Portal aid

[PortalStormzzzz]

I have no idea how to map with portal. Are there any tutorials?

If not, how do you make a non-portal floor?

 

[Operational]

I haven't played around with it myself, but there should be an example Portal map (level 14 or something) that you can look at.

You might also want to take a look at these pages
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Level_Design
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Tutorials

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

Big help, thanks. That has a load of stuff to learn.

 

[Kyorisu]

Non portable floors/walls is a by texture thing. Each texture has a text file associated with it which tells the compiler/game engine what to do with it. Most metal textures from Portal have no_portal 1 or something similar. Now that the Orange Box SDK is out theres nothing extra you have to do except for thinking about using portal_bumpers, check out the example map and look for the brush based ents near the edges of metal surfaces.

And whilst I'm being nice have a look at what I'm cooking up.



By no means a map that will actually challenge people, just something to get my mind back into mapping. I have not used Hammer in some time.

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

nicely done map.

Also, how do I create a round door that opens when you're near it?

 

[Kyorisu]

My memories hazy you require a trigger entity that fires when you enter it to open the door and fires again when you leave it to close the door. I'll see if I can quickly make you a template to copy/paste into anything you need.

Here you go http://www.adam.com.au/pom007/door_auto_openclose.vmf

Have a look to see how it all works. The door models are dynamic and each have their own parent. The parent entity is the actual func_door covered in the trigger texture. Move the doors away and you should be able to see them. The other big box covered in trigger controls when to open/close the doors. As I wrote earlier when you enter this the doors open, when you exit it the doors shut. Easy.

If you want multiple doors of this kind in the same level you will have to change each items name field and the models parent field to door_2 or something, otherwise it will be opening both sets of doors.

 

[Confuseded16]

Kyorisu what was the black metal texture you used in that map called? and did you use the same thing for the metal poles?

 

[Kyorisu]

In the texture browser you can sort by keywords, scroll down to portal. The wall metal texture is metalwall048b, floor metal is metal_modular_floor001. The pistons use metal_lift001, metalwall_bts_006a for the connection pieces and metal_lift001_gradient where it goes orange. Check valve's example map.

 

[Confuseded16]

whenever i put in that keyword hammer locks up, i dont have anything else running on my computer should i reinstall sdk?

edit: nvm i got it to work by starting out with a narrow search and switching to portal, then taking out the filter slowly, maybe my comp just takes a while to filter everything out at once

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

Yea, I've got an 8-core CPU (don't ask how) and hammer locks up every time.

 

[Unarmed]

8 core? How?

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

8 core? How?

Let's just say a friend of a friend works at AMD.

 

[Kyorisu]

Wouldn't that be the 2x 4core setup? Frankly that's just stupid for a desktop solution, the transfer time between CPUs makes the whole thing rather pointless. Hammer is probably locking up because you're being impatient. Select the filter you want and wait, clicking anything in the hammer windows seems to make it die.

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

Hammer locks up when ever I play the map from it. I Always have to quit and then re enter it.

Oh yea, 8 core isn't much, especially when there are no drivers for them. There in my machine, but totally useless until the drivers are out. I suppose their just spares for now. I think they are just 2 4 cores. it's still 8 though.

 

[Kyorisu]

Drivers for a CPU uh no, just no. I'm know you're talking out of your arse now. As for 2x4 I meant 2x4 core CPUS hence you'd have AMDs 2x CPU board which is the only way to have 8 cores on a desktop machine. Meanwhile you don't understand how multi-core works. Any cores above 2 are seemingly useless on a desktop environment until desktop applications are properly multi-threaded.

Go run this and take a screenshot and post it here or PM me http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php I dare ya

You're well on your way to a degree in BS.

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

I've got one of those thingies AMD is working on where they take 2 quad cores and make 8. I don't have a damn clue how it works, nor if I'm even saying things about it the right way. Your right though, it's absolutly useless until programs use it right. Until then, it makes things process faster. I think this is it from some article: http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/31977/135/

I still need help with doors though.

Back on target, where are these trigger multiple thingies. I'm a complete noob.

 

[Kyorisu]

trigger_multiple is a brush based entity. Create any sized box and click "to entity" which is on the right hand side bar. Then goto the objects properties alt+enter and use the drop down list.

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

I'm confused. So far all I can do is make a brick wall open like a door sideways, but not a physical prop for a door. How do I do this?

I know I sound more and more like a noob, but I am really lost.

 

[Rapstah]

The thing you do is that you make the physical brush door invisible, then create a prop_dynamic and parent it, that is make is move with the brush, to the brush.

 

[Kyorisu]

Cough look at this I posted earlier http://www.adam.com.au/pom007/door_auto_openclose.vmf

Save as and open it with hammer and have a look.

 

[PortalStormzzzz]

See, I'm such a noob I didn't even know I could download that:rolling:. Thank you for telling me that. Now I can have a look in the morning (It is 2:30 Am and it is time for me to sleep)