3D Skybox

[ZenMunky]

Dont suppose anyone can tell me why I can see parts of the main level through the skybox?

If I stand on the roof of my level and look parrellel to the direction from my skybox to the main level I can see certain entities in the distance.

I thought it might be a skybox leak but I honeslty cant find one.

Is it possible that model textures on surfaces could be the problem? I havent had a chance to run around and put my customs in yet...

[Mapping Nub]

Hey, new to this site/mapping in general, and i thought I would try out the 3d sky

anyway I followed the tutorial and when I tried to run the map (it compiled fine) it crashed hl2 and gave me this error:

"MaterialSystem_Interface_t::AllocateLightmap: lightmap (516x25) too big to fit in page (512x256)"

Anyone know how to fix?

[Blink]

Have you changed your lightmap size anywhere? Try the error page as well.

[Rick_D]

Zen, that's always been the case - I believe it is due to the way the skybox is rendered. You could fix it by by putting a fade distance on the model that prevents it from being drawn at the distance you are seeing it at?


The other solution is to make sure you don't use a 3d skybox when a nice big chunk of vis blocking would be better.

[ZenMunky]

Fade distance, cheers

*slaps himself with haddock for not thinking*

*hurts*

[Mapping Nub]

Have you changed your lightmap size anywhere? Try the error page as well.

how do i do that? sorry im a nub

[cloudwalker897]

Do you have displacements in your map? If so you might have stretched them on purpose or by accident. Delete them and try again as having stretched displacements can cause that exact error. And you can change the lightmap size in the Texture Application Window in the Tools menu. Its in the top right corner.

[Shr3d]

hehe this tutorial was used by me like 9 months ago :S a bit exaggerated, more like 5-6 surely is more clear than the valverc and the hl2world crap

[Rick_D]

Have you changed your lightmap size anywhere? Try the error page as well.

how do i do that? sorry im a nub

Lol, your name is a giveaway


You open your texture tool and there is a little box which says:

lightmap scale


You select a face and change the lightmap scale of said face like that.


You can see your lightmap scaling by selecting the Camera text in the 3D View screen, and changing it from textured 3d, to lightmap.

[-=[Mayhem]=-]

I CANT GET THAT STUPID 3D-SKYBOX TO WORK!?!?!
why not the only thing you have to do is to place a room out of the level and have a sky_camera in it!?
Please help me!?
3d skyboxes sound so simple to do but i cant make it!?!?!?!?!

[mendax]

Sorry for bumping this, but I have acouple problems.
First, the textures don't match up. The model for the sky box has really big textures and I don't know how to even it out with the rest of the level.
Also, next to the regular level is are duplicate of the level but about three times bigger. It can not be seen in Hammer.
Thanks for the help.
EDIT: forgot to mention I was using Counter Strike Source.

[serpent666]

*wrong area*

[Shr3d]

SFN1, use skybox models, not regular models.

[Prowl]

almost every tutorial i see makes some mistakes in explaining it to people.

Not that their method is wrong, but it emphasises the non important while missing out the critical issues.

1. The sky camera entity always projects the skybox to the 0,0,0 coordinate, so the playable map must be built around the 0,0,0 coordinate. So if you had a river valley map then it would be an excellent idea for the river to be a coupla hundred units below the 0,0,0 point.

2. Reference geometry is used to help you make sure that the 3dsky is projected seamlessly into your level, by picking some large prominent brushes and creating a camera at the 0,0,0 point you are ensuring that the camera in the 3dskybox is accurately lined up with your level. see #1 for the reason why it is important that it is lined up.

3. your skybox scale factor defaults to 16x, contrary to what some people ahve said in this thread there is no reason that you can not change this scale factor as you see fit. A smaller scale factor would allow you to have more detail (remember the grid minimum is 1 unit, which in a 16x skybox would translate to 16units!) As for the skybox models, thats entirely up to you when you make models, or if you are using someone elses models you can use the tutorial in the modelling section to rescale them.

[Blink]

almost every tutorial i see makes some mistakes in explaining it to people.

Not that their method is wrong, but it emphasises the non important while missing out the critical issues.

1. The sky camera entity always projects the skybox to the 0,0,0 coordinate, so the playable map must be built around the 0,0,0 coordinate. So if you had a river valley map then it would be an excellent idea for the river to be a coupla hundred units below the 0,0,0 point.

2. Reference geometry is used to help you make sure that the 3dsky is projected seamlessly into your level, by picking some large prominent brushes and creating a camera at the 0,0,0 point you are ensuring that the camera in the 3dskybox is accurately lined up with your level. see #1 for the reason why it is important that it is lined up.

3. your skybox scale factor defaults to 16x, contrary to what some people ahve said in this thread there is no reason that you can not change this scale factor as you see fit. A smaller scale factor would allow you to have more detail (remember the grid minimum is 1 unit, which in a 16x skybox would translate to 16units!) As for the skybox models, thats entirely up to you when you make models, or if you are using someone elses models you can use the tutorial in the modelling section to rescale them.

Those points were covered in it