Fieldmedic's mapping thread

[DeTeEff]

Since a lot of you guys around here have your personal threads with collections of questions, I'm not gonna sit around but do the same myself.

 

 

I want to make lightning flashes through windows. The windows aren't transparent so I have made them into func_statics. Then I've made a construction with the shadow texture to make the "light map". So the flashing lights in the room is affected by the metal and prongs of the window texture. The problem is that I now will render the outside areas, as the engine needs a portal outside to even render the flashes in the room.

 

As I understand the thunder/lightning behaviour is tucked away in some kind of fx-file where all the preferences are. Is it possible to change the lightning flashes and make, let's say a spot light, inside the room, pointing away from the window, and creates flashes in the room? That way I can use whatever lightning map I want.

 

Another problem I would like to solve is: When the flashes appear, the inside of the windows is totally unaffected. I would like to make them change to a brightly lit version, in sync with the flashes. Perhaps making a very thin sliver that covers the whole window, and make it into some kind of mover that moves with the flashes and goes out a small bit, just so that it covers the dark window.

Edited September 15, 2011 by Fieldmedic

[grayman]

Feel free to study the windows on the two lower floors of the building in Somewhere Above the City. Floor 1's floor is around z=256 and Floor 2 is just above it.

 

Each window is textured with its dark version.

 

A func_static is placed slightly in front of each window, textured with the bright version of the same window. That starts out hidden.

 

When the the lightning effect occurs, it triggers a script that shows the bright func_static for half a second. It also turns on a projected light in front of the window that shines into the hallway. When time has expired, the func_static is hidden again and the light is turned off.

 

If you bind A to B and hide B, A also gets hidden. So I use a "master func_static" that the script knows about, and bind the other func_statics to it. For example, Window02 is a master, and has Window06, Window09, Window11, Window12, Window14, Window19, and Window20 bound to it. Then the script only needs to show and hide Window02 and the others will follow.

 

The *.script file contains the supporting scripts to make this happen. Look for the section titled "LIGHTNING".

 

Hope that helps.

[DeTeEff]

Haha, I actually noclipped around in your mission for that, but I suppose there is a switch somewhere that turns the lightning on and off, because there was no flashes when I was there...

 

Shall have a look in your files...

 

Ooohh, this leads me into some serious scripting issues, early in the speed building contest

[grayman]

Haha, I actually noclipped around in your mission for that, but I suppose there is a switch somewhere that turns the lightning on and off, because there was no flashes when I was there...

 

Yes, the flashes are turned on/off per floor by trigger brushes you walk through. If you start at the floor just underneath Floor 1, at the top of the elevator, and go up the stairs, everything should work.

 

Ooohh, this leads me into some serious scripting issues, early in the speed building contest

 

Holler if you need scripting help.

[pusianka]

Sorry for trashing your thread but maybe my window textures will be at use for you, see here:

 

http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/13052-maybe-someone-will-make-a-use-of-these/

 

good luck with your FM! Creep everyone out but keep it fun! ;D

[Springheel]

Since a lot of you guys around here have your personal threads with collections of questions, I'm not gonna sit around but do the same myself.

 

I really wish people wouldn't do that...it's so much easier to do searches for answers that aren't buried in 50 page threads.

[DeTeEff]

I really wish people wouldn't do that...it's so much easier to do searches for answers that aren't buried in 50 page threads.

 

Baaah, okay then Feel free to rename it to Thunder effects or something.

[Bikerdude]

I really wish people wouldn't do that...it's so much easier to do searches for answers that aren't buried in 50 page threads.

I only did that because I though it would keep the forum tidy.. opps.

[Fidcal]

I really wish people wouldn't do that...it's so much easier to do searches for answers that aren't buried in 50 page threads.

 

I agree. I'd been meaning to say this myself.

 

An additional problem is some threads go so off-topic that I stopped reading new posts on them if it didn't interest me (which means I'd miss any genuine requests for mapping help.)

 

Another problem is that I feel obliged to keep reading these threads even when the current subject is something I can't help with. I would rather see good clear headings where I can immediately see if I can help or not.