Once a map has been compiled and lit by VBSP and VRAD (respectively), the cubemaps can be built. Run the map and allow the any node graphs or other pre-process activities to finish. Then use the buildcubemaps console command to begin building the cubemaps for the level. In the upper left-hand corner of the screen you’ll be able to see each facet of the cubemap (six per cubemap) render. Depending on your video card, driver and complexity of your scenes, this can take seconds or minutes to complete. Once finished, the map must be restarted for the cubemaps to properly be applied to all surfaces.
Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2 does not have a default cubemap applied to reflective surfaces. Everything shiny will shine with a pink and black checkered texture. If you were to build cubemaps now and one of your cubemap is able to see a large shiny surface; the cubemap will register that in its 6 images. That means some objects might shine as if there was something shining next to it with the pink and black texture. To solve this, you need to build the cubemaps with specular turned off. To build cubemaps for your TF2 map, load it up via "Create Server". Then, go to the console and execute the following commands:
Code:
mat_specular 0
buildcubemaps
mat_specular 1
disconnect
sv_cheats 1
mat_reloadallmaterials
sv_cheats 0