cs_canyon_lab

I STRONGLY advise you to stop any work on this map and totally redesign it.

HLVIS has a really bad time on your map. Learn how VIS works before attempting such outdoor or natural area's. The way you made your terrain is really troublesome for HLVIS. It can be done in this way but with caution and a full understanding of what you're actually doing.

Besides, you use the skybox method. Bad. Never do that. Don't put a skybox around your level, only put a skybush there where you want the sky to be visible. So, only leave the top brush of your skybox, delete the other sides of the skybox. It causes major area's around your map to also be compiled. A waste of resources (compile time here).

You also used vertex manipulation, right? Although all vertexes seem to be on grid points, it complicates the map even more. Making it even harder for HLVIS.

R_speeds. There are about 5000 faces in the map, and seen from the top-view, there's very little VIS-blocking. The map will probably have skyhigh wpoly-amounts. The level is bad designed.

Leaks? Very, very hard to find in such a complex environment. You'd better redesign the map and start from scratch again. Search for tutorials on making rocks, and find out how VIS works (it divides the space in your map into 'leafs', triangular blocks. The player always is in such a leaf. HL then determines wich other leafs can be seen by that leaf. The faces in those visible leafs are then drawn. This method causes more faces to be rendered than the player can actually see, faces just around corners for example are often rendered while the player can't see them. But it's still quite a good method. Anyway, complex maps like yours, featuring a lot of angled faces, make HLVIS work very hard, resulting in a lot of leafs, and sometimes also problems like 'leaf saw into leaf.)

I fully agree, not much more I can say

do u think if i tryed using one of those terrain generators it would turn out better and if i scaled it down alot? or is making something like a canyon a lost cause.

A terrain generator might do a better job, but it will be still very complex. I think this canyon is still out of reach with your level of technical knowledge. It's possible but requires a high level of experience to do it right. Half-Life isn't very good in outdoor area's so you have to know what you can and what you can't do.

Creating blocky rocks might be easier to start with. So, just like walls, instead of very steep triangles. Still, I recommend you to find out how VIS works. When you know what specifications and limitations the compile programs have, it's easier to adjust your maps and avoid errors.

oh well thx for ur help captain....did it atleast look good

there are serval ways for making low-poly rocks.
il write a tutrla baout it of all the basic techniques

errrr.... skybox.............

or get modelled rocks....

Come on you're using an engine from 1999, don't expect too much power from it.

The wise word of the day from noob mapper lassse:only use sky boxes before the map is ready(check my office i will certianly remove that skybox)and then REMOVE it!!!!