I searched but got too many hits for one or the other, but not BOTH.

What's the rule of thumb again for WHEN you should use a Misc-->Prefab vs. Misc-->Model?

Is it as simple as the models don't have any clipping in them? Why are there a bunch of models in the xmodels folder that are not in the prefab folder?

I'm not having a problem now, but want to make sure I'm not adding overhead for no reason.

Thanks.

Xmodels are models built in a modelling program such as maya and then ported into the game.

Prefabs are .map files. They are made in Radiant and then saved in the prefabs folder. This means you can make your own prefabs easily.

Prefabs are solid if the brushes/patches used in that map file have collision (In other words you have NOT made them non-colliding).

Xmodels don't have collision but rather it's simulated through "Clips", simple textures that create invisible walls.

You can load up any xmodel in Radiant and then save a "collmap" for it. Make brushes around the model using clip textures (textures>tools) and then save to the collmaps folder (raw/collmaps)

So open Radiant - Create a new map, load your xmodel (misc/model) in and make your brushes around it using clip or player_clip.

Save it as:

the_exact_name_of_the_model.map

In raw/collmaps

The thing is though, models don't tend to have collmaps since cod2, at least models that might be required else where. Because there's a limit to the amount of collision data the game can handle, so any models out of the players and AIs reach won't be needing any collision so it's left to you to make brushes within your map that have collision - using play_clip, clip etc only where needed.

Techno2sl you are surprising me here ... thats is not the case at all for COD4!!

Its simple: Xmodels aren't clipped (no collision clip) and prefabs\misc_models are!

The collmap compiling is in COD5 but not used in COD4 - thats why IW provided us with "Prefabs" for some xmodels.

To the OP, if the model you wish to use isn't in the prefabs\misc_models then you need to clip it yourself using the appropriate clip tool texture.

hehe - I have still to make a map in COD4 - what about the vehicles though, do they not use collmaps either?

techno2sl writes...

Oh yes, indeed, physic collmaps are present but the collmaps we know in COD5 arent. Its the same thing more less anyway, just that the location of the files are not the same.

Ah I see, just looked through the directory structure, so basically in COD4 just save your 'collmap' like usual.. but in the map_source/prefabs/misc_models/ directory instead.

Weird though, it works exactly the same just different directory.

Damn, IW, trying to catch me out

techno2sl writes...

Slight difference: The clipped model you save isn't added on compile and so you can have separate filename as well as the use of meshes in the prefab itself (cant do that in COD5 collmaps).

Also, if you make a prefab of an xmodel by adding clips, and you use that prefab outside your playing area (where the player can never reach), check the No_Collide checkbox... this would be like using the misc_model instead of misc_prefab (but it's faster to do so).

A question, though, for Techno or Zeroy: what about other tool textures ? For example, the roadblock prefab has clip and mantle in it. So I used misc_models outside of my playing area, because the mantle feature wasn't required. But was that necessary, or mantle doesn't affect memory usage or framerate ?

Prefabs are also more expensive toward your .ff size.