Weird problem! Created 17 years ago2006-12-15 13:19:12 UTC by bal

In a certain area of my map, everything becomes invisible when i turn in a certain direction, it's so damn frustrating and makes it non-playable!

It's caused by errors in your compile More than likely you have a leaf saw error in you compile log, like this:

Warning: Leaf portals saw into leaf

Problem at portal between leaves 143 and 167:
   (2048.572 -161.429 -186.000)
(2026.000 -184.000 -186.000)
(2029.000 -190.000 -231.000)
(2029.000 -190.000 -231.000)
(2064.000 -155.000 -231.000)

Go to the coordinates it gives you and delete/remake any complex architecture around that area. (sometimes even simple brushwork yields these errors inexplicably)

The problem brush will also make totally unrelated faces of other brushes disappear--which sucks. (though Fix the error, and they'll render right)

Check your compile log for other errors too. Post it if you want.

Both the floor, shelves and crates (anything) disappears, but only near the end of the level when i face that direction, and it ruins everything

here is what im getting

** Executing...
** Command: Change Directory
** Parameters: "C:SierraHalf-Life"

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsqcsg.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

qcsg.exe v2.8 (Jan 31 2000)
-- qcsg --
entering c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.map
CreateBrush: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (1)
CSGBrush: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (0)
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvexeno.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvedecals.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvehalflife.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalveliquids.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvecached.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvefonts.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvegfx.wad
added 12 additional animating textures.

1 seconds elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsqbsp2.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

qbsp2.exe v2.2 (Dec 28 1998)
-- qbsp2 --
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK

1 seconds elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsvis.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

vis.exe v1.3 (Dec 30 1998)
-- vis --
1 thread(s)
LoadPortals: couldn't read c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.prt
No vising performed.

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsqrad.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

qrad.exe v 1.5 (Apr 6 2000)
--- Radiosity --
1 threads
[Reading texlights from 'C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolslights.rad']
[1 texlights parsed from 'C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolslights.rad']

No vis information, direct lighting only.
2879 faces
97812 square feet [14084993.00 square inches]
12537 patches after subdivision
9 direct lights
BuildFacelights: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (2)
FinalLightFace: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (0)

Object names Objects/Maxobjs Memory / Maxmem Fullness
---------- ------------- ------------- ------
models 55/400 3520/25600 (13.8%)
planes 5552/32767 111040/655340 (16.9%)
vertexes 4219/65535 50628/786420 ( 6.4%)
nodes 1605/32767 38520/786408 ( 4.9%)
texinfos 589/8192 23560/327680 ( 7.2%)
faces 2879/65535 57580/1310700 ( 4.4%)
clipnodes 4078/32767 32624/262136 (12.4%)
leaves 1073/8192 30044/229376 (13.1%)
marksurfaces 3471/65535 6942/131070 ( 5.3%)
surfedges 13762/512000 55048/2048000 ( 2.7%)
edges 7381/256000 29524/1024000 ( 2.9%)
texdata [variable] 3656/2097152 ( 0.2%)
lightdata [variable] 352317/2097152 (16.8%)
visdata [variable] 0/2097152 ( 0.0%)
entdata [variable] 8814/131072 ( 6.7%)

Total BSP file data space used: 803817 bytes

2 seconds elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: Copy File
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.bsp" "C:SierraHalf-Lifevalvemapsfff2.bsp"

** Executing...
** Command: Copy File
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.pts" "C:SierraHalf-Lifevalvemapsfff2.pts"

** Executing...
** Command: C:SierraHALF-L~1hl.exe
** Parameters: +map "fff2" -dev -console

here is what im getting

** Executing...
** Command: Change Directory
** Parameters: "C:SierraHalf-Life"

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsqcsg.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

qcsg.exe v2.8 (Jan 31 2000)
-- qcsg --
entering c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.map
CreateBrush: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (1)
CSGBrush: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (0)
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvexeno.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvedecals.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvehalflife.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalveliquids.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvecached.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvefonts.wad
Using WAD File: sierrahalf-lifevalvegfx.wad
added 12 additional animating textures.

1 seconds elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsqbsp2.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

qbsp2.exe v2.2 (Dec 28 1998)
-- qbsp2 --
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK

1 seconds elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsvis.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

vis.exe v1.3 (Dec 30 1998)
-- vis --
1 thread(s)
LoadPortals: couldn't read c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.prt
No vising performed.

** Executing...
** Command: C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolsqrad.exe
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2"

qrad.exe v 1.5 (Apr 6 2000)
--- Radiosity --
1 threads
[Reading texlights from 'C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolslights.rad']
[1 texlights parsed from 'C:PROGRA~1VALVEH~1toolslights.rad']

No vis information, direct lighting only.
2879 faces
97812 square feet [14084993.00 square inches]
12537 patches after subdivision
9 direct lights
BuildFacelights: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (2)
FinalLightFace: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9... (0)

Object names Objects/Maxobjs Memory / Maxmem Fullness
---------- ------------- ------------- ------
models 55/400 3520/25600 (13.8%)
planes 5552/32767 111040/655340 (16.9%)
vertexes 4219/65535 50628/786420 ( 6.4%)
nodes 1605/32767 38520/786408 ( 4.9%)
texinfos 589/8192 23560/327680 ( 7.2%)
faces 2879/65535 57580/1310700 ( 4.4%)
clipnodes 4078/32767 32624/262136 (12.4%)
leaves 1073/8192 30044/229376 (13.1%)
marksurfaces 3471/65535 6942/131070 ( 5.3%)
surfedges 13762/512000 55048/2048000 ( 2.7%)
edges 7381/256000 29524/1024000 ( 2.9%)
texdata [variable] 3656/2097152 ( 0.2%)
lightdata [variable] 352317/2097152 (16.8%)
visdata [variable] 0/2097152 ( 0.0%)
entdata [variable] 8814/131072 ( 6.7%)

Total BSP file data space used: 803817 bytes

2 seconds elapsed

** Executing...
** Command: Copy File
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.bsp" "C:SierraHalf-Lifevalvemapsfff2.bsp"

** Executing...
** Command: Copy File
** Parameters: "c:programfilervalve hammer editormapsfff2.pts" "C:SierraHalf-Lifevalvemapsfff2.pts"

** Executing...
** Command: C:SierraHALF-L~1hl.exe
** Parameters: +map "fff2" -dev -console

Changing view distance won't work.. what number do you suggest?

K. First of all, dowload ZHLT--nobody uses the original q-tools.

Downlad ZHLT

Also:

?Make sure you never have more than 8 wads--I think you have 7
?Fix the leak

If the stuff disappears only when you walk far away from it, it's the max viewable distance error.

If it only disappears from certain perspective angles, then it's the leaf saw error.

thanks, but what is ZHLT?

I'm very new to all this. How do i fix the wad issue, and how do i find the leak? Yeah, its the leaf saw error

Download it and read the instructions--basically remove 4 files from your tools folder and put in the new ones.

The "tools" are what compiles your map. The original q-tools are older than old. ZHLT is the latest/best most stable version of them.

well, the ZHLT made the map too bright and didnt fix anything, and i have no idea how to find the leak..

Your map is too bright because you have a leak. Fix the leak.

i don't know how to find it, you mean like an opening to the outside of the map?

1. Load pointfile
2. Click "No" and load the .lin file
3. Follow the line around. Where it changes from blue to red is where you leak is. ( I usually just 3D around the inside of the level and watch for the line to go through the wall--that's where the leak is ;))

?2006, Muzza.

Lol, ok. I'm lost AGAIN. Sorry how do i load the pointfile? and what is a .lin file? I went through the map with the 3d thing but found nothing red. Btw does this fix the bug where things disappear?

The .lin file (or .pts) is a pointfile. To load it, just open your map in hammer and go to map -> load pointfile, then browse to the .pts or .lin file (they're in the half-life/valve/maps directory). When you load it, a lot of red and blue lines should appear all over the place - look for the point where the red line goes through the outer wall of the map. That area is usually in the vicinity of the leak. Pointfiling can be very confusing if you have a big map, but it usually helps a lot.

Ok, i'll give it a try. Thankyou!

ok, thanks. I don't have the computer with my project on right now but i just loaded some basic rooms i mapped a while ago and did what ZombieLoffe said. And there are a lot of red lines here, the room is a cube so i don't really see why there should be any leaks, i guess filling 'holes' fix the problem, or have i misunderstood the whole "leak" thing? Anyway, i'll give it a try tomorrow and i'll report back here. Thanks everyone!

ok, thanks. I don't have the computer with my project on right now but i just loaded some basic rooms i mapped a while ago and did what ZombieLoffe said. And there are a lot of red lines here, the room is a cube so i don't really see why there should be any leaks, i guess filling 'holes' fix the problem, or have i misunderstood the whole "leak" thing? Anyway, i'll give it a try tomorrow and i'll report back here. Thanks everyone!

Hmm. I recall some weird things happening when i added and flipped some "slippery floor" signs. Could this be what causes things to disappear when i look at them for a certain angle? I'll repeat what Rowleybob said:
___________________________________
Go to the coordinates it gives you and delete/remake any complex architecture around that area. (sometimes even simple brushwork yields these errors inexplicably)

The problem brush will also make totally unrelated faces of other brushes disappear--which sucks. (though Fix the error, and they'll render right)
___________________________________

Maybe removing theese signs will help, it all started right after i placed them and when i think of it, everything disappears when i face the direction they are placed on the map? Hmm.. it's worth a try i guess.
Hehe, i don't feel very smart posting yet a comment on this, but after all, i need all the help i can get.. hehe

Yeah, it's a good reason to save a few back versions of your map, so if you get into serious trouble you can't fix, you just go back to a previous one.

(I've had some really nasty "leaf saw" errors that turned every single brush in my map into coplanar plane errors somehow. My only recourse was an older version or starting over!!1 Fortunately, I had a backup )

For about every hour of work, I make a backup. 2 or 3 backups is probably sufficient, but at least always have one stable backup--I save all my previous versions!!11

LOL yeah!

I take a screenshot of the map i'm saving, and use its name --mapname0000--as the unique identifier for the version; the screenie makes it easy to see what stage you were in without opening the map too!!)

For each backup. i take:

.bsp
.rmf
.log
.rad (if you have seperate ones for each maps)
.wad (for hlfix)
mapname0000 (the screenie)

Then I select, right-click, and send to compressed--hovering your mouse over the "mapname0000" while compressing the files convienently gives the archive that name.

Done

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