Optimizing FiveM Assets for Performance
Running a high-performance FiveM server requires more than just good hardware; it requires optimized assets. Unoptimized cars, clothing, and maps are the #1 cause of texture loss (the dreaded "city bug"), low FPS, and client crashes.
In this guide, we'll cover the essential steps to ensure your custom assets are lean, mean, and ready for high player counts.
Texture Compression (YTD)
Textures are often the heaviest part of any asset. Many car mods come with 4K or even 8K textures that are completely unnecessary for a game engine like GTA V.
- Resize textures: Downscale textures to 1024x1024 or 2048x2048 max for large vehicles.
- Use DXT compression: Ensure your .ytd files use proper DXT1/DXT5 compression.
- Target size: Aim for vehicle .ytd files under 10MB. Anything over 16MB can cause texture loss issues.
Polygon Counts (YFT)
High-poly models look great in renders but can kill game performance. The game engine has to calculate lighting and physics for every single polygon.
For vehicle models, try to stick to the following guidelines:
Always ensure your models have proper LODs (Level of Detail). Without LODs, the game renders the full high-poly model even when the car is a mile away.
Streaming & Resource Management
How you organize your resources matters just as much as the assets themselves.
Combine Resources
Instead of having 50 individual car resources, combine them into a single pack. This reduces the server overhead of mounting resources.
Virtual Memory
Monitor your server's physical memory usage. Oversized assets can cause "Out of Memory" crashes for players with lower-end PCs.
Conclusion
Optimization is an ongoing process. By following these guidelines, you ensure a smoother experience for your community and reduce the number of support tickets about "texture loss" or "crashing".
Coupled with a fast CDN like FiveCache to deliver these optimized assets quickly, your server will perform better than ever.