Performance work is easier when it follows a sequence. Most wasted time comes from applying fixes before bottlenecks are isolated.
Use this page as a diagnostic checklist.
Identify the symptom clearly
Start with one measurable symptom:
- Frame drops during specific scene moments
- Input feel degrading under load
- Slow scene startup after recent content changes
Avoid broad labels like "performance feels bad".
Isolate one variable at a time
Change one factor, then re-check:
- Scene object count
- Asset complexity in the active test area
- Scripted behavior density
- Effect intensity and frequency
Single-variable testing creates evidence instead of guesswork.
Record bottleneck snapshots
For each reproducible issue, keep a short record:
- Trigger conditions
- Current baseline result
- Candidate fixes tested
- Best observed improvement
Snapshot records prevent repeated dead-end experiments.
Stabilize before optimizing further
After a successful fix, run a short stability pass to ensure there is no functional regression.
Only then continue to the next bottleneck.
Related pages: