Forum posts

Posted 18 years ago2005-07-12 13:59:01 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #120459
do you mind if I rotate the map around the Z axis? The layout remains the same, but I need to change te orientation to adjust the sun and light enviroment to the existing sky presets.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-12 08:39:17 UTC
in map lag [closed] Post #120445
Every time you double the texture scale on a face (both in X and Y axis), the wpolys get divided by 4!
Its as big as possible long ways, but it needs to be that size
Why does it need to be so big? Is it for a "Make a Huge Map" compo?

Turning brushes into func_walls also reduces compile times greatly.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-12 08:28:54 UTC
in War of the worlds - idea for a mod Post #120442
I saw it on Saturday. The first part was nice but the last half of the film was horrible.
Spielberg even had to copy the Velociraptor Kitchen Scene from his "Jurassic Park" film. Very dissapointing :(
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-11 13:26:08 UTC
in London Post #120308
Yes, it would be a terrorist attack in that sense. But nothing indicates government involvement.
If mainstream media can't be trusted, why would other news on conspiracy sites be trusted?? The same rule applies.

It's quite funny that all these "warnings" and "coincidences" appear only after the attacks have ocurred. Predicting something when it has already happened is contradictory. And one of the reasons of knowing about attacks before hand is having something to do with them.

let's wait see what investigations come up with
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-10 17:15:35 UTC
in London Post #120184
Yes, but I insist. The perpetrators of the Madrid bombings had not been trained by CIA and probably never set a foot in Russia of Afghanistan. Who are these people then? Mercenaries for the new world order?

I'll tell you what they were: average people from humble families who had a bit too much of yihad in their heads and who were angry that Spain was such a better country than their own. They even cited events from 1425 in their letters, still pissed off that muslim invaders were kicked out of the peninsula so many centuries ago.

Now, this might have all been a setup, but I doubt it, since these men committed suicide a month after the bombings, killing a cop. Either they were a very stupid bunch of mercenaries, or it seems that terrorists actually exist, and come neither from Afghanistan or Area 51.

-No ID card scheme or oil war explains the years of terrorism in Israel.
-It looks like Bush is getting nothing good out out the almost daily Iraq bombings. These attacks were not part of their plan for world domination.
-Seems like Israeli secret services always know something is going to happen and pull their people out (WTC, London) and let others die.

And finally: even if Al Qaeda was actually part of a conspiracy (it seems more like its a kid you forgot to educate and now comes back to kill you), terrorism is something the world has seen many many times before 9/11, and different groups have different "motives" . I beleive that there are people willing to kill just for the heck of it, unrelated to any conspiracies and sometimes giving their life in the process.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-10 11:29:49 UTC
in City17 - Halflife 2 Post #120126
I dont mean to be rude or anything, but a mod usually means a modification of the original game. The project you want to do sounds more like an addon than a modification... Not even so since it sounds like you want to do a remake of hl2. I could understand it if we were in the year 2010 and you were using the SuperSource Engine 2 (or something like that) the way I understand the remake of hl1 in source, Black Mesa: Source.
Maybe I'm becoming too lazy to map, but I'd rather wait for Loast Coast and Aftermath than making my own hl2...
Anyway, the screenshots look good so good luck if you actually go on with this! :)
I think you could use your skills to make a quite a nice map for the source compo.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-09 05:26:23 UTC
in Unrandom tiling textures Post #119819
Remember that some tiling textures have one sample that is not random-tiled.
I usually look for those since texture memory usage is lower than if you use the textures with -0, -1 etc. When you use one of these, you are automatically using the rest.
It may sound strange, but it was important back in the days when I had the 4 MB texture limit HL mapping :D
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 17:24:46 UTC
in Displacement maps Post #119753
You'd better put the nodraw brushes only under the displacement surfaces. Making a big box will increase compile times!
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 09:43:17 UTC
in London Post #119665
to be precise, these are the places were they have acted in 1993-2004
  1. 1993 (Feb.): US
  2. 1993 (Oct.): Somalia.
  3. 1996 (June): Saudi Arabia
  4. 1998 (Aug.): East Africa
  5. 2000 (Oct.): Yemen
  6. 2001 (Sept.): US
  7. 2002 (April): Tunisia
  8. 2002 (May): Pakistan
  9. 2002 (June): Pakistan
  10. 2002 (Oct.): Yemen
  11. 2002 (Oct.): Indonesia
  12. 2002 (Nov.): Kenya
  13. 2003 (May): Saudi Arabia.
  14. 2003 (May): Morocco.
  15. 2003 (Aug.): Indonesia.
  16. 2003 (Nov.): Saudi Arabia
  17. 2003 (Nov.): Turkey
  18. 2003 (Nov.): Turkey
  19. 2004 (March): Spain
  20. 2004 (May): Saudi Arabia
  21. 2004 (June): Saudi Arabia.
  22. 2004 (Sept.): Indonesia
  23. 2004 (Dec.): Saudi Arabia
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 09:28:25 UTC
in London Post #119660
because terrorists thought it was funny to play with numbers and knew that people would search for these number coincidences.
But it has absolutely no meaning...

It was mentioned before in this thread. Al CIAeda is not following government orders of any kind. Remember that there have been al qaeda terrorist attacks in countries like Turkey, Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania etc. I find it hard to believe that these had the purpose of creating a new world order or having ID cards in these countries... It seems more like the objective was to kill people, and in the case of the African countries, killing as many Americans as possible.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 08:36:11 UTC
in London Post #119654
Maybe, but I assure you that people who put the bombs in Madrid were not from any intelligence agency. They might've had help from people who saught a government change, but they were determined to die killing people. That's why they blew themselves up in a flat.
The advantages that terrorists seek while killing are all in "paradise". If they kill themselves in the process, they become martyrs and it means extra food and women in the afterlife.
So fanatism does exist, and so does terrorism. These cells can act independently, they are not following Bel Ladens directions and much less the directions of an elite conspiracy group, think about it :(
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 07:56:33 UTC
in London Post #119651
provoke then, thx!
by the way, the following paragraph came out in the press today. I'll write the original version first in case anyone wants to give a try their Spanish :D

Este peri?dico avisa adem?s de la gran dificultad, casi imposibilidad, de "evitar atentados de esta naturaleza" en Occidente, puesto que para ello ser?a preciso "instaurar un Estado policial" y "renunciar" al "sistema de libertades" actual. La soluci?n, por tanto, pasa por "intensificar la cooperaci?n internacional y los medios policiales y de inteligencia".

Translation:
This newspaper also warns of the great difficulty, almost impossibility of "avoiding attacks of this nature" in western countries, since to do so would require to "impose a Police State" and "abandon" our current "system of liberties". The solution consists on intensifying international cooperation as well as police and intelligence services.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 06:56:59 UTC
in London Post #119647
Very unlikely. These type attacks take a long time to plan in Europe or the US. The Madrid bombings were planned even before the Iraq war.
It means that the "reason" of the attacks was not Spain's participation in the war.
By the way Spain didnt directly leave Iraq because of the attacks (I guess everyone knows that by now). The bombings did provoque a change of government and the incoming political party did what they had said way back in 2002, that they would stop military operations in Iraq.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 06:12:03 UTC
in London Post #119621
There is no flaw. You cant control the contents of every bag that people are carrying in the Underground or bus system. It's as simple as that.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-08 05:40:29 UTC
in London Post #119615
It's not irony. The sad fact that thousands die everyday in Africa is nothing new, that's why you wont see it in the News.
A terrorist attack in the safe (and recently selected for the Olympic games) city of London is actually news.
And about people caring for the deaths of some or others, it's just plain natural. I dont know anyone in Iraq or Bali, but I might know people in London so I might be more interested in knowing what has happened. The local Bali press probably gave much more importance to that attack than other people did. Obviously.
No one's saying their lives are more or less valuable. But people of the "western world" actually feel more related to citizens of NYC, Madrid or London than to citizens of Baghdad... right?
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 19:33:29 UTC
in London Post #119524
??? I just posted that conspiracy theories are out of place in the case of the London and Madrid bombings. They are related to the usual attacks we see in Iraq, and very very unlikely related to evil corporations with evil ID cards and giant "lasers" or spy robots.
I do have my doubts about the September 11 attacks, since we probably all agree that too many things went wrong and seemed staged (it's been discussed in countless threads).
So, 9-11 "provoqued" the Afghanistan war, and the Afghanistan war and the Iraq war are being used as an excuse for terrorists to kill (which is the only thing they know how to do).
One of the very sad parts about it is that the population of these European countries was vastly against the Iraq war, but now suffers the "consequences"
Governments did wrong sending troops against the will of the people who gave them their vote, and terrorists are always wrong by killing innocent people, maybe even more considering their victims were against the war.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 18:05:55 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #119508
Well, just make a nice looking, fun and small map then! :)
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 18:03:43 UTC
in London Post #119506
And supposedly the Madrid bombings were also the doing of the G8 ??
I assume there's absolutely no proof of this and you just read it in a website.

This is not about the obviously forced failure of security measures (9-11) this is an attack carried out by an Al Qaeda cell similar to the one there was in Madrid last year (they blew themselves up in a flat on april 2004).
If you saw Tony Blair on his first speach today, he didnt look like he was behind the mayhem. Is he a very good actor or what?

Europe works in a different way than U.S. If Al Qaeda says the attacks are because of the Iraq war, people wont support the occupation of that country, contrary to the thirst of vengeance caused by 9-11 in the US.

So as I said before, G8 gets nothing good out of this. Or is anyone expecting the British people to give Mr Tony "Palpatine" special powers to create a clone army and put microchips into people's brains? We are not living in a Sci-fi movie and we are not controlled by the Combine overwatch. The world is indeed messed up, and there are responsible people in every side.
But denying that a terrorist group is guilty of these attacks is going a bit too far...
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 17:28:56 UTC
in London Post #119497
And madrid. Oh wait, that was baskian seperatists, nevermind.
Er.. The bombings on March 2004 were executed by Al Qaeda.
Baskian terrorists have been making terrorist attacks on the capital (and elswhere) for decades but there havent been any mortal victims for over 2 years.
The adjetive of "separatist" is often used incorrectly regarding ETA in international press. "terrorist" is the correct word since their main goal is to kill and provoque terror, not making a separate homeland.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 12:41:16 UTC
in London Post #119439
The 9-11 attacks are very different from what we see today. Those could have been sponsored, but It has little to do with what we saw today.
The London bombings are closer to the kind of attacks that have been taking place in Israel for years and happen in Iraq basically every day.

Wait, now you are going to tell me that, for example, those suicide kids that blow themselves up are actually part of Bush's secret agenda?? :roll:
There is a very big mistake that people are making (maybe even the writers of these conspiracy sites). Terrorism has existed long before 9-11 happened, so you cant possibly pretend that these attacks are taking place because some kind of World domination scheme.
I insist on my point of view. I'd be more worried about bombs going off around me (it could have happened since I live in Madrid) than by having to use a dumb ID card and Big Brother knowing if I had macarroni or spaguetti for lunch.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 12:00:25 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #119430
Why? it's no longer a secret that my mapping hours are counted... take advantage of my lack of inspiration :)

About going to real places... The vast majority of my HLDM maps take place in non real places, and I dont think it makes them better or worse!
As Satchmo once mentioned, "...the most important aspects of a DM map--gameplay and performance. Without those attributes, even the best-looking map can be torturous to play, thereby defeating the purpose of the map. "

Make your map fun and good looking, as original as possible. If we were talking about that Real World Compo, research and taking pics would be the thing to do, but this is deathmatch!! Our research should be focused on deathmatch maps that work. Not so much in what concerns layout (since this time it's imposed) but on other things such as architecture, vertical gameplay etc
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 11:12:12 UTC
in London Post #119424
I strongly doubt this has anything to do with a government-sponsored terror attack. The city has just been chosen for the 2012 olympics and it sounds stupid to deliver this kind of blow right now. It does not do the british government or the opposing political party any good...
This is just the realisation of terrorist threats.

By the way, what's with the ID Cards and mass surveillance? Wouldnt you feel better if, for example, you are in a city bus and have the confidence that everyone has been quickly and effectively identified before entering? The way things are right now, the person next to you could blow himself up, or there could be explosives any backpack of a train, regardless of where you are: Jerusalem, Istambul, Baghdad, Moscow, Madrid, London...
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-07 08:18:42 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #119370
Mmm... some paths are indeed narrow, but you could compensate that by having a wider visible area. That is, widen the paths but restrain game flow to the given layout.
I think what Trapt has just showed us in the screenshots is a good example. It doesnt feel cramped and it respects the layout.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-06 20:07:25 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #119268
You could make the map be a totally open arena but with fence walls blocking your path according to the layout... but that would be crap and the judges probably wouldnt like it. Remember you have freedom to use vertical gameplay to make the map bigger.

I'd like to add one more thing, since Habboi's question is actually an interesting one: outdoors or indoors?

There are exceptions, but maps that can be strictely sorted into one of these two categories tend to be worse than maps that combine both.
In deathmatch, the goal is for players to have fun: Now that means that everyone needs to enjoy the map. From our shotgun-lovin friends, fans the RPG, the snark protectors, the tau-cannon devils, crossbow snipers, crowbar killers... etc
If you build your map with most of the weapons (both in hldm and hl2dm) in mind, you will see that different type of areas are good for some weapons and bad for others: indoor hallways are good for close combat shotgun action, dark spots are ideal to place your deadly slam charges, open areas are a great place to test your RPG or crossbow skills, etc.

My point is: find the balance between indoor and outdoor, and consider that entity placement is almost half of what will make your map be what it is. A good combination of these things will prevent your map from getting old too soon.
Remember, some people can feel claustrophobia in games, others are not so good at long-range-aiming, but everyone needs a happy fragging time!!

sorry for the long post... it might also give you guys a hint on why I dont usually rate AIM type maps and such ;)
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-06 11:56:18 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #119109
It means that the rocket launcher weapon must not be readily available for players to use, but instead it should be hidden or hard to get.
Remember the egon/gluon gun in the HLDM map "snarkpit" . It was surrounded by toxic waste and you had to jump through some rotating machinery.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-06 04:25:26 UTC
in Tiled Texture Post #118991
If you have Photoshop, try doing what this tutorial suggests. It looks easy :)

http://www.mccannas.com/book/chapter4/ptile1.htm
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-05 04:27:45 UTC
in Going backwards (2 to 1) Post #118734
And that's just the start of it. Wait til you decide to make irregular terrain and remember that you cant use displacements...
Or realize that the lighting detail of the map depends on the texture scale you apply... :(
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-05 04:19:53 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #118733
Ok, I already have my first question:
When you talk about not adding new accesible areas, it means that we can still add inaccesible areas to the floorplan including normal brushwork and skybox stuff, right?
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-05 04:10:51 UTC
in Competition 16 Post #118732
yay! I'm in
I was going to quit mapping but this is an excellent reason for not doing so!!
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-04 10:45:06 UTC
in HELP! My maps are to bland Post #118535
i'd like to give them some archatecture but again, no idea what works and what doesnt work
It depends on what you are aiming for. If you want your maps to look real, then you should just use real pictures as your reference (you can also take a look at most of the CS maps to see how they do things)
By the way, you dont need to make great architecture to make a map work. As I said before, it depends on what you want to do. Sometimes making non-standard architecture is a nice way to make your map stand out and be remembered.
You see, brushwork is just a part of map making. The same map can have a entirely different feel and gameplay depending in how you place lights, player spawns, weapons, monsters etc
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-03 11:44:51 UTC
in CS map problem Post #118366
Probably, that's why I said I wasnt sure...
I dont like saying so, but the best solution to problems with elevators in maps is simply not using them, as they are most likely to be buggy or make gameplay much less fluid. (I'm thinking about the lifts in my maps warpcore and amenaza)

Back to the topic: I assume this elevator in your map stops at several places? I also dont know what you mean by "my elevator still moves after the round end"
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-03 06:40:43 UTC
in CS map problem Post #118305
You need to target it with something that activates at every start of round, for example a simple door (not accesible for the players to prevent further unwanted elavator movement of course). You can try that but I'm not sure it will solve the problem.
With the Source trigger system this would be so much easier to do :(
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-03 06:36:02 UTC
in Freeze! Post #118304
Although having a good computer is a plus. Long ago, my computer ran out of memory in the "MakeScales" part of the RAD process. It started using the hard disk for memory transfer, but 18 hours later I realized it was going nowhere...

The problem you are having (which is just lack of patiente ;) ) has been solved in Hammer4 for Half-life2 since the process window is constantly updated.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-02 07:28:59 UTC
in Google Maps. Post #118190
The maps are actually censored in very sensitive areas, especially most restricted air space
But they are not thinking about sensitive areas in other countries. The other day I saw on the news here in Spain that you could see the King's house, and even count the number of combat planes in the Torrejon Air Base.
These and other places are pixelated in other satellite picture providers.
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-01 18:15:07 UTC
in Error: displacement found on a(n) func_w Post #118133
It runs the previous version of the map because the one you are working with is impossible to compile.
There is a brush entity (in this case a func_wall) on which you have used a displacement surface. You have two options:
-Select the displacement face and destroy it
-Select the brush and "Tie to world" so it becomes a world brush instead of a brush entity :)
Posted 18 years ago2005-07-01 17:46:25 UTC
in Trying to make water like de_chateau&#39 Post #118130
I'm not really sure, but have you considered the possibility that it's the textures underneath the water the ones who give it that greenish look?
:(
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-30 18:00:48 UTC
in CupeMaps Post #117952
1) Dr Mapper, are you sure the texture you are using is reflective? There are some textures (even combine ones) that dont use shaders.
2)Is this the first time you try to use the cubemaps or have been able to do so on other occasions?
3)Are the env_cubemaps properly placed near those faces?
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-30 14:49:59 UTC
in A brush that doesn't exist Post #117926
I have encountered a similar error before, and the problem I had was that my ceiling wasnt tall enough for Gordon to pass through.
In my tp_matrix map for HL teamplay there is also a spot where you are strangely blocked by some sort of invisible brush, but I didnt solve it back then...
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-29 19:12:52 UTC
in shiney materials Post #117810
There is no way to make cubemaps work only where you want them to, since materials with shaders (both in brushes and models) look for the nearest cubemap in the map to display reflections (even if you havent specified those faces in the cubemap's properties).
I dont know what you mean when you say plain old regular, since faces with shader properties will always look shiny unless you disable the feature in the display options.
Depending on the existence of cubemaps near that texture, it will show the nearest cubemap or just the skybox reflection.
Some HL2 textures have different versions in which bump-maps and other effects are not present.
I dont know if there is any way to know beforehand which textures have shaders, but like everything else, it's just a matter of testing.
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-29 17:21:53 UTC
in change texture with all colors [closed] Post #117785
(264 bit color???
I think you are talking about a value of 256 in color depth.)

To make the texture you desire, you must increase the color depth to 16 million colors.
When you are done, save the image as a bmp image with a color depth of 256 colors.
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-25 11:28:06 UTC
in Are you ready for it...? Post #117056
That's what happens when one game has been around for more than 6 years and the other one for just over 6 months...
The Whole Half-life includes all things Half-life in my opinion: hldm, opposing force, counter-strike, and of course Half-life 2
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-25 07:51:45 UTC
in Are you ready for it...? Post #117002
Yes, but if Trapt makes a Source compo, he'll be deciding the theme for that one
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-25 07:46:52 UTC
in Are you ready for it...? Post #116996
yeah...
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-25 07:24:31 UTC
in Are you ready for it...? Post #116981
I dont know who has this or that game. I do know that a lot of people dont have the old hammer editor anymore or simply understand that it is inferior in many aspects. http://www.twhl.co.za/forums.php?action=viewthread&str=source+mapping&type=1&pg=1&id=8254
I have absolutely no authority to decide what will be done, but I think having Source compos on TWHL is the next logical step (now that we already have a HL2 Q/A forum) that should be taken. After all, we are in 2005, not 1998.
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-25 06:29:41 UTC
in Are you ready for it...? Post #116961
No, it's not for Source.

About what Elon said:
not everybody has source and everybody has Hl1
we could compare it to a music contest:
There are two formats. cassette tape (HL engine) and CD-ROM (Source engine).
People will argue that cassette is what everyone has (since its older) but people with CD-ROM will say that the quality is much better and it would be a waste not to use it.
The solution would be to accept both formats, but demanding a bit more from the superior technology.
A HL1/HL2 compo, in which Source maps would have to be very good and take advantage of the engine in order to be able to win.
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-25 06:23:07 UTC
in Are you ready for it...? Post #116956
and you source mappers could easily change into HL1 mappers
Wrong... The absence of things like the hammer brush reference and adjustable lightmaps seriously discourages us from mapping for the old engine (that's my case at least). I couldnt go back to using Gensurf now that I know about displacement surfaces...
Anyway, since changing from HL1 to HL2 is a delicate choice to make, I leave that for the next contest winner. If we stick with what was said and what is usually done, I think Trapt and the next winner should decide the theme for a new Source competition.
does it sound ok?
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-24 08:52:21 UTC
in Are you ready for it...? Post #116692
Okay, I've already contacted 7th.

This compo will not be for the Source engine, so HL1 mappers have no reason to worry.
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-24 08:20:42 UTC
in HL2 - SP : DAY 13 Post #116676
looks good!
is there any background story for this campaign?
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-21 19:23:50 UTC
in People You Like Here On TWHL [closed] Post #116035
Basically everyone at TWHL except Unknown Genius, who insisted that my hands as a Spaniard were stained with innocent blood... :zonked:

I give extra appreciation points to people who comment my maps and answer my forum questions :)
Posted 18 years ago2005-06-20 17:35:41 UTC
in The old version of HL? (1997) Post #115758
They took away shadows from HL1 in one of the update patches. I remember having shadows with a command similar to r_shadows or r_drawshadows
I think it only worked in Direct3d though...
In the "game of the year" HL box, the screenshots in the back show scientists, grunts and multiplayer models casting shadows...

Of course, those shadows were completely unrealistic so it was not a big loss