Hello tf2maps.net! I'm a new mapper, and although I generally feel like I've been able to learn through lurking and osmosis, I've encountered a few things I have not been able to find any good information on and I'm going to ask them myself- I've attached several screen shots to help.
#1.
The biggest issue I have is with several light_spots casting checkerboard shadows onto a displacement. I don't understand why they're doing this- I've duplicated these lights elsewhere on the map (the red circled area of yellow light in one screen) and somehow have not duplicated this shadow issue, so I'm not sure what's doing it. Both rooms these lights are in have env_light from the skybox as well.
#2.
The blue circled area of the ambulance shot- I'm using several models that have reflective areas, and I'm not sure if I can change them from whatever there default is. I've been successful in building cube maps for reflections elsewhere on the map (glass windows, tile floors), but the ones on several vehicle models don't seem to change and do not reflect the skybox I'm using (sky_night_01). I just noticed in the console on the last compile after using buildcubemaps I get this:
*** 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'm not sure what this means, but I'm assuming it's probably part of my problem.
#3.
How do I animated the door frame in the last screen? Specifically the motor. I'm using two separate models fitted together, and the first bit works like a charm (slides up/down), but I have not done anything to get the motor bit on the door frame model to spin when it opens/closes. I'm not really well versed in how to use prop_dynamics, but I assume if I assigned the door model as it's parent it would just go flying up into the ceiling with the door. I have a feeling there's some kind of entity I don't know anything about to tie to the motor/frame to get it working.
#3.5
I'm using one of those shadow entities to direct how shadows are cast (I was following a tutorial to get the proper appearance of env_light relative to a skybox) and as you can see from the door shot, it makes most shadows not make any sense (ignoring other light sources). Is there something else I need to do?
Thank you in advance for anyone who can help me
#1.
The biggest issue I have is with several light_spots casting checkerboard shadows onto a displacement. I don't understand why they're doing this- I've duplicated these lights elsewhere on the map (the red circled area of yellow light in one screen) and somehow have not duplicated this shadow issue, so I'm not sure what's doing it. Both rooms these lights are in have env_light from the skybox as well.
#2.
The blue circled area of the ambulance shot- I'm using several models that have reflective areas, and I'm not sure if I can change them from whatever there default is. I've been successful in building cube maps for reflections elsewhere on the map (glass windows, tile floors), but the ones on several vehicle models don't seem to change and do not reflect the skybox I'm using (sky_night_01). I just noticed in the console on the last compile after using buildcubemaps I get this:
*** 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'm not sure what this means, but I'm assuming it's probably part of my problem.
#3.
How do I animated the door frame in the last screen? Specifically the motor. I'm using two separate models fitted together, and the first bit works like a charm (slides up/down), but I have not done anything to get the motor bit on the door frame model to spin when it opens/closes. I'm not really well versed in how to use prop_dynamics, but I assume if I assigned the door model as it's parent it would just go flying up into the ceiling with the door. I have a feeling there's some kind of entity I don't know anything about to tie to the motor/frame to get it working.
#3.5
I'm using one of those shadow entities to direct how shadows are cast (I was following a tutorial to get the proper appearance of env_light relative to a skybox) and as you can see from the door shot, it makes most shadows not make any sense (ignoring other light sources). Is there something else I need to do?
Thank you in advance for anyone who can help me