouse, pressing Pause or other user input. Use Task Manager in XP to see that the vis process is using almost 100% of the cpu.

Finally, if you've only reached 13-14% after running for a long time, you're looking at ages to reach 100%. The fullvis process almost always slows down *very* much in the later stages and the final few percent can easily take 50-90% of the total time. Ask JPL for details if you want to know more about vis patience ...

You'll probably have to clean up your map if you want to be able to fullvis it before the year 3000AD. Remove/simplify/func_wall brush details, add proper vis-blocking, split map etc. 

Use a std command prompt "dos-box" for builds.

he means the windows command prompt. don't go installing DosBox and trying to compile in it. 

support two cores?
Because Cpu gets never over 60% when vising 

It just occurred to me; you seem to be using the -numpercent option in WC's console. That won't work, that's probably why you're getting weird printouts. I'd suggest using default settings or better, stop running tools from inside WC. 

No, vis is single-threaded. 

CDA really took 50 days to vis? shut up! 

Yes, it took exactly 1218 hours = 50 days and 18 hours of full vising... so when some people says I'm not patient... believe me, I know what is to be patient ;)

The big issue of CDA is the wide open area with bunch of brushes, and the terrain... I had several choppiness issue that forced me to put the latest fight under ground... otherwize it would not have been playable, even with aguirRe's engine (choppy as well)...

Well, I will not make the same mistake twice :P 

is it worth even vising if everything's visible anyway. Does it reduce the visible faces much? CDA was unplayable on my old comp anyway. What are the differences in r_speeds between unvised, fastvised and level 4 vised? 

if everything is visible, I don't think fullvis or fastvising a map makes aby differences... The thing that make the difference are the "donnut" vis blockers, or something equivalent...

And concerning the use of level 4, sincerely I don't know...

But all of that is obvious and I guess everybody already knew it ;) 

but I meant CDA for example. Was it really worth vising it? Did it help much after -fast? Actual numbers... 

Well, in the wide open area, I guess it didn't helped much at all... while I cannot confirm it as I didn't have any idea of the final result (i.e difference of face numbers between fast and full vis...)

And I will not try to make the test just to obtain the results difference... The only good point is that aguirRe's vid tool is bug free for sure ;) 

Well, in the wide open area, I guess it didn't helped much at all... while I cannot confirm it as I didn't have any idea of the final result (i.e difference of face numbers between fast and full vis...)

And I will not try to make the test just to obtain the results difference... The only good point is that aguirRe's vid tool is bug free for sure ;) 

Sorry for that :P 

a few func_walls and an XP Home Command Prompt later, and its been going for about 21 hours, says its 30% done, I think it says thats 20% of the time its gonna take, if that makes sense. At this rate it should be out Monday. Maybe. So thanks for the help!! Command prompt IS A LOT MORE STABLE THAT WC PROCESS WINDOW!

I've always been a click person, using a MSDos command prompt is something I've always managed to avoid. I've clicked on Wolf3D, Doom, Quake, Duke3D, Heretic...

Luckily I know to type 'cd c:\vis', then 'vis -level 4 -verbose sickhill'. Or else I'd be really scuppered, wouldnt I?

Just out of curiosity, what is CDA you all keep talking about? Which map is that? 

I think it says thats 20% of the time its gonna take, if that makes sense. At this rate it should be out Monday.

Err, I would not like to discourage you, but, as aguirRe's said, vis process is slower and slower during the runtime process (i.e: percent value will not increase faster even if you have vis blockers somewhere...) so, be prepared to wait longer than by next monday...
According to my humble experience, when the percent value reach 50%, generally it cost twice the time already spent.... so you are far away to see a finished fullvis process....

Wait and see: patience is welcome there ;) 

It makes a big difference already in the main room, but if nothing else it makes the end arena a lot better. Otherwise the whole map would be in view while fighting the big beasts.

I just made a quick fastvis and tried running it in Fitz on Hard, there were packet overflow almost immediately and then continuosly even with all the entity saving tricks in the progs.

So I'd say it was well worth it, although it could probably have been made easier with map adjustments. 

Im happier with it now though. Atleast I can see whats going on.

I had some stuff - a monument with 3 spheres, a fork-lift truck, some decorative window frames. By turning them into func_walls I dropped the vis leafs from 11000 odd to 8087!
I think that made a big difference.

I tell you though, the sound of the fan over my processor is doing my nut! 

Good that vis works better now.

You can find JPL's CDA review+map here: http://underworld.planetquake.gamespy.com/quakerev051101b.html 

Im curious. JPL made it right? AguirRe has the source (just for his own personal devilment I'm sure).

What exactly is CDA an abreviation of? 

Castle of the Dark Ages! Looks good. Cant be arsed with fileplanet though! I'll look for it elsewhere... 

And for reference Google some of the ancient vis explanations on good blocking and how to have big open areas without murdering vis time.

There's a load of material out there, but it'll take some searching. 

Visit my website ;) You'll get all my maps then.