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Visportal Hell

buck28

By buck28
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buck28

buck28

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I am completely frustrated. I am learning to map using Fidcal's, A-Z beginners guide. Thank you Fidcal. If it wasn't for you and the rest of the crew, I wouldn't be able to even think of starting. It's that much different than Dromed. However, I wish that Visportals were mentioned early on, and not on page 6, pretty much at a point of no return, so to speak, if your map has grown beyond the 2 rooms and a yard, like mine. I should have read all, before going mad on mapping; so it's my own fault. I need to know why some Visportals never turn red? They stay green. Why, even though imbedded in 4 sides of worldspawn, some don't work at all? I even had one that was working without touching anything at all at the top? I only found it by inspection, and I could see funny looking sky at the top. I fixed it by taking it up to the top and snapping to grid. Why did it work at all, when some of my other ones look tight and perfect, and don't show up at all? I guess I need more schooling on when to use them and where. I would hate to loose this map after all my hours, but it may be a possibility. Question: if you have a small wall passage in a street, with a long way from the top of the wall to the sky roof, will a Visportal work in the passage opening? Or would you also need one on top of the wall to the sky roof? Thanks....

Quando omni flunkus moritati" ("When all else fails, play dead")

Halloween Contest Winner 2014

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RJFerret

RJFerret

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First, search visportals on the wiki, or go through the articles in that category. Your questions are all answered therein.

 

However more succinctly, the ones that aren't working have leaks somewhere in that space. That means that although the visportal edge might line up perfectly with the frame, another bit of framing isn't lined up with other walls.

 

See: http://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Leaking_maps

And for future reference: http://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Performance:_Essential_Must-Knows

 

Yes, a visportal will work in a high alley opening if it seals against the sky at the top (caulk may be useful for this, as it has a tricky feature that it will display func_static rooftops beyond it and seals).

 

Since they not only control rendering, but also sound propagation, it's important to apply working visportals at openings that divide spaces, so doorways, open windows, corners of hallways, see the wiki articles for pictured examples.

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"The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

- Baron Thomas Babington Macauley

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grayman

grayman

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Yes, visportals are one of the more difficult aspects of mapping, and one we all spend a lot of time dealing with. I wish we didn't need them, but they're used not only for shutting down portions of the map that aren't visible, but also for proper sound propagation.

 

Our visportal experts should be along at some point to answer your questions.

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buck28

buck28

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Thanks. FYI-I have read and reread, printed out, made notes and used a highlighter, etc. on every Visportal article that I could find in the Wiki and out. 3 to be exact, including the one from the Doom site. I have them working in the start, part of the map, and some in the larger portion of my map, but am having problems in the walled, open area of my city.

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Quando omni flunkus moritati" ("When all else fails, play dead")

Halloween Contest Winner 2014

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grayman

grayman

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Even if you have every visportal perfectly placed, there will be times in-game when they don't behave correctly.

 

My advice when that happens is to try to move the visportal. Sometimes even a small move will make a visportal start working.

 

A visportal that paints green when you think it should be red sometimes means there's a secondary visual path from you to the portal, perhaps down some alley off to the side, around a corner, through a window, etc.

 

If you're unable to get one or more visportals working correctly, then the next move would be to make your map available for someone to look at with fresh eyes. (I'm not volunteering, though; too busy elsewhere, and we have a few experts who are much better at that than I am. :ph34r: )

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RJFerret

RJFerret

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Walled open areas can be tricky to be sure are completely enclosed.

 

One things I didn't realize early on, was you can filter out Entities in DR, so only world geometry is visible. I also will segment areas with a big brush wall to discover internals leaks sometimes, or verify that is in fact the issue I'm trying to track down. Then you can simply move it further away to see when the visportal stops functioning as intended (presuming it does in the first place).

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"The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

- Baron Thomas Babington Macauley

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Obsttorte

Obsttorte

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If a visportal does not close, the fault normally is a so called internal leak. Areas are not sealed off from each other properly.

 

Actually they are pretty easy to use. If I have problems with them, it is normally my own fault (except that little bug mentioned by grayman). But like all things it take some practise to get used to it.

 

I should have read all, before going mad on mapping

Working through any tutorial without doing something wrong is something I would consider a wonder ;)

 

Just keep moving on, things will get better :)

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buck28

buck28

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Well, at this point, I don't know whether to continue with the project, or start a new one. The computer seems to handle the game fine when in the city area. No lagging etc.(where the most Tris are) So I don't know if it will be ok or not. I haven't done any readables yet, or set my ai paths; so I don't know how much effect that will have when it is packed to play? I guess I will have to ponder on this awhile... Time to get back to playing I guess...

Quando omni flunkus moritati" ("When all else fails, play dead")

Halloween Contest Winner 2014

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buck28

buck28

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Er, you haven't Pm with a copy of the mission. I can't help otherwise.

Sorry. Last night was a late night for me. I don't know how to get you a map.zip file without e-mailing direct to you??? I don't have a website, or can that be done here through the forum???

Quando omni flunkus moritati" ("When all else fails, play dead")

Halloween Contest Winner 2014

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Goldwell

Goldwell

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Sorry. Last night was a late night for me. I don't know how to get you a map.zip file without e-mailing direct to you??? I don't have a website, or can that be done here through the forum???

 

Zip up the file and upload it to here http://www.zippyshare.com/

 

It's free and doesn't require an account and from there you can PM Biker the link

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