WIP in WIP, post your level screenshots!

[Tarky]

I don't miss torque!

[von*ferret]

if I'm not mistakened, http://www.mapcore.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6437

[Campaignjunkie]

Uhh it says "Torque" in the screenshot... if I'm not mistaken.

[von*ferret]

then I'm a dumbass

[Waldo]

Torque?

Yea - i'm moving to Multiverse at some point though. I'm not so happy with Torque in some ways.

[von*ferret]

They gave away the torque engine to like 8 people at my school last year. I opted for a full version of max8 instead

waldo finish your book. I petitioned the school to use it as a text book!

[Bic-B@ll]

sounds reasonable considering you havent even read the back yet

[Polaris]

sounds reasonable considering you havent even read the back yet

Well there's already a discription, I'm sure some form of this will make it on to the back.

Modding is the new craze that has taken the gaming world by storm. And Half-Life 2 provides the premier game engine that modders all around the world are using to enhance the highly popular Half-Life game and create exciting new custom game features. As many modders like to say, "The possibilities are endless." This unique book shows all Half-Life 2 fans everything they need to know to work with the powerful game engine and customize their own games using clever mapping, modding, and modeling techniques. With Mapping and Modding Half-Life 2 Complete, game fans will get a chance to progressively expand their skills at mapping and modding. This is a one-of-a-kind book, jam-packed with insider tips and techniques by a leading Half-Life 2 modding expert.

Full Description

Game engines are rapidly becoming more powerful and the practice of modding (customizing a game and its levels and other assets) to tailor the game to the player's desires is growing exponentially. Half-Life 2 provides an incredibly versatile game engine and modding tools that game players and developers can readily use to change the game itself by doing everything from tweaking parts of the game to creating entirely new games, 3D environments, and simulations. In Mapping and Modding Half Life 2, readers will learn how to create amazing mods using innovative techniques developed by the author. The book shows, step-by-step, how to create new maps, textures, characters, 3D objects, weapons, audio effects, game action, and much more. Readers will learn how to start out by creating new maps and models and then learn basic techniques of coding to create useful mods. The second part of the book features more advanced techniques as readers learn how to expand their skills and develop more sophisticated models and 3D action. The book also covers other important areas of mod development including creating and managing a mod development team, working with fans, and using skills to develop a professional career in game development.

Anyway, whats holding up the book?

[e-freak]

This book sounds sexy release it and i'll buy asap

[PhilipK]

Something.. shit. Just tested some textures and model.

I really haven't figured hl2's lighting out

And I can hardly use hammer

[Bic-B@ll]

lighting looks best when its coming from lightbulbs i've found

[Campaignjunkie]

Blaz, you have to up the light intensity a lot more (the 4th "Brightness" number) in Source a lot higher than what you had in HL1. I commonly have lights at 1500+ intensity depending on the size of the room. There's also lots of controls for light falloff and sharpness -

"constant" dims the area around the light but brightens the spotlight target area. Valve used high constants (~2000+) for those Combine spotlights.

"quadratic" brightens the area directly around the light, but decreases the distance the light will travel.

"linear" dims all of the light.

... and that's it for my crash course in Source lighting. Refer to the better resource over here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Light

[Minos]

Morningstar!! I love the floor texture.

[hamst3r]

I see morningstar. The textures are pure sex and source lighting is a tad tricky when first using it.

[PhilipK]

Thanks cj. Ill look into that.

I dont want to make the lighting contrasty but still the spots should be quite contrasty but its important it wont go pitch dark around them.