Model limitations for Source Created 12 years ago2012-06-04 15:40:11 UTC by Skals

Hi guys! I was wondering, what are the poly/triangle and texture resolution limitations for models in the Source engine? What is the standard? (Both the maximums, and acceptable values that wouldn't lag out players in multi-player games). Not sure if you guys here know these. Maybe some of you have experiences with making models for Source and so know these values?

I'm planning to begin a project for a CS:GO map soon, I need to know these values.

Ask on interlopers. Not enough TWHL regulars are modellers, and those who are seem to stick to GS.

Probably cause GS is easier to model for, but then again you can just slap a turbosmooth on there if you wanted to

Nobody knows those values, as those values depend on many many more variables.
You can have 500 models with 2k polygon counts that will drag your game down to hell, but you can also have 200000 600 poly models that will drag your game down just as much or more.

Regardless of whatever technical numbers people may throw at you for the maximum this or that, you'll have to decide for yourself what is reasonable in terms of polycounts and texture size limits.

That being said, on average I find many first person weapon models to be around 2-4k, rarely have I seen world weapon models to go over 1k but really I see nothing wrong with high detailed world weapon models.
Character models I don't believe have really gone over 3k usually, so keep it around 1-2k. Props are usually very low detailed, under 1k in many cases.

Textures, most of today's shooter games have an average of 2048x2048 or 4096x4096 for first person weapon models, around 1024x1024 to 2048x2048 for the world models.
Props are no exception to being low detailed, usually under 1024x1024.
World textures have also been revamped lately, generally I find 2048x2048 in many modern shooters, and I highly doubt Source [especially CS:GO Source] has a problem with 2k textures, so go for it.

These are all standards I've found in modern shooters that are not designed exclusively for multiplayer, or are not designed to be scalable on older hardware. Judge for yourself how optimized you want your models and textures to be.

Character models I don't believe have really gone over 3k usually, so keep it around 1-2k.

Don't you mean 10-20k?

Never seen a game which has character models with polycounts in excess of over so much as 10k, especially not a multiplayer based one. Like I said, first person weapon models [generally the most detailed models in any game] don't usually go over 4k at most. Not even Crysis.

They almost always do. 10k is pretty much the standard, some games like gears of wars has character models of 20-30k.