Creating maps with chrome on GoldSource

Posted 1 year ago2023-07-31 21:06:25 UTC
The user Erty released his tool Map2Prop, wich allows the user to make models from maps. I previously used this tool to make 3D models on J.A.C.K., but now i tested another idea.

GoldSource is not able to create maps with functional chrome textures. In fact, i haven´t seen any mod or GoldSource-based game that uses this (please comment if you do know one). The theory to test here is that we could create a brush, turn it into a model with the chrome texture and add it to the map. We also could add it to glass, so we dont just limit to a texture, but also add it a "shiny" effect.

To start i made a map with some random prefabs and stuff to test:
We will make chrome for the computer screens, the glass and metal frame and the Black Mesa logoWe will make chrome for the computer screens, the glass and metal frame and the Black Mesa logo
We will also make chrome for the bike and the metal boxesWe will also make chrome for the bike and the metal boxes
After creating the map, i made a copy and only kept what would be turned into chome models:
So good so farSo good so far
But before making the model, we need chrome textures. I quickly made some in paint.net. Most, if not all of them, are pretty rough and ugly, but its meant for a test rather than an actual map, so we really dont have to care that much for quality.
4 textures4 textures
We "compile" the map and turn it into a model, but we ran across our first problem:
ImageImage
Either the chrome or the meshes are too big, wich turns the textures into a really simple chrome. I tested another theory, wich consisted in tiling the chrome texture to fix this problem:
ExampleExample
It didn´t made that much of a difference. I didnt knew what caused this problem, but my theory was that there were very few faces on the model. However, i did not knew how to add more faces to the meshes, maybe there is some modelling tool that can do this but i didnt found anything useful. There was no other choice but to use the model.
I compiled the map, but ran across more problems.
GIFGIF
1. The textures were opaque
This was a skill issue of mine, i forgot to add the "Additive" flag to the textures.
2. The model does not match the map
I dont know why this happened. The model appears to match the brushed in the editor, but when compiled it does not match. I tried moving the model several times, but in the end, i never got to solve this problem,
Looks fine in J.A.C.K. howeverLooks fine in J.A.C.K. however
The final versionThe final version
In the end, the map was somehow a failure. This because i couldn´t figure out how to solve the textures and the matching problem.

CONCLUSION/TL;DR: The idea looks good on paper, but is a pain on practice. However, im pretty sure that a skilled mapper or modeller could make this succesfully. If anyone wants to try to fix (or even improve it), here is a download link.

9 Comments

Commented 1 year ago2023-07-31 22:43:29 UTC Comment #105452
You need to actually cut up the faces into smaller ones and then give them a slight bulge, for lack of a better word. Make them pinch out, so there are actually varying angles to work with.

Although with brushes, you'd get flat shading, so eh...
Commented 1 year ago2023-08-01 06:21:40 UTC Comment #105453
我以jamie的工作作为基础做了一些调整,各位可以做一个参考。
I made some adjustments based on jamie's work, so you can make a reference.
https://mega.nz/file/hIk0wSbS#e_87zfXHrLRBElyN2DvgB8yMGx_cXwbpsdx6L62lxyg
Commented 1 year ago2023-08-04 20:12:24 UTC Comment #105460
Alberto309 did this effect time ago:
User posted image
Maybe combining that with !water texture + animated caustic texture, you could get a good effect for water
User posted image
Commented 1 year ago2023-08-05 02:54:29 UTC Comment #105461
Interesting. I´ll check it out, thanks.
Commented 1 year ago2023-08-05 02:56:00 UTC Comment #105462
Do you have a link to the post? I cant seem to find it
Commented 1 year ago2023-08-05 23:00:40 UTC Comment #105464
Thank you
Commented 1 year ago2023-08-10 12:48:40 UTC Comment #105466
That looks soooo trippy and cool ngl
Commented 1 year ago2023-08-11 17:14:15 UTC Comment #105467
Oh right I forgot: you can actually hack the normals in Blender, no need for actual bulges on geometry.

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