Overlays on func_brushes
In a portal map I'm making I need to put indicator strips on func_brush entities that are parented to a moving door.
This subject may have come up a few times before and I'm thinking it's not possible, but what hacks have people used to manage to do this?
I'm trying to get this to work too, So far you can only use decals on moving stuff like func_phybox but not overlays, which is very retarded.
One thing you could try would be to make two small func_brushes, textured with the on and off versions of the indicator strip textures. Have one of them starting disabled, and toggle them as needed.
This way, you will avoid the need for overlays entirely.
If I did this and put the indicator light func_brush over the top of the wall func_brush, it would create z-buffer fighting issues which looks ugly. I could put the indicator lights 1 unit away from the wall to avoid this issue but if the player looks at it from the side they will be able to tell that the indicator lights are actually separated from the wall.
Are there any other methods to do this?
The method is correct, you just have to make a hole the size of the indicator in the support.
But I agree... it's not a solution, it's more like a dirty workaround. But well... If they don't provide efficient tools, we can't make efficient maps.
So I've made a hole in the wall and put the indicator light func_brushes in. When you assign textures that have the overlay flag in checked in their .vmt file onto brush surfaces they appear see through in hammer but when it compiles the lights show up. So far so good.
Instead of using 2 func_brushes I just use 1 and use a env_texturetoggle entity to change the texture depending on if the button is pressed down or not.
Now the the wall and the indicator lights on it are parented to a func_door_rotating. When everything rotates the indicator lights go see through and you can see the cavity that I put the indicator light func_brushes in. The only way to be able to see the lights again is, strangely enough, to go out of the world with noclip and come back in, and the indicator lights reappear.
It seems that the indicator light func_brushes have to be "refreshed" for them to appear again. Any solutions on how to do this?
Make your own version of the texture by duplicating the VMT file and removing the "$decal 1" part from it.