Using "Null" Texture on exterior DIFs (i.e., on bottoms)
by Scott Fowler · in Artist Corner · 07/08/2007 (3:45 am) · 3 replies
Hey, I haven't found this talked about anywhere yet...
I'm acquainted with using the "Null" texture on exclusively-interior DIF objects to cull the unwanted exterior faces (even though they would probably not be drawn by the engine anyway), but what about using the "Null" texture on exterior faces, as in removing the bottoms of buildings or the tops of very tall objects? The engine probably wouldn't draw these either, in most cases, I suppose, but I'd still like to know. When I use the "Null" texture on my exteriors, the faces are still drawn. Maybe I'm just not doing it the right way?
I'm acquainted with using the "Null" texture on exclusively-interior DIF objects to cull the unwanted exterior faces (even though they would probably not be drawn by the engine anyway), but what about using the "Null" texture on exterior faces, as in removing the bottoms of buildings or the tops of very tall objects? The engine probably wouldn't draw these either, in most cases, I suppose, but I'd still like to know. When I use the "Null" texture on my exteriors, the faces are still drawn. Maybe I'm just not doing it the right way?
About the author
#2
I was using a newer version of Hammer Worldcraft to make my DIFs - the version that supports the newer Source games like Half Life 2 and Counter Strike: Source. Those newer games use a different texture file (VTF) from the older versions (WAD3), and the newer Worldcraft automatically changes all texture filenames to lower-case. And it turns out that somewhere in the process of exporting DIFs, the "NULL" texture must be in all uppercase, so "null" textures are not the same thing as "NULL" textures to the MAP2DIF exporter.
NOTE: I'm not sure exactly which versions of Hammer began forcing filenames to lowercase.
So I was making my DIFs in the newer Hammer Worldcraft which made my "NULL" textures into "null" textures and therefore weren't being read correctly by the exporter. I would have known this sooner but I hadn't actually made interiors using the "NULL" texture with the newer Worldcraft yet either. Shame on me.
lol Well, problem solved!
Thanks for the reply, though.
07/17/2007 (5:21 am)
Hey, thanks for the reply. I meant for this post to be deleted. Turns out the specifics of my problem were this:I was using a newer version of Hammer Worldcraft to make my DIFs - the version that supports the newer Source games like Half Life 2 and Counter Strike: Source. Those newer games use a different texture file (VTF) from the older versions (WAD3), and the newer Worldcraft automatically changes all texture filenames to lower-case. And it turns out that somewhere in the process of exporting DIFs, the "NULL" texture must be in all uppercase, so "null" textures are not the same thing as "NULL" textures to the MAP2DIF exporter.
NOTE: I'm not sure exactly which versions of Hammer began forcing filenames to lowercase.
So I was making my DIFs in the newer Hammer Worldcraft which made my "NULL" textures into "null" textures and therefore weren't being read correctly by the exporter. I would have known this sooner but I hadn't actually made interiors using the "NULL" texture with the newer Worldcraft yet either. Shame on me.
lol Well, problem solved!
Thanks for the reply, though.
Torque Owner Byder
You are absolutely right. I am building cities without using any of the standard torque terrain, and basically any face that is not needed. As in rendered I set to NULL. Just out of habit I even set internal faces (the ones that touch, and technically get culled anyway) to NULL. Basically setting the NULL flag tells the converter (Map to DIF, I think) to kill all 'Graphic Rendering' details for that poly. 'Collision' information remains, and depending on your setup the NULL surface may still receive shadows (think this is standard...).
Basically, anything the player will never see, I turn to NULL. Tops of Buildings, Under the Ground, even on the sides of buildings that never face the gaming area!!!
Hope this helps..
~C