How to create Portal 2 maps

[ZombieDawgs]

How can you people not understand panels? They're pretty simple really.

I mean somebody requested a tutorial on one, I was going to do it but I didn't, here's the script anyway:

This isn't the method that requires instances by the way.

Basic Panels.

We're gunna start with the basics, basically what you need to do is get one of them
entity peoples there and place them on the floor.

Now you've done that we gunna make one of them little 'ol prop_dynamics, once
you've done that you're gunna go into world model and search livingwall, you
got that, good. Now - go into the name setting and name your panel "panel_1" 

Right so once you've selected that you're going to want to trigger this 
reaction aren't you? Probably, but first we need to create the physical panel
itself: take your brush tool and create a 64x64x2 brush over your panel - you
should see it matches up perfectly. Now press ctrl+t and type in to this box
here "func_brush". Since you're smart enough to have made it this far, I award
you one shiny sticker, which I will mail to you in... *cutoff prevention*

Once you've got that go into your func brush settings and name it, you can
name it whatever the hell you want, name it "assfuck" for all I care but in
this tutorial I'm calling it "panel_wall_1"

Once you've done that we need to create a "logic_auto" go into outputs and
enter this - it's in the description for your help too -

For "My Output" select: OnMapStart
For "Targets entities named" select "panel_wall_1"
For "Via This Output" select SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset
For "With a parameter override of" write "panel_attach" (This is the prop's
bone structure, this will parent the brush to the model)

So now you have a panel, well done. If not, kill yourself it's not exactly 
rocket science.

Now make a brush the area you want to trigger, once you've done that apply the
trigger texture, and then make it a trigger_once, you can use multiple but for
this tutorial we're using trigger_once. After you've done thatplace it where
you want it to be.

Now go into outputs and make an output with these settings:


For "My Output" select: Ontrigger
For "Targets entities named" select "panel_1"
For "Via This Output" select SetAnimation
For "With a parameter override of" write "128_out_straight" (This is one of 
hundreds of animations available, you can view them on the prop's "Model" 
tab)

Compile and step into where you placed your trigger, voilà!

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A FULLPROOF METHOD AND IS VERY VERY MESSY, I WILL
BE UPLOADING AN ADVANCED PANEL TUTORIAL IN THE FUTURE

Also if you need a panel's bone structure go into the model viewer and look it up.

[mike55]

Is there a way to be able to hear previews of scenes when looking through the browser?

[Inspector Jones]

So I just started using Hammer yesterday, and it seems like almost every tool seems to suggest using the clip tool to make holes/shapes in brushes when Carve seems to work so much easier, at least for me being new to mapping.

I know I read how Carve tool can easily create shapes that Hammer cannot handle thus breaking a map, but I can't stop using it.

I guess the whole point of this post is asking if I should or shouldn't use it.

[ZombieDawgs]

[QUOTE=Inspector Jones;29825029]So I just started using Hammer yesterday, and it seems like almost every tool seems to suggest using the clip tool to make holes/shapes in brushes when Carve seems to work so much easier, at least for me being new to mapping.

I know I read how Carve tool can easily create shapes that Hammer cannot handle thus breaking a map, but I can't stop using it.

I guess the whole point of this post is asking if I should or shouldn't use it.[/QUOTE]

Just... No. No matter what anyone says just don't use it - It's the scum of mapping and even valve themselves said not to use it.

[Inspector Jones]

[QUOTE=xeonmuffin;29825077]Just... No. No matter what anyone says just don't use it - It's the scum of mapping and even valve themselves said not to use it.[/QUOTE]

:saddowns:

It's that bad huh? I'm just really dumb and I don't understand how to do the same thing with the clip tool.

[slimd1995]

How do you remove a section of a wall using the clipping tool?

[slayer20]

I'm a little confused on how to trigger things within an instance.

I have a normal box dropper that I want to drop a laser redirection cube. I went into the instance and changed the cube to do so, however in my map, I'm not sure how I would trigger it to actually drop the box and everything.

Help?

[RJK 616]

[img]http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/595811297802184704/2F409453016C608EFDFAFFA5353149378C3683F9/[/img]

I mades me a Mirror Puzzle! xD

[Tacosheller]

[QUOTE=RJK 616;29826254][img_thumb]http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/595811297802184704/2F409453016C608EFDFAFFA5353149378C3683F9/[/img_thumb]

I mades me a Mirror Puzzle! xD[/QUOTE]

LOL ECKSDEE
:frog:

[RJK 616]

^ That stick sure must be painful to sit with, jammed right up there like that.

[mike55]

[QUOTE=slayer20;29825995]I'm a little confused on how to trigger things within an instance.

I have a normal box dropper that I want to drop a laser redirection cube. I went into the instance and changed the cube to do so, however in my map, I'm not sure how I would trigger it to actually drop the box and everything.

Help?[/QUOTE]
Change the fix-up name property in the func_instance to whatever you want to name it. Then send an input to it with a trigger and the things you can do will show up in the "Via this input" drop down box.

[o0whiplash0o]

[QUOTE=xeonmuffin;29824887]

*how to build a panel*

[/QUOTE]

Can't seem to follow your derp-proof tutorial. When I go in-game, the func_brush (which I named panel_wall_1) doesn't stay attatched to the panel. I double-checked that I properly made the logic_auto entity, and everything seems to match up. "OnMapStart" doesn't seem to be a valid output name, so I changed it to OnMapSpawn and it still doesn't work. Also, the object properties dialog says "Via this input", not "Via this Output". So what am I missing?

EDIT: I spelled "attach" wrong. Damn. Anyway, I also had to set the func_brush's parent to the prop_dynamic entity to get it to finally work. So there you go, parenting and "OnMapSpawn" and it works. Nice work :)

[lilrobot]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6I1UJ7oSVw[/media]
The Finale Update.
Still need to add some more detail to GLaDOS' chamber, but other than that, we're okay.

[Meatpuppet]

Release it soon please

[slimd1995]

How do I use the exit elevator instances?

[Blueridge]

ghnh why didn't anyone tell me about instances before I started

they are dead on helpful, didn't have to code a box dropper, just had to make an instance and do some things :3

So now I'm making a door to the other room which will have paint... Jesus getting that grill seems hard but the hardest part now seems to be the door not working at all(when it opens instead of leading into a wall it leads into the NODRAW brush behind it which means you can't go through it)

[editline]14th May 2011[/editline]

[QUOTE=Inspector Jones;29825701]:saddowns:

It's that bad huh? I'm just really dumb and I don't understand how to do the same thing with the clip tool.[/QUOTE]

I don't understand it that well either

It never clips the part I want it to which frustrates me

[CaelReader]

[img]http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/559782500783907966/39EE66A581952D2F3988B8ED6035863B3E88216E/[/img]
Fuck elevators! You're going through the tubes like all the other garbage.

[slayer20]

Ok, I can't seem to get custom sounds to work.

I have a .wav that shows up and plays in hammer. When I load the map up and attempt to play it, nothing happens. I don't even get an error in the console saying it wasn't found or anything.

Suggestions?

Edit: I even tried making a single room map with the ambient_generic and something to trigger it and even after triggering it, nothing happens.

[slimd1995]

After a whole day of work I finished my map.

[url]http://myaperturelabs.com/file.php?id=598[/url]

[turk645]

i've been toying with scripting again and if i can manage to get this script to work then i get to make a very interesting map.

[superdinoman]

[QUOTE=slimd1995;29829568]After a whole day of work I finished my map.

[url]http://myaperturelabs.com/file.php?id=598[/url][/QUOTE]

Yeah it was simple but that was decent.

[slimd1995]

[QUOTE=superdinoman;29830085]Yeah it was simple but that was decent.[/QUOTE]

Thanks man. I understand it's not the hardest map out there but I like that there's virtually no bugs or problems with it.

[Tuskin]

I've been mapping, I can make buttons, I can make buttons that open doors. But I can't master that damn clipping tool so I can make holes for the doors I can open with the damn buttons.

I just read my own post in Cave's voice.

[relinquish]

just finished my first map!

Download:[url]http://myaperturelabs.com/file.php?id=601[/url]

[media]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad134/peas_photo/relinquish_test_10003.jpg
[url]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad134/peas_photo/relinquish_test_10002.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad134/peas_photo/relinquish_test_10001.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad134/peas_photo/relinquish_test_10000.jpg[/url][/media]

[Artyom]

I wish I didn't suck ass at Hammer :smith:

[smartalco]

Couple questions for you guys, since Google suggests that this is one of the more knowledgeable places around.

1) If I want to spam different textures all over, is there a better way than the below method of having 20 different brushes?
[url=http://img193.imageshack.us/i/hammery.png/][img]http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/669/hammery.th.png[/img][/url]

2) On convex edges with different textures I've been using two different brushes of thickness of 1, butting them against each other, then recessing one of them slightly so they don't overlap. In the following I've recessed the white brush by a thickness of 1 so it doesn't overlap the black brush in front of it. My other guess would be that I'd need to combine them in to one brush (splitting the black brush where I've drawn lines), just texturing each face differently, but then I'm breaking my wall in to even more ridiculously shaped pieces. I'm hoping there is a better method? Something with clipping maybe? In general I'm not sure how to best create cutouts in walls, everything I do seems like a hack to me.
[url=http://img855.imageshack.us/i/hammer2.png/][img]http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2079/hammer2.th.png[/img][/url]

[lilrobot]

[QUOTE=smartalco;29832254]Couple questions for you guys, since Google suggests that this is one of the more knowledgeable places around.

1) If I want to spam different textures all over, is there a better way than the below method of having 20 different brushes?
[url=http://img193.imageshack.us/i/hammery.png/][img_thumb]http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/669/hammery.th.png[/img_thumb][/url]

2) On convex edges with different textures I've been using two different brushes of thickness of 1, butting them against each other, then recessing one of them slightly so they don't overlap. In the following I've recessed the white brush by a thickness of 1 so it doesn't overlap the black brush in front of it. My other guess would be that I'd need to combine them in to one brush (splitting the black brush where I've drawn lines), just texturing each face differently, but then I'm breaking my wall in to even more ridiculously shaped pieces. I'm hoping there is a better method? Something with clipping maybe? In general I'm not sure how to best create cutouts in walls, everything I do seems like a hack to me.
[url=http://img855.imageshack.us/i/hammer2.png/][img_thumb]http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2079/hammer2.th.png[/img_thumb][/url][/QUOTE]

I see your issue.
There is a simple solution. You can either make the walls one whole brush and use the face texture method, or you can split them diagonally.
What I normally do is this:
[img_thumb]http://i27.servimg.com/u/f27/11/87/91/70/step110.png[/img_thumb]
Make two colliding walls.
[img_thumb]http://i27.servimg.com/u/f27/11/87/91/70/step210.png[/img_thumb]
Use the clipping wall on both of them. (Use it one at a time, and make sure the smaller half is red. This picture is inaccurate in a way.)
[img_thumb]http://i27.servimg.com/u/f27/11/87/91/70/step310.png[/img_thumb]
You now no longer have colliding walls.

[slimd1995]

Here's V2 of my map which fixes a lot of alternate solutions.

[url]http://myaperturelabs.com/file.php?id=598[/url]

[superdinoman]

[QUOTE=slimd1995;29832490]Here's V2 of my map which fixes a lot of alternate solutions.

[url]http://myaperturelabs.com/file.php?id=598[/url][/QUOTE]

I think V1 was better.

[Crazy_Farmer]

making up puzzles is really hard, it's the part that mostly prevents me from making better looking maps because i hate putting a lot of effort in an easy as shit map