Rocks and Displacements

hardrock527

After seeing so many good looking rock map screenshots I wanted to include an excavation area.

What is the easiest way to create non-simple faces/walls in the editor?

I know you can create shapes on a face and then move them to create depth on a face since they are attached, but is there an easier way to manipulate faces (like the displacement tool in hammer)

Also is everyone just using and scaling the assorted rock props to create those rooms?

Thaldarin

<!--quoteo(post=1837601:date=Mar 17 2011, 06:38 PM:name=hardrock527)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (hardrock527 @ Mar 17 2011, 06:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1837601"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also is everyone just using and scaling the assorted rock props to create those rooms?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Scaling and rotating by the looks of it!

Insane

The editor has a displacement tool as well that works in a similar way to the Hammer tool. What you'll want to do is define the shape of your environment using displacement geometry and then use the rock props to add detail.

hardrock527

<!--quoteo(post=1837651:date=Mar 17 2011, 06:22 PM:name=Insane)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Insane @ Mar 17 2011, 06:22 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1837651"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The editor has a displacement tool as well that works in a similar way to the Hammer tool. What you'll want to do is define the shape of your environment using displacement geometry and then use the rock props to add detail.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

How do I use this effectively, can you point me to a tutorial. I really don't like using vertex editing since it takes a long time.

SgtBarlow

The displacement tool is not avialable in the public release, Its buggy and needs a lot of work doing to it, Its not very optimal to work with at the moment.
Going back to and working on the editor tools is a bit far down Max's list of things to do.

Insane

Is it not in? For some reason I thought Max had added it. Sorry! In the meantime, you can use some of the larger rock props to define the shape of the room, by scaling and rotating them,

Thaldarin

There are rock textures in our release.

It's very possible to create a big square, divide it with the pencil/face tool to create the triangles you want and then vertex manipulate the points to create rock faces. Albeit a long, costly method of using faces but it's doable and compliments the prop method.

EDIT: If you use that method, you'll want to weld everything so it acts similar to the HL2 displacement tool.

pSyk0mAn

Texture alignment goes maad most of the time though, when you split up faces and bend them.

Just use a few simple faces with rock textures for the rough layout and to seal the area properly (if needed) and then you use rock props for details and to improve the look of the textured faces.

With proper lighting and geometry you don't even have to cover all the faces as long as they use the right rock texture that blends in with the surrounding rock props.