Interiors and Exteriors
by Adam Wilson · in Artist Corner · 06/27/2006 (6:54 am) · 7 replies
First off I am having the worst time trying to get the Map files to look good as dif files (missing faces) I know you are working on a new map2dif but why you are doing this I was going to throw this out there I don't know if the missing faces has anything to do with interiors or exteriors but as I try and fix the missing faces my zones would change and what was an interior would change and become an exterior.
So this is my suggestions it would be nice to show us some how what is an interior and what is an exterior and the different zones. It would be nice if Constructor could show this before you export out so we could try and fix the problem.
So this is my suggestions it would be nice to show us some how what is an interior and what is an exterior and the different zones. It would be nice if Constructor could show this before you export out so we could try and fix the problem.
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#2
06/27/2006 (1:56 pm)
I was afraid you were going to say something like. But then again the new map2dif could fix my problems (BIG problems) that I am having with my files.
#3
11/07/2006 (7:17 am)
Is there any way to make a simpler tool like the suggestion like have a small counter that displays the zones so as you are building you will know what brush added the unwanted zone. 
#4
I might be able to expose some script values for the zone count that will be calculated anytime you run a compilation/export pass on the level. I can't make any promises however.
11/07/2006 (12:43 pm)
The zones aren't calculated in realtime. That would be incredibly expensive and would make Constructor unusable.I might be able to expose some script values for the zone count that will be calculated anytime you run a compilation/export pass on the level. I can't make any promises however.
#5
First look you should be able to slap some boxes tougher and have a tree house but trying to slap some boxes to make a building and that is when the horror comes out.. can some one take a look at my building and tell me what the crap I am doing wrong I just running out of ideas to fix the unwanted zones... there should only be the outside and the inside located by the first floor round portion.
ZIP building
--- EDIT
What about this idea.. get read of the map2dif making the zones and make the artist defined what zone goes where and what portal controls that zone ( what faces go to what zones ).. this way the artist will not be surprised when he wanted 3 zones and got 4 or more..
Yes you will have to cut the brushes up for that zone but I think that would be more suitable than back and forth from the csx to map to dif just to see if your changes fixed the unwanted zones.
11/07/2006 (1:09 pm)
I am just having a hell of a time trying to make a building.. I have never in all my years of modeling ever question myself and if I am doing the right profession until trying to BSP module it sounds easy the logic makes isn't that hard and there is simple rules to follow but I will be dammed if this isn't the hardest thing I have ever tried to accomplish. First look you should be able to slap some boxes tougher and have a tree house but trying to slap some boxes to make a building and that is when the horror comes out.. can some one take a look at my building and tell me what the crap I am doing wrong I just running out of ideas to fix the unwanted zones... there should only be the outside and the inside located by the first floor round portion.
ZIP building
--- EDIT
What about this idea.. get read of the map2dif making the zones and make the artist defined what zone goes where and what portal controls that zone ( what faces go to what zones ).. this way the artist will not be surprised when he wanted 3 zones and got 4 or more..
Yes you will have to cut the brushes up for that zone but I think that would be more suitable than back and forth from the csx to map to dif just to see if your changes fixed the unwanted zones.
#6
However, if you are getting odd little invisible zones created by flaws in your geometry, it is absolutely nothing to worry about. In order for those to even be rendered the Player/Camera would have to be inside them and since they are so tiny that will never happen and you never get a performance hit for having them.
Eventually we may allow some sort of zone tagging but that is probably going to happen in the max/maya/milkshape exporters well before it happens in Constructor.
11/07/2006 (3:01 pm)
What I suspect is happening is that you are getting little tiny sealed zones formed by the gaps in the geometry. One of the changes made between map2dif and map2dif_plus is that map2dif_plus will not cull a completely sealed zone. This was to allow people to create completely sealed interior spaces like Quake levels.However, if you are getting odd little invisible zones created by flaws in your geometry, it is absolutely nothing to worry about. In order for those to even be rendered the Player/Camera would have to be inside them and since they are so tiny that will never happen and you never get a performance hit for having them.
Eventually we may allow some sort of zone tagging but that is probably going to happen in the max/maya/milkshape exporters well before it happens in Constructor.
#7
11/07/2006 (3:11 pm)
Thanks... 
Associate Matt Fairfax
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