Learning to Map, Wondering How I'm Doing

Garry's Mod mapping
#1

Title says it all, I’ve begun learning to map.
The map I’ve currently finished is just a simple house, And I was wondering how I did on it, and how I can improve.

There’s the link to the download, as well as the screenshots. Thanks, and I’d really appreciate the C&C.

#2

At least better than most people’s first maps.
Apparently there’s no cubemaps, you should place them.

#3

What exactly to cubemaps do? (Don’t scold me, I’m new to this.)

#4

They get rid of that shiny stuff on your models

#5

Ah, I was wondering why they were like that. Is only 1 needed? Or several?

#6

Actually saying that would be wrong.

They make it possible for reflections (static, albeit) in your maps, without them most reflective stuff won’t work. But water still will, and if you have water in your map you don’t need cubemaps in that area.

#7

A cubemap is 6 textures that make a 360 degree view arranged as a cube used for reflections. You put an env_cubemap in your map, and from that point the 6 textures are taken. Props that need reflections will take the nearest cubemap to them.

#8

If you want any help. add me to steam

Miles202

#9

Unrelated: My cats are making out on my bedroom floor.

What do you mean they are 6 textures?

Do you need them for all textures?

#10

Cubemaps take 6 pictures from each side of the entity “cube” This helps reflect surfaces better and save the new textures into your .bsp

#11

Right… So does it help it calculate the light bounce and reflection angles?

And wouldn’t that mean when you changed position it would switch to a different texture, which would be obvious?

And would it increase file size?

And would I need one for each face?

#12
  1. No it doesn’t.
  2. It takes 360 degrees pictures around where its at. Then calculates the specular.
  3. Yes.
  4. No.
#13

The cubemaps basically take a panoramic photo of your map and place them into a cube reference. Objects that need to use reflections take these images and place them on the corresponding sides.

#14

Fix’d

#15

Ok, thanks guys.

I’ll read through the wiki.

#16

You are off to a good start, just keep practicing and you should get better and better. Most new mappers don’t even put lights in their maps or know what displacements are.

Just look at a bunch of reference pictures for ideas on what a place will look like when you go there, and pay attention to architecture and lighting when you are outside.