Forum posts

Step 4.1. Create a trigger_relay (point entity) in your map.
Give the relay the following variables:

Name (targetname) : turnoffsongs
Target (targer) : songname (change this to the name of your song entity)
Trigger State (triggerstate) : Off (0)

Step 4.2. Add another custom variable to your multi_manager: [create this value by clicking off "SmartEdit" and pressing "add"]

(turnoffsongs) : 1

NOTE! The value "1" in the custom values for the multi_manager indicates that the entity is triggered 1 second after round start. It could be 0, but resetting entities so fast could cause problems, and sometimes the entities might not be triggered. I usually use 0.1 instead of 0.

leak finding methods

there are more than 7 ways to find leaks. But not all are useful in all situations.

1. easiest if you can run VHE 3.5 editor, is to compile CSG/BSP only, then import the points file into the VHE 3.5 version. however you can also load the pointfile into VHE3.4 or WC 3.3, but it does not work so well.

1b. one improvement for VHE 3.4 or WC 3.3 in editor leak finding is to edit the point file with wordpad, removing all but the first and last points. this tends to make a straight line - much easier to read, but far less exact.

2. second easiest and most common leakfinder is to open the map in play and load in the pointfile in console with "particles 50000". You will then see a dotted line in your level that bounces around like crazy! Just follow it, and the point where it leaves the level is where the leak is happening.

3. There is a handy program called "Leakmarker" (v0.1). It reads your pts-files and draw boxes around leaks, so you can find leaks by ease. however this program has been known to fail in some cases. don't get stuck on it too much.

4. the purple/red brush leakfinding method. basicly you skybox around your level with with brushes with red texture lighting. this plugs the leaks temp, and will give a red light showing thru any leak area. do NOT keep the skybox afterward!

4b. another editor version is to use the 3d view with red/purple brush skybox. don't compile, but use the 3d color view and cruise your level looking for red/purple thru the cracks. do NOT keep the skybox afterward!

5. some recommend the the BIG BRUSH method, such as the Snark Pit, although i don't find it so great for multi leaks. best for teeeny leaks or weird ones. brush covers 1/2 map, either leak or no. then 1/4 where you think problem is. then 1/8, 1/16, 1/32. by then you should have a good idea.

however sometimes even the big brush method will not help if there is an entity buried in a brush, or outside the map somehow. be aware of that.

6. if you have really complex architecture, there is the skyboxing/wireframe 2 method developed by ComCray at the Collective - a lot like purple brush, but using wireframe to see if you can see the skybox polys instead of looking for a purple face. better for teeeny multiple leaks. do NOT keep the skybox afterward!

7. ComCray also developed the visgrouping method over at the collective too. this was again for some complex architecture that developed a leak. in what you think is the problem area, visgroup the brushes/blocks that are the outside "border" into one group. make all of them a bright color so they show up well.
now set one screen into 3-D flat view mode and size it to full-screen (shift+z).
When you move around the leak area in the one screen you may see some flickering here and there, sometimes the flickering will be a visible seam which stays in view for a a few seconds. That's where the leak is.
What happens is that the screen renderer tries to light up the side of a brush which should actually be covered by the brush next to it.

8. i think there are other methods, but if you are still stuck at this point, consider a new map?

is it cheating if i use displacements?