Engine limitations Created 16 years ago2008-03-08 12:20:29 UTC by raver raver

Created 16 years ago2008-03-08 12:20:29 UTC by raver raver

Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 12:20:29 UTC Post #247413
Hello people,

I map for almost two(2) years on the HL1 engine. And I know, like you probably also do, there are allot limitations. But, now I want to start out mapping on the HL2 (source!?) engine. My question is: What are the limitations?

Some extra basic info is also welcome!
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 12:26:43 UTC Post #247414
I dont know if there is a edit option! So I just make another reply under my first question. What are the basic HL textures? For example on the HL1 engine you got NULL, CLIP, HINT, AAATRIGER ect.

Just regular basic information to start out with!
  • I just saw I cant edit my first post! Dont blame it on me! -
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 12:42:31 UTC Post #247417
Your imagination.

GO!
Madcow MadcowSpy zappin my udder
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 12:49:47 UTC Post #247419
Oke thanks for you wonderfull & quick response Madcow! You are truly a wonder on earth. Thank you so much, now .. Are there other people who are serious enough to answer my simple questions? zenk u
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 12:59:04 UTC Post #247420
:'<
You made the cow cry.

NOW

There is one limitation.
Wide open areas.
Source just doesn't like them.

So, keep in mind when doing outdoor areas that there needs to be obsticles in the players way to prevent him from seeing too far.
Fog is also a overused but effective solution.

Else, Source is takes pretty much what the HL1 engine does, except 10 times sexier.
Madcow MadcowSpy zappin my udder
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 13:21:58 UTC Post #247423
Oke thanks for you wonderfull & quick response Madcow! You are truly a wonder on earth. Thank you so much, now I mean it :)
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 13:52:33 UTC Post #247426
haha, <3
Madcow MadcowSpy zappin my udder
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 20:51:43 UTC Post #247450
Source has a limit on template entities. For example I had a river with flowing wooden blocks that acted as jumping platforms. They spawned in two pipes using a template entity which was triggered every 6 seconds. It stopped working after 15 minutes.

Source lights. You can only name oh so many. If you have too many named lights that are triggered on and off then cubemaps will look weird and Hammer will complain and you'll get weird lighting glitches in your map. Sometimes your map will not load at all.
Habboi HabboiSticky White Love Glue
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-08 21:44:33 UTC Post #247454
Some of the limitations, especially based on brushes, are detailed in this article on the Source BSP format.
RabidMonkey RabidMonkeymapmapmapfapmap
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 15:17:31 UTC Post #247484
thanks you, and that brings me to another questen. What is/are "cubemaps"
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 15:20:05 UTC Post #247485
It's an entity used for old graphics card. It creates a surface image of the shader, useful for water textures and reflective textures like metal.
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 15:21:42 UTC Post #247486
A cubemap is an entity which takes 6 pictures and forms a cube out of them (sky box style)
And these pictures which the cubemaps takes are used as reflections on materials and weapons.
You can notice that if you holster the crossbow and start walkinga round with it the reflection in the scope sometimes goes SHWOOP and changes the reflection totally, this is when you walk into a new cubemap zone, and a new cube reflection is applied to the materials.
Madcow MadcowSpy zappin my udder
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 15:30:25 UTC Post #247487
Very well explained, cowmoo. ^^
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 15:32:29 UTC Post #247488
yeah but u don't need it with new graphics cards, doesn't it?
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 16:34:02 UTC Post #247491
All machines utilize them in Source. There are no real-time reflections. Lower end machines use them in place of the calculated water reflections, but other than that high end machines use them in all the same places as a lower end machine. They are needed in all source maps, without them you get ugly material shading or worse.
User posted image
This is what a map compiled with HDR looks like when cubemaps aren't in place. Yikes.
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 16:42:55 UTC Post #247492
That looks awesome, wtf you talking about?
Luke LukeLuke
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 16:55:12 UTC Post #247493
omg, now I know why the revolver was looking like that lol. So where I have to put the cubemaps? all arround the map or on reflective surfaces?
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 18:15:13 UTC Post #247494
place them at about player eye-level, so 64 units is good, in areas where things like light and environment are different. So indoors is easy. A cubemap in each room will do just fine. Outdoors you need to use your judgement. Imagine it as if it is indoor, section off areas that look different in your mind and place a place a cubemap in each "room".

Oh and Luke, that's a pic from a level I made as a joke. It does look pretty damn cool, doesn't it. :P
Posted 16 years ago2008-03-09 19:20:30 UTC Post #247497
That looks awesome, sort of modern and surreal! Love it! :)
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