Making a Custom HDR 2D Skybox !

[Seldoon182]

Hi guys,

This is the first attempt to me on making a custom HDR 2D Skybox for Source engine.

Right at the beginning, it looks like that everthing work...

(Compiled without rad and looks a little bit crappy !)

... definetly not, my 2D Skybox doesn't work at all with Vrad activated !

(Compiled with normal rad and -final)

>> The entire 2D Skybox.

>> One of my .vmt quoted.

"sky"

{

	"$hdrbaseTexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_hdrbk"

	"$nofog" "1"

	"$ignorez" "1"

	"$basetexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_bk"

}

It's mere a 2D Sky ! Do someone post some helpfull feedback ?

[Furyo]

Did you check all your vmts?

[TomWithTheWeather]

That's way harder than it needs to be.

[Seldoon182]

Did you check all your vmts?

sky_dod_insurrection_hdrbk

"sky"

{

	"$hdrbaseTexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_hdrbk"

	"$nofog" "1"

	"$ignorez" "1"

	"$basetexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_bk"

}

sky_dod_insurrection_hdrdn

"sky"

{

	"$hdrbaseTexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_hdrdn"

	"$nofog" "1"

	"$ignorez" "1"

	"$basetexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_dn"

}

sky_dod_insurrection_hdrft

"sky"

{

	"$hdrbaseTexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_hdrft"

	"$nofog" "1"

	"$ignorez" "1"

	"$basetexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_ft"

}

sky_dod_insurrection_hdrlf

"sky"

{

	"$hdrbaseTexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_hdrlf"

	"$nofog" "1"

	"$ignorez" "1"

	"$basetexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_lf"

}

sky_dod_insurrection_hdrrt

"sky"

{

	"$hdrbaseTexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_hdrrt"

	"$nofog" "1"

	"$ignorez" "1"

	"$basetexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_rt"

}

sky_dod_insurrection_hdrup

"sky"

{

	"$hdrbaseTexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_hdrup"

	"$nofog" "1"

	"$ignorez" "1"

	"$basetexture" "skybox/sky_dod_insurrection_up"

}

That's way harder than it needs to be.

Could you explain more sir ? I'm such a noob in Skybox creation ! :bananawrench:

[PogoP]

Have you read this? http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Skybox

You have to add the following to each .vmt file:

"UnlitGeneric"

{

// Original shader: BaseTexture

"$basetexture" "skybox/$SKYNAME"

// stops error: "Can't load skybox file skybox/(skyboxname) to build the default cubemap!"

"$hdrbasetexture" "skybox/$SKYNAME"

"$nofog" "1"

"$ignorez" "1"

}

I think the "UnlitGeneric" is crucial.

[Furyo]

It would be the first time I see a skybox texture not having the "sky" shader. My guess is the wiki is wrong, or it's changed since the hl2 days where all the skies are "sky". While it's true that "sky" also is "unlitgeneric", I'm unsure whether it contains additional values for the engine to render.

Your vmt files appear correct to me, but I did notice the order of appearance of lines inside a vmt file sometimes plays a role. In your case, I'd try and make them "basetexture, hdrbasetexture, nofog, ignorez" and see if that changes anything.

Other than that, are you certain you're running the game with HDR? The way I see it, your hdr and ldr textures could be different...

[Seldoon182]

Have you read this? http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Skybox

You have to add the following to each .vmt file:

"UnlitGeneric"

{

// Original shader: BaseTexture

"$basetexture" "skybox/$SKYNAME"

// stops error: "Can't load skybox file skybox/(skyboxname) to build the default cubemap!"

"$hdrbasetexture" "skybox/$SKYNAME"

"$nofog" "1"

"$ignorez" "1"

}

I think the "UnlitGeneric" is crucial.

It would be the first time I see a skybox texture not having the "sky" shader. My guess is the wiki is wrong, or it's changed since the hl2 days where all the skies are "sky". While it's true that "sky" also is "unlitgeneric", I'm unsure whether it contains additional values for the engine to render.

- Quoted for true Furyo. Even if my 2D Skybox is working with the "Unlitgeneric" shader, the HDR doesn't looks enabled to me... Just found this tutorial and everything is (to me) O.K.

Your vmt files appear correct to me, but I did notice the order of appearance of lines inside a vmt file sometimes plays a role. In your case, I'd try and make them "basetexture, hdrbasetexture, nofog, ignorez" and see if that changes anything.

- Fixed. No change when the shader is set to "Sky".

Other than that, are you certain you're running the game with HDR? The way I see it, your hdr and ldr textures could be different...

- I run the game rightly thought.

Any advices ?

[mookie.gc]

It looks like you have an extra underscore in your base textures. I don't know if that matters or not but I copy/pasted mine from somewhere and have never seen something named as "skyname_bk" more like "skynamebk". I can upload a working HDR skybox if you want to look at it.

[PogoP]

Possible something inside the map itself? Is your map completely sealed off where the sky would be with brushes covered in 'toolssky'? I compiled a map once with a huge hollow brush covered in a black texture, then stuck a sky brush inside... The graphics of the skybox played up just like in your picture.

[Seldoon182]

It looks like you have an extra underscore in your base textures. I don't know if that matters or not but I copy/pasted mine from somewhere and have never seen something named as "skyname_bk" more like "skynamebk".

- I renamed all of my LDR base texture like "sky_dod_insurrectionbk" and it's still doesn't work. Consequently it doesn't really matter.

I can upload a working HDR skybox if you want to look at it.

- Please. It should be really helpfull !

Possible something inside the map itself? Is your map completely sealed off where the sky would be with brushes covered in 'toolssky'? I compiled a map once with a huge hollow brush covered in a black texture, then stuck a sky brush inside... The graphics of the skybox played up just like in your picture.

- Hollowing and Carving doesn't exist to me ! :wink:

>> Screenie

------

Btw I tried to compile my Skybox using Vtex (as tell in the wiki) and (except that Splitskybox crash each time I drag my main "sky_dod_insurrection_hdr.pfm" file) it won't compile my separate .pfm modified with HDRshop.

Can't Open: "C:\Steam\steamapps\seldoon182\sourcesdk_content\dod\materialsrc\skybox\sky_dod_insurrection_hdrbk.tga"

... whereas I draged "sky_dod_insurrection_hdrbk.pfm" !

Roughly it compile rightly all my .tga files:

• [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrectionbk.tga
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrectiondn.tga
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrectionft.tga
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrectionlf.tga
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrectionrt.tga
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrectionup.tga

... and can't read my .pfm:

• [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrection_hdrbk.pfm
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrection_hdrdn.pfm
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrection_hdrft.pfm
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrection_hdrlf.pfm
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrection_hdrrt.pfm
  [*:vl92tybp]sky_dod_insurrection_hdrup.pfm

At last when I check my "...\dod\materials\skybox\..." folder there is only 6 new .vtf.

[mookie.gc]

http://mookie.mksvx.com/pack/miramar.7z

[Seldoon182]

Tried everything... Nothing compile !

[mookie.gc]

I never used splitskybox, just ran six separate TGA files through HDRShop, then ran those PFMs through VTEX. Right now if I drag and drop these PFMs onto VTEX they compile just fine; if these compile for you then your problem must be with splitskybox and maybe you'll need to split the TGA up and do each piece separately in HDRShop.

http://mookie.mksvx.com/pack/miramarsrc.7z

[Seldoon182]

I never used splitskybox, just ran six separate TGA files through HDRShop, then ran those PFMs through VTEX. Right now if I drag and drop these PFMs onto VTEX they compile just fine; if these compile for you then your problem must be with splitskybox and maybe you'll need to split the TGA up and do each piece separately in HDRShop.

http://mookie-gc.net/pack/miramarsrc.7z

That's what I did with my files...

Btw I retry one more time with a test texture.

I Paid attention on eveything and looks like it works fine...

Thank you all guy ! :wink:

[TomWithTheWeather]

Could you explain more sir ? I'm such a noob in Skybox creation ! :bananawrench:

Just general commentary on the user-friendliness of Hammer.