Ways to make a smoother tunnel-style area?

[mmik]

I'm about to make a cylinder-shaped shaft for my map, and I was just wondering if there was a better way to make it smooth, rather than turning 20 brushes. I could do a large brush, then clip a hole into it, but I was wondering if there was an even better way.

Also:
Is having a lot of small brushes in an area bad for performance?

Is there a way to fuse together touching brushes? (to ease up on performance, if possible)

I ask, because either method I mentioned above would create many brushes.

 

[UKCS-Alias]

I'm about to make a cylinder-shaped shaft for my map, and I was just wondering if there was a better way to make it smooth, rather than turning 20 brushes. I could do a large brush, then clip a hole into it, but I was wondering if there was an even better way.

Use displacements. the subdivide tool allows you to make smooth corners with even more detail then you get with 20 brushes. It however needs some special attention to prevent leaks, bad/invalid displacements and the knowledge to use the subdivide tool the correct way.

Also:
Is having a lot of small brushes in an area bad for performance?

If the area is small then it usualy doesnt harm, just make sure its func_detail or vvis will get problems

Is there a way to fuse together touching brushes? (to ease up on performance, if possible)

If you mean fusing 2 faces that arent shown - this automaticly gets done in a compile. You can test it ingame by using mat_wireframe 1/3 (needs sv_cheats 1). Still, in the compile the 2 brushes even if they are fused still count as 2 brushes (and if im right they do have a limit).

 

[Apom]

Use the arch prefab (instea of block, bottom right in Hammer).

20 brushes is not an issue, but make sure to func_detail them or you're going to kill VVIS.

 

[mmik]

Thanks, but I'm really bad with the displacement tool. How would I get a smooth curve using it? Especially one that wraps around the room.

 

[Fraz]

What You could do is open up a new doc in hammer, make a circle using loadsa brushes, create a brush that fits the size you want your tunnel to be, and carve the outside edge of the long brush, then use make hollow and chop off the ends? It worked for me to make a curve, although its loads of brushes they are grouped together so only select as one. 'Tis time consuming though. I dont really know if this is bad for optimization or anything.

 

[mmik]

I couldn't figure out how to properly cut doorways into a make-hollow brush the last time I used one. It refused to clip correctly.

 

[Sgt Frag]

Clipping tool is real easy to use.

Click first point, click second, hit enter.

There are a few tricks to learn though.

First, your clicks should be on grid points at the edge of the brush. That ensures your verts are snapped, if you cut randomly you'll have to go back and grid snap.
No big deal just takes more work.

The clip tool has 3 'modes'. 2 of them will show white on one side of the cut and red on the other. When you hit enter the red part gets cut off and deleted.
The other mode both sides of the cut are white, meaning when you hit enter they will be cut apart, but both sides will be kept (neither deleted).

Cycle them by clicking the clip tool icon.

So, make brush. select clip tool. click to vert points to make your cut line. click clipper tool icon until you see the mode you want (which part you want deleted or none-deleted), then hit enter. Clip is done.
---------
You don't need to make a brush hollow to clip a doorway.
Just make a cube. Clip one side for the edge of frame, select the clip tool until both sides of cut are white. Hit enter. Now clip the other side for other side of doorway, enter. Now select the middle cube (you cut twice so you now have three cubes). Grab the bottom and drag it up and it's now the top of doorframe.

I could go into a million ways to cut a brush into a doorframe but wont. That is only one easy way.

 

[grazr]

Make sure you ungroup your hollowed brushes.. Are these cave tunnels or concrete tunnels like in 2fort? If they are like sewer tunnels you can get away with brushes, this isn't an issue and provided you 'hint' the ends, it shouldn't bother vis too much.

Otherwise you will want to use the displacement tool. I'm not big on the subdivide, but as long as all your brush sides allign, hitting "subdivide" will give you instantly smooth egdes.

See: http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=4451&highlight=tube

 

[mmik]

I know HOW to use clip... I didn't know hollowed brushes were grouped, though. Thanks, that was probably my problem. like the pipes in 2fort. (facing vertical, though.) I'm gonna have to look at that subdivide thing, though.

 

[zeeuwse_boer]

If you want a block with a round tunnel in it,

you can put the cylinder (tunnel shape) into the tunnelwall brush, en right-mouse click on it and select carve.

After you've done this you can delete the cylinder, and you'll have a tunnel.

You can also check this topic,

http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=2690&highlight=cute+cave

 

[Earl]

If you want a block with a round tunnel in it,

you can put the cylinder (tunnel shape) into the tunnelwall brush, en right-mouse click on it and select carve.

After you've done this you can delete the cylinder, and you'll have a tunnel.

You can also check this topic,

http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=2690&highlight=cute+cave

No, no, no, no!!!

That is the worst possible use of the carve tool!

If you want to make a tunnel with brushes, do something like on the right manually using vertex manipulation, because if you carve it'll give you something like on the left: