q3map2 optimal configuration for today

[vinny]

What is the most high-quality configuration for q3map2 available? I really want to make my map shine on ioquake3!

[fKd]

Grab q3map2toolz
I usually use
"your path\q3map2.exe" -meta -samplesize 2 "your path"
"your path\q3map2.exe" -vis "your path"
"your path\q3map2.exe" -light -fast -filter -patchshadows "your path"
"your path\bspc.exe" -forcesidesvisible -bsp2aas "your path"

This is a good setup I use. If its too dark you can not use -fast in the light stage.

Some people use bounce and gamma and a bunch of other switches but i find they don't do that much but add a lot more compile time. Experiment and find the settings that work best for you. Good luck.

[vinny]

I'm OK with trading compile time vs. runtime performance and good results.

I've noticed that you don't use -dirty. Any special reason?

[vinny]

Also, i tried using -lightmapsize 2048, but nothing changed in-game.

[obsidian]

Q3 doesn't even support texture sizes of 2048^2. -lightmapsize is difficult to use and get results due to the way lightmap pages are projected onto a surface.

Compile time in general doesn't have much to do with runtime performance. It doesn't matter whether Q3Map2 takes 30 secs. or 30 mins. to render your lightmaps, the number of generated pixels will usually be the same*.

* If not scaling lightmap pages or other trickery.