That should definitely have been listed here before, it's really helpful.

Do the same limits apply to other projectors?

FelixGriffin wrote:
That should definitely have been listed here before, it's really helpful.

Do the same limits apply to other projectors?

All I know that the laser has a limit of hitting 8 reflection gel surfaces.

HMW wrote:
In other light bridge news:

Hahahaha... I love your subtle sense of humor, my friend On the other hand, thanks for the precise info about what causes that "stutter" the first time you use a bridge in a map (I had that issue in White Room remix and I used that other workaround of activating it, for some ppl is not "brief" but really annoying, depending on their computers) and for that awesome cheap method to preload that particle of the bridge!

EDIT

Hmmmmm.....hehe... bridges.... hmmmm... maybe to stop the cubes after they've been sent via the sedificator? REALLY interesting! :p

josepezdj wrote:
HMW wrote:

In other light bridge news:

Hahahaha... I love your subtle sense of humor, my friend On the other hand, thanks for the precise info about what causes that "stutter" the first time you use a bridge in a map (I had that issue in White Room remix and I used that other workaround of activating it, for some ppl is not "brief" but really annoying, depending on their computers) and for that awesome cheap method to preload that particle of the bridge!

EDIT

Hmmmmm.....hehe... bridges.... hmmmm... maybe to stop the cubes after they've been sent via the sedificator? REALLY interesting! :p

Remember sp_a2_column_blocker? Lasers go right through bridges.

FelixGriffin wrote:
Remember sp_a2_column_blocker? Lasers go right through bridges.

I know lasers go, but I am not sure if a cube that is travelling through the beam sent by the sendificator could be stopped in its way by a bridge... that was my instant thought. I think it could be cool

It is true though, that what the sendificator does is to send the cube right where the beam ends... not all the way through the beam...

josepezdj wrote:
FelixGriffin wrote:

Remember sp_a2_column_blocker? Lasers go right through bridges.

I know lasers go, but I am not sure if a cube that is travelling through the beam sent by the sendificator could be stopped in its way by a bridge... that was my instant thought. I think it could be cool

It is true though, that what the sendificator does is to send the cube right where the beam ends... not all the way through the beam...

I've never actually tried sendificating through a bridge, but the script traces out the path of the env_portal_laser by placing env_lasers and finding their endpoints. So if those are blocked by a bridge, the cube would be...

EDIT: Never mind. I just remembered there's a bit in there to let the beam go through glass. The beam can pass through any surface less than four units thick.

FelixGriffin wrote:
Do the same limits apply to other projectors?

From my testing, the only other thing that seems to be affected is the tractor beam.

josepezdj wrote:
Hmmmmm.....hehe... bridges.... hmmmm... maybe to stop the cubes after they've been sent via the sedificator? REALLY interesting! :p

Well, you can indeed stop a cube after it being sent. If that's indeed what you mean, then you have been reading my mind

http://www.tophattwaffle.com/protecting ... compiling/, http://www.tophattwaffle.com/downloads/vide/

Doesnt work
For some people who use "func_dustmotes".
If you have the problem that the alpha doesnt take effect, or you cant change the colour,
Just edit the sparkles.vmt and delete "vertexalpha" and "vertexcolour", or change them to 0.

Edit: Forgot about that, didnt work.

Here are two (hopefully) helpful tips!

To make underground mapping (and mapping in general) easier, you can change the draw distance of the models in the 3D view. Go to tools, options, 3D views, and adjust the model render distance. I changed mine to 1500 and it works pretty good .

The other tip is for people who can't get blend textures to render properly in hammer, go to your 3D view and hit "camera" near the top left of your view, and click 3D textured. Now the actual rust, moss, or whatever the blend texture allows you to manipulate will show up

Hope those help someone out

I thought pressing 1 does something similar.

yishbarr wrote:
I thought pressing 1 does something similar.

Pressing 1? As in on the keyboard?

Yes.

EDIT: I think it controls the visibility of distant brushes, and 2 does the opposite.

Also, if you're map has custom music, like a melodic track or whatever you want to keep playing while you're in a funnel, put it in sounds/vo/cavejohnson.

Fun facts:

1. Before you take images of your map, set your shader detail high and everything else high temporarily.

2. Mat_fullbright 2 lets you see bumpmaps! (It doesn't turn on fullbright though).

3. 3DS models (models in PTI) turn black when Mat_fullbright 2 is on. Weird.

Combine balls and energy balls calculate where they will bounce before they hit it. This means that when they hit a texture like grating or glass, there is a chance that the bounce particle will appear on the wall behind it rather than on it.

CamBen wrote:
Combine balls and energy balls calculate where they will bounce before they hit it. This means that when they hit a texture like grating or glass, there is a chance that the bounce particle will appear on the wall behind it rather than on it.

Some day, (where i was experimenting) i put some energy balls in a cube made of grates.
And then it looked really strange, because the bounce decals were on the outside walls,

Just my opinion, maybe helpful:

• Please waive lobbies where you're standing in front of an entry-door of the test chamber and you first have to wait 5 min. long because GLaDOS voice must listen to before the door opens and the test starts, something like that can be annoying and I think GLaDOS has nothing against to speak while you're in the test.

• We all know that the Env_projected_texture in motion gives a super great light. But sometimes it is just unfitting to put a moving Light/Shadow in really every room, at least I sometimes think that the sight of a 'silent' (meaning Light) room is much nicer.

• And please do not map unrealistic. For example, if walls are broken, or things are ripped out, you sometimes ask yourself how can this be happening. Therefore, please do not just map something destroyed at every place where is space for that. Or if a ceiling has collapsed, but the bottom is totally empty, or in the other way around. Just try to imagine what can happened to your testchamber (Overgrown/Reconstruct you know). This will make your map a little bit more realistic.

• BTS or Office parts, (i personally) dont like it that there is really every time "randomly" only one way the player can walk. I mean when the player is outside the testchambers, let the player explore a little bit. Also dont forget to detail hallways, or rooms, it is sad when long hallways are just empty without anything.

|Just my opinion|
EDIT: Ups, sry for double post, didnt saw that the last was mine.

That's the message that requires spreading, especially to those people who don't optimize their "PTI stage maps".

Just a random advice, if youre having some targets (static targets, where you dont need parenting), its better to use some logic_relays instead of info_targets. So you can save some Edicts

For visuals, when I am done with a map, I screenshot everything and then go over each screenshot. On every one, I come up with all ways that it can be improved and write them down. When you do this, don't think about how long it will take to do the changes, just do them. it will make your map a lot more realistic and fun to play.