Enhancing Scene Capabilities Through "Dynamic Testing"

by 0xb2223f4038def8a62a86e3c4b108cdfe00a74c4f (Chillin)

Should the following $5,999 grant in the Platform category be approved?

Abstract

This project aims to develop a platform to test and explore the possibilities of increasing scene limitations in Decentraland. By identifying key performance bottlenecks related to entities, materials, textures, height, and more, we plan to showcase the possibilities to increase the performance. This initiative will allow users to dynamically test the limits in-game and hopefully increase the limits in the docs.

Grant size

5,999 USD in DAI

Project duration

2 months

Beneficiary address

0xB2223F4038DEf8A62a86E3c4b108CDfE00a74C4f

Email address

coinatomy@gmail.com

Description

Decentraland's SDK6 imposed specific limitations to ensure optimal performance and stability. Recently, file size limits have been increased, but limitations on entities, bodies, triangles, height, materials, and textures remain. Exceeding these limits can lead to lag, crashes, or degraded user experiences but recent testing indicates that the new client can handle more objects; for instance, we have successfully tested over 50,000 textured planes using "dynamic swapping" without issues.

Current Limits:

• Triangles: n x 10,000
• Entities: n x 200
• Bodies: n x 300
• Materials: log₂(n+1) x 20
• Textures: log₂(n+1) x 10
• Height: log₂(n+1) x 20 meters

Project Plan:

• Test each of these limitations in various combinations, sometimes exceeding them using "dynamic swapping" (adding/removing objects via a server).
• Measure the impact on performance as we approach the limits.
• Identify thresholds where performance degradation becomes significant.
• Develop solutions to improve the limitations algorithm.
• Release the platform and findings to the Decentraland community.
• Suggest potential enhancements to the SDK.
• Encourage collaboration and testing.

By undertaking this project, we aim to enhance user experiences and contribute to the growth and vibrancy of the Decentraland platform.

Roadmap

Phase 1 (Month 1):

• Platform Development:
  • Build the core testing platform to evaluate all specified scene limitations.
  • Measure performance metrics such as frame rate, load times, lag, and resource usage.
  • Document the effects of approaching and exceeding each limit.

Phase 2 (Month 2):

• Advanced Testing and Optimization:
  • Explore combinations of limitations to understand their cumulative effects.
  • Identify optimal configurations for complex scenes.
• Reporting and Community Engagement:
  • Compile a comprehensive report detailing findings and optimization strategies.
  • Highlight practical tips for creators, such as efficient use of textures and materials.
  • Release the testing platform as an open-source tool.
  • Engage with the community through workshops or webinars to share insights.

Milestones

This proposal is summarized due to technical limitations. To view it complete and vote on it, visit the DCL DAO Governance dApp