Request for the next Valve letter

[Spike]

I would want you guys to include this on the next TF2 letter to Valve.

They could add a reference picture layer into the 2D views, that way we could draw a layout and build the map on it without having to think about scaling things up or down.

This is used in all modelling programs, but it could be very useful in Hammer too.

For those who doesn't know what a rotoscopy image is, here's an example:

 

[Engineer]

This would be very usefull

 

[Dustoxx]

hmm, not really sure if it's handy. The only thing i can come up with is that you can remake other maps.

For what would you use it?

 

[MungoKing]

Quite a few people like to plan out maps ahead of time in a 2D view. Some examples are Stonefrog's map or Mangy's tutorial on fast and easy mapping.

 

[Artesia]

drawing a layout and being able to load the .jpg as a reference plane without making a .vmt and .vtf and applying it to a giant brush. This reference plane would be ignored by the compiler.

 

[Spike]

hmm, not really sure if it's handy. The only thing i can come up with is that you can remake other maps.

For what would you use it?

Pretty much what Artesia said. You can draw the layout in a paper, scan it and put it on Hammer and you build the map on the reference picture without worring about if you're doing the wrong sizes (cause you already know the proportions you made on the paper).

 

[Mar]

That would be super sexy. So sexy... I think I would need to change my pants.

 

[A Boojum Snark]

/me makes cp_ladyface

 

[StoneFrog]

I've suggested this before - it'd be a GREAT help for clippping out things such as windowframes and arches that appear on textures!

 

[jpr]

I did it once by adding a custom texture

 

[YM]

Odd idea, your dimentions would be way off it would take masses more time and effort than its worth to make your drawing have consistant sizes.

 

[Hawk]

A few suggestions:

- The ability to embed custom objects and textures on compile, instead of doing it afterward with Pakrat.

- Make it so when you use your mouse wheel in the Texture browser, it scrolls through the textures rather than scrolling to previous text searches.

- The ability to rotate the skybox texture (in case you want the moon or mountains or sunset to appear from a different ange in your map). I know you can rotate your entire map, but wouldn't it be neat to just tell the skybox texture to rotate 90 degrees in your map properties instead?

 

[SiniStarR]

even if you couldnt see do the whole map with it, it would be extremely helpful getting pieces of concept art into hammer, rather than looking back at picture

 

[An Icy Mouse]

- Make it so when you use your mouse wheel in the Texture browser, it scrolls through the textures rather than scrolling to previous text searches.

uh.... it already does??

 

[A Boojum Snark]

- The ability to embed custom objects and textures on compile, instead of doing it afterward with Pakrat.

- Make it so when you use your mouse wheel in the Texture browser, it scrolls through the textures rather than scrolling to previous text searches.

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Bspzip add it in with expert compile mode or whatnot.
Pakrat is just a 3rd party tool that supposedly makes it "easier", but the original function comes from that valve tool. I find it easier because I can just maintain the content list, adding an item every time I use something, and then it's always up to date and there is no having to make sure everything is there and nothing was missed.

The scrolling: the search box is just the default focus, click on a texture to focus the texture pane, and then you can scroll it.

 

[Spike]

The ability to embed custom objects and textures on compile, instead of doing it afterward with Pakrat.

I'm codding a program like pakrat but it embeds all custom content automatically, without having to select one by one. Pakrat auto function doesn't work at all.

 

[SiniStarR]

I'm codding a program like pakrat but it embeds all custom content automatically, without having to select one by one. Pakrat auto function doesn't work at all.

correction, it "almost works" i had some custom models, and it took the models but not the textures. thankfully i caught it before i released it today. would have been bad times.

 

[Spike]

correction, it "almost works" i had some custom models, and it took the models but not the textures. thankfully i caught it before i released it today. would have been bad times.

It doesn't work at all if it doesn't include model's materials, It just takes world materials and models. I think it doesn't even include most of the vtfs, basetexture2, bumpmaps etc.

 

[Hawk]

My workaround for Pakrat has been to place a small brush in an out-of-the-way area that uses my custom model's material. I do one for each custom model. For some reason, Pakrat will notice your material if it's on a brush somewhere.

But I still think it would be really nice to just check a box to automatically include custom models... especially if Valve already has the programs to do it.

The scrolling: the search box is just the default focus, click on a texture to focus the texture pane, and then you can scroll it.

Thanks, I'll be sure to give that a shot.

 

[Rexy]

Someone likes lightwave!