2 things

Well, I'm making a new map called dod_littlebridge
it's still in the works although it's my best map to date (that may not be saying much)

first, i would like to ask what entillity to use to get a sky view of the map (the ones you see on the official maps)

second. my map has water under the bride. but it appears invisible until i jump in.
i had forgotten to add a controler and when i added one and turned the compile from fast to normal bam! my waters gone. it's like a portal to the skybox and some rooms of my map.

Third. my bridge model (the one from kalt) is black and won't light....
help!

Some possible solutions...

Create overviews:
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Overview

You'll need to manipulate the targa image in Photoshop to get the overview to look like an official one. Then convert it to vtf.

Black props
Black prop statics sometimes have to have their lighting origins redefined with a info_lighting.

To configure your prop_static to use an info_lighting, see the key value lightingorigin in properties.

Black brushes
Change them to func_detail, or remake them

Water
Check for leaks and/or that you have all of the elemnts required to produce water.
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Adding_Water

thanks.
now that i mention it how about the pregame overhead spec camera views??

point_viewcontrol.

ok...thanks
and i got rid of the water freeing up space under the bridge for fights
(it adds more footage for battles and helps frames)

it's pretty much a semetrical map. i've worked hard to mirror everything on each side. Basically I'm looking at a map with a town house on one side with two stories and a flag in the entry/dining room (for the axis). on the Us. side they have a barn with lots of phys hay bails that make some fun game play when the nades start flying in there. (really there's only a short fps hit but it is significant for about less than a second) there's also a crypt under the map. I made it small with a flag because a I don't wanna make the map big and B. it would take time i don't have (but i might expand it). The map is just a basic map with few bells and whistles but i don't wanna make it too busy object wise. maybe pics later (like a week or so)