All Discussions > Tools & Servers > Source Level Design > Topic Details
Umbra 7 Jun, 2013 @ 8:35pm
Integrating Clouds into a Skybox
So I've been working on a map recently using the Portal 2 Authoring Tools. I've been working on trying to make moving clouds, so I have some transparent materials I've created, and I've gone through the material creation process (converting into .vtfs, creating .vmts, etc). The texture thumbnails come up correctly in the texture browser, but when I apply them onto my func_brush (the brush I'm placing in the skybox to have the clouds on) they end up making the brush appear as if I had wireframe viewing turned on. Anyone know how I can fix this? It would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by Umbra; 8 Jun, 2013 @ 1:54am
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Showing 1-6 of 6 comments
Umbra 8 Jun, 2013 @ 1:53am 
Okay, with a bit of VMT improvising, I changed the texture's shader from "Cloud" to "UnlitGeneric". Not sure why "Cloud" doesn't work though.

Regardless though, now that I've got the clouds in the skybox, is there any way I can mask out the edges of the brush that has the scrolling cloud texture on it? The brush cuts into skybox walls, making the texture not blend in, and if I fit the brush into the skybox then it just looks like a floating cube with scrolling clouds on it. Any suggestions?
#1
☠F☺celessMind☠ 9 Jun, 2013 @ 7:04am 
it's maybe better to create a model for that, instead of using brushes.
but you could also use the skip/nodraw texture and display your scrolling material on just one face of the brush.
Last edited by ☠F☺celessMind☠; 9 Jun, 2013 @ 7:06am
#2
Rectus 9 Jun, 2013 @ 7:15am 
If you don't have any scale sensitive things in the 3D skybox, you can increase the scale in the sky_camera, and move the clouds closer to ground. That way it will look like the clouds are covering the whole sky. Alternatively, just make the 3D skybox wider.
#3
Umbra 9 Jun, 2013 @ 2:46pm 
Well it's not really a scaling issue, it's a texture blending issue. I want the clouds to fade into the skybox, but I'm not sure how to achieve this. Is there any way to get a brush's to fade in on the edges of the brush's face?

Screen pic: http://gyazo.com/63b15ace47e414f4174a0d179bc4081e
#4
Rectus 9 Jun, 2013 @ 3:03pm 
I can't think of any, but there might be an other option. I'm not sure if portal has them, but there might be cloud particle effects made for the skybox.
#5
Wazanator 9 Jun, 2013 @ 11:53pm 
I don't think you can do it with a brush. The way I would handle it is make a model that is half a sphere with the inside carved out so it looks kind of like a coconut, texture the inside of this sphere with an animated cloud texture so it looks like the clouds are moving then place this in your skybox. This way it looks like your clouds are moving with the shape of the earth and into the horizon.
#6
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All Discussions > Tools & Servers > Source Level Design > Topic Details
Date Posted: 7 Jun, 2013 @ 8:35pm
Posts: 6
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