mapping tips for a noob?
Does anyone have tips for making maps look more like the test chambers in the game? Also, how would I light a whole room, without having one extremely bright spot?
Wow this is a really vague subject line with a really vague question.
But as long as the subject is unclear, I might as well squeeze in a question without starting a new topic:
For the life of me, I cannot find the texture for the shiny metal tile floor! Does anyone know? Is it missing from my setup?
In the texture browser, type in "Portal" in the keywords-field. Optionally you can also type "Metal" in the filter-field. With the first you'll get all Portal-textures, with the second all metal textures. In combination, you get all Portal metal textures. But note in which field you type the words! If you type Portal in Filter and Metal in Keywords, you'll end up without textures in the field.
EDIT:
Oh, one tip I can give you for the test chambers: make sure all textures are aligned. Make all brushes powers of 2, that's easier (64, 128, 256 and such). Use the correct textures and correct props at the correct places, with which I mean use BTS-metal in BTS-areas and test chamber metal in test chambers.
Also always check your map for leaks. Leaks are real showstoppers. They prevent visleafs from being created, and they result in icky lightning, which means you cant really see what your ligntning really looks like.
"Duct Tape is the answer."
Your best best is to download the decompiled test chambers and refer to them. This will show you exactly how things are done and where a lot of the lighting is. Also, go back and play the game from time to time. Take screenshots.
About the lighting, if you play through the game again and look carefuly, you'll see lighting coming from the floor at the sides of the room, or 'recessed lighting'
I used to have a tutorial for this somewhere, but I think I've lost it. Basically, there's a channel in the floor with a light emitting texture (search for recessed in the broswer). You can change the lightmap scale of the texture to make it more, or less, blotchy.
Observation rooms also provide a lot of light to the chambers. They generally use a light_spot behind the glass, pointing into the chamber. This, combined with the textured lighting used on the edge strips, usually provide adequate lighting.
Some chambers also cheat a bit, by using normal light entities with a high "constant" value, which provides more even lighting.
For the texture question, you can identify a texture's name in-game, by pointing at it, and using the console command "mat_crosshair". This will return the name of the texture.
For the texture question, you can identify a texture's name in-game, by pointing at it, and using the console command "mat_crosshair". This will return the name of the texture.
wow man thats a kick ass command thanks!
ok, how about I reword this with a less vague wording:
Is there any specific way to position the metal wall textuers (as in smaller squares near important areas)?
Also, are there any prefabs or tutorials on how to make the panels move out and angle?
In general, there are more small metal squares closer to the floor of a room and they get larger the higher up. Of course there are still other sizes of squares interspersed throughout and there are also a few instances that completely ignore this "design rule".
Look at the official levels and play around with placement yourself to find a style that is visually pleasing.
How would I go about doing that? (or where)