Maximum number of faces in a Mesh

[IdeasVacuum]

Is there a maximum number of Mesh faces that Engine3D can handle?

[Fred]

There is a maximum per mesh, like 65000 IIRC.

[Kaeru Gaman]

is it the max of faces or the max of vertices, Fred?
exactly 65000 or 65535?

... just for interest ...

[Fred]

yes 65535 (2^16)

[IdeasVacuum]

Sorry chaps, is that 65535 faces or 65535 vertices max?

[Fred]

I think it's vertices (IIRC).

[Kaeru Gaman]

sounds reasonable to me:
the number of vertices normally is higher than the number of faces.
maybe you can construct special cases where the number is equal, but it is impossible to have less vertices than faces.
so, use 16bit for each listindex, max number of faces and of vertices is 65535,
but vertices is that what you need to watch because it's higher.

PS:
oops.. I think I found an exception:
correct me if I'm wrong, but I can describe six triangle faces by fife vertices, can't I?

[IdeasVacuum]

Thanks chaps!

[Kaeru Gaman]

addendum:

it's no exception, it's the lower border:

the minimum number of vertices in a mesh is the number of faces minus one.

to construct a mesh, you need at least one vertex per face, because the other two vertices can be defined by two neightbor's vertices.
you can construct a perfectly closed mesh, where each face is connected to others.
the last face to insert will not need an own vertex but just close the last gap.