I noticed that most everyone posts really low poly count models, what are the actual limitations vs performance. I would like to design some good level poly models and character models, but if the engine is going to choke I need to know ahead of time.

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I think that some users have the idea games are made up of a 100 billion million polygons, they aren't at at all.It's very much an illusion that these models are super high detail, what they do is to make a super high polygon model and bake the texture onto a low polygon model.A low polygon model with excellent texture work is nothing to snort at and it is well worth the effort.However you should be aware that the engine doesn't have per pixel light mapping.

I've done some entities as high as 10,000, with no performance hit whatsoever. I wouldn't go to far beyond that, especially if you intend to render LOD meshes. Objects that are intended for interior use, don't really need additional LOD meshes, as they usually will not be seen at any great distance from the player. However exterior, or landscape items should be considered when using LOD meshes that will increase your poly count.



Hope this helps.

I had some highpolygon assets in reloaded which it handled well.
I think you could have a village level from skyrim run in it. Perhaps more.

Its just that most games aren't that highpoly. Here is a list of the polycount of maincharacters (!) in some more recent games:

Alan Wake
Alan - 13,437

Alice: Madness Returns
Alice - 11,748

Battlefield 3
Kiril - 15,818
Vladimir Kamarivsky - 15,819

Crysis 2 (console)
Nano suit - 19,073

Far Cry 3
Jason Brody - 29,932, head - 17,179
Vaas - 19,369

Half-Life 2, PC, 2004
Alyx Vance - 8323 polygons
Barney - 5922 polygons
Combine Soldier - 4682 polygons
Classic Headcrab - 1690 polygons
SMG - 2854 polygons (with arms)
Pistol - 2268 polygons (with arms)

Halo: Reach

Catherine Halsey - 15,088
Civilian - 15,808
Elite (Field Marshal) - 27,394
Elite (Ranger) - 23,964
Gúta - 10,800
Kat - 31,158
Noble 6 - 28,805 (with accessories.)

Borderlands 2
Captain Scarlett - 13,848


You will notice that they keep their polycount low as you should too. Shader and good texture work should do the rest but its your choice of course



-Wolf

I always play games on the lowest deficulty level at least once,you can walk around and look at the models.Then you see that a lot of them are very low poly, its only when you are trying to shoot everything in sight and running around that everything look great.

Dave