Nice SpaG you beat Urby! = ) (like there was ever a doubt)

I'm adding Tetsu0's map now, you next. Here's the current order for all those who care:

Captain Terror
JeffMOD
hlife_hotdog
raver
rimrook
Tetsu0
SpaG

I still have some work to do on my room and I have to devote some time to my Rooms:S entry. You guys are making your rooms so good i want to totally redo mine! = P (but i won't lawl)

edit: was thinking when when all the entries are in maybe we can go back and add nice gametexts to fancy intereative signs to introduce each room.

Hold on... wait a second... That's IT!... That's it?... Yeah that's the melody to funky town!

Also i was thinking of making nice interactive keypad switches or something for each door, with moving buttons, sounds, sprites and lighting maybe. Might have to make a few different styles so they don't get repetitive.

If you want to, go ahead!

Why not?

Wait, did you recompile my map? was the lighting off from the original?

New version of Rooms available now:
Rooms Mappack
Rooms Hammer FilesThis version includes Tetsu0's map. Please report any bugs or concerns you may find. I'm having trouble getting the last autosave to work in "rooms3.rmf" (it's right after the last changelevel going from Rim's map to Tetsu0's), so if somebody can figure out the problem i'd be very appreciative.

Rim: I played your original map and then played the one i edited, and they looked the same to me, but if you have any rad options you'd like me to apply let me know. There's a new version coming out tonight connecting your room to Tetsuo's, and that will be a full-vis compile (i can't remember if the latest release is full vis or not...

The latest release will also have the source files if you want to tweak the changes i made to your room.

I think you should adjust maxviewdistance, cause you can see parts of Rimrook's map disappear in certain places.

Captain Terror, when you find the time to login on MSN/Live Messenger, ill send you a beta version of the Compilator, it can now compile GoldSource maps with HLFIX, as well as compiling a series of maps in a row.

Captain. I updated my map. so if you would like, you can re-download it, and just substitute it in. I added a camera sequence, and a separate exit.

I promise, unless you say otherwise, it's the final version.

EDIT

And btw, if you could add

+0~LIGHT3A 255 255 255 4000

to your rad file, it'd make my map look a tad prettier

May just give this a shot if I find the time. Got some scrapped maps that would work just fine with some tweaking. :]

Tip for you guys if you're using custom texturelights:

Try not to edit the default lights.rad/valve.rad file found in your tools directory. If you want to have your custom texturelights to emit light ingame or if you need to change some of the original HL texturelights, simply create a new .rad file in the same directory where the compile tools can find the .map file, and add your entries in there. Texturelights of the same name found in lights.rad/valve.rad are being ignored and the one's in your own rad file are being used. Make sure you name your rad file the same as your map, IE:

blackmesa_lab1.map
blackmesa_lab1.rad

Will the compiler tools automatically use the rad file if the map matches the rad file name?

Yup, as well as the default rad file. Duplicate entries are ignored in the default rad.file, so the tools will use the entrie in your rad file.

SpaG: Will do. I didn't think any of the maps had a span larger than 4096 units but yer right Rim's does... I'll address it in the next release, tanks.

)

Muzz: Sounds good about the Compilator, especially the multiple map thingie. As far as textlights, i intentionally don't use the original lights.rad file,(i delete mine altogether) and only use the values used in <mapname>.rad. My textlights are different for every map, and i know exactly what is emitting light and how much. I don't know why you'd ever want to use the original values...

Tetsu0: Not a problem = )

Daubster:A-NICE! =P

edit: btw everyone my msn is captain0terror@hotmail.com if you want to chat. (plus i want to test trillian to see if she workie)

Ah, so i need to edit my .rad file that way, Captain. I didn't include 'default' values in my rad file.
Please re-download my map.

K will do, and i guess i should have specified to everyone about the lights.rad file...

To reiterate:

ROOMS PARTICIPANTS:

PLEASE INCLUDE ALL THE TEXTLIGHT VALUES USED IN YOUR MAP. i DO NOT USE THE DEFAULT "LIGHTS.RAD" FILE IN ANY WAY.

Allright. I Updated the zip file to include my rad file. Named for my map.

http://twhl.co.za/vault.php?map=5229

got it. i'm going to add SpaG's map tonight and update yours using Muzz's Compilator beta

edit: tetsu0: that current download contains no radfile. Besides the one you listed above--+0~LIGHT3A 255 255 255 4000--, are there any more texlights for your map?

why not just use a info_texlights? it's singleplayer anyway, so it won't carry over to others maps.

Never heard of info_texlights pleez explain! =0

Damnit! All of my map idea's seem to have dried up. I've started maybe ten rooms only to discard them when they turn out to be bad. However the one I've got at the moment looks promising if I can get around the need for custom textures.

No captain terror. I know the rad file is in there man. And yes, that's the only texlight i use anyway. I updated the map just to make sure.
http://twhl.co.za/vault.php?map=5229
Guess you gotta hit refresh after you update a map.

TJB: Cool man i hope you get one in! )

Tetsu0: well maybe the upload didn't go through right away or maybe i missed it, but i have your stuff now (i didn't have time to update much further anyway). Will try to make the updates soon as well as SpaG's entry...

I'm using Muzz's compilator 2.0 beta for compiles and it works great... almost all the lighting glitches are gone using the -extra command, and Muzz's advice on HLfix helped me with some geometry problems and showed me how you can use HLfix's option, "visible objects onlyy" make any hidden item on your map(visgroup) doesn't get compiled! Think of it as a more powerful cordon tool or alternatively, it works just like source when compiling with hidden visgroups! (does that make sense?)

Anyway Compilator wins, thanks Muzz! = P

I just added my submission to the unfinished maps section of the map vault:
http://twhl.co.za/vault.php?map=5233

I really haven't done any straight mapping since 2004, on and off since then, but I saw this and I couldn't help myself. I just had to make something.

I had also since lost all my hammer setups and key mapping files in a tragic hard drive formatting accident (just plain stupidity in all actuality).

Anyway, I downloaded and used the currently available version of MuzzleFlash's batch compiler tool, and I must say it worked as expected. However there were some quirky issues with it that made it kind of finicky sometimes, but since you've rewritten the code from the ground up I'm sure those issues may be irrelevent.

---

Some notes about my .bsp and map in general:

The r_speeds I got to max out at around 3600 wpoly and a constant ~850(ish?) epoly.

With how large my submission is (sorry, I made the fountain first and the scale of the rest of the room followed its original design) I would probably recommend adding the hallways to it but leaving it as its own bsp file (wouldn't want to suck someone elses r_speeds up). In the end its up to you though.

The current .bsp is compiled with the standard settings of Muzz's batch compiler on everything except RAD. I used "-bounce 1" and "-chop 80.0" to allow for rad to finish faster, and to fix some lighting issues. With my eyes and graphics card the light cast looks ok-ish so I left it.

And CaptainTerror:
info_texlights is an added feature to the fgd's discussed in BJ's tutorial for Light.
http://twhl.co.za/tutorial.php?id=51
Scroll down 2/3 of the way or type in a FIND for "Texture Lighting or Texlights" everything in quotes.

It allows you to use an entity to control whether a texture gives off light or not, and what color in Hammer so you don't have to include a specific .rad file for each map.

How to use:
info_texlights

This is special entity that Zoners Compile Tools uses to extract light data for a compile. It is very simple to use and Half-Life doesn't use it so it simply won't spawn making it a error free replacement for a .rad file.

How to use:
Create an entity, any entity, and rename it to info_texlights. Hammer will automatically disable smartedit because it does not recognise the entity. This is a good thing because you don't want to use smartedit. Now, lets say you have a light texture and want it to emit, hey, light. Edit the info_texlights and ADD a keyvalue. In the 'key' box enter the name of your texture, eg, mylight01. in the value box, enter the colour and brightness values, just like you would in a light.rad file. (red, green, blue, brightness) Its that simple. You can have as many entries as you want.

P.S. Can i make another room??? Please....

Why not make a rooms 2, this time, with a certain theme?
I know the first one isn't even done yet, but we could put some ideas together, no?

nefarious: haha a surprise entry! Nice to meet you and thanks for your entry! Thank you also for the info_textlight info! = )

Hlife: Wow that is SO easy, thank you for the info!. Making them switchable seems easy too, ZOMG! = 0

If we do another compilation like this using info_textlights will be a MUST. I won't force anyone to use them this time around, but for everyone who hasn't submitted yet who uses textlights, I would STRONGLY recommend they use info_textlights for their texture lighting.

And yeah if you want to make another room, go ahead! = )

Tetsu0: Sounds great to me! = )

***

I'm compiling the latest release right now which contains Tetsu0 and SpaG's maps... should be up soon. = )

To reiterate to anyone who has not submitted their map yet and uses textlights:

Pleez use the info_textlights method described above by Hlife_hotdog! It ensures your map lighting will not conflict with someone elses, and it makes it easier for me to not have to join and juggle mutltiple radfiles... one less thing for me to do. = )

You also must note, you can have multiple info_texlights in a single map, just check that each info_texlights in the map do not have different light values for the same texture. (if they use original half-life textures for example) if you want an example, my map uses info_texlights look for the entity.

Wow It amazes me how stable Hammer can be, but then every once in a while it goes ape-shit and does highly unpredictable things. My hammer just crashed simply syaing "out of memory". After using Task manager to close Hammer (all i could do) ALL my config options in hammer were gone and hammer somehow turned all my brush-based entities to-world. Not to mention i lost about an hour of work...(i nearly threw my laptop across the room) [/vent]

Normally Hammer is very stable for me but maybe it has something to do with me editing a map while i have a compile process going (on low priority) as well? Also some of these maps are very big, so am i right in assuming hammer gets less stable the more things you stuff inside it?

Oh and what i mentioned earlier about using the "no visible options" to eliminate certain areas of the map (like the cordon tool) may not actually work that way. 2 compiles i tried it with, those hidden visgroups were still there. However considering how buggy my hammer has been, this problem could be on my end. If someone is familiar with this and can provide some clarification, please let me know.

Anyway... I'm almost done adding SpaG's map to the mix. Release soon as long as Hammer doesn't become possessed again. = )

I am mapping a cave, an alien cave, Evil Barney's Cave!
It doesn't have doors or openings but it has a teleporter and there are two more teleporters that can be used to enter or exit, outside the cave. So I was just wondering if someone would be willing to put a teleporter in their room instead of an exit or entrance (once my room is finished)? If you want, you can make the teleporter.

Well the rooms are connected with hallways, and Captain makes those hallways, not the mapper himself.

@potatis: Pleez put doors in there somewhere, somehow if you can. If you really don't want to, i'll have to make teleporting machines in the hallways joining your level to the other rooms... (i'd rather not but i will if you insist) = )

Latest version compiling now... will take an hour or so. I used the info_texlights mentioned by hlife_hotdog and nefarious and they worked beautifully! = )

Also btw the Light tutorial by BJ that nefarious mentioned is packed full of information about all-things-lighting for Half-Life... If you haven't already, I'd STRONGLY recommend reading it!

Lastly btw i solved my cordon problem by using the "big-block method", or putting big world brushes over the areas of your map you don't wan't compiled... it worked beautifully too. (cordon tool isn't working for me fsr, and i don't feel like testing the "no visible objects" thingie right now.

Lastly Lastly, some notes for people submitting maps to save us some time:
-Include only textures used in your map into One, single wadfile. You can Use Wally to create, and edit wadfiles, delete textures not used in your map, as well merge wads...
-Use info_texlights as described above if your map uses texture lighting
-Rooms should include a clear entrance and exit to connect to other rooms.
-I notice a lot of people build work at the one-unit grid level. This makes it very difficult when editing to line stuff up because you have to zoom in so far to see what gridline stuff is on. Think of what you're building as a guide: building 16-unit thick walls, you can be at the 16-unit gridline. You should only ever zoom in for smaller detailing. Trust me, doing this makes your map leagues cleaner and so much easier on the eyes![/greatwalloftext

)

OK, I just thought that it would look better if they were in rooms than in a hallway.

Whatever you want to do is fine. = )

Latest rooms update.
This one only includes the last map("rooms3") which contains Rim's, Tetsu0's, and SpaG's maps. It's compiled on full VIS and Extra Rad. Authors pleez check your maps and make sure they look as you intended (hopefully i didn't butcher them too bad in the editing process!)

The other three maps are being recompiled as we speak, and hopefully i'll release the latest, whole package later today.

Just to recap, here are the people who have submitted maps:

Captain Terror
JeffMOD
Hlife_Hotdog
Raver
Rimrook
Tetsu0
SpaG
Nefarious (not added yet)

Still expecting maps from:
Urby
ATDestroy
Potatis
TJB
Muzz
Daub
srry
Others?

Well, I wanted my map to have a darker outside (if you played my map you'll know what I'm talking about). I'm not sure, but i think there is a way to have multiple skies and light_environments in one map. Furthermore, there shouldn't be a crowbar laying on the catwalk (Could have been that i left it there, my mistake). And finally, why did you put a clip brush in the elevator?

I don't recall adding a clipbrush in the elevator but i'll double check, and yeah i was wondering why the crowbars were there too = )

And yeah you had night as your sky... I'll just use a change level so the sky is right. I don't think there is nay way to use multiple skies (multiple light_environments yes), but if you can think of a way let me know = )

I will submit my room map, but as you know, im working hard on the Compilator these days...

I don't recall adding a clipbrush in the elevator but i'll double check, and yeah i was wondering why the crowbars were there too = )

You can tie CLIP brushes to brush entities, just make sure that the CLIP brush itself has the CLIP texture applied to all of its faces.

You cannot tie a single CLIP brush to an entity, it has to be part of at least one other normal brush entity.

and yeah i was wondering why the crowbars were there too = )

Was thinking of making something with them. But got lazy and didn't finish.

The link to the rooms.zip is broken! I can't see if you butchered my map or not!

Yeah, his host is pretty much balls.

JeffMod: Yeah Jeffmod that is the last time i will link any rooms updates to googlepages(and your map wasn't updated in that release anyway = )... it's too unpredictable and balls. All subsequent releases will be on a reliable host--same as the last major update before the one today.

Your compiling settings still balls ...
ITS FUCKING UP MY ROOM SIR!

it looks identical as far as i can tell. I used full vis and extra rad... what other rad settings do you want?!

More bounce, i compile all my maps with bounce set to 10 or more

what does bounce do, exactly?

It literally bounces the light more times off a surface. You know how in real life light bounces off everything, right? Well, same here. With too much bounce though, stuff starts to look really bad, almost to the point of being fullbright. It's smoother, but there's less contrast. I think 10 is too much for most maps. I almost always leave it at default, though I have made use of it for light error correction.

Oh yes, you're right srry. Thats why i lower the max light brightness and use extra. This helps keep the light even and maintain shadows, however I need to tweak it depending on the map so i don't give it bad lighting.

That's crazy. I can't even tell the difference between fast and full vis most of the time. Of course i never really experimented with different lighting in the first place :-/

Latest Rooms update: (New reliable host from here on out =>)
rooms Mappack
rooms Hammer files

All maps are compiled with full vis and extra rad. "rooms2" is compiled with bounce set to 10. There are still many updates to do, but this is the latest, complete release. Maps authored by

Captain Terror
JeffMOD
hlife_hotdog
raver
Rimrook
Tetsu0
SpaG

The next release will include nefarious' map as well SpaG's map will have it's own bsp so he can have a different sky from Tetsu0. I'm experimenting now with "switchable" and "custom appearance" info_textlights as you'll see in the first two maps (Mine and JeffMod's maps)

Please check the release and give me any change requests/recommendations you may have! = )

hey man my sky can be anything. i'm giving you a poetic license on it. Go apeshit for all i care.