For the life of me I suck at them and I really could use some help with a map. If you honestly have used them for more than the simple indoor hallway usage and have some time to help me out send me a PM or something. Thanks.

Monk

I think it heavily depends on you map particular design, I mean you should design your map with hints in mind. If you want to use them show some area or overview, etc.

Actually, you should design your map NOT to need Hint Brushes.

I don't know if you've seen it but this is the best tutorial I've seen on it: http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?doc=1043477348-95410300

It does only iterate the "simple indoor hallway" usage though. It should make you realise that the Hint brush is used in a "Line of Sight" manner though. problem is, this is when complicated brushwork and architecture can get in the way of using the Hint Brush. I think this is what Craftos was saying. You make your map so that placing Hint brushes is easy and doesn’t involve complicated brushes and architecture.

Maybe –IR-Andy or someone can help you with this, they might have some really good techniques for using the Hint Brush. I still rely on big walls and buildings :rolleyes:

The r_speeds aren't bad. In most places they stay low but in a few they hit 750-800 which I'd like to cut down. This map, though, does not have many buildings and though I've tried to use vis blocking to the best of my ability there are still a few areas that it assumes are visible when they are not. The real issue now is figuring out how to place the hints so that that it knows better what can and can't be seen. I'd post an overview, but it's really hard to see the issues from there. It's hard to explain this as you really need to see the map to understand. Anyhow, maybe I'll go PM a few people...I just don't know who has worked with outdoor hints before. =)

Guess I'll just keep tinkering.

Monk

If you get a good system for using hint brushes on outdoor terrain, write a tutorial. When I attempt to map every once and again, it's always an outdoor map, and I havn't found a good system for using hint brushes on it yet. If you find a way I'd like to read about it.

From what I've seen of the HINT Brush and outside terrain on the HL engine just don't mix. I don't see how the HINT brush can help you.

I can only get the HINT brush to work well on the "simple indoor hallway" principle, using "Line-Of-Sight" as a way of reducing what the HL Engine sees.

Maybe HL2 is you answer unless one of the l33t mappers can help you. ... :cool:

Originally posted by haircut
Actually, you should design your map NOT to need Hint Brushes.


Indeed that is very accurate. Before you start looking into hint brushes, you must first think about sound vis blocking. Hint brushes should only be used when you look at your geometry (via gl_wireframe 2) in game and say to yourself "wait, why is the engine drawing those poly's from this angle? Those should be hidden." In other words, hint brushes only work when the engine fails to hide brushes you think should be hidden because of the way you structured your geometry.

Vicenza used hint brushes very heavily. I'd like to craft up a large tutorial on it, but that is going to take some time. The best way for me to illustrate is to show you the compiles before and after I inserted hintbrushes, as well as show you exactly where the hint brushes were placed. R_speeds in some places went from 700s to 200s. But in may of these cases in Vicenza, when you look at the map in Hammer, and then in game, you'd probably say to yourself, "Why in the world did Izuno use hint brushes there?" But that is the rub with hints as I stated above. You essentially use them when you don't understand why the engine isn't blocking certain polys.

The caveat with this is that it takes much trial and error to fully understand how this works. Even after working with hints for a long time, it still took me many trials to get my final hints placed exactly right in Vicenza.

IR, you may want to add your thoughts.

Originally posted by izuno
gl_wireframe

wow, that is a very useful command, thx :)

Perhaps a bit of background on my mapping experience would have helped. I've actually fully built 10-15 maps and half built a numerous count of others. I've rarely found a use for hints as most of my maps have very good vis blocking. This map is not an exception except for one spot where I haven't found a way to block effectively without making changes that ruin the overall effect of the map. Anyhow, it seems what I'm stuck with is not a lot of options so I'll just probably leave the issue and see if it actually affects anyone. Sad part is most people on these forums seem to hate my maps so I guess it doesn't much matter. =) Ah well, the guys I play with enjoy them and so do I so...to each his own I suppose.

Thanks for the responses though.

Monk

Originally posted by Monk
Sad part is most people on these forums seem to hate my maps so I guess it doesn't much matter. =) Ah well, the guys I play with enjoy them and so do I so...to each his own I suppose.

heh ... I know what you mean :) It's difficult to make a custom map that people will actully play again and again.