The stupidest mapping mistake you have made

[FloofCollie]

But why not just use the cordon tool to make a big box of 2D sky around the map instead?

That's what I thought they meant.

 

[I dinne ken]

For months I didn't know that right clicking made displacements go down so I had been fiddling with putting negative numbers in the distance box.

Oh, and I also didn't know that you could also apply textures in any mode with right click so I was manually clicking the mode box and going down to apply every time I wanted to place a texture.

 

[Muddy]

I actualy still do this while the map is in alpha state (realy, if this extra processor cost would already be a problem in alpha, there are much bigger problems in the map). So for timesaving i actualy think that during alpha its a good thing to do that. Although when doing that a normal compile on vvis should still be done since the small tricks a fast compile can normaly do, these no longer work with such poor skybox. It shouldnt be any problem to render almost the entire skybox around it because in the later versions of the map, the detail is going to be way heavier.

But in that case, why not just use cordon?

 

[Da Spud Lord]

Using nodraw for clipping.

 

[Etasus]

waitwaitwait... nodraw can be used for clipping? I've been trying to find a way to clip some catwalks in portal 2, so that a ball won't fall through them, and none of the clips work... would you tell me that nodraw works?

 

[Da Spud Lord]

waitwaitwait... nodraw can be used for clipping?

Kinda, but it causes weird problems with lighting and seeing through roofs. That's why its on a list of stupid mistakes.

 

[Diva Dan]

That doesn't happen if you make them func_detail. But you most likely shouldn't be doing that anyways

 

[Beef Bucket]

I think I went about three months without a single height difference that wasn't 256. Then I figured out that large height differences are bad so I spent two months after that adding 64 unit bumps everywhere for no reason

 

[UKCS-Alias]

But in that case, why not just use cordon?

Its just a habit, i do those temp skyboxes in a visgroup so i can always turn them on when needed. Which is a good thing during test compiles in a beta. You can quickly turn on the group to see if the detailing you did ended out the correct way. Where you can keep the cordon to just limit hammer in its visibility which on larger maps can prevent a cluster of lines in the top, side etc views.

But even then, its always a good habit to still check your skybox for leaks since those are the ones mostly visible. The ones which make a zigzag between some brushwork essentialy will never show the outer box. And on that part vvis will keep to work properly on the higher part of the map.

But the point i wanted to make is that during an alpha vvis doesnt have to be optimal yet. You shouldnt be detailing your map in that state anyway and with a low detail map. Your game should be able to render all 32 players fine. Although with a slightly decent skybox you quickly reduce that to half.

Any effort you take during mapping is going to be a pain when you would have to undo it. With low effort this is less of a pain since you arent feeling like you are throwing away some hard work.

 

[UKCS-Alias]

would you tell me that nodraw works?

Its how they clip the tank above the hatch in mvm maps.

 

[Erk]

I have become death, destroyer of worlds.

 

[Viemärirotta]

I have become death, destroyer of worlds.

You'll never cut my visleaves!

 

[Micnax]

I have become death, destroyer of worlds.

I really hate that section not resetting back to Block after switching to Arch or Sphere, but I'd probably be more annoyed if it did.

 

[Crowbar]

I really hate that section not resetting back to Block after switching to Arch or Sphere, but I'd probably be more annoyed if it did.

That's why modern software's philosophy is the more stuff has settings and is flexible, the better

 

[GreenLemon]

turned VRAD off and forgot to turn it back on, the light was missing, changing things in map, compiling again, reseting settings, build some test map, copiing again, light still missing
and just before reinstalling tf2, i notice it

or this , but i don't really now what this is (and its from today) :

 

[GreenLemon]

image won't show up, i do it mannualy

 

[Viemärirotta]

Missing texture?

 

[suber36g]

Would missing textures be purple checkers rather then nothing?

 

[Viemärirotta]

Yes, unless it's a displacement, at least from my experience.

 

[suber36g]

maybe it just a see-though brush and it in a skybox. which mean it could be fake. DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUNNN!!!!

Spoiler

or maybe I'm just bored and can't think of anything else...