TF2 waterfall

OneMoreLevel

L1: Registered
Jan 14, 2010
3
0
Im absolutely clueless on how to create a moving waterfall, will anyone mind linking me to a tutorial, or posting a short one?

Also, I heard it has something to do with Particles, which I dont know how to use, everything else I think im good with.

EDIT: Also, how can I add rain, func_precipitation isnt working
 
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fubarFX

The "raw" in "nodraw"
aa
Jun 1, 2009
1,720
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moving waterfall? be more specific
If you're thinking about dynamic water flowing trough a level with waves and stuff, forget about it.
if you're thinking about something like the waterfall in sawmill, then it's possible.
particle might be a good way to do it but you could also model it. depends on what you want to achieve.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
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3,814
The sawmill waterfall was created using a conveyer style texture on a model. The same texture works on brushes as well, and presumably displacements.

You can find out how the texture was programmed to roll by extracted the material file's accompanying .vtf (Valve Text File) from the GCF (Game Cache File) using GCFScape:

http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=26

Which allows you to access and export the encrypted files.

You want to look in Team Fortress 2 Materials.gcf, in there look in tf/materials/models/prop_forest for the waterfall model and all its files.

From there you will need to look at the accompanying text file (.vtf extension) which defines the materials properties. Such as the bullet decal to use if it's a solid prop, the ricochet type (wood, spark, concrete etc) and sound it makes when you walk on it etc. This file also defines whether the texture will roll, and at what speed).

The waterfall seems to have two .vmt's. waterfall001.vmt and waterfall001_solid.vmt. Presumably this is because the model has 2 layers that use a solid, and an alpha transparency; to make it look more realistic in game. I imagine they use the same .vtf as there is only one of them.

Unfortunately i can't tell you what the settings are to add to your .vtf file in order to get your texture to scroll but i'm sure someone else can, or you can just google it.

Particles are a different entity all together. They allow you to create small effects that are basically a more sophistaced type of sprite, like the splatting of blood when you shoot someone, splashes on the surface of water, or the flashing light you see ontop of the payload when it's being pushed. Particles are used to create the wake effects and waterfall splashes you see on the water and rocks in sawmill, for example.
 
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Pc_Madness

L4: Comfortable Member
Aug 31, 2009
164
51
surf_greatfissure has some great looking waterfalls.
http://www.fpsbanana.com/maps/104065

I had a look, and its the two textures mentioned above, the moving one applied to a displacement and then the non-moving (I think?) one on a normal brush behind it. Add some particles for spray and it works fairly well. :)