[TUTORIAL] Custom Chamber Signs (Without VScripts)
Video version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUb6fN_Bh64
Creating the sign image
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First of all you need to make the image for your test sign, you can do it with Sign Maker or make yourself. I have in the bottom of the tutorial my own version of signs for use.
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(Skip this if you dont use Sign Maker) Now its easy, only select the number of the chamber, texts, and things are in the chamber. Export it when you finish.
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Now you need to do a vtf and a vmt for your texture. Use VTF Edit and import it to make the VTF. Save it in your own folder in portal2/materials/yourfolderhere/
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Now create the vmt, if you can, make a selfilum texture for your sign. There is the code to make the vmt. Save it with the same name and in the same folder than your sign.
LightMappedGeneric
{
$basetexture "yourfolder/nameofthesignyouwilluse"
$surfaceprop glass
$selfilum 1
"%noportal" 1
"%keywords" "here your keywords"
}
Now go into hammer and search your texture, do you have? OK!
Creating the sign in hammer
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Now is time to create your own sign without scripts. For this you need an prop_static, search "testchambersign" and use it. If you can see there is a clean and black sign.
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Now create a func_brush with the same size than the testchambersign without (in the smaller grid) 1 square every corner to make it in the inner of the testchamber sign.
3.Now use nodraw in it and in the front face use your sign texture and fit it. Now you have the sign BUT you need the sounds and the rest of the things.
4a. (horizontal signchamber) Now create three spot lights like this (all in the vertical center of the sign):
4b. (vertical signchamber) For a normal vertical chamber do the same than a but the lights are in the horizontal center and put the three in the vertical center like the image (90? rotated 
)
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Now all lights needs to be 150 of light or 100, not more. Call them with the same name (for this tutorial light_test1).
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Use appearance Fluorescent flicker for the three and initially dark.
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Now duplicate the three and change the name of the three to light_test2, in the same location but in appearance normal.
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Now create a ambient_generic and search in gamesounds VFX.OGSignFlicker with the name of test_sfx, and with the sourceentityname the brush you use to the texture.
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Create a trigger_multiple with the name of test_trigger and put this in the outputs:
Here it is. Screen from the result (with custom chamber): http://puu.sh/2GDf
Have fun! (If you wanna have the horizontal custom chamber sign: http://puu.sh/2GDy
I think you should consider making a video/youtube tutorial for this 
Would be very usefull!
KenJeKenny!? wrote:
Nicely done! This could make for some cool&original custom test signs...I think you should consider making a video/youtube tutorial for this
I made but not upload. The problem is I'm spanish and I can write in english but speak... Em (ridiculous) <-<
So I can make it without talk if you want.
P.S. I don't trust your download url as it looks fishy and when you can just upload it on this site...
FusedCore wrote:
This still requires scripting(editing any file with a script is called scripting...) so the title is wrong!
The .vmt is not a scripting. It is a way for the custom texture to be accessed inside hammer and in game.
chickenmobile wrote:
FusedCore wrote:This still requires scripting(editing any file with a script is called scripting...) so the title is wrong!
The .vmt is not a scripting. It is a way for the custom texture to be accessed inside hammer and in game.
read here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Vmt <- it is scripting
The game and editor need this script to understand what/where your texture is and the settings for it.
It may not be the perfect method, but it'll get us far enough for now.
Here's a tip I found for making the sign appear to "flicker on" not mentioned in the OP:
Make whatever controls the sign start-up enable/disable the func_brush with your custom texture on it several times at varying intervals between the time the sign power-up sequence starts and the time the sign is fully on. It gives an effect along the lines of Valve's flickery sign boot-ups.
FusedCore wrote:
read here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Vmt <- it is scripting
Your being too absolute lol. But not once did I see the word 'script' in the link. 
Maybe it should be "[TUTORIAL] Custom Chamber Signs (Without VScripts)" to stop confusion.
Well, its my own way to make custom test chamber because I tried one time to do it with vscripts and its so hard, so i tried to make it by another way and I did it
In one future I will make some more tutorials for another things.
Darkylight wrote:
In one future I will make some more tutorials for another things.
It's good to share knowledge with other people, especially things that you have had trouble with. Because there is a good chance that a lot of other people have had the same problem.
Forgot to say: Nice tut for a sign alternative