Mapping Question Megathread v3 - Developers

New computer, why does this happen when I try L4D2 Authoring tools? [IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/w1pd7n.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=General J;35601353]New computer, why does this happen when I try L4D2 Authoring tools? [IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/w1pd7n.png[/IMG][/QUOTE] Have you ran L4D2 at least once?

yes

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone could link to a good resource on making nice efficient looking windows + window frames? I'm not happy with just a big sheet of glass.

[QUOTE=Matt2468rv;35589573]Will anything drastically bad happen performance wise if I use particle-based water for waterfalls in a multiplayer TTT map? It should work fine if I pakrat the particle files, right?[/QUOTE] Does anyone know the answer to this question?

[URL=http://filesmelt.com/][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/fucking_hammer.JPG[/IMG][/URL] :suicide:

I was looking over my compile log and I came across this: [code] physics [variable] 4070862/4194304 (97.1%) VERY FULL! [/code]

[QUOTE=Matt2468rv;35601667]Does anyone know the answer to this question?[/QUOTE] I haven't used particles a lot before, but my understanding is that when not overdone, particle based waterfalls should not cause too big a performance hit. The cheapest and fastest to run would simply be a brush with a scrolling texture, but of course that does not look too great. So in the end using particles WILL impact performance, but should be acceptable if you don't overdo them. There might be techniques to improve performance even when using a lot of particles, but I am not familiar with this. As I said, I have rarely ever worked with particles.

[QUOTE=ShadowDeath;35607208]I haven't used particles a lot before, but my understanding is that when not overdone, particle based waterfalls should not cause too big a performance hit. The cheapest and fastest to run would simply be a brush with a scrolling texture, but of course that does not look too great. So in the end using particles WILL impact performance, but should be acceptable if you don't overdo them. There might be techniques to improve performance even when using a lot of particles, but I am not familiar with this. As I said, I have rarely ever worked with particles.[/QUOTE] Thanks for the reply. I originally had brush-based scrolling water, but it looked really tacky. Source doesn't handle moving water well, but particle-based water is the best alternative I could find. I would assume that impact-detecting particles would have more of a performance hit than no-clip water particles. I'll eventually have to test it in multiplayer to see how it's handled. If anyone else knows more about this, please let me know...

[t]http://i.imgur.com/DU60X.jpg[/t] source what the fuck are you doing The map isn't even leaking but these walls are just not complying. Stupid looking lighting all over them. No errors in the compile log as far as I can tell and lighting is fine everywhere else in the map. Also can't be caused by prop shadows because the problem persists even if I turn off the props and compile how fix

[QUOTE=Miigga;35607812][t]http://i.imgur.com/DU60X.jpg[/t] source what the fuck are you doing The map isn't even leaking but these walls are just not complying. Stupid looking lighting all over them. No errors in the compile log as far as I can tell and lighting is fine everywhere else in the map. Also can't be caused by prop shadows because the problem persists even if I turn off the props and compile how fix[/QUOTE] Wrestly source to the ground and brutally murder it. At this point, i would normally check if you have cubemaps and if you built them, but i don't you would be that dumb...as you are The Miigga.

It's in the lightmaps, cubemaps wouldn't have any effect on that

[QUOTE=Miigga;35607812][t]http://i.imgur.com/DU60X.jpg[/t] source what the fuck are you doing The map isn't even leaking but these walls are just not complying. Stupid looking lighting all over them. No errors in the compile log as far as I can tell and lighting is fine everywhere else in the map. Also can't be caused by prop shadows because the problem persists even if I turn off the props and compile how fix[/QUOTE] That looks really odd. Did you by chance turn the 0 falloff distance too low in the light's properties? (If you are at all using that setting) Although I doubt you didn't check it already, but that's the best I can think of atm.

I did check hard falloff. I managed to kinda fix it by just increasing the 50% and 0% falloff distances. This lamp has pretty much the same settings as all the other similar ones, but for some reason this one is the only one failing to cast an adequate amount of light on these walls. I increased the 50% and 0% falloff distances to way higher than what they are on the other lights and now it's kinda working.

What is causing Hammer editor to start lagging on even a simple map after like 10 seconds without touching any brushes or models? This issue appeared yesterday, but I tought that I should clean reinstall the nvidia driver, did nothing. Today I refreshed the sdk content, validated cache and such things but still starts to lag. I checked the cpu usage when lagging and it doesn't go up much further than 25% (2,66 ghz single core cpu), so I think it belongs to my vga card or driver, but any other hardware accelerated games doesn't start lagging, battlefield 2 and minecraft works fine. Checked some options in Hammer's settings and I tried every possibble settings, but still lags. I get more and more annoyed of that because I can't work with that while it lags. Does anyone know a solution for that?

[QUOTE=ichiman94;35609459]What is causing Hammer editor to start lagging on even a simple map after like 10 seconds without touching any brushes or models? This issue appeared yesterday, but I tought that I should clean reinstall the nvidia driver, did nothing. Today I refreshed the sdk content, validated cache and such things but still starts to lag. I checked the cpu usage when lagging and it doesn't go up much further than 25% (2,66 ghz single core cpu), so I think it belongs to my vga card or driver, but any other hardware accelerated games doesn't start lagging, battlefield 2 and minecraft works fine. Checked some options in Hammer's settings and I tried every possibble settings, but still lags. I get more and more annoyed of that because I can't work with that while it lags. Does anyone know a solution for that?[/QUOTE] Is "Radius Culling" on? I've accidentally turned it on in the past, and it would lag the editor. I don't know the hotkey for it, but there's an "r" in a red circle on the toolbar which turns it on/off.Check to make sure it isn't on.

[QUOTE=paulisdead18;35609488]Is "Radius Culling" on? I've accidentally turned it on in the past, and it would lag the editor. I don't know the hotkey for it, but there's an "r" in a red circle on the toolbar which turns it on/off.Check to make sure it isn't on.[/QUOTE] I don't have that option on my toolbar, I'm mapping for HL2 [editline]17th April 2012[/editline] This image clearly shows my toolbar and how laggy is the rendering on hammer: [img]http://i.imgur.com/w06NN.png[/img]

[QUOTE=paulisdead18;35609488]Is "Radius Culling" on? I've accidentally turned it on in the past, and it would lag the editor. I don't know the hotkey for it, but there's an "r" in a red circle on the toolbar which turns it on/off.Check to make sure it isn't on.[/QUOTE] What's it even good for? Made my editor seriously lag as well, and for ages I didn't even know what it was or that it was turned on.

Radius Culling is only available in Portal 2 Hammer Editor.

[QUOTE=ichiman94;35609552]I don't have that option on my toolbar, I'm mapping for HL2 [editline]17th April 2012[/editline] This image clearly shows my toolbar and how laggy is the rendering on hammer: [img]http://i.imgur.com/w06NN.png[/img][/QUOTE] Alright, if it's not that, how big is your map? When there's a lot of stuff in your map, it lags, just look at some of Valve's maps, they're so detailed it lags the editor. Basically, use Cordon Tools (The two boxes with yellow/black stripes) to view smaller areas. Not only does it reduce the editor's lag, but it makes it easier to navigate and use the grid.

[QUOTE=paulisdead18;35611669]Alright, if it's not that, how big is your map? When there's a lot of stuff in your map, it lags, just look at some of Valve's maps, they're so detailed it lags the editor. Basically, use Cordon Tools (The two boxes with yellow/black stripes) to view smaller areas. Not only does it reduce the editor's lag, but it makes it easier to navigate and use the grid.[/QUOTE]Oh, so that's what those do. Thanks, that's going to be really useful.

How can you make doors which open automatically, then close automatically after a couple minutes, then wait for a while before opening again for another couple of minutes?

[QUOTE=BlueMastermind;35615659]How can you make doors which open automatically, then close automatically after a couple minutes, then wait for a while before opening again for another couple of minutes?[/QUOTE] In it's I/O settings... OnFullyOpen > [name of door] > Close > Delay time # in seconds OnFullyClosed > [name of door] > Open > Delay time # in seconds It will open and close for ever and ever and ever

-snip- Ninjas.

[QUOTE=paulisdead18;35611669]Alright, if it's not that, how big is your map? When there's a lot of stuff in your map, it lags, just look at some of Valve's maps, they're so detailed it lags the editor. Basically, use Cordon Tools (The two boxes with yellow/black stripes) to view smaller areas. Not only does it reduce the editor's lag, but it makes it easier to navigate and use the grid.[/QUOTE] Well Valve's maps lag because of all the sprites.

I keep getting this message on the console in-game [code] SERVER: VPhysics Collision detection getting expensive, check for too many convex pieces! [/code]

[QUOTE=Azzator;35617806]I keep getting this message on the console in-game [code] SERVER: VPhysics Collision detection getting expensive, check for too many convex pieces! [/code][/QUOTE] Custom models with tons of convex collision parts?

No custom models at all. Just a lot of rubble props, but I disabled collision on them and I'm still getting it.

[QUOTE=Azzator;35617892]No custom models at all. Just a lot of rubble props, but I disabled collision on them and I'm still getting it.[/QUOTE] Well just ignore it then, it won't affect anything.

[QUOTE=ThalZaramee;35581625]So it means that i have to set the point_template to spawn items with name, an math counter to count the placed items, and a filter to make it works only with the named items? Okay, but how did i make the items dissapears after that? How it spawn the AR2? And thanks for responding.[/QUOTE] So how i do it?