Few models but lots of lag? Try this.

Do you have a few models imported that are lagging your PC to hell, and you've done everything you can to fix it? You've turned off ambient occlusion, lighting, progressive refinement, and it still wont work? Is your PC chugging for no reason, even though SFM has worked fine before? I don't know why this works, don't ask me how it does, I don't know either but I'm hoping this helps SOMEBODY.
Also, this is my first guide and I don't know how categories work... Sorry.

Uh oh sisters!

So basically, what you wanna do is:

1. Select every single model you have in your scene
2. Deselect it.
3. Thats it.
4. That's literally it, oh my god.


Works for me, I don't know why.
Good job! If that didn't work, I don't know what to tell you bro, sorry.

EDIT: MORE FIXES
- Try reducing your viewports to 1 as well.

EDIT 2 (2025 update, because I found it again in the section below SFM):

- A commenter suggested this, and it's good advice: Lower the length of your shot! If you don't need it / are making a poster, it's a good idea to reduce the length of your shot.

DISCLAIMER: I suggest restarting SFM after adjusting your shot length, because if you ever extend an animation beyond the length of your shot, it may cause wild issues.

If you're doing a poster and have no animations, I also suggest selecting all your models and sliding the "playhead" preset to 100. That way, you (hopefully) won't find your models moving when they shouldn't be.

[Halberd]

ZenD, that's literally why this guide was made. Your logic is absolute shit.

[Шлепа в вагонетке]

at mine at the models are laggy

[...]

Click off the models where there's space beneath them

[Nekai]

sorry if i sound stupid but how do we deselect the models?

[Supremacía porno furro gay]

instructions unclear: i've tried this and now im king of poland

[agentlouisiana1]

WHAT

[...]

@GangsterGoji2K5

That sounds like an issue of memory rather than the graphics card. I'm sure theres a way or two to allocate more so that the app can use it, but if your computer genuinely can't handle it, SFM or any other 3D program will crash.

[GangsterGoji2K5]

Now all we need is a "Few models but SFM Crashes? Try This" Guide. That would be wonderful, that would.

[the freak]

how the fuck does this work

[[UGA] Dude]

Aproval