Optimizing Detail

[ADC]

Do you guys optimize detail a lot or a little? I remember a time where if you didn't, the program wouldn't run as well. Is that still the case, or is my 5 year gap in game play showing?

[bryce]

I optimize after every time I smooth.

[SteveHorn]

It probably makes more of a difference if you have an older computer like mine. Optimizing is a touchy thing. Sometimes it improves something and other times it can ruin the detail of an area. Experence with the architect is very valuable as far as optimizing goes.

[BrianZ111]

When I'm done doing elevations in an area I optimize any shape that is in play on the lowest setting and any shape not in play on the second or third lowest setting. The exception to this is water, tee boxes, bunker lips, walls, or anything else with a flat surface. I optimize them on the maximum setting since they don't need any extra detail in them. Also for greens I use DanO's method of smoothing on the lowest setting followed by optimizing on the lowest setting and repeating that until the optimization available after optimization is under 3%, then doing a final optimization to get it to 0%. That pretty much guarantees getting rid of any spikes on the green without ruining the contour you put in.

[Indy Anna Jones]

I don't have any hard fast rule re smoothing and optimizing. I found that overoptimizing sometimes ruins the hard work you've done, and that re-smoothing after optimizing replaces the points you've just removed. My main goal is no spikes and no wrinkles, and I just do whatever it takes at the time to get the effect I want.