Cubemaps? What's that? Created 17 years ago2006-11-20 10:19:32 UTC by Viktor

I've recently taken interest in some source mapping, but I just don't getit what the cubemaps are for. The "Help" button in Hammer is very vague, as well as the description in the Hammer wiki page. Can anyone explain it to me throughoutly, and maybe give an example or 2? I'd be grateful for ever!

Cubemaps are series of 'images' taken from within the game that are used for reflexivity purposes. By placing an env_cubemap in a map, you're giving the engine a marker for a reflective area.

When you build the cubemaps, the engine takes 'images' of what's in the cubemap's immediate areas and saves them. These images are called up when textures request them.

Say you have a tile texture. The tile texture would have a property in it that asks for the cubemaps. This technique is used to produce a reflective or shiny surface, as it essentially takes the cubemap image and maps it to the texture that asks for it.

yeah, there not that important unless you really want them :

It's important for making water though.

yeah, there not that important unless you really want them

???

I thought everything came out looking like shite if you didn't use them. (e.g. Weird effects on weapons and a majorly ugly crossbow scope effect.)

Ya wtf is with that Crazy? Dont say that, you will give him the WRONG idea. Cubemaps are ESSENTIAL! Without them reflections are not even reflections. They are incomplete white distortions with nothing on them which looks horrible! Every map SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST ONE CUBEMAP. Thats not even acceptable. Just think of it as a 360 camera.

If there is a vase in a room, placing a cubemap in a outside area instead of the room with cause the vase to reflect the outside enviornment even though its in the room. Placing one in the room will make the vase reflect the room. One outside will cause items outside to reflect correctly too.

Thats all there is to it. Dont ever not place cubemaps in a map. A basic but good rule is one cubemap per room.

Any objects that use the cubemap property will use the closest cubemap in order to calculate the reflectiveness. You'll notice if you look at a scope without zooming in, the image changes as you move, with some noticable jolts as the next cubemap comes into view.

sorry, i meant to add for reflective surfaces but i got lazy

Ok, thanks alot. So, basically, a cubemap takes a "picture" of the nearest surroundings, and every reflective surface within those surroundings will reflect what the cubemap "pictured"?

Yup.

Try it.