Forum posts
- Forums
- Posts
- Posted by
Alabastor_Twob
I've never heard of any way to modify this in Hammer, although I may be wrong. Could it be possible that they've faked it with an invisible func_tank?
You can see, at the top right of the page, under "Say hello to _, our newest member!" there's a button to logout. If you have any PMs or thread tracking alerts it will display an appropriate icon as well.
One thing that I would like to see is a sent folder for private messages.
One thing that I would like to see is a sent folder for private messages.
So what are the advantages or disadvantages of using one or the other for this kind of work? I gather cycles is supposed to be superior for rendering cg images, but I don't know much enough about that to know whether it matters for baking textures.
I wish I had known before that you could do that. I'd always rendered at a higher resolution than final and then downscaled the result.
Tutorial videos definitely sounds like something that could be very beneficial for TWHL. Striker's idea sounds good too, if it becomes a group project then it shouldn't be too difficult to get an example for every tutorial we have.
One thing I've just noticed about Win10 that I don't like, is that programs that are running fullscreen don't seem to show up in the Alt+Tab menu. This is fairly annoying as I really don't like running games in Windowed mode.
As for Windows 8, whether you like the UI changes or not, the fact that many of the changes aren't obvious is pretty shitty.
Taken from Stojke's comment on Archie's journal:
As for Windows 8, whether you like the UI changes or not, the fact that many of the changes aren't obvious is pretty shitty.
Taken from Stojke's comment on Archie's journal:
The shut down and computer/network info buttons are on the pop up menu accessed by pointing to the top right or bottom right corner of the screen.I was messing about with Windows 8 for a few hours before upgrading, and not once do I recall this being made clear. I did accidentally notice this menu after a while, but the fact that this was how you shut down the computer wasn't at all obvious even after finding it.
Windows 10 issues aside, I really need to get a proper monitor. I'm currently borrowing a small TV which is supposed to be 1920x1080, but it cuts the edges of the display off unless I set it to display at 1824x1026. Apparently it's a 'feature' of HDTVs which can usually be turned off, but it looks like this one doesn't have that option. I wouldn't mind so much except it resets back to 1920x1080 when the display drivers or OS update. When I go back to college I'll be going back to my 1024x768 TV though, which doesn't have that issue.
So far I'm liking Windows 10. It seems faster, but that could very well just be the computer itself. I haven't been using it enough to figure out what I really like about it and what I don't, but one thing that really stands out is the multiple desktops. That should make multitasking significantly easier.
Also,
As for the privacy concerns, it doesn't seem too difficult to turn the datamining stuff off. Personally I don't really care about that one way or the other, but I'm sure they'll learn from their mistakes after the public reaction to it. They seemed to have learned from the majority of the mistakes they made in Win8.
Also,
Second, after finally adding an easily-accessed New Folder button in W7, it's been hidden away again behind another menu. Mildly irritating.There is one at the top left of the window, here:
I'm not sure what's causing the problem here, if they're in the lights.rad file then they should be working. You could try adding an info_texlights entity to the map and see if that fixes the problem.
To do this, just add any point entity and change the class to 'info_texlights'
Turn off SmartEdit, and click 'add' to add whichever values you like values, as shown here:
Under 'Key' put the name of the texture, and under 'Value' put the colour and brightness values.
Hopefully this should work.
To do this, just add any point entity and change the class to 'info_texlights'
Turn off SmartEdit, and click 'add' to add whichever values you like values, as shown here:
Hopefully this should work.
I have my computer now. It currently has no internet access, but after dinner I'll put a desk next to the router so I can have an ethernet connection.
Since I don't have Steam or anything installed, I can't say yet what I think of it really. Apart from the fact that Windows 8 is the worst OS I have ever used. I was going to ask a few people what they thought of Windows 10 before upgrading, but right now it's looking like it's the first thing I'm going to do when I get an internet connection.
Since I don't have Steam or anything installed, I can't say yet what I think of it really. Apart from the fact that Windows 8 is the worst OS I have ever used. I was going to ask a few people what they thought of Windows 10 before upgrading, but right now it's looking like it's the first thing I'm going to do when I get an internet connection.
It is a lot of tabs, but only because I opened them all to help demonstrate what I meant.
I'm totally not that messy all the time...
Anyway, are there going to be any changes/additions to the leet modes?
I'm totally not that messy all the time...
Anyway, are there going to be any changes/additions to the leet modes?
I'm looking forward to being able to play GTA V on PC soon. I've played a bit of it on my brother's X-Box, but I haven't had the opportunity to play for more than a few hours.
Lately I've been playing some Arma: Cold War Assault (a.k.a. Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis)
It's a fairly in depth military simulator, so gameplay is nothing like Call of Duty or any similar titles. Most firefights are spent lying prone, slowly crawling from one piece of cover to the next, and shooting at enemies who are so far away you can barely see them. Typically you will die if you are hit, unless you only get hit in the limbs. It was actually the basis for a piece of military training software called VBS1.
Graphically, it reminds me of the areas south of San Fierro in GTA:SA. Gameplay wise, it can be very difficult, as you might expect. If you decide to play it, be prepared to die a lot.
Scanning the surrounding area after reports of an enemy patrol.
Looking back at paratroopers after failing to hold the town.
Assaulting a village.
Using binoculars to see if there are any more enemy soldiers before advancing.
Lately I've been playing some Arma: Cold War Assault (a.k.a. Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis)
It's a fairly in depth military simulator, so gameplay is nothing like Call of Duty or any similar titles. Most firefights are spent lying prone, slowly crawling from one piece of cover to the next, and shooting at enemies who are so far away you can barely see them. Typically you will die if you are hit, unless you only get hit in the limbs. It was actually the basis for a piece of military training software called VBS1.
Graphically, it reminds me of the areas south of San Fierro in GTA:SA. Gameplay wise, it can be very difficult, as you might expect. If you decide to play it, be prepared to die a lot.
I like the sprites. They remind me of TES: Arena. I get what Urby is saying, but I would agree that the sprites work better for the style than brushes or models would.
Could you make it so that the mouseover text for a tab shows the thread title or something? As it is at the moment, it can get a bit confusing when you have multiple tabs open:
I'd say I won't be making any upgrades for a while, but once I have spending money again I'm not sure if I'd improve my monitor or the RAM first. My 'monitor' (actually an old LCD TV that happens to have a VGA port) probably needs upgrading, but it would probably cost less to upgrade the RAM first.
Attempting to learn how to render things in Blender, I decided to try and recreate a set of wallpapers I had made in SketchUp a few years ago and have long since lost:
Also Strider's textures look pretty damn sexy.
Also Strider's textures look pretty damn sexy.
A minor thing, but I seem to remember TWHL2 displaying the date of last login for users. Is there any particular reason why it was removed in TWHL3?
I would have preferred to have built it myself, but my mum was pressuring me to not build one and buy a prebuilt one so that it could be here in time for Christmas. I can't really complain too much as she was responsible for most of the budget for it.
As for the specs, here's a table that I copied from the store website:
As for the specs, here's a table that I copied from the store website:
Well, thanks for the help, but it turned out not to be necessary.
Apparently my mum felt it was more important for it to be there on Christmas than I did, because she went out and bought a prebuilt gaming computer from a store today. I suppose I'll post the specs here when I find out what they are.
Apparently my mum felt it was more important for it to be there on Christmas than I did, because she went out and bought a prebuilt gaming computer from a store today. I suppose I'll post the specs here when I find out what they are.
I mentioned in a journal a few years ago that I was lent a laptop until I finished at university. Well by Friday I'll have finished my second last semester, so I think it's time for me to start looking into getting a new computer. As a Christmas present I'm getting help on paying for this, so my budget at the moment is going to be around €800. I've never built a computer before, or even had a desktop for that matter, so I don't even know where to begin looking at the moment.
Does anyone have any recommendations? Primarily I'll be using this for general gaming, web browsing and mapping, but I will be intending to upgrade later as I save more money.
I already have an (old and crappy) monitor that I can use for the time being, I have a mouse a mouse, and I can probably get a cheap temporary keyboard, so they don't need to be included in the cost.
I'm also interested in perhaps having the OS and some common programs/games installed on an SSD, with a HDD for files. Since I can keep using this laptop for the next six months, the desktop probably won't see a huge amount of use before then, so I could probably get away with only having a small SSD and no HDD for the time being.
So does anybody have any thoughts or recommendations on this?
Does anyone have any recommendations? Primarily I'll be using this for general gaming, web browsing and mapping, but I will be intending to upgrade later as I save more money.
I already have an (old and crappy) monitor that I can use for the time being, I have a mouse a mouse, and I can probably get a cheap temporary keyboard, so they don't need to be included in the cost.
I'm also interested in perhaps having the OS and some common programs/games installed on an SSD, with a HDD for files. Since I can keep using this laptop for the next six months, the desktop probably won't see a huge amount of use before then, so I could probably get away with only having a small SSD and no HDD for the time being.
So does anybody have any thoughts or recommendations on this?
I might check it out myself after my exams, but I'm probably going to be busy in one form or another until April or May. It doesn't sound like the kind of game you can pick up and play for twenty minutes or so when you have a break.
Messing about making furniture models.
I got a jacket shortly after Halloween last year which looks very similar to the one worn by Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. Since I already have clothes similar enough to the rest of that outfit and I wouldn't mind cutting my hair for a costume, it's now my go to idea for if I go to any kind of costume party.
The way things are going though, that's probably going to have to wait another year.
The way things are going though, that's probably going to have to wait another year.
I started my entry yesterday. It's quite likely that I won't have anything usable by the deadline, as the huge amount of real life work that I've had since the beginning of the semester shows no signs of going away soon.
Still, I'll work on it whenever I have any free time.
Here's an in-Hammer shot of what I have done at the moment:
I've decided on a sequence of events that I can make simpler or more complex depending on how much free time I end up having to work on it.
The general gist of what happens is that the player starts off in their fancy house but has to descend beneath it for safety.
Still, I'll work on it whenever I have any free time.
Here's an in-Hammer shot of what I have done at the moment:
The general gist of what happens is that the player starts off in their fancy house but has to descend beneath it for safety.
Today while procrastinating I decided to make Mount Everest in Google SketchUp from a topographic map.
This is as far as I got before I found out that SketchUp actually has a built in function to make terrain using data from Google Earth.
I will probably continue until the whole thing is done, and then see if I can find a way to export it as a heightmap image, and then import that into Terragen. It could be interesting to have skyboxes based on real-world locations.
I will probably continue until the whole thing is done, and then see if I can find a way to export it as a heightmap image, and then import that into Terragen. It could be interesting to have skyboxes based on real-world locations.
I'm interested, but no promises on me completing an entry.
Ooh, sounds fancy. 
Anyway, I just tested what you asked now, and it does work but it doesn't really work in the way that you want:
That's just one model, and the texture that was used on the speakers was set to additive. It does render them as additive, but it seems to take the brightness value from the lighting that the model is subject to. So while they are clearly visible when the model is lit up, they can't be seen at all when the model is in darkness.
Anyway, I just tested what you asked now, and it does work but it doesn't really work in the way that you want:
That technique works for both bsp brushes and mdl models. What I meant by static prop models was that I've only ever used it where the models have no animations and are used as props for the map. So in other words they're not things that can be interacted with, like a weapon lying on the ground.
Here's a link where you can look at the models I've used this with in the past so you can copy the idea:
https://www.mediafire.com/?z3z2093m3zo74mn
Here's a link where you can look at the models I've used this with in the past so you can copy the idea:
https://www.mediafire.com/?z3z2093m3zo74mn
This can be done with static prop models, using two models and a little bit of trickery, as I did in both my TWHL Tower map and the christmas tree decorating minicompo that Captain Terror hosted last year.
You'll require two models. One of them is the base model:
And the other is the glow model:
They should be placed that the glow model sits around one Hammer unit away from the base model. If the model is designed to be viewed from a distance then you might want to increase the distance between them a bit to prevent Z-fighting.
The base model should be left as is, and the glow model should be set to the additive rendermode.
Hopefully this will end up looking alright when the models are lit up:
But it will really look good when the model is in a darker environment:
The effect was improved a little bit here using a light_spot to project an orange glow on the ground in front of the stove.
This technique was also used on the TV in the Christmas tree map:
Fullbright
With lighting
In the case of the TV, the screen of the basemodel was just black, and the images on the TV only existed on the glowmodel. This was done to prevent the images clashing if the player shined the flashlight at the model.
I've only ever done this with static prop models, as I still haven't learned to animate models yet. I'm sure the same technique could be used for animated models, but for something like NPCs or onscreen weapon models I think it would probably need coding to display the two models at once.
You'll require two models. One of them is the base model:
The base model should be left as is, and the glow model should be set to the additive rendermode.
Hopefully this will end up looking alright when the models are lit up:
But it will really look good when the model is in a darker environment:
The effect was improved a little bit here using a light_spot to project an orange glow on the ground in front of the stove.
This technique was also used on the TV in the Christmas tree map:
Fullbright
With lighting
In the case of the TV, the screen of the basemodel was just black, and the images on the TV only existed on the glowmodel. This was done to prevent the images clashing if the player shined the flashlight at the model.
I've only ever done this with static prop models, as I still haven't learned to animate models yet. I'm sure the same technique could be used for animated models, but for something like NPCs or onscreen weapon models I think it would probably need coding to display the two models at once.
Does it go back to normal when you go back to Sledge? If so that's likely intentional, Hammer dors it to to conserve processing power when it's not the active window.
[Edit] - I just saw that you said 2D views, not 3D. In that case it's probably not what I said.
[Edit] - I just saw that you said 2D views, not 3D. In that case it's probably not what I said.
I like that idea. I vote for that for the next compo. It might work vest if there's a rule for no in-progress screenshots.
It reminds me of an old text adventure game.
I'd guess he changed the zoom level during the exposure.
I like your photo Striker, it looks like it's posing for the photo.
I like your photo Striker, it looks like it's posing for the photo.
I do this sometimes, but more as a basic outline with some accompanying drawings. I might have to try it in a manner more like that paragraph, with much more descriptive text. I feel like it might be easier to come up with ways to add ambience if you're writing descriptively, as opposed to looking at a dead room and trying to imagine what might be missing.
I am. I have very little experience with Source so I haven't been offering any input about the particulars, but I'm still up for trying to make a map.
I absolutely hated Hidden Valley and At the Gates. I'm sure they're fun if you don't care about rating, but as I was trying to get Silent Assassin on every mission they were horrible. Somehow you would be recognised as an intruder from fifty metres away, through blinding snowstorms, while dressed in a disguise that leaves no skin uncovered. I eventually managed to get Silent Assassin on all of them, but I had to reload saves innumerable times on these two missions.
To give an idea of how frustratingly difficult they were, read the trivia section of the page for At the Gates. "If you manage to get Silent Assassin on 360 version, don't be surprised if your Xbox Live account is audited for suspected cheating."
I quite liked the music in the Japanese levels though.
To give an idea of how frustratingly difficult they were, read the trivia section of the page for At the Gates. "If you manage to get Silent Assassin on 360 version, don't be surprised if your Xbox Live account is audited for suspected cheating."
I quite liked the music in the Japanese levels though.
It's probably worth pointing out that when a texture is scaled at 1.00x, then one pixel in the texture is one Hammer unit wide. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that.
I will put my hat in very tentatively. It's been a very long time since I've done anything in Source, but I would like the chance to make a floor and not forget about the gameplay. 
Validating the game cache files worked.
Anyway, as for the tower:
Overall I enjoyed all of the floors, but my favourites were NineTnine's, Jessie's and Strider's.
NineTnine's floor was blocky and ugly, but it was pretty damn funny. Especially with that broken looking animation one of the scientists had.
Jessie's was my favourite in terms of how impressive it was technically. I think I've got it figured out how it was made (mainly thanks to the telltale shadows in some of the places where things change), but I never would have thought to do anything like that before seeing this floor. It was inspired and technically impressive.
Strider's floor was probably my favourite overall. It was my favourite aesthetically (with JeffMOD's coming in second), and as well as this I also thought the gameplay was good. Perhaps it's just because I like stealth games, but I thought it was a refreshing change from the vast majority of HL maps, and I would very much like to see the ideas expanded upon. The aesthetic and gameplay together somewhat reminded me of the Japan levels in Hitman 2.
As for my own level, I 100% had forgotten about gameplay when I submitted it. So the puzzle wasn't even that. I'm sure Urby just placed the keycard in whatever seemed like the most sensible location.
Anyway, as for the tower:
Overall I enjoyed all of the floors, but my favourites were NineTnine's, Jessie's and Strider's.
NineTnine's floor was blocky and ugly, but it was pretty damn funny. Especially with that broken looking animation one of the scientists had.
Jessie's was my favourite in terms of how impressive it was technically. I think I've got it figured out how it was made (mainly thanks to the telltale shadows in some of the places where things change), but I never would have thought to do anything like that before seeing this floor. It was inspired and technically impressive.
Strider's floor was probably my favourite overall. It was my favourite aesthetically (with JeffMOD's coming in second), and as well as this I also thought the gameplay was good. Perhaps it's just because I like stealth games, but I thought it was a refreshing change from the vast majority of HL maps, and I would very much like to see the ideas expanded upon. The aesthetic and gameplay together somewhat reminded me of the Japan levels in Hitman 2.
As for my own level, I 100% had forgotten about gameplay when I submitted it. So the puzzle wasn't even that. I'm sure Urby just placed the keycard in whatever seemed like the most sensible location.
Being able to enter the (unfortunately unfinished) wind tunnel is unintentional. I suppose I just forgot to clip it.
And PB, they're not midgets, they're in wheelchairs. Didn't you notice the lack of office chairs? Lightswitches are placed lower now for wheelchair accessibility, so I will go ahead and assume that doorknobs are also without ever checking to make sure.
Anyway, as for my views on the tower, unfortunately I don't have any as Half-Life has decided to not work anymore.
Has anyone ever had the 'Could not load hw.dll' error? There doesn't seem to be much info on it except for a few people recommending a fix that apparently doesn't work anymore.
And PB, they're not midgets, they're in wheelchairs. Didn't you notice the lack of office chairs? Lightswitches are placed lower now for wheelchair accessibility, so I will go ahead and assume that doorknobs are also without ever checking to make sure.
Anyway, as for my views on the tower, unfortunately I don't have any as Half-Life has decided to not work anymore.
Has anyone ever had the 'Could not load hw.dll' error? There doesn't seem to be much info on it except for a few people recommending a fix that apparently doesn't work anymore.
Speaking of VR, does anyone remember that video that someone posted a link to on TWHL a few years ago? I'd guess it was 2009 at the latest. It was about guy creating a street in an immersive VR environment. There's a girl in a coma and she's supposedly in some kind of induced dream, and the guy's making the street as an environment for her to walk through.
My thoughts so far on System Shock 2 are that it's not bad, but it's not really System Shock either. Apart from the combat, which so far seems to be quite clunky, the game seems like it could be really enjoyable so long as you treat it as an entirely separate entity from the first game.
I've just finished System Shock 1. Quite good, until I got to the end, where I fell victim to a graphics setting related problem which made the final battle unwinnable. Attempting to fix it by messing with the graphics settings led me to discover that I had been playing the entire game on minimum settings. I know it's an ancient game with ancient graphics but after playing the entire game in 320x200, seeing the change to 640x480 felt like real life.
Anyway, the game was good, and if you can get past the archaic controls it would be well worth playing for anyone who liked Bioshock.
One thing I found interesting about the game was that the difficulty selection at the start was surprisingly in depth. You could individually set the difficulties of combat, puzzles and hacking. Not only this, but you could set these difficulties to zero if you just wanted to play the game for the story and atmosphere, with no gameplay.
One thing I found interesting about the game was that the difficulty selection at the start was surprisingly in depth. You could individually set the difficulties of combat, puzzles and hacking. Not only this, but you could set these difficulties to zero if you just wanted to play the game for the story and atmosphere, with no gameplay.
30th of June, but they should still be very close together for the next few days.
I know what it is. It's the soundstage where they filmed the fake moon landing!
DiscoStu, you've probably seen Saturn at some point. To the naked eye it's pretty much indistinguishable from a star. The Andromeda galaxy is visible to the naked eye as more than just a bright point, however unless you have dark skies and a very clear night you won't be able to see it very well.
As for Pluto or Ceres, I don't even know if they would be visible even with my telescope. I've never actually tried looking for them.
[Edit]
Also, if anyone has clear skies tonight, I'd recommend going out near/shortly after sunset and looking towards the west. Venus and Jupiter will be extremely close together in the sky at the moment. Apart from the moon and sun they are the two brightest objects in the sky, so it should look quite impressive.
DiscoStu, you've probably seen Saturn at some point. To the naked eye it's pretty much indistinguishable from a star. The Andromeda galaxy is visible to the naked eye as more than just a bright point, however unless you have dark skies and a very clear night you won't be able to see it very well.
As for Pluto or Ceres, I don't even know if they would be visible even with my telescope. I've never actually tried looking for them.
[Edit]
Also, if anyone has clear skies tonight, I'd recommend going out near/shortly after sunset and looking towards the west. Venus and Jupiter will be extremely close together in the sky at the moment. Apart from the moon and sun they are the two brightest objects in the sky, so it should look quite impressive.
I was out today taking photographs of the moon for some art project my cousin wants to do, and I decided to try my hand at photographing one of my cats. Like Urby, I am not a photographer, but at least I can borrow my brother's camera. 
By that point she, and several other cats had decided to sit on my back, so I took a photograph of my telescope as it was really the only interesting thing to see from that angle.
I also tried to photograph a bumblebee on some flowers but I was unsuccessful as it flew away too fast.
A few days ago I attempted to get some photos of the Hercules Cluster, but it was fairly suddenly obscured by thick clouds which didn't go away for the rest of the night. I did manage to snap a quick picture of Saturn near the horizon before that was covered though.
I was really bummed by those clouds too. We'd just got back from Belfast, it was a beautiful clear sky (literally the first time I had seen the moon in a month). I could see the constellation of Hercules, so I brought my telescope out and set it up and didn't even get the setup in focus before the clouds rolled in.
A few days ago I attempted to get some photos of the Hercules Cluster, but it was fairly suddenly obscured by thick clouds which didn't go away for the rest of the night. I did manage to snap a quick picture of Saturn near the horizon before that was covered though.
I'd been planning on playing New Vegas after Oblivion, seeing as I bought it around launch but never actually really played it in the first place, but at this rate it'll be a while before I'm done with Oblivion.
Oh god, why did I start playing TES: Oblivion? I'm pretty sure I started playing this session 27 hours ago. Thank god it crashed just now, or I might not have ever gotten out.
I don't have any pretty screenshots, so have a look at what Anvil looks like when you climb on the houses and jump over the walls:
I don't have any pretty screenshots, so have a look at what Anvil looks like when you climb on the houses and jump over the walls:
I have an AEG, a CO2 pistol and a (broken) spring sniper rifle. There used to be an airsoft club at my uni, although they closed down a few years ago. Since then my airsoft stuff has been gathering dust. I used to use the sniper rifle all the time for plinking before I broke it by replacing the spring with one it wasn't rated for. The time needed to charge the batteries for the AEG, and the expense of CO2 cartridges for the pistol mean I only ever really used them for actual airsoft games.
I've been debating replacing the sniper rifle, but for now it's not worth the cost.
I've been debating replacing the sniper rifle, but for now it's not worth the cost.
Basically. Red are the areas of highest stress, blue is the lowest.
Here's what it's a model of:
You can only see the straight-walled part of the nozzle in the screenshot though, simply because if I zoomed out enough to see it all then you can't see the stress distribution colours.
Here's what it's a model of: