Hi Adam,
I'm working on a topology tool like you are describing, it's partially
done.
If you look at the example1b.vmf that is in the vbct zip file, it was
generated by the current version of the tool.
It only generates solids right now (and the base skybox and ents) but it
will eventually generate displacements (for general topology) when I get a
chance to implement it. I have a lot of fun features planned but I needed
to get vbct done first.
example1b was basically a one-button push, about 1/10 second to render and
write and a few seconds in hammer to generate what you see there.
I know that Valve had/has some in-game functions like you are describing but
they were never completed, perhaps they were just never needed.
Hammer has a limit of 32K units which at ~1 inch resolution is only about
1/2 mile of linear space - you can lose a lot a players in that "small"
space though! Multiplayer maps need a small mean-time to interaction
between players or the map is just boring.
In single-player maps, Valve chose to make many smaller high-complexity maps
(feature rich) that the player transitions across instead of a few monster
maps that take a lot more time to implement and compile. Even these smaller
maps are (for the most part) just too large for multiplayer mods where you
are mostly limited to slinking along hunting for someone (or something) to
kill.
DIPRIP source mod that was just released over Steam (free) has maps that use
the max XY space of Hammer, HUGE maps to play on but driving around it's
great.
qUiCkSiLvEr
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adam Donovan"
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 4:21 AM
Subject: Re: [hlcoders] Level Compile Tool
> yeah I also looked at this tool..nice esp for one map i was working on the
> option for don't fix up t junc's was pretty helpful. As for stuff that's
> lacking the the valve tools..something that I desperately would like to
> see
> is a change in the displacement's system...i mean cannonfodders tools is
> no
> longer being supported and most other games have some pretty fancy tools
> for
> terrain...we don't even have an LOD system for displacement's..which makes
> it pretty limited to produce a fast map with any kind of detail..It would
> be
> something pretty easy for Valve to put into the SDK as there are a
> plethora
> of LOD algorithm's available for LOD terrains..and before you comment
> about
> how source is only for small to medium maps ..or how its not really an
> outdoor renderer...shh..I've heard that all before
>
> adam
> (Nav)
>
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