Two atmospheres one map

(iwound) #1

I’m looking at having 2 different atmospheres in CA. As in slipgate. Mine would be a much more subtle change rather than sun too snow but it shows its possible.

Im unable to get this working though. the village and castle are seperate sides to the level seperated by portals. One side is’nt drawn if your in the other. I’ve put an atmosphere entity in each area but the same weather/atmosphere shows in both. Each area is treated as an outside area with outside portals etc.

Any ideas?

This pic shows the village area. And no it wion’t snow in final. They’re just having a bit o’ bad weather or volcanic ash… not sure.

(.Chris.) #2

They have to be two totally seperate caulk hulls and two seperate gameplay zones afaik.

(iwound) #3

A quick test with a large caulk brush dividing the map makes it work. As you say chris.
When i have tried this there are differences in the two areas.
I’ll try further tests with the same sky but different light etc.

*edit

an unfortunate side effect of the maps design i’ve just found is that i can only get the atmosphere to appear in one section. see pic below.

Atmosphere only appears in either side but not both. Even with an atmosphere entity in both areas.

**editv2

after much mulling over at this point i see no solution. My only alternative way around is to make this map as ETQW convention and have it all open with lod groups. with the village right next next to the castle it could be a problem but here goes. shame really as the first way would have run really smoothly.

(kamikazee) #4

That abstract map you posted looks like an impossible layout for it to work. It seems you can see the second area from the first in certain cases, hence screwing up the VIS detection.
I believe this is also why on good ol’ Fueldump the tunnels didn’t go straight through the mountain.

Try to make a test-map where the inside-area makes a real “U” shaped bend.

(.Chris.) #5

That is best really, just make it as if it was an ET:QW map with no separate caulk hulls, the engine can take it after all.

(iwound) #6

@ kamikazee

the map was sealed. (its castle attack btw not sure you knew) so when in the left open area you cant see the right area. Now ive broken the seal you can now see each area from the other once you go high enough for the terrain or structural brush not to block your view. as i’ve now lod’d off the village area with the occlusion test turned on.

it was a sound idea to seal them and treat them as seperate rooms but how was i to know of the atmos issue. :confused:

i just have to make sure those pesky snipers cant find away of sniping the village from the castle.

the castle area will be a lot harder to lod off as i have to decide wether to keep some structural and use portals to seal the indoors orrr just put sections into lods, as this will occlude them from the village side.

or just a thought one thing i did with the tower in the village was lod the outside and keep the inside structural with a caulk outside skin. this will help in batches. and make sure nothing will be drawn. results seem good atm but ive got a lot to add.

(kamikazee) #7

So it didn’t work either when those rooms “couldn’t see each other”?
The things you say about LOD don’t seem to be related to your original question…

(.Chris.) #8

Having to LOD stuff in one bigger single caulk hull is the alternative to having two separate caulk hulls as originally hoped, he was just merely commenting on how tricky it is to get up efficient LOD groups in certain areas of his map.

(iwound) #9

if the three rooms are sealed and joined just by portals the atmosphere will only appear in one room/outside area and not pass through the portals to the other outside area even if another atmos entity was placed there. and you cant see into the other outside area because of portals.

if the two outside areas are joined ie seal broken then the atmosphere will work correctly appearing in both outside areas. but both sides are now drawn and visible from both areas because they are now one big area.

because i have to go with option 2 of having one big open area i now have to create LOD groups with an occlusion test so that certain areas are now not drawn. if option 1 had worked this would not have been neccarsary as the portals would have prevented large areas from being drawn.

it gives a conclusion to the problem so if anyone has the same problem they know the way i went.