Hi

I've got few problems that googling doesn't seem to answer

First of all, I want to use bunch of props in the map, especially stuff such as tables and chairs, cabinets and stuff..

1st problem is, in hl2 and cs:s models there seems to be total lack of prop_static tables and chairs, they're all physics ones. Is there a way I can force the physics ones to be statics ? This is extremely annoying, especially since I want to use few desk lamps and stuff, and moving them around makes lighting look stupid (I guess I could somehow bind the lights to lamps, but then again, I don't want the lighting to change in a room)

2nd, whenever I compile and try the map, most of the physics props (using multiplayer physics), the props have taken life of their own. I mean, cabinets have fallen, chairs are on (yes, on) the tables upside down, tables aren't anywhere near where they should be. what causes this ?

3rd, I can't find a link to a list of what all the tools textures do.. like Invismetal, black, clip, hint, origin, skip, nodraw_roof spring to mind. And what's the difference of nodraw and invisible ?

Actually, I dunno the difference between nodraw and nodraw_roof either.

4th, how I can fix this :

Error! To use model "xyz/åäö.mdl"
with prop_static, it must be compiled with $staticprop!

Make the furniture or w/e a prop_physics but go into its properties tab and hit disable movment.
A clip covered brush is an invisable brush that blocks the player from passing through it. As for the other textures, the SDK maps in the hl2 folder explain some of them, i cant rember what they do :(.

no draw doesnt draw, its pretty basic.

for props there should be a flag called "start off" this is a good thing because the props will remain static until a physics interaction occurs and also you dont want a lot of stuff to be falling over at the start of a round etc it causes lagg beyond belief.

in my experience you can use any prop any way ie.static,physics.

there are a few diff types of clip, pretty self-explanatory. Check out the collective for more - there is also a good guide to a lot of the new mapping and other features for source below

http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page#Source_Tutorials

careful tho, some of those tuts are intended for SP only; some pretty harsh physics effects for some of them.

glhf

I feel your pain etroks ... props are a pain to sort out.

Keep looking and keep asking questions, as the answers given are helpful to all of us.

I'm trying to list all the stuff I find here:
http://www.mardymouse.co.uk/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=32

If anyone has others to add to the list then just let me know.

Originally posted by etroks
3rd, I can't find a link to a list of what all the tools textures do.. like Invismetal, black, clip, hint, origin, skip, nodraw_roof spring to mind. And what's the difference of nodraw and invisible ?


Origin is likely the same as in the old HL1, it is used on a brush within an object such as a rotating door or roatation object, func_train or func_tank as the center about which the object moves. Origin brushes have origin on all faces.

Clip as has been mentioned prevents player movement. IIRC clip brushes have clip on one face and null on the others.

Hint is the tricky one, it is a way of overriding the vis calculation, allowing the skilled user to cut down on the poly count in areas. There are hint brush tutorials, it is too complex to explain in a sentence or two, but essentially a hint brush divides the area it cuts and by dividing the vis blocks improves the rspeeds. A hint brush only has hint on one face, the other faces are null, and the face with the hint on it is the one that is used to divide the vis blocks.

yo haircut this is a good one:
http://gamewag.com/hl2.html

Added BLU-82

Thanks

Tons of thanks for all the answers

Disabling until shot solved my phys prop problem (though now they zap around the places when shot, like if they were standing on a loaded spring)

But fear not, questions won't end here, I bumped into more trouble :)

I'd like to add some of enviromental lighting into rooms, basic lights tend to create pretty heavy shadows, which I want to avoid. How do I do this ? Same goes for fog. How do I control in which places the fog and lights show ? Can I use light_enviroment and env_fogcontroller at all ?

I assume I'd need to seal off an area or something, in which the fog / light is. How do I do this ? (Or do I ? :))

Also, I tried to create a light switch, shutting down 2 spotlights in a room. Switch does work (it animates), developer 2 shows that I'm getting "TurnOn X" and "TurnOff X" outputs on hit of the switch, but lights stay on. Is there some output in particular I should be using, or ..?

I'm not into optimization etc. yet, but I've created few stairs that worry me a bit. Can I group them, and create a func_detail out of them (it'd be easier to handle just one entity in editor anyway) ? Do they still work properly ?


I liked that hl2world link, there's just tons of well written stuff. 5 star material. Though don't read the catapult tutorial, I did that, and spent few hours creating trebuchets, catapults, ballistas and whatnots, and creating all sorts of ammos and reload mechanisms to them.

I smell a hl2 dm map in the making, now if somebody only would create a ragdoll cow model ..

Funny you should mention stairs. I saw a great tut about this and added it to my webby http://www.mardymouse.co.uk/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=35

You are right, you basicly use the func_detail for the steps, put the tools/nodraw texture on the unseen sides. You can then put a brush with the noclip texture around the stairs. This simplifies the map to give better performance.

Is there kinda of limit or a certain amount u would suggest not to exceed. Because i just realised i group together and make almost every brush into fun_detail :/