Random mapping/scripting questions that pop up

[StaffSaberist]

I thought the Doors thread was derailed for so long, it wasn't <flamin> funny. So, I wanted a thread that would stay on topic no matter how random the questions got.

 

Question 1: I notices models and such for force holocrons. Two of them were Levitation and Telepathy. Is there any use for these at all? Are there hidden Force Powers that nobody knows about?

 

Question 2: I know you can cause an NPC to be invisible and nonsolid, but I know there is a way to spawn NPC's in the scripts. I know this because the Mapping University has a lesson on spawnscripts. However, there is no link for that lesson yet. Is there truly a way to do that?

[lassev]

Question 1: I notices models and such for force holocrons. Two of them were Levitation and Telepathy. Is there any use for these at all? Are there hidden Force Powers that nobody knows about?

These aren't the same as jump and mind trick?

 

Question 2: I know you can cause an NPC to be invisible and nonsolid, but I know there is a way to spawn NPC's in the scripts. I know this because the Mapping University has a lesson on spawnscripts. However, there is no link for that lesson yet. Is there truly a way to do that?

You can spawn an NPC by targeting its targetname. Whether it's by a trigger event or by use("targetname") script command, doesn't matter. There is no script command, however, for spawning NPCs that haven't been placed in the map in Radiant (like with the console command), though, if that's what you were asking.

 

Just note that if you spawn an NPC with the use command, don't try to affect it right away in the script, because that won't work. There seems to be some sort of lag between the spawning event and being affectable. That's why I have normally prespawned NPCs for cinematics before the actual cinematic script is launched.

 

Edit: A spawnscript is a script that an NPC executes immediately when it spawns.

[StaffSaberist]

These aren't the same as jump and mind trick?

 

Oh... right. It just looked cool. I mean, if you could levitate like Jerec at the end of JK, that'd be cool. Use that power to make nearby weapons fire at your enemies... cool. Didn't realize the Jump and Seeing (and Mind Trick, hmm) were missing. Telepathy would be a neat power for... well, like the MotS FarSight power.

 

 

You can spawn an NPC by targeting its targetname. Whether it's by a trigger event or by use("targetname") script command, doesn't matter. There is no script command, however, for spawning NPCs that haven't been placed in the map in Radiant (like with the console command), though, if that's what you were asking.

 

Just note that if you spawn an NPC with the use command, don't try to affect it right away in the script, because that won't work. There seems to be some sort of lag between the spawning event and being affectable. That's why I have normally prespawned NPCs for cinematics before the actual cinematic script is launched.

 

Edit: A spawnscript is a script that an NPC executes immediately when it spawns.

 

In that case, I'll rely on triggers to spawn NPC's. But it was a thought.

 

I do have another question, actually. It would be a caulking timesaver. In Radiant 1.5, you can select multiple brushes, then click a button to select only the faces of the brushes you want to texture. You can do this one face at a time in 1.4 by clicking Ctrl+Shift+LeftClick, but that's more that a little slow. Is there a way to do that like 1.5?

[lassev]

I haven't used 1.5 and your explanation made it sound like even more complicated than 1.4, anyway... I dunno. You can either select surfaces one by one like you said, or you can paint surfaces by dragging the mouse over them holding the mbutton down... Dunno how much easier methods you would like. I guess having an AI to predict what you would like to do would be even easier, but that's a little bit too much to ask for...

[wedge2211]

In 1.4.0, you can paint-select multiple surfaces with CTRL+SHIFT+CLICK. You can add/subtract surfaces from your selection by ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+CLICK-ing.

[StaffSaberist]

When I select multiple surfaces that way, I can only select one surface. If I select another, the first becomes deselected.

[MDN14]

try holding down the buttons and whole time.

[StaffSaberist]

Got it.

 

Another issue popped up. I want to create a trim like this one. I can create it rather well with a brush standing upright, but when I make it horizontal via Y-Rotation, the textures smear and look terrible. How did Raven get these textures to sit down horizontally? And how do I do that? =/

[lassev]

Make the brush horizontal and fit the textures, rotated 90 degrees.

 

One thing about Gtk 1.4 that bugs me is the way it handles fitting rotated textures. It looks like some malevolent spirit decides whether it works or not, because despite countless times of using/trying the function, I still haven't been able to figure what exactly decides if it works or not. Sometimes it just works, sometimes it refuses to work, and the only option seems to be to fit the texture by hand.

 

You might also want to mess with the textures locks, StaffSaberist, if you feel rotated brushes don't retain their texturing parametres in a sensible way.

[StaffSaberist]

I can't get it to fit correctly. It looks - smeared - and won't cooperate. I used this very texture to create a vertical trim, on request of a poster who hated perfectly round pillars. I thought it was a good idea, and obliged him.

 

You can fit the texture by hand? I'd like to know how to do that. It seems to be the only option. There was another texture that fit texture-wise, but looked ugly since it was brown on black.

[MDN14]

if all else fails you could always try opening the texture in an image editing program and just rotate it 90 degrees and save it as a new texture and then just use that for your trim.

[lassev]

You can fit the texture by hand? I'd like to know how to do that.

 

Uh... Press S and mess with the numbarz. Or shift + S for patch meshes.

 

Or use the hotkeys: shift + arrows to move the texture, crtl + arrows to change the texture scale.

[StaffSaberist]

I duplicated the stone_rim texture in ShaderEd. I called it Stone_rim_staff. I can't find it, now, on my computer. Where can I find it?

[lassev]

Well, I suppose it should be in the same shader file. But normally people use just Notepad to edit their shaders. ShaderEd is nice for some previewing and adjusting frequencies and things like that.

[StaffSaberist]

How on Earth would I use Notepad to rotate it 90 degrees? I mean, it's all Greek to me. I am in Notepad now, and I see this for my new texture:

 

textures/rift/stone_rim_Staff

{

qer_editorimage textures/rift/stone_rim

{

map $lightmap

}

{

map textures/rift/stone_rim

blendFunc GL_DST_COLOR GL_ZERO

}

{

map textures/rift/stone_rim_glow

blendFunc GL_ONE GL_ONE

glow

rgbGen identity

}

}

 

 

What would I add? Where would I add it?

[lassev]

Rotate 90 degrees? Why don't you do that in Radiant? It's hardly convenient or efficient to make a new shader entry every time you need to rotate a texture...

 

Usually when you rotate in a shader, it means you want an animated rotation in game. Although I suppose you could use q3map_tcMod rotate (I haven't tried that. I could be wrong)...

[StaffSaberist]

Well, whenever I try to rotate it, it ends up smearing or getting tiny. it doesn't look good by anyone's standards - wait. I got it. I think I know why the damn thing wasn't working.

 

I rotated the thing on the Y-Axis last time. I tried the X-axis. It fit, but was perpendicular to where I wanted it. I rotated it on the Z-Axis, and rotated the texture 90°. It fits, but it is too long. So, I have to refit the textures. Nonetheless, the thing works.

 

I think that's the problem with the "texture gods". They aren't very Y-rotation friendly, or something.

[lassev]

If you want to rotate a texture, why are you talking about brush rotates?

 

Well, whatever works for you...

[StaffSaberist]

OK. The brush was a rectagle sticking vertically up in the air. It was when I Y-rotated the brushes to get them horizontal, so they would work as a horizontal trim, that the trouble started. I chose to X-Rotate them instead this time, and it worked - to a point. I still had to rotate the entire brush 90° to get it in line with the staircase trim. I Z-rotated it. That's when the textures needed to be rotated. I thought if I had a texture that was permanently 90° rotated, I wouldn't have to do all this. And I probably don't.

 

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

[MDN14]

why didnt you just make a new brush exactly the way you wanted it to be?

[StaffSaberist]

I know, I made a n00b mistake. But every time, the damn thing had smeared textures, and I didn't know why. So I made a vertical trim just to make sure it worked at all at some point. I worked my way from there.

 

Anyway, that's all for now. I'll let you know if I have another problem.

[lukeskywalker1]

You can use Shift+PgUP and PgDn to rotate textures as well, I think.... maybe... :-\

[StaffSaberist]

Yeah, but I have a compact keyboard. The PgUp key is part of my arrow keys, and I have to press a Func button. Then, I start thinking about func, and make my trim into a func_door... it's easier to hit S and click a few buttons.

[lukeskywalker1]

Personally I think they need to work on the texturing alignment options in GTK... I know sometimes I have trouble with it. And then other times when you rotate a whole brush the texture changes! Among other things.... :-\

[StaffSaberist]

And when you try to correct it, it looks stretched out so far you delete the brush in disgust. Sometimes I wanna have more power in Gtk. Like, the ability to create ziggarauts without making a gajillion tiny brushes. But that is a modeling question, I believe.