Posts by sevin

So if env_cascade_lighting is automatically generated, that explains the maps that don't have that entity in them, but what about the ones with light_directional?

Also I looked back at Aztec and it appears the rain is the result of a single func_precipitation spanning the entirety of the map. It is also using particle rain. I assume the "particle" means it has collision detection.

Another question: how do people map for this game alone? CS:GO is way more detail-oriented than any other Source game and that translates into a lot more work for the mapper. Also, there is more close-quarters combat in houses than the other Counter-Strike's, and that makes for some really hairy brushwork. How do you guys go about laying out a house?

Thanks for the info, Drywall. So I don't actually need env_cascade_lighting at all? Light_environment entities automatically do it in CS:GO?

So to clarify the spawnpoints: I'd put those extra ones in if I wanted the map to double as an arms race map?

Hi guys,

I just bought CS:GO yesterday and have been poking around the SDK to get my footing as I log my first few hours.

After decompiling all of the maps included at this time, I have a few questions.

The first is: how is the dynamic lighting done? I remember reading it's an entity that works in conjunction with the light_environment, called env_cascade_lighting. Cross-checking with the VDC seems to support this is the entity that does that. But inspecting my decompiled maps seems to reveal that most use light_directional or nothing at all. I've only found one map so far (de_lake) that uses env_cascade_lighting. And Dust2 apparently has neither of these entities even though it still has dynamic lighting. In any case, the entities angles never match the light_environment's angles. Can someone shed some light on this?

The next question I have concerns rain: which system do I use? de_aztec apparently uses a huge func_precipitation brush entity set to particle rain as its type. When I try this, nothing happens. It's blank. The "rain" and "particle rainstorm" systems work but they don't look nearly as good as Aztec's. Also, the rain apparently causes splashes in standing water. Is this caused directly by the particle rain detecting its surface and applying the effect or is there something more to that?

Lastly for now, I'm confused on how alternate game modes are setup, like arms race and demolition. I assumed there'd be a master entity just telling the game first and foremost that the map was an arms race or demolition map like how koth and arena is done in TF2, but I can't find anything like that. I also see a lot of info_armsrace_terrorist/counterterrorist entities scattered around arms race and demolition maps. Is there a reason for this? As far as I can tell, you still spawn in at the info_player_terrorist/counterterrorist entities as usual.

I will probably come up with some more questions as I continue to snoop around since the CS:GO SDK is quite different than all the other Source games before it. Thanks in advance!

sevin

Quote from jackophant

@sevin It looks like your light source is coming in directly from the right whereas the picture you show would have quite a steep angle as well as light supplied from reflections outside. You can also seen in the picture how the light is reflected on the walls compared to your matt walls.

To mimic it you could put a low brightness light entity off centre from the window.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. I know the light is bouncing and that's creating a lot of extra light on the ceiling, but CS:S doesn't have a world face phong shader and those textures don't bounce much anyway. There's already a linear light of brightness 25 up there by the ceiling to enhance the glow on it. What do you mean by putting a "low brightness light entity off centre from the window"?

This is what I mean by the light coming in at different angles:

[Blocked Image: http://puu.sh/i7pSr/c4c8649851.jpg]

I'd like to try what you told me about light_directional Klems, but remember I said I'm using CS:S? That's an entity only included in L4D and beyond.

So I was inspired by gotcha's little scene to try and recreate the reference he used as well. I don't have CS:GO though, so I used CS:S.

[Blocked Image: http://puu.sh/i6JHr/94a2400248.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://i.imgur.com/p767PSx.jpg]

One thing I'm confused about is the light from what I assume to be the sun. It comes around both corners of the hall at different angles and bounces up onto the ceiling a lot. I'm unsure of how to replicate this in source. It looks very flat in CS:S using light_environment. I had to use a 50% linear, 50% quadratic ghost light at brightness 25 near the ceiling to make it seem like light was bouncing more. I don't like faking it. Is this just not possible to in source, or at least CS:S? I know CS:GO got phong shading on world faces awhile back but like I said I don't have CS:GO.

Yeah that looks great. Now for the custom texture!

Congratulations MapCore on reaching 2,000 topics! Here's to another 1,000! :cool:

Geometry looks nice, but it's awfully dark. try lowering the sun angle and intensifying the light it casts. That wood floor also looks like it'd be simple to make into a custom texture. Just take that texture you're currently using and rotate part of it in diamond shapes like that in the middle of it. Could be a cool effect!

Why do people insist on misspelling "lighting" to "lightning"? Two very different things. I clicked on this thread thinking you were trying to put lightning indoors...

As for your questions, I'd recommend checking out these guides:

http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=19133

http://magnarj.net/article_funclight.html

Lighting can be really fun and greatly influences the flow and feel of your map. It is one of the only things that greatly impacts the gameplay and aesthetics of your map. Learn it well.

I had just always assumed this kind of stuff was made by cutting around half a cylinder or something since I thought using the vertex tool would be too irregular and harder to make look nice.

Quote from Tensei

I actually quite enjoy this, but lightning past monument is terrible. It could be as dark as bedroom in this map. Maybe even lighter.

Are you making inferno remake, because i noticed something interesting on roof for environment?

Did you read the post at all? I'm asking how Inferno's arches are made. Those are screenshots from the official CS:S Inferno.

I posted this over at tf2maps.net, but my initial example wasn't actually a TF2 map so I figured I'd post here as well.

There are tons of tutorials on the internet for doing basic things in hammer and some more specific things for the different Source engine games, but I've yet to find some nice guides for more advanced brushwork.

The example that made me make this thread are the arches from the loggias in de_inferno (CS:S). I spent a couple hours a few days ago trying to build myself some arches, but I couldn't figure it out. Does anyone have any tips for this short of copy/pasting or tracing with the clipping tool?

[Blocked Image: http://puu.sh/hvJWU/021a64228a.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://puu.sh/hvJU6/a56e7e9462.jpg]

The destruction is obviously well done, but there is just too much rebar and rubble lying around. It would be very noisy to play in, especially on the playing field where all the chunks and pieces have fallen.

Kolari, drop an info_lighting in a brighter area and tie it to the door.

The toning is better, but it's still way too dark. Is this hospital supposed to be closed or something? There are lights everywhere in hospitals.

The green lighting would never appear in a real hospital. It is a sickly color, the exact opposite of how doctors want their patients to feel. I would stick to a whiter palette.

Now it says I'm missing MSVCP71.dll, which is not one of the two .dll's packaged with DispGen.

OK, so I tried putting them in the same folder as dispgen.exe, but same error.

So I just need to drag the .dll's into the root directory of the dispgen folder where dispgen.exe is?