Mapping Question Megathread v3 - Developers

[QUOTE=xCladx;36102813]Sorry that I don't know this, but where is the helper? I looked through the options and there is no helper option, nonetheless thanks for the helpful reply.[/QUOTE] Its a sort of a circle in the middle of the brush. Click on it and drag it in any of the 2d windows.

[QUOTE=IronPhoenix;36102985]Its a sort of a circle in the middle of the brush. Click on it and drag it in any of the 2d windows.[/QUOTE] Alright, I see it, Thanks for the help! Time to play around with this.

Everytime I open a map in Hammer, it resets the classes of all my brush-based entities and completely removes all my point entities. Why is this?

I have a question for ya'll, just got hammer yesterday so I'm new to it but how do I make it so props can't be moved with the physgun when playing on the map? Does it have to do with making the prop static?

[QUOTE=timmah1112;36104455]I have a question for ya'll, just got hammer yesterday so I'm new to it but how do I make it so props can't be moved with the physgun when playing on the map? Does it have to do with making the prop static?[/QUOTE] If you want an prop that can't be moved, use prop_static. If you want a prop that can be moved, use prop_physics. Some models can't be used as prop_static and if you want them to be unmovable, you should use prop_dynamic_override. Some models can't be used as prop_physics and if you want them to be movable, you should use prop_physics_override. For instance if the model's info looks like this: [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TxYHl.png[/IMG] it can't be used as prop_static. (Even though static is checked for some reason. Hammer works in mysterious ways) Exception: some props have "allowstatic 1" in the box below these checkboxes and in that case they can be used as prop_static However, if the model's info looks like this: [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/T6oyf.png[/IMG] then it can be used as a prop_static.

[QUOTE=Doom;36103456]Everytime I open a map in Hammer, it resets the classes of all my brush-based entities and completely removes all my point entities. Why is this?[/QUOTE] Make sure "ignore groups" isn't on (or make sure the selector on the right of the screen is set to groups) [img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3798635/ig.png[/img]

Is there a way to fix the shadows of the fence models without disabling shadows on them? [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/hexagonal_guide0016.jpg[/img]

Anyone got tips for making big outdoor environments with displacements? I feel really crummy at it.

[QUOTE=Mr. Chop;36113701]Anyone got tips for making big outdoor environments with displacements? I feel really crummy at it.[/QUOTE] Block it out with brushes? Honestly, I'd advice against making wide open environments at all because I know from experience how difficult it is because it's so daunting.

How would I go about adding an entity from Garry's Mod into Hammer for a map? I want to make the PlayX player be permanent in the map in a cinema area (It's not a RP map), but I'm not sure how I would go about adding it. Thanks.

[QUOTE=clicheusername;36114111]How would I go about adding an entity from Garry's Mod into Hammer for a map? I want to make the PlayX player be permanent in the map in a cinema area (It's not a RP map), but I'm not sure how I would go about adding it. Thanks.[/QUOTE] Where you specify the name of an entity, type in the entity's name (it may show up red) and add in keyvalues manually.

[QUOTE=~ZOMG;36112819]Is there a way to fix the shadows of the fence models without disabling shadows on them? [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/hexagonal_guide0016.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] Well your lightmap scale is too low to make use of -textureshadows from the fences, so just disable the shadows and use blocklight brushes around the poles.

I would just up the lightmap scale a bit, but that's just me.

Just a quickie: Can you port SDK2009 vmf's to CSGO SDK somehow?

[QUOTE][QUOTE=Stiffy360;36104104]And get all those screwed up brushes? In other threads, you would get throttled for doing that. EDIT: nope, it didn't work. [editline]27th May 2012[/editline] I finally figured out how to do it, but it's retarded. 1. Save map as whatever. 2. Open map in Crafty and save as .map 3. open in hl1 hammer. 4. Save as .rmf 5. Open in 2009 SDK and enjoy. (hates displacements though) :3[/QUOTE] [/QUOTE] Do that backwards

[QUOTE=Legend286;36114406]Well your lightmap scale is too low to make use of -textureshadows from the fences, so just disable the shadows and use blocklight brushes around the poles.[/QUOTE] It's not that I want the mesh to cast shadows, I just want the poles to and using brushes seems wasteful if there's a better way around it. [editline]29th May 2012[/editline] Is -textureshadows a compile command?

[QUOTE=~ZOMG;36121592]It's not that I want the mesh to cast shadows, I just want the poles to and using brushes seems wasteful if there's a better way around it. [editline]29th May 2012[/editline] Is -textureshadows a compile command?[/QUOTE] Yes, it makes vbsp grab the .vtf information for vrad so the model to cast shadows based off of something like a leaf of a tree.

What's that compile command called which makes the game not run after you're done with compiling?

[QUOTE=Doom;36123562]What's that compile command called which makes the game not run after you're done with compiling?[/QUOTE] Don't run after compiling checkbox.

[QUOTE=IronPhoenix;36123581]Don't run after compiling checkbox.[/QUOTE] I mean when you're in expert mode, duh!

[QUOTE=Doom;36123591]I mean when you're in expert mode, duh![/QUOTE] Figure it out yourself if you're going to be a shitheel about it. It's not difficult.

[QUOTE=metallics;36123660]Figure it out yourself if you're going to be a shitheel about it. It's not difficult.[/QUOTE] Geez, it was a joke. Relax.

[QUOTE=Firegod522;36122538]Yes, it makes vbsp grab the .vtf information for vrad so the model to cast shadows based off of something like a leaf of a tree.[/QUOTE] It didn't work. Don't I have to enter the model or the model's texture into some list for it to work? [editline]29th May 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=wauterboi;36114992]I would just up the lightmap scale a bit, but that's just me.[/QUOTE] It can't go any smaller than 5.

i'm making a map and compiled and tested it before putting lighting in (so it was fullbright), but now that i've added light entities it is still fullbright to me. someone else has been on the same server with the same map at the same time as me, and the lighting works for him. how do i fix this?

[QUOTE=Shortyish;36124323]i'm making a map and compiled and tested it before putting lighting in (so it was fullbright), but now that i've added light entities it is still fullbright to me. someone else has been on the same server with the same map at the same time as me, and the lighting works for him. how do i fix this?[/QUOTE] Try to type this in your console - mat_fullbright 0

I've been trying to change the players' health at the start of each round on a map using point_servercommand. I've tried using "ent_fire player sethealth/addhealth" which haven't worked because of some hardcoded max health value, but a workaround exists to use ent_fire player addoutput "health <value>". The problem is that as is stated on the VDC page about point_servercommand entity using quotes in point_servercommand commands can scew your shit up. So does anyone know of an alternative, either using point_servercommand or not? Judging by the max health value and previous experience, a trigger_hurt with a negative value will not be able to increase the players' health beyond 100.

[QUOTE=Legend286;36098630]You can't, for some reason VBSP completely fucks up tangent data for complex brush shapes, the same happened on my map with the reflective gm_construct red wall shit - when I had a hole in the wall for a window the cubemaps got all fucked because of it.[/QUOTE] Ok thanks, hopefully it will be fixed in the future. Its not vital that this is fixed it would simply look better. ON ANOTHER NOTE Does anyone know if there is an invisible water texture? I'm using a custom animooted water texture, but its solid. I was going to make this solid a func_brush, make it not solid and layer it over another world brush with the invisible water texture to make it seem like it was actually water.

[QUOTE=~ZOMG;36123954]It didn't work. Don't I have to enter the model or the model's texture into some list for it to work? [editline]29th May 2012[/editline] It can't go any smaller than 5.[/QUOTE] lights.rad

[QUOTE=Mr. Chop;36113701]Anyone got tips for making big outdoor environments with displacements? I feel really crummy at it.[/QUOTE] How I do it would be to flesh out the fundamental structure of the environment with brushes, then convert them to displacements, subdivide, terraform, add props, minute details, etc; What happened to the reflections? How can I fix this? [thumb]http://filesmelt.com/dl/2012-05-30_00007.jpg[/thumb] [thumb] http://filesmelt.com/dl/2012-05-30_00008.jpg[/thumb] [editline]May 30, 2012[/editline] can I change the lightmap scale on displacements?

[QUOTE=Azzator;36129183]How I do it would be to flesh out the fundamental structure of the environment with brushes, then convert them to displacements, subdivide, terraform, add props, minute details, etc; What happened to the reflections? How can I fix this? [thumb]http://filesmelt.com/dl/2012-05-30_00007.jpg[/thumb] [thumb] http://filesmelt.com/dl/2012-05-30_00008.jpg[/thumb] [editline]May 30, 2012[/editline] can I change the lightmap scale on displacements?[/QUOTE] 1. Did you place an env_cubemap for the surface of the water? If not try that. Do you have more than 1 brush textured with expensive water where the tops are not level in the same PVS? 2. Yes, but there is a lower limit defined by the size of the displacement. If you try and lower it beyond that it will just revert to the minimum.