Hello and a few questions...

[kimangroo]

Hi all.

I've been lurking here for a couple of weeks now since I started on my first map and the site has been really helpful for most of my noob needs, so thanks for that!

Still got a bunch of kind of general questions that I've been mulling over for a while but now (half three on a Wednesday morning) seems as good a time as any to ask :

SOUNDS:

1) I want to make some mp3 loops to play in env_soundscapes . I read that you need to make your mp3's loopable to do this properly (add cue points to the file or something, not just use a timer to play the sound repeatedly). Does anyone know a free/open source editor that can do this? If not, can anyone recommend a light commercial editor instead?

2) The maximum volume you can get for sounds in the map is 10, but that seems really quiet compared to other in game sounds such as gunshots, taunts etc... Is there anyway to boost the volume for ambient_generics or other custom sound. I already have edited my mp3s/wavs to maximum amplitude, but when an explosion is quieter than the scout's pistol shot... well it's kind of underwhelming.

MODELING:

1) I've never done any modeling before, but thought I'd give it go for my map. What modeling program do you guys recommend for ease of use and compatibility with hammer and source?

***EDIT***
2) What are the benefits/demerits of making models in third party programs and then importing them into hammer? I guess it's easier, does it make the map slower/faster? I spent an intense, zen like few days last week, trying to make a spherical/curved glass wall. I kept on thinking I had got it, only to find it was completely messed up on compile. I ended up making the thing entirely out of triangular pyramids to get the faces to match perfectly. It was a crash course in vertex editing, but I wonder whether there were any benefits doing it this way rather than in a third party program...
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LOGIC:

1) Are there any good tutorials on using basic logic in maps, explaining when and how to use logic_relay, logic_compare etc... I can usually get the logic I need working by trial and error, but I'd like to know the right way to do things.

...

Damn, I had loads more questions that I wanted to ask, but they've slipped my mind now...

Can anyone help with what I've asked so far?

 

[Spike]

Modeling asnwer:

Download XSI MOD tool, Valve use that program for making the games and is very very good program.

http://www.softimage.com/products/modtool/default.aspx

2nd model question: models are always less expensive to render than brushes. So if you want to make complex objects like trees, etc model them because it looks nicer and you will compile faster and game would have more FPS.

 

[kimangroo]

Thanks a lot Spike, I'll check XSI out.

Just one more question, what are the disadvantages to using models rather than brushes? Could you make the entire map in a modeling program and make it run faster than if you had made it in hammer?! I'm kicking myself, because I spent so long making this curved glass thing out of brushes. I was thinking, if it's this hard to do, it's got to be better/faster/lighter in some way.

 

[Spike]

The only disavantage is that models don't block VIS. That means that the engine will see throught the models. For example, you have 2 rooms and a wall separates them, you won't see throught the wall, but the engine will render all things behind the wall, it will calculate all things behind it.

Making a whole map made by models would be imposible because your computer will be calculating all map polygons and this means you would have very low FPS.

Excuse me about my english

 

[MacNetron]

At logic:
It's on my mind creating some sort of "Fun with logic" tutorial, but as always, didn't found the time yet to make one.
For now, you might consider posting in the The Entity Test Request Forum. Dirtyminuth (and me to some extend) might have a look at it.
For the quick starter, check the thread at Interlopers which helped me getting things knowing better: "If... Then..." logic?

 

[kimangroo]

The only disavantage is that models don't block VIS.

Gargh. That means I really was wasting my time making a glass wall from triangle brushes!

Excuse me about my english

Huh? You're not a native speaker?! Could have fooled me... except you added an an extra "t" on the end of through


@ MacNetron, if you ever do find the time, I'm sure a quick tut on logic and the different ways to use the entities would go down a treat! Thanks for the links though, I'm going to look at the thread, mess around some more and then post in the request thread if I can't get it right.