Question regarding Lods and drawcalls

Dutch Boy

Hello, I was wondering if LOD models usually increase the drawcalls in a scene? the models I am making are fairly low poly, when does one decide if creating lods is worth it? and if they do increase draw calls then if models are fairly low already would it be worth forgoing the lods?

thanks in advance!
Dutch

Eric Chadwick

Depends on what the bottleneck is in your scene.

LODs usually are there to help you reduce draw calls, by using a simpler shader, turning off options you don't need far away, like specular or rim or changing to Lambert, or disabling transparency.

If vertex transforms are slowing you down (a forest of trees for example) then using LODs with reduced the vertex count can help.

Best thing is to test it out, see if it helps your framerate or not. If it doesn't, then don't use LODs, simple as that.

Joshua Stubbles

What Eric siad. Also bear in mind that LOD's use up more memory. So before you start tossing LOD's on everything, make sure you have enough static mesh memory available to do so.

Dutch Boy

Thank you guys so very much, that is exactly what I was wondering. I feel like my trees are so low poly that my frame rate is better with out lods.

Eric Chadwick

Well, don't just feel it... test it. Testing is the only way to know. Even with a bunch of experience, we still test, because every situation is different.