Compiling Tools

[Yuri]

Here is a question for all of you mappers out there --

What compiling tools do you use? (For HL1, of course) I have the ZHLT 2.5.3, and I would like to know what I can upgrade to. I know there is Merl's and XP-Cagey's and a few others, but what is the best and what different options do they have? A link would be useful, too.

Other questions, while I'm at it (somewhat unrelated)--
-How can you turn texture lights off and on? Does this require a specific compile tool or .fgd?
-When texture lighting, how can you estimate how bright the last digit will make the light in the lights.rad file?
-Is it possible to make a texture light that is "invisible," for example, using a model for a light fixture but actually illuminating a room with a hidden texture? (Since point lighting kinda sucks)
-Has anyone ever made moving shadows, and if so how?
-Can Hammer 3.5 beta be used with all compile tools, since I know it requires a custom .fgd for the model drawing?

 

[ComradeBadger]

None of it is fgd related.

Sorry, I'd be able to look at mine if I was on my PC ;(

 

[Computer5k]

Hammer 3.5 works fine for compiling.
I use zoner's 2.5.3 Custombuild 1.7
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?go=mhlt

 

[Ames]

XP-Cagey's : most recent and has the most features.

http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=21248

 

[Dux]

Here is a question for all of you mappers out there --

What compiling tools do you use? (For HL1, of course) I have the ZHLT 2.5.3, and I would like to know what I can upgrade to. I know there is Merl's and XP-Cagey's and a few others, but what is the best and what different options do they have? A link would be useful, too.

Other questions, while I'm at it (somewhat unrelated)--
-How can you turn texture lights off and on? Does this require a specific compile tool or .fgd?
-When texture lighting, how can you estimate how bright the last digit will make the light in the lights.rad file?
-Is it possible to make a texture light that is "invisible," for example, using a model for a light fixture but actually illuminating a room with a hidden texture? (Since point lighting kinda sucks)
-Has anyone ever made moving shadows, and if so how?
-Can Hammer 3.5 beta be used with all compile tools, since I know it requires a custom .fgd for the model drawing?

I personally use XP-Cageys for his excelent optimizations and the abillity to cram so much more detail into a map before running out of resources. But my mate like his Batch Cmpiler to bits - it's down personal taste really.

1) No, you cannot.
2) Example: +0~DRKMTLS2C 255 200 100 50000 R G B and Saturation. The higher the saturation the more intense it shall apear. But the RGB values also play a part. It's a combonation of all four.
3)Yes, just set it's render mode to texture.
4)You can't, impossible.
5) If the compile tools have been written for compatibillity with Hammer then, yes. Hammer has it's own compiler so use whatever.

Btw - for serious harcore mapping help head to here : http://www.interlopers.net

Mapping resource that a mate of mine nad myself have just started up for newbie and veteran mappers. Everything covered, lotsa tuts.

/pimp

 

[ComradeBadger]

On closer inspection.. I use XP-Cageys \o/



Ain't mapped in too long ;(

 

[Yuri]

Thanks I think I will get 3.5 and XP-Cagey's.

Dux-
I use Nem's Batch Compiler... but you can use any compile tools you want for that...

And for 1, I think I might correct you... Spirit of Half Life did it. Perhaps coding is required, but I just read an article at the VERC that said, in relation to texture lighting:

Further, this light cannot be turned off, so creating on/off textures for lights that one expects to switch should not be given qrad values: those lights need to be light entities.

note: further tool development has brought about the ability to switch texture lights on and off. Since this depends on third party tools rather than the default ones, this area will not be discussed here.

So I think you can, somehow, but I'm not sure where...

 

[The Dark Elf]

Thanks I think I will get 3.5 and XP-Cagey's.

Dux-
I use Nem's Batch Compiler... but you can use any compile tools you want for that...

And for 1, I think I might correct you... Spirit of Half Life did it. Perhaps coding is required, but I just read an article at the VERC that said, in relation to texture lighting: So I think you can, somehow, but I'm not sure where...

Whats the point asking a question you know the answer to then correcting someone who tried to help you.

Dux was right anyway in the contex of the question "can they be turned on/off" which they can't. He didn't answer the rest of that particular question.

 

[Yuri]

Whats the point asking a question you know the answer to then correcting someone who tried to help you.

Dux was right anyway in the contex of the question "can they be turned on/off" which they can't. He didn't answer the rest of that particular question.

I didn't mean to be rude... I just trust the VERC, since they are directly related to Valve, right? I'm terribly sorry if I was wrong, I just thought that it could be possible in some way...

But I did ask:

-How can you turn texture lights off and on? Does this require a specific compile tool or .fgd?

So I didn't ask a question I know the answer to, I was asking "how."

Guess I'm wrong then, and so is the VERC? I only wanted to know what "third party" whatever it was they were talking about.

 

[Hazar]

here's a link that I found usefull:

http://cariad.co.za/twhl/index.php?start=0

And I use the latest zoner's tools.

 

[Dux]

Texture lights cannot be turned off due to them emitting pre determind and unremovable qrad lighting. The only way to turn a light on/off is via a light_entity which isn't a texture light. The only way to can turn a light off is entity lights. You can toggle texture overlays on lights however to give that more detailed look.

 

[Yuri]

Texture lights cannot be turned off due to them emitting pre determind and unremovable qrad lighting. The only way to turn a light on/off is via a light_entity which isn't a texture light. The only way to can turn a light off is entity lights. You can toggle texture overlays on lights however to give that more detailed look.

Thank you, Dux, I appreciate it and I'm sorry for sounding rude.

 

[Dux]

Heh, no probs mate.

 

[ComradeBadger]

Texture lights cannot be turned off due to them emitting pre determind and unremovable qrad lighting. The only way to turn a light on/off is via a light_entity which isn't a texture light. The only way to can turn a light off is entity lights. You can toggle texture overlays on lights however to give that more detailed look.

He's right you know

The only minor plus point o of point lighting.

Oh, and the shadows thing is impossible in HL

 

[JFry]

You can toggle texture lighting, all you need is zoners tools (tho I imagine Cagey's would work as well). What you want to do is make a normal light entity, set its brightness to 0 so it doesn't cast any light itself, and give it a name. Click 'smartedit' then click 'add' and create a key called "style" with value of "-3". Next you want to turn the brush that has the light texture into a func_wall (you can even use a func_breakable or some other entities; feel free to experiment). All you have to do is give this the same name as the point-based light entity. Trigger it and it will toggle.

 

[Ti133700N]

You can also fake the moving shadows by creating an animated texture. Let's say you have a fan in your level and there is a light above it. Make an animated texture of the floor with the shadows of the fan on it. Then apply it on the floor under the fan. The illusion will be almost perfect (there won't be any shadows on your character).

 

[Yuri]

You can toggle texture lighting, all you need is zoners tools (tho I imagine Cagey's would work as well). What you want to do is make a normal light entity, set its brightness to 0 so it doesn't cast any light itself, and give it a name. Click 'smartedit' then click 'add' and create a key called "style" with value of "-3". Next you want to turn the brush that has the light texture into a func_wall (you can even use a func_breakable or some other entities; feel free to experiment). All you have to do is give this the same name as the point-based light entity. Trigger it and it will toggle.

Did everything you said, didn't work. Maybe an example map (a .bsp) of that would be cool...?

And Ti133700N, thanks for the cool suggestion, didn't think of that

And Dux, if you don't mind explaining what you mean by this:

You can toggle texture overlays on lights however to give that more detailed look.

 

[JFry]

Here's the rmf so you can see how it works:
http://swiftbadger.5gigs.com/maps/texswitch.rmf
and here's the bsp, just in case you want that:
http://swiftbadger.5gigs.com/maps/texswitch.bsp
And by toggle the texture overlays I think he means toggle the texture of the light on and off, just like the texture on a button toggles when you use it.

 

[Yuri]

Couldn't find uwad.wad But I made one, so its all good.

Anyway, I don't think you're actually turning off the texture light, there. I think you're turning off the point light... I tried moving the point light into a different room, and when pressing the button it turns off the point light (which shouldn't be on, since the brightness is 0... but it was anyway) However, the texture light stays on no matter what.

I think I'll go with Dux's explaination on that. And I don't think he meant that, either, Jfry, because I've already tried making the texture turn off but the lighting doesn't turn off. I'm sure Dux is right on this. But I'd still like to know what texture overlays he's talking about.

I was also wondering... are you using Spirit of Half Life, JFry? And does anyone know if a modification could change that?

 

[JFry]

woops! My bad it's been a while since I've used this and I explained it wrong. What you need to do is add the 'style' key with a value of '-3' to the func_wall with the light texture on it, instead of the light entity. Also change the brightness of the light entity to 0.1 as a value of 0 makes it still cast light (I think its a bug). My links above have updated with new files if that doesn't explain it clear enough. Sorry about the mistake.

 

[Yuri]

woops! My bad it's been a while since I've used this and I explained it wrong. What you need to do is add the 'style' key with a value of '-3' to the func_wall with the light texture on it, instead of the light entity. Also change the brightness of the light entity to 0.1 as a value of 0 makes it still cast light (I think its a bug). My links above have updated with new files if that doesn't explain it clear enough. Sorry about the mistake.

Wow! Thanks a lot, JFry... that seems to work perfectly!

But now I'm just completely confused Oh well, thanks a lot, I'll definately use this!

 

[JFry]

heh no problem glad I could help. It should be noted that when you use this it will sometimes register as an error when using 'check for problems' within vhe. This can safely be ignored.

 

[Yuri]

heh no problem glad I could help. It should be noted that when you use this it will sometimes register as an error when using 'check for problems' within vhe. This can safely be ignored.

Heh, figured. Trigger_cameras do the same thing.