vvis.exe compile time

I know this is a long program for compiling, but I left it for 5 hous and it was only half done. Atm I have 186 spot lights in my map(its inside a building). Should I just let it compile or is there something maybe wrong?

If I use the quick compile what are the differences?

Nothing leaked, but if you need me to I can post the report from a quick compile.

One thing that will help is if you have odd shapes that are world geometry is to convert them into func_details using ctrl+T.  For instance, if you create an arch and leave it as world geo. then the game has to do vis calcs for all the different brushes that make up that arch, which is a lot.  Converting it to func detail removes this need.

I changed all my crates to func_details and now my map compiles in under 15 minutes. Awsome thanks for the tip.

Now when you say crates, do you mean that you created crates out of brushes?  If so you can use a prop_static and search for crates in the models property, there are crate models that will also allow you to have them w/o making them from geometry.

To add onto what Milky said, you can also make your own props (if you know how to use 3d modeling programs) or try and have someone make them for you.  Also, there are resources like fpsbanana that have free to use props for your maps.  Props are a lot more render-friendly than geometry for fancy and complicated things.

Yea I made a bunch of crates using brushes. Ill look into that prop static stuff, but at this point I probably wont stick them in this map. All i have left to do now is setup the spawns for the red team and finish putting the doors up and ill be rdy to test.

Well one of the main reasons I mention it is b/c they look better than anything that can be done w/ brushwork really.  Another reason is that it should help w/ any optimization of the map if it's a problem.

That reminds me is there a way i can set the .wad file so I only see standard TF2 textures. The HL2 ones are a bit too realistic to fit well in my map.

Under the filter just type in TF2 it should only show those associated.