Mesh Instancing?

[GuestCapone]

This question is more aimed towards Roblox staff/interns who have worked on the rendering side of Roblox.

When a Mesh is stored in either game.Workspace or game.ReplicatedStorage, is that mesh automatically downloaded to the client and added to the buffer? Second, are MeshParts that share the same properties instanced/is there a way to instance objects to save on preformance?

[XAXA]

@GuestCapone

Second, are MeshParts that share the same properties instanced/is there a way to instance objects to save on preformance?

1. Semitransparent (Transparency > 0) MeshParts will not get instanced at all.

@zeuxcg

Transparency - this one is the worst. Since OIT is still expensive (ask me again in 5 years), we have to force a single instance per draw call for each transparent part. Does not pertain to decal transparency.

2. As long as the only difference between two MeshParts are their Size, CFrame, Color and Reflectance, they will be instanced.

@zeuxcg

For parts:

• Cframe (position/rotation)
• Size(+)
• Color/BrickColor
• UsePartColor
• Reflectance

Also note that instancing will only take effect if the two MeshParts are close enough (afaik this is still the case).

@zeuxcg

Currently we only instance within one cluster so if two meshes are far apart they will render as separate draw calls. This will likely change later. Note that the memory for mesh geometry is shared across clusters - we just don’t batch draw calls across clusters.

[Aotrou (Shawn)]

Question: When a Mesh is stored in either game.Workspace or game.ReplicatedStorage, is that mesh automatically downloaded to the client and added to the buffer?

Yes, all assetIds load in the initial mesh file but past that it’s stored pretty well.

Here’s a place full of meshparts (4 different mesh files, ~1500 meshparts of each mesh file)

Same map, with all the meshparts in ReplicatedStorage

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Question: are MeshParts that share the same properties instanced/is there a way to instance objects to save on preformance?

Edit: See XAXA’s post above

[GuestCapone]

Alright thank you guys. I can begin production on my game without fear!