Mapping Question Megathread v3

[Jordo76]

How to create a realistic moving background and floor(like ctf_convoy for example) ?

[Jordo76]

[QUOTE=Mr Anonymous;36905041]I am guessing the system is similar to this:

[url]https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Flowing_Water[/url][/QUOTE]

Thank for this quick response, i'll try this.

[Zethin]

I really did try, this was the best effect I could get but it doesn't change from day to night at all. I understand the concept, however.

He uses a fake_skybox_white texture to illuminate the map and give it the tint that matches the time of day it is, then changes that func_brush's opacity as it goes throughout the day. He also uses the env_sun's pitch to direct shadows (I guess?).

It's like the timer isn't running I guess.

[t]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/69387792/screenshots/testing_maps/test2_30000.jpg[/t]

--

OH SHIT I GOT IT WORKING, It turns out that's what nighttime looks on that map. The sun is just moving slowly underneath my map. I'll take a daytime pic and post it in a bit.

Happy morning everyone!

[t]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/69387792/screenshots/testing_maps/test2_30001.jpg[/t]

--

You're going to basically have to copy his 3d skybox over, it's pretty confusing how to set it up. Then follow his instructions (put the lua in autorun) and wait about 5 minutes and you should see the sun. If you don't want to copy it at least study it to every last detial.

[st ef you]

[QUOTE=st ef you;36890405]So, I'm trying to make a texture reflective, but after I run buildcubemaps, the texture looks as if the entire specular map is white, which it isn't. So, the texture is completely 100% reflective when it shouldn't be. I'm using the EP2 engine, and here's the vmt for the texture:

LightMappedGeneric
{
	"$basetexture" "custom\stonefloor001b"
	"$surfaceprop" "rock"
	"$bumpmap" "custom\stonefloor001_normal"
	"$envmap" "env_cubemap"
	"$envmapmask" "custom\stonefloor001_specular"
}

What is happening because I've run into this problem before.[/QUOTE]

Anyone? I cannot shake this problem!

[Firegod522]

[QUOTE=st ef you;36907631]Anyone? I cannot shake this problem![/QUOTE]

$bumpmap and $envmapmask don't work together.

you need to put the envmap in the alpha of the bumpmap and use
$normalmapalphaenvmapmask 1

[st ef you]

[QUOTE=Firegod522;36908449]$bumpmap and $envmapmask don't work together.

you need to put the envmap in the alpha of the bumpmap and use
$normalmapalphaenvmapmask 1[/QUOTE]

Well, thanks for the help for sure.
When I read that one the wiki, I was under the impression that it didn't work on .mdl models. You learn something knew everyday, and something that should have been obvious at least once week.

[Fulcrum]

Is there any way to either manually edit the light map or to make prop_dynamic cast light mapped shadows? (aside from placing an invisilbe prop static under it)

[Firegod522]

No. You need to make it a static prop, by compiling the .QC with $staticprop

[Crash15]

In worldcraft my maps wont compile at all, and they wont run.

Why is this?

[Firegod522]

[QUOTE=Crash15;36910922]In worldcraft my maps wont compile at all, and they wont run.

Why is this?[/QUOTE]

Worldcraft or hammer?

worldcraft was for quake, goldsrc, and quake II

If hammer, post the compile log.

[EvacX]

Let's say I have a tunnel section 4096 units long, and each section has 4 rotating fan's for ventilation then is there a way to copy-paste it without having to manually go and change the name of each func_rotating and the parent of every prop_dynamic?

[IronPhoenix]

[QUOTE=EvacX;36913277]Let's say I have a tunnel section 4096 units long, and each section has 4 rotating fan's for ventilation then is there a way to copy-paste it without having to manually go and change the name of each func_rotating and the parent of every prop_dynamic?[/QUOTE]

No.

[MonkeysLP]

Hey, unrelated to mapping but related to this board because I can't find the rules.

Is it okay to request certain maps done or to request a mapper? Aka I need a map done, I'm willing to pay, is it okay to make a thread about it?

[Neo Kabuto]

[QUOTE=MisterTickles;36915765]Hey, unrelated to mapping but related to this board because I can't find the rules.

Is it okay to request certain maps done or to request a mapper? Aka I need a map done, I'm willing to pay, is it okay to make a thread about it?[/QUOTE]

Yes, it should be okay. There used to be a full forum for requests, but it's gone now.

[Pugsworth]

What is the best way, besides instances (using the ep2 fork), to make geometry off-grid?

I thought manifests would work but I can't quite figure out how to do it that way.

[Kube]

[QUOTE=LtKyle2;36830203]When compiling another map it says it cant load filesystem_steam.dll

Where is that usually located?[/QUOTE]

So now instead of this when I try to run the map nothing happens. I compile the map, the do a quick run with the compiler set to 'expert' and such.

[Missing User]

I load up the map in Portal 2 (previously Episode 2) and I get this bullshit,

[t]http://www.bilddump.se/bilder/20120727192657-79.136.65.86.jpg[/t]

The vbsp is fine, the models appear correct but the sprites... I don't even know what's going on with the sprites. But I know this, those orange grass straws or whatever it is, can't be found on my texture. I've tried setting a custom detailsprites texture in map properties and I've tried overwriting the default one. I get the same crap in both cases.

Any ideas?

[Firegod522]

Did you replace the detailsprites.vtf?

[Missing User]

Yes I tried replacing it and I tried setting it up as a new one through map properties.

[Firegod522]

Does it compile with them?

[Missing User]

It compiles, but upon map load Portal 2 shuts down.

[editline]27th July 2012[/editline]

Tried doing a fast compile without sprites.

[t]http://www.bilddump.se/bilder/20120727213001-79.136.65.86.jpg[/t]

Works wonders. >:(

[Fulcrum]

[QUOTE=Hellsten;36963841]I load up the map in Portal 2 (previously Episode 2) and I get this bullshit,

[t]http://www.bilddump.se/bilder/20120727192657-79.136.65.86.jpg[/t]

The vbsp is fine, the models appear correct but the sprites... I don't even know what's going on with the sprites. But I know this, those orange grass straws or whatever it is, can't be found on my texture. I've tried setting a custom detailsprites texture in map properties and I've tried overwriting the default one. I get the same crap in both cases.

Any ideas?[/QUOTE]

Does ep2 and portal2 have different aspect ratios for the detail sheet? That can muck up sprites.

[Missing User]

I don't know, my detailsprites texture for that map is 2048x2048. I have another detailsprites texture for another map that is 8192x8192 and it also works just fine in Episode 2.

Anyway, the map no longer has invisible displacements and brushes if i compile with a non-hdr skybox. Map still crashes on mapspawn if i compile with detailsprites though, (which are still fucked up in hammer - probably ingame too since it is crashing).

[Rush_Freak]

I hate being annoying and asking for help, as I usually try to figure things out myself.
I've run into this problem before and solved it, but it was so long ago that I don't even remember what I did.

[URL]http://gamebanana.com/threads/173615[/URL]

Here's a post I found that describes almost exactly what my problem is, whenever the flashlight is turned on (or any dynamic light for that matter) the entire map past a certain distance is culled in a box around the player camera.
This is really proving a pain because it's doing this no matter how I compile it. LDR, HDR, fullbright, added an env_fog and set the clipping pane to 60,000, restarted the SDK, Steam, everything. It's only a very simplistic map intended as a set in Source Filmmaker.

Anyone else get this problem before? Sorry if I'm being a bother.

[B]EDIT[/B][B]: Solved the problem[/B]

Apparantly the skybox texture I had found was set to "UnlitGeneric" instead of "Sky"
Derp. xP

Sorry to waste post space.

[Thegreen]

I'm trying to make a map but it keeps being fullbright.

I have a light_environment with settings and a light entity, and there's no leak within the map.
Both GMod and HL2 won't let me change mat_fullbright from 1 to 0 or 2, even with sv_cheats on 1
[quote]

** Executing...
** Command: "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\sourcesdk\bin\source2009\bin\vbsp.exe"
** Parameters: -game "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\half-life 2\hl2" "C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.vmf"

Valve Software - vbsp.exe (Sep 15 2011)
6 threads
materialPath: c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\half-life 2\hl2\materials
Loading C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.vmf
Could not locate 'GameData' key in c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\half-life 2\hl2\gameinfo.txt
Patching WVT material: maps/gm_coolercoaster_b2/dev/dev_blendmeasure_wvt_patch
fixing up env_cubemap materials on brush sides...
ProcessBlock_Thread: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
ProcessBlock_Thread: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Processing areas...done (0)
Building Faces...done (0)
Chop Details...done (0)
Find Visible Detail Sides...
Merged 12 detail faces...done (0)
Merging details...done (0)
FixTjuncs...
PruneNodes...
WriteBSP...
done (0)
writing C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.prt...Building visibility clusters...
done (0)
Creating default LDR cubemaps for env_cubemap using skybox materials:
skybox/sky_day01_01*.vmt
! Run buildcubemaps in the engine to get the correct cube maps.
Creating default HDR cubemaps for env_cubemap using skybox materials:
skybox/sky_day01_01*.vmt
! Run buildcubemaps in the engine to get the correct cube maps.
Finding displacement neighbors...
Finding lightmap sample positions...
Displacement Alpha : 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10
Building Physics collision data...
done (0) (6827 bytes)
Placing detail props : 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10
Compacting texture/material tables...
Reduced 32 texinfos to 16
Reduced 12 texdatas to 11 (284 bytes to 263)
Writing C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.bsp
1 second elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\sourcesdk\bin\source2009\bin\vvis.exe"
** Parameters: -game "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\half-life 2\hl2" "C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2"

Valve Software - vvis.exe (Sep 15 2011)
6 threads
reading c:\users\xxx\desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.bsp
reading c:\users\xxx\desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.prt
6 portalclusters
8 numportals
BasePortalVis: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
PortalFlow: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (1)
Optimized: 0 visible clusters (0.00%)
Total clusters visible: 36
Average clusters visible: 6
Building PAS...
Average clusters audible: 6
visdatasize:64 compressed from 96
writing c:\users\xxx\desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.bsp
1 second elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\sourcesdk\bin\source2009\bin\vrad.exe"
** Parameters: -game "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\half-life 2\hl2" "C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2"

Valve Software - vrad.exe SSE (Sep 15 2011)

Valve Radiosity Simulator
6 threads
[Reading texlights from 'lights.rad']
[45 texlights parsed from 'lights.rad']

Loading c:\users\xxx\desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.bsp
Setting up ray-trace acceleration structure... Done (0.14 seconds)
18576 faces
47284988 square feet [6809038336.00 square inches]
0 Displacements
0 Square Feet [0.00 Square Inches]
18576 patches before subdivision

** Executing...
** Command: Copy File
** Parameters: "C:\Users\xxx\Desktop\gm_coolercoaster_b2.bsp" "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\half-life 2\hl2\maps\gm_coolercoaster_b2.bsp"

** Executing...
** Command: c:\program files (x86)\steam\steam.exe
** Parameters: -applaunch 220 -game "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\xxx\half-life 2\hl2" -windowed +map "gm_coolercoaster_b2"
[/quote]

[Arietta]

Water reflections are doing something weird to my map.
In random spots and when facing certain angle the screen flickers and changes brightness and the frame rate will drop.
When I use r_WaterDrawReflection 0 this doesn't happen and everything is normal. Also, this only happens in gmod beta or gmod and not in ep 2.
I've tried other water materials and it does the same thing.

Example.
[t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/rp030000.jpg[/t]

Now I turn barely to the left and the screen is brighter and the framerate is much lower.
[t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/rp030001.jpg[/t]

This isn't any weird vis or prop thing I think lowering the framerate because this doesn't happen when water reflections are off.

[Missing User]

snip lol, wrong fucking thread

[Firegod522]

[QUOTE=Hellsten;36966890]I don't know, my detailsprites texture for that map is 2048x2048. I have another detailsprites texture for another map that is 8192x8192 and it also works just fine in Episode 2.

Anyway, the map no longer has invisible displacements and brushes if i compile with a non-hdr skybox. Map still crashes on mapspawn if i compile with detailsprites though, (which are still fucked up in hammer - probably ingame too since it is crashing).[/QUOTE]

Change the skybox shader to Unlitgeneric instead of Sky

[editline]27th July 2012[/editline]

[QUOTE=Arietta;36969168]Water reflections are doing something weird to my map.
In random spots and when facing certain angle the screen flickers and changes brightness and the frame rate will drop.
When I use r_WaterDrawReflection 0 this doesn't happen and everything is normal. Also, this only happens in gmod beta or gmod and not in ep 2.
I've tried other water materials and it does the same thing.

Example.
[t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/rp030000.jpg[/t]

Now I turn barely to the left and the screen is brighter and the framerate is much lower.
[t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/rp030001.jpg[/t]

This isn't any weird vis or prop thing I think lowering the framerate because this doesn't happen when water reflections are off.[/QUOTE]

[del]What game are you using? I know gmod (the beta atleast) has this issue[/del]there isn't a fix for it yet, and it only happens in gmod.

[Nicklan]

Never mind I fixed the motherfucker.By the way do you guys know any good tutorials or a good way to start on getting a good atmosphere on a map?I mean lighting tricks or anything

[Missing User]

[QUOTE=Firegod522;36970461]Change the skybox shader to Unlitgeneric instead of Sky[/QUOTE]

Thanks, I'll be sure to try this!