Do cubemaps matter?

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yohoat9
274 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
I know they mattered in portal 1, but from the looks of it they aren't needed in portal 2. Am I correct to assume this?
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taboo54
34 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 14 minutes later
They do matter

They are used on every reflective surface, from metal to the gel splatter to the cubes

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msleeper
4,136 Posts
Admin
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 8 minutes later
Everything you think is wrong. Cubemaps are what makes reflections work. Without them your map looks like you have no idea how to use the Source engine... oh.
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yohoat9
274 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 25 minutes later
Guess what msleeper, I do know how to use the source engine, now can you please stop bashing me whenever I ask a question? I've added in cubemaps into my map and nothing changed at all. I ran buildcubemaps and everything so I figured they weren't needed.

By the way, does this look like it was made by somebody who has no idea how to use the source engine?
img

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MasterLagger
1,695 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 3 minutes later
msleeper has a habit of bashing people. Back on topic, This picture looks like a remake of a Portal 1 map.
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yohoat9
274 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 3 minutes later
It is, I'm working on a mod that's a remake of Portal 1, notice the 1.5 in the corner.
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WinstonSmith
940 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 19 minutes later
Might want to adjust the observation room lighting; there's a huge bright spot on the ceiling and the room itself is a bit dark.
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Hober
1,180 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 10 minutes later
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that if you added cubemaps and saw no visible difference, either you're looking in the wrong places or you didn't use them properly. :S
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-ArttyIntel-
76 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 6 minutes later

yohoat9 wrote:
It is, I'm working on a mod that's a remake of Portal 1, notice the 1.5 in the corner.

Yes because we care about your 1.5 very much. >.>

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ChickenMobile
2,460 Posts
Posted Jun 27, 2011
Replied 2 minutes later

yohoat9 wrote:
Guess what msleeper, I do know how to use the source engine, now can you please stop bashing me whenever I ask a question? I've added in cubemaps into my map and nothing changed at all. I ran buildcubemaps and everything so I figured they weren't needed.

By the way, does this look like it was made by somebody who has no idea how to use the source engine?
img

Notice how the metal walls are not giving off any reflections? Sometimes too you need to reset portal or the map for it to appear properly.

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yohoat9
274 Posts
Posted Jun 28, 2011
Replied 52 minutes later
Okay, I tried over and over, and I DO know how to work cubemaps, as I've used them in portal 1 maps successfully. But no matter how hard I try they don't effect my surfaces in portal 2, can somebody please help me?
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msleeper
4,136 Posts
Admin
Posted Jun 28, 2011
Replied 43 minutes later
What are your video settings?
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yohoat9
274 Posts
Posted Jun 28, 2011
Replied 37 minutes later
Everything is on high, and I'm pretty sure I'm on highest resolution also.
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KenJeKenny!?
238 Posts
Posted Jun 28, 2011
Replied 5 hours later

after building the cubemaps, make sure you execute the "reload" command in the console for the cubemaps to be applied.

make sure you check out the VDC:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Cubemaps

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Vordwann
767 Posts
Posted Jun 28, 2011
Replied 57 minutes later
Without cubemaps, you get a default cubemap which looks horrible.
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Vordwann
767 Posts
Posted Jun 28, 2011
Replied 1 minute later
Oh and BTW i've always wondered if it is a model or just brushwork to make the frames for glass in Portal 2. Anyone?
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KenJeKenny!?
238 Posts
Posted Jun 28, 2011
Replied 14 minutes later

Vordwann wrote:
Oh and BTW i've always wondered if it is a model or just brushwork to make the frames for glass in Portal 2. Anyone?

It's a model. (check out the zoo_mechanics.vmf for the model name)

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ScicoPax
7 Posts
Posted Jun 29, 2011
Replied 1 day later
Hey, I had the same problem.
You have to put in the console:

buildcubemaps
mat_reloadtextures
mat_reloadallmaterials

I discovered it by myself messing around with the console. :razz:

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DaMaGepy
361 Posts
Posted Jun 29, 2011
Replied 2 hours later
without cubemaps the box dropper's glass look ugly. So at least one cubemap is a must.
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Hober
1,180 Posts
Posted Jun 29, 2011
Replied 14 minutes later

DaMaGepy wrote:
without cubemaps the box dropper's glass look ugly. So at least one cubemap is a must.

Truth. Also, faith plates. Horrendous without cubemaps.