Model issue

[J-M v2.5.5]

Can somebody explain me why my models turn pitch black with extra RAD (and presumably normal RAD, too)?

No RAD = models look fine
Extra RAD = models are pitch black

The models I'm talking about are in an area that is somewhat shadowy (see this thread), but they shouldn't be pitch black.

 

[Thothie]

Several things can cause this:
1) Wrong ZHLT (use 3.4)
2) Solid behind skybrush
3) Skybrush close to edge of world
4) No light_environment
5) Bounce lighting disabled

There's one other, very common thing I'm forgetting here... It's on the tip of my tounge, and I've done it before, but just can't quite remember...

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

Several things can cause this:
1) Wrong ZHLT (use 3.4)
2) Solid behind skybrush
3) Skybrush close to edge of world
4) No light_environment
5) Bounce lighting disabled

There's one other, very common thing I'm forgetting here... It's on the tip of my tounge, and I've done it before, but just can't quite remember...

1) Nope, v3.4
2) Well maybe, but it's another SKY brush which seals off another part of the map, and it's only on one side of the area you see in the screenies.
3) Nope, still got like 1024+ units between this particular area and the edge.
4) Nope, got me a light_environment.
5) Unless this is disabled by default, it was running.

 

[Thothie]

2) Well maybe, but it's another SKY brush which seals off another part of the map, and it's only on one side of the area you see in the screenies.

That would be it...

When you do a -full compile - you'll probably be able to see any entities made of multiple brushes straight through that sky brush. Half-life doesn't like it when you try to the physically impossible, and block vis with sky - even if there's a pocket of void between the two sets of sky brushes - it'll render right through them. Tis why there's that glitch in ms_snow when looking back from the orc camp, and why there used to be some sky glitches when looking up from the well quad in ms_wicardoven. If it's close enough, it'll stop the light emitting proper.

Sadly, my only advice is to undo that, but I know it can be a pain, depending on how the map is arranged.

How sky lighting actually works - is HLRAD sets up light emitters BEHIND the sky brush, at angles and unit offsets determined by your light_environment settings, since Sky doesn't block VIS, this works out fine, unless, of course, a solid, or something else that blocks light, winds up where the light would be. Solids will light fine, but as far as the model lightmap is concerned, the emitters are blocked.

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

Now recompiling with a potential fix. I kind of merged the two sky area thingies.
So instead of (side view):

|-----|  |-----|
|     |  |     |
|     |  |     |
|     |  |     |

It now looks like this (side view):

|--------------|
|     ____     |
|     |  |     |
|     |  |     |

All the lines represent sky brushes.

Thanks for the help. The map should finish compiling in 70 minutes, I'll post the results then.

 

[Thothie]

Hrmm... Tell me if that works out. Woulda been handy in ms_snow and ms_wicardoven. The solution for ms_wicardoven winds up generating more models than need be (basically unlink all the models in the range of vis).

Also test it with a -full compile, as regular and -full compile handle skybrushes different.

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

I did a full compile, and all the models are still pitch black... now going to attempt something Rickler recommended...

 

[Thothie]

(wait, this is the other thread...)
Rickler's param may work, but it'll fux with your lighting some too. I think the only thing you can do is rearrange your territory so your skylights are free to work as they should.