Halo-esque deathmatch map Created 18 years ago2006-05-02 06:05:29 UTC by Biax

I've started working on a heavily terrain-based map, which is all new territory for me. Having some problems with it at the moment, if anyone could check it out, I'd be really greatful:

http://twhl.co.za/mapvault_map.php?id=3868

It's going to be very Halo-like, having terrain with structures melding into it, though it will still be to it's very core a Half-Life map with lots of cool interactive map elements like bounce pads, locking doors, and various traps.

Gaaah! I sealed the level with a big skybox...took 8 hours to compile with a normal vis, and there were some really nasty problems:

I used HLFix to convert the RMF to MAP. Could that be an issue?

no should'nt have, but next time, just go into hammer and Save As
select '.map' from the drop down box (under name:)

ya, never do that. ever.

never use sky boxes either. or overly complex terain.

the map in question does look pretty good though.

I just converted to map using hammer, did a fast Vis and it came out like this:

Similar improvements were in other areas of the map, but it still just doesnt work.

M_gargantua: I can't avoid using a skybox because of all these leaks. And yeah the terrain is just too complex it looks like this map could be doomed

I don't know what else to do

Thanks.

Then find the leaks and seal them, stupid! Heres a little tool that might help you.

Well I've been using that, but the leaks are appearing in places where the geometry is sealed in the editor. It's making holes when its compiling.

Ok, back on track with this! I've just got to be more careful. I've detailed the bridge more:

Anyone know any wads with good tree-line textures? I want the summits of the cliffs to have trees along them.

are there any entities exposed to the void? and never do this

I just converted to map using hammer

don't do that. just open the saved version.

There are brush base entities exposed to the void, but they pass through the hull.

EDIT: Aaaaah the models, their outer boundaries go outside the hull, does that cause a leak?

What do you mean open the saved version?

I don't know WHAT is going with this. Its only rendering entities, and its doing it with this weird texture. All of the clipping still works, I can run around the level fine. Does anyone know whats going on??

The pink-black square textures tell you, that there are textures missing from the .wads you used in the map (maybe you've removed the .wad, that contained those textures?).

Ah I sorted it out, it was to do with how batch compiler was set up.

Looks rather nice, keep it up.

Aaaaah the models, their outer boundaries go outside the hull, does that cause a leak?

Yes it does.

Looks rather nice, keep it up.

Thanks

Yes it does.

Hmmm, that's baaaaaad news, lol.

Honestly, this map looks great! And for a person who is inexperienced with terrain, you are doing a great job.
As for the skyboxing, you dont need to follow the curve of your boundaries 100% exact, you can just suck your skywall right up to the edge and overlap (not intersect) the walls on the outside, without going under the map itself. I must say, keep up the good work, this thing looks nice.

I'm feeling quite happy with this treeline now. It took a LOT of screwing around trying to get some textures, but in the end it's come out well I think.

@Dorian: Thanks alot :). It's been a new experience for me, though I have had a fair bit of practice with making models, which is a fairly similar process. Yeah that's pretty much what I've been doing with my skybox, but I'm pretty sure its the models causing the leaks now, so I'll have to get onto that some time.

The lin file doesn't point exectly at the leak but closely, it's quite annoying sometimes. Can be about 128 unit away.

Oh I see! Something to keep in mind for my future leak hunt

EDIT:
Last screenshots before bed...

biax email the map and wads to me ill run a compile and test for leaks i can usually find mine in under 30 minutes depending on how major you messed up

i've got nothing else to do anyway, my email address is in my profile.. just click me

Like the piccies.

biax email the map and wads to me ill run a compile and test for leaks i can usually find mine in under 30 minutes depending on how major you messed up

Awesome, that'd be a great help, I'll get that to you tomorrow some time.

Like the piccies.

well at first glance i immediatley noticed the enormous water texture which sticks out into the void. Just because its cut off from the void by world brushes doesnt mean its closed off from the void. part of the entity is still in it.

there's a leak

i noticed on one of your bridges, the main support structure in a func_wall. Very good that you did that to not have it destroy the surrounding rock wall with split faces but the part that goes towards the middle of the map extends past the world brush cliff

theres another leak

from this, you will learn that any entity in the void will create a leak. all you have to do is seal them off from the void with world brushes and the problem is solved.
nulling the textures do nothing because anything that isnt 'inside' the level isnt rendered anyway... which brings me to my next point.

on that same water texture that you have extending past the bottom of your map, the water texture (which isnt included in the wads you sent btw) is only on top, and the rest is a null texture.

very bad

its true that unless its a flowing texture, water will only render from the top face, BUT if you dont texture all the sides with the same water texture you will get a mixed face contents error. Because half-life renders any texture with a "!" in front of it as water even if you dont make it into a func_water. Making a water texture a func_water allows you more flexibility with the entity.. such a wave height transparency... contents (slime, lava, water) etc etc.

i will continue to look for entities and such that are in the void and ill try to seal them out. i will make an edit (or another post if someone replies) with any findings/progress.

i really like the brushwork btw

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found 5 or 6 cyclers in the void... the big wall of func_illusionaries were all touching the void.. made some func_walls into world brushes (i didnt feel like sealing them) this will break up the surrounding blocks into may many peices but atleast i got all the leaks out. im compiling now with fast vis and normal rad.. csg normal and bsp normal. ill post some screenies of problems i come across.

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holy cow.
it took me long enough to get rid of the MAX MAP CLIPNODES error while compiling... i placed clip brushes over the bridges and over the high cliff areas near the func illusianaries. i tried to save most of the brushwork so i deleted all the entities in the map to try to find the leak. i havent found it yet but now that i have the map running i can view the pointfile in hopes of getting somewhere.

dude. you MESSED this map up.... i solve one leak.. find another.. im up to about 12 now. just tiny 2 or 3 PIXEL leaks...
i hate to say it but you may have to re-do it....

snap to grid next time

Turn RAD off and run VIS on fast. Keep finding the leaks with each pointfile. Eventually you will find them all.

M_gargantua, the intial pieces WERE infact snapped to grid, but then some nasty off-grid carving took place. Thats my best guess.
sorry i cant help more Biax. The map i have now is useles.. blocks just everywhere sealing holes, no more entities... sorry man but i tried.

haste makes waste
save time and make your vertices on grid no matter what detail you may lose. it will help in the long run.

Ah righto, wow sounds like a lot of effort you've gone to. I don't remember if I did any carving actually. It's pretty much all VM, so it should all be to the grid.

I'll try sealing the entities with world brushes. Thanks very much for the help.

i hope some of my explinations helped you out. i have some screenies of some pinhole leaks i found that i coudlt figure out where they came from.. i guess HL engine cant handle that. i bet source could if you wanted tp put in the effort... maybe some nice effects with HDR off the water too
once again, sorry
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my plans were just cancelled for the night so maybe i can giev that leakfinder program a go.. i doubt i can get the other entities back though

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leakfinder is neat, but its not helping anymore.. the entity is in the same spot still, yet i cant see any leak.. not even with the pointfile and gl_clear set to "1"
sigh re-starting is looking like the only remedy here.
if you want to know the main problem is where the big bridge (func_wall) intersects the cliff.

heres my last resort: making the func_wall a world brush... its going to create MASSIVE face splitting but im ready for anything at this point..

heres my last resort: making the func_wall a world brush... its going to create MASSIVE face splitting but im ready for anything at this point..

I'll make the bridge a world brush and then re-make the sections of cliff where the bridge meets so that it's one surface rather than 2 intersecting surfaces, that should sort out alot of polygon issues (hopefully).

Did some work on the first of the real artificial structuring:

Proved to be pretty nasty on account of the angle it was on from the VM I did with it. Won't be doing that again...