ArtPass_AshyKnuckles

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Hello everyone. First time mapper thought I'd give a try at the contest. My theme is basically Swamp/Forest and night. After that I'm not to set on things. I've mostly been trying textures and trying to get a good handle on displacement in Hammer. I have experience with 3DS Max, and Im really missing the ability to go to individual verts on a displacement lol,

As I gain experience with whats included in the toolset I should be able to update quicker. A big hurdle right now is not knowing what objects are in the toolset and what name they're under etc etc.

Critiques welcome, thanks for stopping by.
 
Last edited:
Nov 14, 2009
1,257
378
Looks quite nice! Remember, build your cubemaps. Also, the grass in the third screenshot looks like its HL2. To make sure your textures are TF2, put "tf" in the keywords section in the texture browser.
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Thanks for the feedback, the cubemaps arent built yet since I'm still getting the skybox error everytime I try to build them. I'm trying to enter to enter my config on (http://www.interlopers.net/errors/ ) as someone posted in another thread but I cant get to the site now. I know they had a fix listed for it when i first checked it. Everything there is TF2 the ground texture is the blend/ grass to mud its the same ground texture I have for the rest of the outside areas. If you mean the grass objects those are from the swamp pack.

I'm trying to solve the cubemap thing now and when I get that solved I'll update some more screens.
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Most of my work recently has been in getting the 3D Skybox to work. It amazes me how the same steps seem to deal different results lol but its working now.

The area outside of B is going to be open swamp. The house in the pic is just for size reference, its going to be replaced with an actual in theme house. The tree cards by the fence and in the distance are apparently HL2 cards so there going to get replaced. I really think they fit, so I hate to see them go. Alot of displacement work let to go in the skybox.

The building by A is textured but detailing isnt anywhere near done. The wall to the right of the entrance to the entrance to C is where the "breakroom" is. I'll be adding more rooms like through the C building. Going with spytech for that.

Critiques suggestions welcome.
 
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Swordz

L5: Dapper Member
Jun 27, 2009
224
37
Thanks for the feedback, the cubemaps arent built yet since I'm still getting the skybox error everytime I try to build them. I'm trying to enter to enter my config on (http://www.interlopers.net/errors/ ) as someone posted in another thread but I cant get to the site now. I know they had a fix listed for it when i first checked it. Everything there is TF2 the ground texture is the blend/ grass to mud its the same ground texture I have for the rest of the outside areas. If you mean the grass objects those are from the swamp pack.

I'm trying to solve the cubemap thing now and when I get that solved I'll update some more screens.

I get that skybox error everytime and i can build the cubemaps fine...
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Since a lot of the props I was thinking of using dont have a skybox version, I've gotten rid of my first 3D Skybox. My overall idea for the area outside the map is a flood plain. A red dam has collapsed flooding the area and evacuating most of the people around the base. Red is there protecting some secret macguffin 'til it can be removed. The game area is saved simply by virtue of the walls around the area. I might add random pools of water in the play area if I find a good spot for it.

The first image is my original attempt at the flood plain. The second is how it is currently. I need to vary the position and detailing on the building more. Add random boulders that got washed in by the flood water and add destroyed buildings. After that I'll add the 3D skybox to expand the area back more.

artpass_ashyknuckles4d0018.jpg



artpass_ashyknuckles4e0000.jpg


Thanks for stopping by critiques and comments welcome.
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Thanks still trying to fill in any dark spots on the map. Here is the area to the side of B. I'll use the skybox to fill in the area past here.

artpass_ashyknuckles4e0006.jpg
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Updated pics in OP (#2, 4, and 6). Progress was slow this go around since I had a lot of leaks after expanding the area by blue spawn.

Currently I'm working on the expanded area by created a few houses that are destroyed by flood waters and boulders. My understanding is that I take any complex brush work and turn it into a func_detail correct? Is there a tutorial on that whole process, didn't find it in the tut section.

Also as seen in the below pic. I'm gonna have water at the bottom of C. Right now it looks like water but if someone falls down and dies there, they don't fall into water. Ie the area under the water plane isn't fogged. No submerged sound effects etc etc. All the water tutorials don't seem to be for swimmable water so if someone could point me in the right direction it would be appreciated.

artpass_ashyknuckles50004.jpg


Thanks a lot. Comments and critiques welcome.
 
Nov 14, 2009
1,257
378
For water, all you need to do is make a brush with any of the tf2 water textures (search them). For the faces that wont be seen, make them nodraw.

Basicaly, func_Detal anything that doesnt block LOS. Thats how I think about it, atleast.
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
For water, all you need to do is make a brush with any of the tf2 water textures (search them). For the faces that wont be seen, make them nodraw.

Basicaly, func_Detal anything that doesnt block LOS. Thats how I think about it, atleast.


What I've been using for water so far is.

1. Brush with nodraw on all the faces

2. texture top face with one of the grey HL2 waters

3. Apply Func_Water_analog to brush


If I use the normal map looking water textures(tf2 ones) it shows as black and opaque.


Like this..

artpass_ashyknuckles50005.jpg
 

Draco18s

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 19, 2009
622
136
I don't think the TF2 water textures need func_water_analog.

At least, I don't use it and my water works just fine.

Edit:
Oh, that's why.

ValveWiki said:
A water brush entity that moves linearly along a given distance, in a given direction.

Only two materials are known to render correctly across all systems, these are nature/water_movingplane and nature/water_dx70.
 
Last edited:
Nov 14, 2009
1,257
378
As Draco said, just dont use func_water_analog.

Also, use one of the TF2 waters, not an HL2 one.
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Waters working after some weird errors where it was showing the skybox instead of water. Its working now so no complaints from me lol. Thanks a lot for the help. I'm currently expanding the area behind the Blue spawn(blocking out the skyline etc etc)and adding a room behind red spawn.

artpass_ashyknuckles5b0002.jpg


Also when I place some of the rock props I'm getting a weird shadow underneath. This happens on the props in the water area and the rock props that are on solid geometry.

artpass_ashyknuckles5b0003.jpg



Critiques and comments welcome.
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Updated Op with a couple new screens (#1 & 2 )

Added a room to the back of red spawn, I might add a train tunnel and make it sorta of an underground staging area thats now flooded. My plan is too add a few more partially submerged areas in non-gameplay areas.

Also a question one of the things I wanna have for the flooded rooms is electrical sparks for short circuiting electronics. I already have the lights set to flicker. I was wondering is there a spark particle in hammer?

Thanks, critiques and comments welcome.

artpass_ashyknuckles5b0004.jpg


artpass_ashyknuckles5b0005.jpg
 

Ashy Knuckles

L2: Junior Member
Aug 15, 2009
58
13
Slowed down a bit, some of the ideas I tried didn't bare fruit yadda yadda yadda, but I'm making progress. Here are some updated pics of what I'm working on. My main areas right now are making Blu spawn a more neutral area. I've added a huge building behind the Blu spawn. My goal is to make the industrial / spytech areas stand out from the alpine/ swamp setting.

artpass_ashyknuckles5b0012.jpg


My story now is instead of a nearby damn breaking/ being blown up. The Red side has some sorta Weather Dominator® . Things go haywire, surrounding area and base is being flooded. Blu is attacking to snatch up the secret to this awesomly destructive tech. The wooden alpine buildings are the remains of the abandoned town Red built the base at.


90% complete on the room behind Red spawn. Just need to add the water torrents that are filling the room.

artpass_ashyknuckles5b0011.jpg


I turned the building in front of A to an old distillery since I had the distillery details on it. I still need to finish the struts on the roof, and detail a little more then this are is done. Might add a second floor to the added area.

artpass_ashyknuckles5b0013.jpg


artpass_ashyknuckles5b0014.jpg


artpass_ashyknuckles5b0015.jpg