Not even the official one seems to work. try to load sky_l4d_c4m1_hdr as a skybox with a 3D skybox. it's like, it ignores the 3d skybox even exists, and just renders the 2d skybox itself.
any ideas how to fix?

You need to convert ignorez skyboxes from the Sky shader to the UnlitGeneric shader for Portal 2.

FelixGriffin wrote:
You need to convert ignorez skyboxes from the Sky shader to the UnlitGeneric shader for Portal 2.

AH! Good! There is a solution!

I am but a lowly mapper with no idea how to do the thing you just said. What would a conversion entail? Just changing the header?

Bingo. That header determines which shader gets used on that material.

VALVe completely destroyed the Sky shader when they improved the lighting engine, and rather than try to fix it they just changed the skyboxes they needed to UnlitGeneric and were done with it.

FelixGriffin wrote:
VALVe completely destroyed the Sky shader when they improved the lighting engine, and rather than try to fix it they just changed the skyboxes they needed to UnlitGeneric and were done with it.

I don't think it was the lighting, but the portals. 3D skyboxes don't work in Portal 1 well, and they might have disabled some sky settings.

now I'm having an issue with water. it's rendering fast in-world, yet cheap in-skybox! it's like it suddenly becomes opaque. X_X

any idea how to fix?