Odd graphical glitch...

RndmNumGen

L1: Registered
Mar 1, 2010
11
0
I was finishing up my first map when I encountered an odd graphical problem I can't resolve... any glass or metallic surface I have reflects the infamous pink/black squares in what appears to be the shape of my trigger brushes(the glass and metal itself displays properly, just the reflection is messed up). In addition, a small amount of my walls(~5%) turn a dark purple when I'm testing the map, but show up normal in the hammer editor. All my walls use the same texture(dev_measuregeneric01) and none of the offending walls have anything tied to them.

EDIT: I would post screenshots, but whenever I hit print screen in the game nothing gets recorded to the clipboard except blackness.
 
Last edited:

RndmNumGen

L1: Registered
Mar 1, 2010
11
0
You do have cubemaps built right?

Yeah. Around 20 of them; one near each reflective surface, and several scattered around the map in general.

I opened up the console and took some screenshots. I was also given an error message which looks like it has something to do with it.
 

Dark

L4: Comfortable Member
Nov 27, 2009
159
137
no haveing them built is different from haveing them
here
sv_cheats 1
mat_specular 0
buildcubemaps
mat_specular 1
disconnect
mat_reloadallmaterials

i think that that is correct
 

RndmNumGen

L1: Registered
Mar 1, 2010
11
0
Hmm... doesn't seem to work. After I put in 'mat_specular 0' the problem goes away(as well as the reflections, obviously) but it comes back when I put 'mat_specular 1' on.

Also got the following error on launch:
Code:
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'
Failed, using default cubemap 'engine/defaultcubemap'

and after putting in 'buildcubemaps'
Code:
Current mod isn't in a subdirectory of "game"!
bounce: 1/1 sample: 1/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 2/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 3/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 4/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 5/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 6/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 7/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 8/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 9/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 10/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 11/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 12/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 13/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 14/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 15/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 16/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 17/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 18/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 19/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 20/21
bounce: 1/1 sample: 21/21
*** Error: Skybox vtf files for sky_night_01 weren't compiled with the same size texture and/or same flags!
Can't load skybox file sky_night_01 to build the default cubemap!
 

Tapp

L10: Glamorous Member
Jan 26, 2009
776
215
might I add that a good way to setup screenshots is to open up your config.cfg file with notepad (look in your c:/program files/steam/steamapps/username/team fortress 2/tf/cfg folder) and add the following to the end:
;jpeg_quality 100; bind "f5" "jpeg";
and press f5 to take screenshots in jpeg format!
 

lucky

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
May 25, 2009
583
145
I really hyope they fix the black screenshots soon -__-
[for directx games on win7]
 

RndmNumGen

L1: Registered
Mar 1, 2010
11
0
So... anyone know what this means or how to fix it?

Error: Skybox vtf files for sky_night_01 weren't compiled with the same size texture and/or same flags!
Can't load skybox file sky_night_01 to build the default cubemap!

I have a feeling that's the root of the problem.
 

Cynick

L4: Comfortable Member
Feb 7, 2010
153
284
So... anyone know what this means or how to fix it?

Error: Skybox vtf files for sky_night_01 weren't compiled with the same size texture and/or same flags!
Can't load skybox file sky_night_01 to build the default cubemap!

I have a feeling that's the root of the problem.

Actually that happens a lot, Valve did something screwy with their skyboxes and the compiler complains, but it shouldn't affect building cubemaps.

I use (with non-HDR compiles):

sv_cheats 1
mat_specular 0
buildcubemaps
mat_specular 1
map <yourmapname>

I think the problem comes from the fact that IIRC, TF2 doesn't have default cubemaps. Therefore, when you build cubemaps, if mat_specular isn't 0, then your cubemaps will be built, but they will see the pink reflection and make that part of the cubemap. (Remember to turn mat_specular 1 again afterwards)
 

Tehrasha

L3: Member
Nov 5, 2009
115
28
Code:
Added to my config:::
alias build_all "sv_cheats 1; mat_specular 0; buildcubemaps; mat_specular 1; disconnect; mat_reloadallmaterials; sv_cheats 0"

build_all
map $mapname

This takes care of the majority of the purple for me, but still leaves a few purple artifacts behind. Mainly very fine purple lines on things like glass and reflective tile. But the big purple squares are gone. Even loading another map, and returning back to mine does not clean it all up.

The only way I have been able to get all of the purple to disappear is by quitting TF2 and relaunching after the build. Tedious, but it has worked every time.
 

RndmNumGen

L1: Registered
Mar 1, 2010
11
0
Hey, that worked! Well, it fixed the pink and black problem at least. The purple textures still cause problems, but they're far less annoying than the squares.
 

RndmNumGen

L1: Registered
Mar 1, 2010
11
0
Code:
Added to my config:::
alias build_all "sv_cheats 1; mat_specular 0; buildcubemaps; mat_specular 1; disconnect; mat_reloadallmaterials; sv_cheats 0"

build_all
map $mapname

This takes care of the majority of the purple for me, but still leaves a few purple artifacts behind. Mainly very fine purple lines on things like glass and reflective tile. But the big purple squares are gone. Even loading another map, and returning back to mine does not clean it all up.

The only way I have been able to get all of the purple to disappear is by quitting TF2 and relaunching after the build. Tedious, but it has worked every time.

Ah... thanks, but it doesn't seem to work. Neither reloading the materials or restarting TF2 got rid of the purple :/