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[Jonathon [SSL]]

Hey, I've been stuck on this problem for a few days, and am wondering if anyone here knows the answer. I've been trying to use the alpha channel on a static grate prop to cast lightmap shadows, and regardless of what I do, I can't seem to get it to work.

I'm compiling with -StaticPropPolys, -TextureShadows, and -StaticPropLighting and I have the models included in my lights.rad, and the compile window is telling me that it loaded the grate texture just fine.

Here's an excerpt from the compile window:

Code: [Select]

Valve Radiosity Simulator     
4 threads
[Reading texlights from 'lights.rad']
[60 texlights parsed from 'lights.rad']

Loading c:\....bsp
Loaded alpha texture materials\Goldeneye\grate02.vtf
Loaded alpha texture materials\Metal\metalgrate013a.vtf
Loaded alpha texture materials\Models\props_c17\fence_alpha.vtf
Loaded alpha texture materials\Metal\metalgrate013b.vtf
Setting up ray-trace acceleration structure... Done (0.04 seconds)

materials\Metal\metalgrate013a.vtf is the texture I'm using, so I know vrad is loading it to calculate the shadows.

Here's my .vmt:

Code: [Select]

"vertexlitgeneric"
{
	"$alphatest" 1
	"$basetexture" "Metal/metalgrate013a"
	"$nolod" 1
	"$nodecal" 1
	"$surfaceprop"	"metalgrate"
}

Here's my .qc, I think the problem exists somewhere in here, but I can't figure out what it is:

Code: [Select]

$staticprop
$modelname "props/library/grate02a_grate"
$scale "1.000000"
$body "Body" "grate02a_grate_ref"
$cdmaterials "models/props/library"
$sequence idle "grate02a_grate_ref"
$surfaceprop "metal"
$collisionmodel "grate02a_grate_phys"  {
	$automass
}

Here's a screenshot ingame, it works fine with fourtecks' grate props from Library Classic, but I can't seem to get it working with my own(The one on the left is mine):

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/1280/propshadowtest0000.jpg

[Kinky]

Doesnt appear to be anything wrong as far as i can see :S

Tried decompiling teck's prop and checking his QC?

[Jonathon [SSL]]

MDLDecompiler doesn't quite decompile props correctly, and the props have to be in the Episode 1 format in order to be decompiled (as in, they can't be decompiled, and if they could, it probably wouldn't give me whatever I'm missing).

[Mangley]

$translucent 1

... I think that's what you need. Instead of $alphatest 1

[Jonathon [SSL]]

Tried that, doesn't work.

[Jeron [SharpSh00tah]]

SSL, really low lightmap on the textures, and use the "blocklight" texture. Just like you did in bunker.

[Jonathon [SSL]]

I know what lightmaps are and how to use them. The Orange Box engine has the ability to create lightmap shadows based upon the alpha channel of the texture of a static prop, as seen with Fourtecks' grate prop on the right in the screenshot I posted when using the -TextureShadows command with vrad. If I can't get it working, I could just use blocklight textures, but it's wouldn't be as accurate to the texture, and wouldn't make sense to use when the OB engine has this great feature readily available to use.

[Mike [fourtecks]]

I looked into this further for you today. It seems it does not like the UVs created by that awful vmf --> smd tool you are using. I rebuilt the UVs for a test and I got them to cast properly. Next time you see me online get ahold of me and I can hook you up with some updated files, though I may be slightly hard to get to this weekend as my friend is in town. Sunday night would be best, but I should be home noon-ish EST Fri + Sat.


@sharp : That method is quite outdated and counter-productive for this type of thing. Plus it's not as accurate. textureshadows are amazing, now they just need to add support so you can get brushes to cast them.

[Mangley]

I'm having related problems with casting shadows from those library grate props in a map I'm working on...

Seemingly for no reason they completely block light in my map despite the fact that they cast shadows correctly on library. Is there a reason why? It's definitely not the lightmaps, is there some special trick to making it work?

Thanks.

[Jonathon [SSL]]

It turns out that the problem I was having was caused by the UV's being improperly aligned when the prop was compiled (or something like that).

When you compile the map, go to expert compile mode, select light.exe, and add the parameters -TextureShadows and -StaticPropPolys. This tells vrad to look for props with alpha channels that can be used to cast lightmap shadows.

[Mangley]

Thanks SSL! That's super helpful!