Questions - Skybox, cameras etc.

[Puddy]

Questions - Skybox, cameras, T-junction etc.

Hi there!

I'm still working on my map pl_launch/blastoff and it's going pretty well.
Here's some WIP screens just for the sake of it. I'm finishing up Stage 2 right now.

Anyway, I have some issues that I require some assistance with.

I'm supposed to make a "making of"-film to show in school to conclude our projects (my project being the map). I want to make some interesting camera work and not just make a demo in spec-mode. I have seen this in use in a Team Fortress 2 Engineer Tribute video (can't remember the name). Can anyone point me in the right direction of a tutorial explaining on how it works etc?

Secondly, I'm including a rocket in the map that is part skybox, part "in-map" (like final dustbowl cap). Anyhow, I was just wondering if there is any trick to easily align the two models? Trial and error; or?


I'll add questions to the thread if I come up with any more.

 

[VelvetFistIronGlove]

Secondly, I'm including a rocket in the map that is part skybox, part "in-map" (like final dustbowl cap). Anyhow, I was just wondering if there is any trick to easily align the two models? Trial and error; or?

Since everything in the skybox is 1/16th the full size, make sure everything in the actual map that needs to line up to the skybox is aligned to the 16 unit grid (or larger).

Here's what you can do to make sure they line up. Draw a brush on the 16 unit grid that surrounds as closely as possible the model for the bottom half of the rocket. Then add an info_target entity at the origin in your map. The origin is the 0, 0, 0, point, at the intersection of the blue lines in the 2d views.

Now select both the info_target and the brush you created. Open the Transform dialog (Ctrl+M), select Scale, and enter "0.0625" in the X, Y, and Z boxes. The info_target will be unchanged, but the 'rocket' brush will be 1/16th the size.

With both still selected, move them until the info_target exactly lines up with the middle of the sky_camera in your 3d skybox. And now the 'rocket' brush in the 3d skybox will be exactly in the right place. You don't need the info_target anymore, so delete it.

Now put the skybox model of the top half of the rocket right on top of the 'rocket' brush. Hide or delete the rocket brush, and compile. Both halves should be lined up.

 

[Puddy]

Thanks for the help. I'll try that when I've finalised the placement of the rocket.

Also, I made a correct skybox for stage 2 and attempted to compile stage 1 & 2 together for the first time. After fixing a couple of clumsy leaks I got the "Too many t-junctions to fix up!"-error.

I googled and searched on various sites and it appears that I have too many func_details edge-to-edge with world geometry. Crap.

Anyhow, I was wondering if func_brush will help me? Also, what are the properties of a func_brush? Valve Dev Community page on the matter contains very little information (is it like a func_detail with more options, or?).

What are your general tips to counter "Too many t-junctions to fix up! "?

 

[Uriak]

Func brush is somehow like a func detail. You can add some special render mode to it, parent it to another entity. Stikies don't stick to it. You can set it to not cast shadows.

 

[Puddy]

Alright then. Thanks.
Does it add "t-junctions" like _detail or does it work differently (most important)?