how do u make nice looking water? Created 17 years ago2006-05-28 05:31:57 UTC by 1337tony

when i make water i can see through it and its looks real bad.
how do u make nice looking water?

Try putting a water_lod_control entity with the water along with a env_cubemap. Or you can choose a different water texture, alot of them are really cool.

Is cubemap and water_lod_control really neccesary?
I tried without them and it worked fine. =/
I know that cubemaps makes materials reflective, but what on earth does water_lod to?

lod = level of detail. Controls the transistion from cheap to expensive water (IIRC). Check the Wiki!

A water_lod_control is Necessary, it makes the water lower detail when you are far away and can't really see it, reducing the polygons and making your FPS better. I guess it isn't really used for cosmetic purposes but you really just need it when you use water. As for the actual water itself, like I said look for textures that are suited to your needs, there are alot of textures. If you map for DOD Source, there is a REALLY cool water texture, called "nature/water_anzio001_cheap." But you probably don't map on DOD Source. I have noticed that some waters that say "cheap" look really cool. Just keep looking.

Thanks Ant (edit:) and exos.
I'll use it in my futher maps

Check the Wiki!

Wiki is a mess, >_<

No problem, and you are right; sometimes wiki is annoying because it tells you the definition of the entity, but not how to use it.

invisible water = leak.

no hunter thats wrong. (sry) I have the same problem. When i started my map it was jammed with leaks but water still worked and looked fine.
hammer creates a default water lod control anyway.
strange thing is my goopwater (the toxic kinda looking water) works fine, its only my nature_canal something like that thats fucked.

i havnt tried adding a cubemap to fix the problem. ill try that sometime. someone please reply if they find a solution

No when water is clear there is a leak...Everyone knows this...Water_lod is created anyway if you don't put it in and cubemaps are needed to make the textures display properly.

yeah. DX7 water works even with a leak, so you might have used that, Arcan

possible, but i dont think i changed the water texture. I'll go through all water textures.

when water is used, the cubemap should be attatched directly to the water's face.

i have a bath full of clear water, but the bottom brush of the bath (under the water) is not there, just sky.
What have i done wrong

like hunter said, Leaks

no leaks today. my maps in a bubble of skybox
then again , all i did was made a cube of nodraw with water texture on the top, should have know it would be harder than that.

No that's right...A block with nodraw and water on top...You didn't assign it to func_water did you? Don't if you have...

Otherwise hmm - What texture you using?

post a screenshot... it sounds like you bath is an invalid solid

nature/water_canals03

hmm... have you tried deleting the water to see if its the tub or the water thats causing it?

Try switching water textures.. experiment.. And to save compiling the whole map repeatedly, just paste the tub and water into a small map for testing purposes

yeah, the tubs good, i already did exactly that, i will experiment with textures. can anyone recomend any? i just need clear clean water

could it be anything to do with that water lod thing?

water lod thing gets added automaticly when u compile ur map. im a scrub at water (ha pun intended :D) but perhaps you water is overlapping with the tub or has been oddly clipped?

its possible Arcan, but really, i've never heard of that sort of thing happening.. i mean, if a brush is invalid, its just either not going to compile or it'll not appear in game...

water is only 1 brush. I've never heard of a single face being invisible due to brush problems...

I'm gonna stick with the funny texture theory.

It could be possible that the vertices are off the grid due to dodgy clipping?

Try other textures is my only solution...Or post the map in the Map Vault and we'll fix it for you.

ps: Fixed - had to drag the water so its bottom edge was below the floor of the bath.