too many entities visible pack list

ok this if the problem after compiling the map and doing a play teat I go to this one area in the map and all the entities disappear. There aren't any errors on the compile list .... Does anyone have any ideas about this or have seen this error. If you would like the bsp to see what I'm talking about the map is called cellblock2.

You have too many entities visible at some point in the map. You either aren't running a full VIS or you just plain have too many entities in view at one time. I get this problem with dod_belfort at any time I use less than full VIS. No VIS or fast VIS warrants this error almost constantly.

Post your compile log anyway, you might be missing something.

Here is the log file for this map...

hlcsg v2.5.3 rel (May 2 2001)
Based on Valve's version, modified with permission.
Submit detailed bug reports to (zoner@gearboxsoftware.com)
----- BEGIN hlcsg -----
Command line: C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\hlcsg.exe "c:\program files\valve hammer editor\maps\cellblock2"

-= Current hlcsg Settings =-
Name | Setting | Default
---------------------|-----------|-------------------------
threads [ 1 ] [ Varies ]
verbose [ off ] [ off ]
log [ on ] [ on ]
developer [ 0 ] [ 0 ]
chart [ off ] [ off ]
estimate [ off ] [ off ]
max texture memory [ 4194304 ] [ 4194304 ]
priority [ Normal ] [ Normal ]

noclip [ off ] [ off ]
onlyents [ off ] [ off ]
wadtextures [ on ] [ on ]
skyclip [ on ] [ on ]
hullfile [ None ] [ None ]
min surface area [ 0.500 ] [ 0.500 ]
brush union threshold [ 0.000 ] [ 0.000 ]

Wadinclude list :
[zhlt.wad]

entering c:\program files\valve hammer editor\maps\cellblock2.map
CreateBrush:
(11.73 seconds)
SetModelCenters:
(0.00 seconds)
CSGBrush:
(4.78 seconds)
Using WAD File: \sierra\half-life\gearbox\zeditor.wad
Using WAD File: \sierra\half-life\gearbox\opfor.wad
Using WAD File: \sierra\half-life\valve\halflife.wad
Using WAD File: \sierra\half-life\valve\liquids.wad
Embedding textures from WAD File [\sierra\half-life\gearbox\zhlt.wad] into BSP
Using WAD File: \sierra\half-life\gearbox\tfc2.wad
Using WAD File: \sierra\half-life\gearbox\storm.wad
Using WAD File: \sierra\half-life\gearbox\morbwad.wad
added 9 additional animating textures.
Texture usage is at 1.11 mb (of 4.00 mb MAX)
17.59 seconds elapsed

----- END hlcsg -----

hlbsp v2.5.3 rel (May 2 2001)
Based on Valve's version, modified with permission.
Submit detailed bug reports to (zoner@gearboxsoftware.com)
----- BEGIN hlbsp -----
Command line: C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\hlbsp.exe "c:\program files\valve hammer editor\maps\cellblock2"

-= Current hlbsp Settings =-
Name | Setting | Default
-------------------|-----------|-------------------------
threads [ 1 ] [ Varies ]
verbose [ off ] [ off ]
log [ on ] [ on ]
developer [ 0 ] [ 0 ]
chart [ off ] [ off ]
estimate [ off ] [ off ]
max texture memory [ 4194304 ] [ 4194304 ]
priority [ Normal ] [ Normal ]

noclip [ off ] [ off ]
nofill [ off ] [ off ]
notjunc [ off ] [ off ]
subdivide size [ 240 ] [ 240 ] (Min 64) (Max 240)
max node size [ 1024 ] [ 1024 ] (Min 64) (Max 4096)

BSP generation successful, writing portal file 'c:\program files\valve hammer editor\maps\cellblock2.prt'
10.67 seconds elapsed

----- END hlbsp -----

hlvis v2.5.3 rel (May 2 2001)
Based on Valve's version, modified with permission.
Submit detailed bug reports to (zoner@gearboxsoftware.com)
----- BEGIN hlvis -----
Command line: C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\hlvis.exe "c:\program files\valve hammer editor\maps\cellblock2"-full

-= Current hlvis Settings =-
Name | Setting | Default
-------------------|-----------|-------------------------
threads [ 1 ] [ Varies ]
verbose [ off ] [ off ]
log [ on ] [ on ]
developer [ 0 ] [ 0 ]
chart [ off ] [ off ]
estimate [ off ] [ off ]
max texture memory [ 4194304 ] [ 4194304 ]
priority [ Normal ] [ Normal ]

fast vis [ off ] [ off ]
full vis [ on ] [ off ]

2193 portalleafs
6404 numportals
BasePortalVis:
(15.59 seconds)
LeafThread:
(2661.47 seconds)
average leafs visible: 414
g_visdatasize:280278 compressed from 603075
2677.31 seconds elapsed [44m 37s]

----- END hlvis -----

hlrad v2.5.3 rel (May 2 2001)
Based on Valve's version, modified with permission.
Submit detailed bug reports to (zoner@gearboxsoftware.com)
----- BEGIN hlrad -----
Command line: C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\hlrad.exe "c:\program files\valve hammer editor\maps\cellblock2"

-= Current hlrad Settings =-
Name | Setting | Default
--------------------|---------------------|-------------------------
threads [ 1 ] [ Varies ]
verbose [ off ] [ off ]
log [ on ] [ on ]
developer [ 0 ] [ 0 ]
chart [ off ] [ off ]
estimate [ off ] [ off ]
max texture memory [ 4194304 ] [ 4194304 ]
priority [ Normal ] [ Normal ]

vismatrix algorithm [ Original ] [ Original ]
oversampling (-extra)[ off ] [ off ]
bounces [ 1 ] [ 1 ]
ambient light [ 0.000 0.000 0.000 ] [ 0.000 0.000 0.000 ]
maximum light [ 256.000 ] [ 256.000 ]
circus mode [ off ] [ off ]

smoothing threshold [ 50.000 ] [ 50.000 ]
direct threshold [ 25.000 ] [ 25.000 ]
direct light scale [ 2.000 ] [ 2.000 ]
coring threshold [ 1.000 ] [ 1.000 ]
patch interpolation [ on ] [ on ]

texscale [ on ] [ on ]
patch subdividing [ on ] [ on ]
chop value [ 64.000 ] [ 64.000 ]
texchop value [ 32.000 ] [ 32.000 ]

global fade [ 1.000 ] [ 1.000 ]
global falloff [ 2 ] [ 2 ]
global light scale [ 1.000 ] [ 1.000 ]
global gamma amount [ 0.500 ] [ 0.500 ]
global sky diffusion [ 1.000 ] [ 1.000 ]

opaque entities [ on ] [ on ]
sky lighting fix [ on ] [ on ]
incremental [ off ] [ off ]
dump [ off ] [ off ]

[Reading texlights from 'C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\lights.rad']
[1 texlights parsed from 'C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\lights.rad']

10608 faces
Create Patches : 59503 base patches
0 opaque faces
620899 square feet [89409536.00 square inches]
51 direct lights

BuildFacelights:
(49.61 seconds)
visibility matrix : 211.0 megs
BuildVisLeafs:
(412.55 seconds)
MakeScales:
(246.13 seconds)
SwapTransfers:
(98.30 seconds)
Transfer Lists : 112709668 transfers
Indices : 59927184 bytes
Data : 450838672 bytes
GatherLight:
(9.16 seconds)
FinalLightFace:
(7.31 seconds)
825.66 seconds elapsed [13m 45s]

----- END hlrad -----

A good way to prevent this sometimes is combine all the entities in a single area of a single type into one entity.

I know this sounds stupid but how and the hell do you do that and why would you put all your entities as one type? Is this a way to trouble shoot this problem? Is there and amount that you can not go over for entities? I even tried to move some of the entities to another location and this still occurs. Any other suggestions. Thanks Gor for the advise and I will try to accomplish this feat in front of me.

He means combine the entities of the SAME TYPE into a single entity if they are near each other. For instance, you might have two func_walls near each other - in order to save an entity you could make both of these into a single func_wall.

so say a you have a window with 4 seperate panes, and each pane is a func_wall.

hold down ctrl, which allows you to select multiple brushes, and click on each of the four panes. while they are all selected, hit the 'to entity' button. a pop-up box will appear, asking which entity to keep. choose any of them and hit 'ok'. you will have merged four entities to one.

[Reading texlights from 'C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\lights.rad']

[1 texlights parsed from 'C:\PROGRA~1\VALVEH~1\tools\lights.rad']

Go to that folder and delete lights.rad. Then rename the file valve.rad to lights.rad Now you'll have working texture lights.

G.Ballblue said:
Or you could just change to the valve.rad :razz:

change what where?

Change the specified .rad file used by RAD in the compile process. By default it uses lights.rad, but if you use the command "-lights <path>/valve.rad" then it will use that instead.

Thank you all for the help i will try this and let you know what occurs. You have all been very helpful and thank you very much.

Thak you it worked I made all the entites one and fixed my breakable glass and the error message is gone. Thank you so much now maybe we can make this a tut.

Obviously grouping breakables would produce an odd effect, but same with some other stand-alone entities. This is a learning experience and experimentation/discretion can be a great tool towards truly understanding what you're doing both mapping and engine-wise.