Would this cave be optimazable?

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Mar

Banned
Feb 12, 2009
607
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Would it?

I've got a map idea on paper, but due to my in-experience in mapping I don't know if this idea is feasible and relatively simple to do in hammer.

I've got a 5 point cp map, and the 1st and 2nd point are standard fare.

the middle point thought is some cool shit.

It's about the size of badlands if you include the houses. It is a large cave with a rock bridge in the middle. On the 2 sides the teams come trough a few mine shaft and huge angled waterfall wall. The water fall kinda look like this.

\_
....\_ <--displacements with water flowing over it
..........\_
..............\ _ Cp
....................\_
.........................\_ Water pool under bridge

But it's flatter, not so bumby.

So my questions are, can I do stalgtites and stagalmites in hammer?

Can I have running water on displacements on my cave wall, so that it's cooler then a flat plane to run upon?

Are there any advantages by using a cave as a ceiling instead of a traditional rotating skybox?

And is all this water and displacements and unique litghing going to be optimazable consedering this will be a main battle ground?
 

Apom

L6: Sharp Member
Sep 14, 2008
366
65
So my questions are, can I do stalgtites and stagalmites in hammer?
Better do them with models. You could always try your luck with dispalcements, but I'm not sure it's worth it.

Can I have running water on displacements on my cave wall, so that it's cooler then a flat plane to run upon?
Sure, just use a running water texture like you would on a standard brush.

Are there any advantages by using a cave as a ceiling instead of a traditional rotating skybox?
The only difference is that rock walls will not emit light (although a skybox can be set to not emit light if you wanted to).

And is all this water and displacements and unique litghing going to be optimazable consedering this will be a main battle ground?
Open areas are by essence not optimizable, except for fade distance on props (but don't abuse it, it's really annoying in TF2 when you see props fading in/out). Although if the ceiling is reasonably flat (does not "cave in"), you could put it in a 3D skybox for cheaper rendering.
 

Mar

Banned
Feb 12, 2009
607
63
Well the cave does cave in, the entire area looks like a huge dome (semi-circle) with 2 sides cut away for the waterfall entrance. I guess this would be optimizable being that if that since the waterfall beginnings above the dome, if your in the cave, you can't see out of it.

And for Lighting, I was planning to due spotlights and such making it look like Red and BLU where building in this place.
 

Sgt Frag

L14: Epic Member
May 20, 2008
1,443
710
It's deffinately possible to do. Like you said the mid cap on badlands is pretty large and open. There was much optimizing they could do there. Sure a few of the rooms to the side might not render, and the buildings block view of the back areas, but it's wide open.

Displacements are easy for the engine to render. So if most of the cave is made from them it should be fine. You could probably make stalagtites by making a flat plane square displacement and pulling the middle vert out. Make you brush bigger round and pull that vert plus the ones around it out.... keep going and it should make a nice cone with good shading.

The running water can be a displacement just above the other displacements.
 

Vigilante212

L420: High Member
Dec 21, 2008
481
33
I found a good way to make pillars of stone or stalagtites

Start with a square make it three sections to the middle. Make the first section relativly thin say if the pillar was 100 units the first section would be 10. Now taper in all the sides equally that attach to the lower square so they have more then a 45 degree taper keeping them square. Now the next section should be 60 units. Do the same as you did to the first except make it so the part connecting to the thirt part is almost at what you want your finished dimension. For the third section take it to your finished dimension or to 4 units if its just hanging. Now turn the visable faces into a displacement and subdivide. Should look pretty decent. You may need to experiment.
 

Apom

L6: Sharp Member
Sep 14, 2008
366
65
I know that displacements are cheap, but still, 12 displacements for one single stalactite looks somewhat overkill...
 

Mar

Banned
Feb 12, 2009
607
63
Can a cone work as a stalgtite?
 

Sgt Frag

L14: Epic Member
May 20, 2008
1,443
710
It could but probably won't render as easy as a displacement, and I suppose you'll want alot of them.

Also it might not render shading as good, you might need to decrease lightmap size and use a smoothing group to make it look rounder and less sharp edged.
And that could be more of a performance hit too.

If you use displacements you could actually sew them into the ceiling floor and get a nice smooth transition.

Now I'm curious to see how it would look so I'll make some toonight when I get home and post screens or upload a vmf.
 

Mar

Banned
Feb 12, 2009
607
63
It could but probably won't render as easy as a displacement, and I suppose you'll want alot of them.

Also it might not render shading as good, you might need to decrease lightmap size and use a smoothing group to make it look rounder and less sharp edged.
And that could be more of a performance hit too.

If you use displacements you could actually sew them into the ceiling floor and get a nice smooth transition.

Now I'm curious to see how it would look so I'll make some toonight when I get home and post screens or upload a vmf.


Cool, link to post?