Trying to understand GoldSrc textures Created 11 years ago2013-02-23 16:36:06 UTC by FiK

Hello

After few years of inactive in mapping i came back, but have some problems with texturing.

I think, that i remember almost nothing about special textures

For example - what is for -1 texture? Like this (its from de_train's wad file):Or this one for example - why is half-size texture with added letter:Or example 3 - those black textures only with windows in color:are they for add glowing effect or what?

Please help me to solve those problems

It's been a while since I've done goldsource, but if I remember correctly:

-1 is part of a random tile texture set, if you use the base texture, -1, -2, etc. will be randomly chosen each time the texture tiles on compile time.

Not sure what the second one is for, but the third looks like, as you thought, a texture to be overlaid brushwork to add a glow.

The second is probably for distant objects, to save resources...or for smaller objects?

About second one - i also thought that is some kind of LOD texture, for more distanced objects or maybe for rendering from distance. I think I'll made some test with it.

But the first one isn't looks like random texture. I mean, i found this one: link and there is, that "-" should be prefix, not inside of texture name... Don't know what this one can be.. Some kind of specular map? But in 1998? Hmm...

The A or -1 after the name means nothing. its a varient. The door one could have been an alternate that was used for the glass. I know the big window ones, the alternative versions are for the glass, or if the mapper wants, they could place an additive brush over it and light up the windows without the use of a illumination texture that a more modern engine would use. An additive brush is the primitive equivalent.

This is what I can yank from my memory.

-0texture
-1texture
-2texture

the - comes before the name to randomize between them.

-0buttontexture
-Abuttontexture

-A is the toggled version for switches.

!watertexture

! is for water

~light

Though it doesn't actually do anything the hyphae ~ was just a mark to let someone know the texture emitted light, definable by the .Rad file, or mapname.rad file store in the map folder with the .bsp

+0texture
+1texture
+2texture

An animated texture. Supports up to ten frames with +0 to +9 and plays at about 10 FPS.

What he said, I think that just about covers any special texture properties.

Unless "scroll" before the name creates the scroll effect, I never tried one of those outside of a conveyor.

I thought 'scroll' prefix was suppose to be used in conjunction with func_conveyor. I just made a waterfall that way.

edit: or do you mean it would scroll by itself without a func_conveyor? The answer is no it doesn't.

The secondary textures you posted are indeed meant for glow effects. I remember the set from your third picture; it's one of my favorites.

The brick texture you posted is sort of a LOD texture. Goldsrc doesn't do LOD automatically, so you have to do it manually. The smaller texture would used be for brushwork way off in the distance.

@Kraken: Then do textures without the "scroll" prefix scroll with a func_conveyor?

No, they don't seem to scroll if they don't have the scroll prefix.

Curious, that's something I never tried.

In addition to what Rimrook said, I vaguely remember this about animated textures:

+0texturename
+1texturename
+2texturename
+3texturename

Can be toggled to

+Atexturename
+Btexturename
+Ctexturename

(+A, not -A)

I have never tested this either, but I remember it being mentioned somewhere in TWHL.

As for ~light textures, the ~ is only to let the engine know the texture has to be looked up in lights.rad, otherwise it won't glow even if listed.

I have NEVER seen the textures in the third screenshot, those are not in WON HL at least. Must be the Steam version or the Source port.

As for ~light textures, the ~ is only to let the engine know the texture has to be looked up in lights.rad, otherwise it won't glow even if listed.

This is not true, any texture works. At least with the modern tools.

It used to be like that.

Guys, there's a texture properties tutorial on TWHL. Nobody has to resort to vague memories.

http://twhl.info/tutorial.php?id=26

Also, this one clears up scrolling textures:
http://twhl.info/tutorial.php?id=39

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