Two general mapping questions

[LannFyre]

I have a couple of questions:

1) The further I build my map from vect(0,0,0), say +-5000 into any of the three positions, is there a higher chance of having build/collision issues?

2)  Is it a better idea to build complex brushes but limit the amount of brushes it takes (for instance, making a room that would be shaped like a cross but only using the 2D editor or BSP-based terrain brush), or would it be better to use multiple brushes to carve out the terrain?

I ask both of these questions because I'm building a new map and while I have yet to run into any build/collision/bsp issues, I have noticed I am using a lot of addition brushes in order to add flavor scenery (structs that would appear to hold up a ceiling for example).  Plus subtraction brushes to allow certain actors to appear away from areas the player could normally travel, mostly the camera for my mod blah blah.

[Hellkeeper]

1) The further I build my map from vect(0,0,0), say +-5000 into any of the three positions, is there a higher chance of having build/collision issues?

Doesn't matter at all.

2)  Is it a better idea to build complex brushes but limit the amount of brushes it takes (for instance, making a room that would be shaped like a cross but only using the 2D editor or BSP-based terrain brush), or would it be better to use multiple brushes to carve out the terrain?

Depends entirely on the situation and I have a hard time picturing the one you are describing.

If you need help in a precise scenario, a screenshot or drawing will be needed.

Here's a tip I can give you from experience though: when you have a choice, it's better to use several very simple brush instead of a single complex one.

The reason is that complex brush will usually be built with the 2D shape editor or by intersecting several brushes. Both methods result in very complex brushes with a lot more edges and vertices than necessary, each being a possible source of error and potentially unfixable.
As the density of your BSP increases, minor BSP problems will be compounded, so a single complex brush can have disastrous effects if it goes off all of a sudden. Simple brushes will only cause minor problems and can easily be fixed due to their simplicity.

I'd suggest you take a look [url=http://hellkeeper.net/archives.php?Note=121]one of my maps[/url] to see this in action. The geometry is completely overkill given the size, but it's pretty much all cubes with different sizes, so even with its complexity, it's clean and devoid of bug, problem or artifact.

Here's a picture.
[img][/img]

[LannFyre]

So here is a screenshot of the map, not much is really on the map so far which may also be a reason for a lack of issues on the map. But if you'll look at the right side of the image, you'll see an elevator shaft which prompted the complex brush question.
[img][/img]
I am wondering about the "structs" that you can see if you look at the bottom left part of the image. As you've said, it is a better idea to simply add/subtract small brushes to prevent large issues from appearing later on, but is what I've done on the map a good idea? For each "struct", or archway, seen in the image, I've simply added three brushes to make the archway.

. . . Also ignore the large subtracted brushes next to the rooms with actual detailed brushes in them, those are the "camera pits" so the camera isn't running into walls and other junk.

[Hellkeeper]

This all looks perfectly fine: brushes are snapped to the grid, they're simple cubes, they're not too dense, there's nothing I'd change there, judging by the screenshots. Your archs are fine.
The large subtracted brushes on the side for you camera have an unnecessary edge going diagonally through their bottom face. Were these brushes made with the 2D Shape editor?

[LannFyre]

No, honestly this has to be the first time I've viewed the map in that specfic brush view and I'm only just now noticing it myself. Gonna replace those with regular brushes, not sure what caused the split because it was definitely a regular brush. Thanks for the help duder.

[Krull0r]

If you accidently use tessellate surface in the right click options on a surface, that will great an diagonal edge.