VTF problems

[Beetle]

I tried making a really tall hill and smoothing the top off but it still didn't work the way I wanted it. Bits of corner still poked out.

Is slicing a different thing to clipping?

sounds to me like you don't quite understand displacements yet

 

[Mystic Monkey]

sounds to me like you don't quite understand displacements yet

Only from what you told me about it the day before and from the article on Valve Development Wiki. To save myself trouble I go to this wiki but either it doesn't have what I need to know or not using the right words to search for it.

With displacement I can make ground look rugged and from a square surface make a hill, but it's corners will still be at the bottom.

I also figured out that Disp Mask Solid show the entire cube than just the surface you're displacing.

But from what the article is telling me, I can only make displacement out of square surfaces with four sides while I have area's with 16 sides need to occupy.

 

[Beetle]

corners can be where ever you want them to be if you use different axis

turn every face into of a cube into a displacement and you'll see why that's not a problem.

 

[Mystic Monkey]

corners can be where ever you want them to be if you use different axis

turn every face into of a cube into a displacement and you'll see why that's not a problem.

Ooh, I think I am starting to understand!

But what did Steve mean by slicing exactly?

 

[Mystic Monkey]

For the time being (until I get a better understanding of Displacements) I replaced all the hill tops with simple cylindrical grassy hills.

But when I run the game, even just the decompiler, Hammer crashes.

Not only that but my entire computer feels a bit slow until I reset it. Such as loading pages or YouTube vids etc.

 

[Beetle]

Your compiler will be slow when every single brush is a world brush.

Also, your computer being laggy when compiling is pretty normal.

 

[Mystic Monkey]

Your compiler will be slow when every single brush is a world brush.

Also, your computer being laggy when compiling is pretty normal.

Ah cool.

Since I close dHammer down for today ages a go and still lagged up.

 

[Beetle]

Ah cool.

Since I close dHammer down for today ages a go and still lagged up.

if you know how to properly use func_details (among other optimization techniques), you won't have long compile times until you get really technical - like near the end of a valve-quality map.

but for now, func_details will help that x10000000

I downloaded your map, and it shouldn't take more than a minute, 2 at the most, to compile.

 

[Mystic Monkey]

if you know how to properly use func_details (among other optimization techniques), you won't have long compile times until you get really technical - like near the end of a valve-quality map.

but for now, func_details will help that x10000000

I downloaded your map, and it shouldn't take more than a minute, 2 at the most, to compile.

I'm still not sure how to created funct_details other than the developers article on it.

 

[Beetle]

I'm still not sure how to created funct_details other than the developers article on it.

you make it the same way you'd make any brush-based entity, but choose func_detail. Func_details should be used on small or complicated brushes and they do no block vis. and they cannot be used on clip brushes or displacement brushes. They also do not prevent leaks.

 

[Mystic Monkey]

you make it the same way you'd make any brush-based entity, but choose func_detail. Func_details should be used on small or complicated brushes and they do no block vis. and they cannot be used on clip brushes or displacement brushes. They also do not prevent leaks.

And I simply over-lay them over the smaller brushes?

Other than those blue pillars which I will replace sooner or later (making my own models not until much after) from what you have seen on my map, what would you recommend I func'd?

 

[Beetle]

And I simply over-lay them over the smaller brushes?

Other than those blue pillars which I will replace sooner or later (making my own models not until much after) from what you have seen on my map, what would you recommend I func'd?

No, they are ACTUALLY the brushes. I'd definitely func_detail all of your sphere grass brushes if you refuse to do displacements, and even if they aren't spheres, I'd still func_detail them.

 

[Mystic Monkey]

No, they are ACTUALLY the brushes. I'd definitely func_detail all of your sphere grass brushes if you refuse to do displacements, and even if they aren't spheres, I'd still func_detail them.

You recommended me to get rid of those spheres. I liked them but if they were causing problems I deleted them. It's not that I am stubborn not to use displacement, I just haven't fully understood them yet.

 

[henke37]

func_detail tells the engine that it's not worth the effort to have the brush affect visibility. It helps keep the compile times small by reducing the set of visibility zones. Apply it for anything that doesn't significantly change visibility. Like say, details.

 

[Mystic Monkey]

func_detail tells the engine that it's not worth the effort to have the brush affect visibility. It helps keep the compile times small by reducing the set of visibility zones. Apply it for anything that doesn't significantly change visibility. Like say, details.

So like, let's say I made something complex with brushes like a 3D star. the complexity of the shape will give Hammer Editor a headache, but putting a func_detail around it (or applying it to it?) will tell Hammer Editor not to worry about it?

 

[Beetle]

So like, let's say I made something complex with brushes like a 3D star. the complexity of the shape will give Hammer Editor a headache, but putting a func_detail around it (or applying it to it?) will tell Hammer Editor not to worry about it?

more or less

 

[Mystic Monkey]

more or less

I see, and I can use spheres for hills and as long as I func_detail it, it won't cause any problems?

 

[Beetle]

I see, and I can use spheres for hills and as long as I func_detail it, it won't cause any problems?

it'll cause less problems, but bad geometry is still bad geometry.

 

[Mystic Monkey]

it'll cause less problems, but bad geometry is still bad geometry.

Hm, I best keep with the cylinders then til I figure out displacements right.

But I think I am getting the hang of it. Those wooden supports I made for a small dock aren't gonna be used much so I func_detailed them.

 

[henke37]

If you wouldn't bother telling someone that they have to look around the brush then it shouldn't be used in visibility calculations.