I got a few...
- Lightmap Editing
- Placing Invisible Brushes in Light Strokes.
- Fixing getting stuck...

For instance, I wouldn't consider "Placing Invisible Brushes in Light Strokes" or "Fixing getting stuck" as small final touches but as rather freaking important.

This makes me wonder, do you have:
- portal bumpers
- hint brushes
- area portals
- indicator lights
- etc.

-Gradient overlays on recessed lighting
-Check cameras detach properly
-Check cubes respawn if they're fizzled
-All textures properly aligned, unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.

Don't forget to build your cubemaps (if you're using any) in both LDR and HDR modes, and make sure they don't cause any weird, unrealistic reflections.

 mat_specular 0
 buildcubemaps
 mat_hdr_level 0 (to go to LDR)
 map mapname (to reload map)
 buildcubemaps
 mat_hdr_level 2 (to go back to HDR)
 map mapname (to reload map)
 mat_specular 1

Most of that is unnecessary. You just need to do:

buildcubemaps
mat_hdr_level 0 (or 2 if you were already at 0)
buildcubemaps
mat_hdr_level 2 (or 0 if you started at 0)

Remmiz wrote:
Most of that is unnecessary.

mat_specular is mostly useful in TF2 maps, because alot of the time the default cubemaps show up as missing textures and, as a result, the next built cubemaps will record those in it.

but that's because of the skyboxes in TF2; in portal you don't have to worry about skyboxes, so yeah, it is ununnecessary

hope I didn't forget something

• Textures are aligned
• Indicator Lights work properly
• Portal Bumpers where needed
• All camera's work
• Soundscapes placed

But I have no idea how these things work:
- Area portals
- Hint brushes
- Cubemaps

There's some problem with a cube dropper, and some nasty ways to get stuck. I'll get to fixing that first.

      _______
     |      |
_0___|      |____()

Legend wrote:
0 = barrel
() = Player

There is a wall, there is a barrel on the other side but you don't want the client to render it, the compile, by default, will generate more vis-leafs then needed. the client draws what is in the current leaf and the leafes around it, and it you place a hint brush over the top, (becuase the player can see the top of the other side) you will find that if you use the mat_wireframe command, you can no longer see the barrel.

Note: this was from my memory from watching the advanced level design dvd sold by Valve.

Frostyfrog wrote:
There is a wall, there is a barrel on the other side but you don't want the client to render it, the compile, by default, will generate more vis-leafs then needed. the client draws what is in the current leaf and the leafes around it, and it you place a hint brush over the top, (becuase the player can see the top of the other side) you will find that if you use the mat_wireframe command, you can no longer see the barrel.

Note: this was from my memory from watching the advanced level design dvd sold by Valve.

If I am right, and I'm really not sure, there is a telorance of one vis leaf not visible by the current vis leaf.
That means the barrel still can be seen. Though, I should read once again the whole French optimisation guide, I have a little doubt about what I'm saying.

But I could use some hints of whats best how to place them around my map. Now I'm going to test my map with cubemaps layed around the map, I don't know if it's alot or too little, but about every hallway or chamber has one.

Basically, you need them wherever there is a change in the surrounding light level, and also near reflective surfaces, like glass.

Examples:

If you had two bright, evenly lit rooms, connected by a dark corridor, you would probably want one cubemap in the middle of each room, and one in the centre of the corridor.

If you had a large room that was brightly lit in the centre, but dark in the corners, you would probably want a cubemap in each dark corner, and also one in the middle of the room.

If you have a lot of glass, or reflective metal, you should put a cubemap close each reflective surface. The same applies with water.

When testing your maps, look at the weapon's lighting in relation to it's surroundings (as described in the article). If it looks too light or dark, compensate with cubemap placement.

There are no hard rules regarding cubemap placement, and some experimentation is usually needed. More is generally better on a visual level, but too many can dramatically increase the size of your .bsp, especially when using HDR.