How do I make a working skybox?
I don't know if anyone else has asked this, anyway I'm trying to make my very first Hammer map, I've been practicing for a while and now I have finally almost completed making my first map with it.
I have the fizlers, tractor beams, turrets, gel, moving panels and toxic goo all working the way I want, but I can't get the skybox to have any sky on it or "emit" any light at all, it's just totally black when I run the map, I have to add light sources all over my map or else it's very dark. I've seen videos where people make a block with the skybox "texture", then make it hollow and that's it, they run the map and it looks fine, their skybox has the sky on it, and everything is nice and bright, but if I try the EXACT same thing, it just keeps being totally black. Have I missed something? I tried putting a light_environment, env_sun and shadow_control entity in the map but it didn't change a thing. Could someone do a step by step guide and tell me exatcly what do do, becuase I'm just totally stumped by this. I would upload the VMF so you can take a look but I don't know how.
Also sometimes when I run a map, some of the textures show up all purple and weird, I had to change those textures to something else just to get rid of that weird glitch, anyone know what the heck is going on when it does that? Or Has my computer developed a mind of it's own and is deliberately doing that just to annoy me?
Hi!
Here are some pages on the mapping wiki regarding skyboxes:
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Portal_2_Sky_List
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Skybox_(2D)
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Light_environment
If you need any specifics for coloring light, or something does not make sense to you, just post a reply.
Hope this helps 
After reading the message more carefully I see you want an example map...one moment...I'll edit this in a moment.
EDIT: Actually vmfs are forbidden on thinkingwithportals uploading, so nevermind XD. Still, feel free to ask me for more help!
If you zip your map file you can upload it.
What it sounds like though is you haven't changed your skybox material. Pick one from the Portal 2 section of this list: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wik ... t#Portal_2
Then, go into Map -> Map Properties... and under Skybox Texture Name, put the name of the sky you picked.
"Purple and weird" as in purple and black checkerboard? This usually means a missing texture. Which materials are you having issues with?
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EDIT: Actually vmfs are forbidden on thinkingwithportals uploading, so nevermind XD. Still, feel free to ask me for more help!
That's not true. As long as you compress it in zip or 7zip.
Oh 
, if you still need help just post here then and I'll upload.
@CoolDudeClem:
- You can upload only 1 file per post. If you check out while you are writing your post right below those buttons 'Save Draft' / 'Preview' / 'Submit', you'll see an 'Upload attachment' tab... there it is. As mentioned above, not all file formats are allowed, so just zip it.
- Purple checkerboards: I guess this is happening to you with a custom texture, right? (if not, you need to verify the integrity of your local files). This is caused by a wrong path in your material file (the .VMT). Check the path you put in the line "$basetexture" and make sure you actual texture, the .VTF, is there 
Skyboxes.
2 options: 2D and 3D. Forget about that "block" textured with the toolsskybox texture that you make hollow and such because that's a 3D skybox, and it's WAY more complex for what you really need.
For the 2D skybox you only need to texture certain front brushes faces where you want the sky to appear. You can choose the skybox in hammer into Map > Map properties > Skybox Name. As mentioned above there are some already available. Use one of those names; by default you have the sky_black.
Lighting coming from the skybox is made by the light_environment entity that you are already using. check out what color you choose. But NEVER use that lighting source as the only lighting in a chamber Add more light entites...
You can alternatively use a custom skybox, with fancy clouds and whatnot, there are some pretty good ones here. Usually you need to edit the 6 .VMT files to change the shader and avoid it renders in a first plane. From this:
- Code: Select all
"sky"
{
"$basetexture" "skybox/sky56bk"
"$nofog" "1"
"$ignorez" "1"}
You'll need to change to this:
- Code: Select all
"UnlitGeneric"
{
"$basetexture" "skybox/sky56bk"
"$nofog" "1"
}
NOTE: if you need some fog around those toolssky-textured-brush-faces, erase the line $nofog 1
ALL custom (and non custom) skybox textures files go into your materials/skybox folder. If it doesn't exist create it.
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What does your Map -> Map Properties option have for your skybox name option?
It could be that you are typing in a skybox that doesn't exist or wrongly into the field. Remember you should only type the name of the skybox and not skybox/sky_white or one of the individual sides of fa skybox like sky_whiteDN.
Correct: e.g. sky_white