those simple questions thread...

[joe_rogers_11155]

you could use cordons to section off the small piece of map that you are lighting up, and then compile only that section in a flash to test your lighting. those previews are not useful to me, and i do not think they have ever been very useful for mappers or even valve. maybe in the future it will be better-implemented.

[Epifire]

Yeah I kinda think some one was all like< "hey lets make this neat tool" and then when they ran into some hick ups they gave up the project. But some how some one threw it into the SDK thinking, "maybe those modders will like it".

Yeah I have my doubts about some of these tools even being in Valve's current set. Although I have a feeling they might be using a improved version that they haven't allowed us to use yet.

[Gambini]

Yes they are using an improved version. In one of those "upodates" that broke the SDK for weeks Hammer showed at least two new buttons. One was the ratio cordon tool or something like that, which showed only a small range of elevemnts in the 2d viewports according to the camera postion. Very useful IMO. The other I don´t remember but i dare to say there must be more.

[tripmind]

can someone point me to a tutorial on uv mapping and then dealing with textures and vmt's? in source

ive got a model unwrapped in blender and uvs layed out, now i need to know things like what format i need to save my uv's, what resolution they need to be, and other things like increasing the texture resolution.

ive got my models to show and work in source, but i have yet to figure out how texturing works. even if its a maya tutorial i dont mind switching over

[jangalomph]

http://gamebanana.com/source/tuts/6392

creating a vtf is extremely simple!

[Dives]

I think drag and dropping into a vtex shortcut is even simpler. Textures that need different conversion parameters will usually be rare, and in that case you'll just use a text file with that same name to specify the parameters.

[Epifire]

So in my recent project I have more open rendering space for the level then I would like. I have a starting building in the middle of it where I could easily break up the map, but there some areas where you can see up and over the building, so dropping a the skybox on top of the starting building is not my first choice. Is there a tool texture I could use for this? I was thinking the hint texture to work for times when you are not viewing directly over the building but was not entirely sure.

Gonna test my theory anyway, but I thought I would try an opinion here as well.

[tripmind]

i already know how to do that. im trying to learn how to make my UVs work, after i convert them and load in my models in hammer the textures don't show up. I need a concise tutorial that tells you how this is done properly

[Gambini]

When you work on a model you usually wrap it with an image file, for example mymodel_skin.tga. When you compile the model, in the qc file you have to set the materialpath. Well, in that material path you should put a vmt file with the same name than your tga. In this case mymodel_skin.vmt. That vmt file has to point to a valid vtf file that doesnt need to be named mymodel_skin.vtf, but it is the norm to name vmt´s and vtf´s the same in order to avoid confusions.

[Hollow]

I've talked to trip about it, and suggested he spoke to Black_Stormy as he's using Blender. The very easiest way is to use the Wall Worm plugin in for 3Ds max, you don't even need to go near a qc file

[no00dylan]

Hello, I'd like to know how I could make a model like the vent cover in Left 4 Dead. When broken, the frame remains still, and creates several gibbed pieces that fall to the ground.

[Epifire]

I got another one. Pretty simple yes or no, but I am having issues getting crows to fly and perch on a node I set.

So my question is that, are perch nodes for crows to spawn and sit on, or are the designed that a crow can fly to it? If so I cannot find a output besides fly away when throwing commands at my little crow.

EDIT: Here is a video that shows what I mean. The crow will not fly away if the hint not on that beam is set to the perch hint. It almost seems as though the bird is almost about to perch and then falls off and keeps repeating the cycle.

http://www.xfire.com/video/589370/

[srredfire]

Is there a way for water to reflect 3d skybox geometry/models from the main playing area? I have buildings in the skybox and a body of water in the playing area and I want the buildings to reflect in the water.

There's a vmt parameter called "$reflect2dskybox" which says "Makes this water reflect the skybox material in addition to other reflections." but I thought water always reflected skybox textures?

I guess maybe this isn't possible but that would seem kind of odd.

[Black_Stormy]

Hello, I'd like to know how I could make a model like the vent cover in Left 4 Dead. When broken, the frame remains still, and creates several gibbed pieces that fall to the ground.

have a look at the $collisiontext break qc command.

also have a look at https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Creating_custom_gibs for a very brief overview. Funny, it has been a while since I have made any custom gibs, but I can't recall ever using that system. If I remember, I'll have a look at the .qc files for some of my custom gibbing models when I get home.

[Sathor]

Well, I have a prop here I did a while ago. It first spawns 3 other props, of which one can spawn two gibs. It is a stack of magazines
You can use any model as a gib ..