Some Questions About Planes..?

[einfrnirdyr]

I have a few questions about Planes:

- Is it possible to create shapes other than Quads?
- Are Planes extrudable?
- Is it possible for vertex manipulation on Planes at all?
- Is it possible to rotate Materials on a Plane without having to rotate the Plane itself?
- Do the Planes perform any occlusion or Vis Blocking function?
- Somewhere in the editor (I forget where) I saw a Plane called 'Culling Plane' (or something like that). What is its function? Does it control engine visiblity or something similar?

I suspect I already know the answer to most of these questions, but there could easily be a relevant function I am missing out on.

I've got a long way into creating my first map for 'Amnesia'. Most of the meshes and planes are in pace; and right now I am adding Props and other details to help flesh it out.

Later, I will tackle the challenge of scripting - my weak area... Gah. Just thinking of that hurts my head...

[HakePT]

1- Is it possible to create shapes other than Quads?
2- Are Planes extrudable?
3- Is it possible for vertex manipulation on Planes at all?
4- Is it possible to rotate Materials on a Plane without having to rotate the Plane itself?
5- Do the Planes perform any occlusion or Vis Blocking function?
6- Somewhere in the editor (I forget where) I saw a Plane called 'Culling Plane' (or something like that). What is its function? Does it control engine visiblity or something similar?

1- On a single plane? Planes are 2 dimensional with 4 vertexes.So no i don't think you can. Use several planes for more complex shapes.

2- Don't understand the question.

3- I don't think you can. Planes show only one side and are always planes, but they can be at any angle. However Vertex are always at 90.

4- Materials are not planes. Don't really get what you mean. There are entities if thats what you mean yes you can. Materials are basically how you define a object to react when a collision happens. Metal objs=metalized sound.
If you mean rotate the texture of the plane then yes. Select the plane click plane on the right side and change texture angle.

5- Yes, they are there to BE the ground so you walk on planes most of the time. Sure they block vision. But only on one side. From the other side, like walls they are see trough.

6- Never saw that sorry

Hope it helps.

[graykin]

Never mind, it was already stated, I just mis-read one of HakePT's responses.

[Noj]

thats what the model editor is for :S

[Alienchild]

- Is it possible to create shapes other than Quads?
No.

- Are Planes extrudable?
No.

- Is it possible for vertex manipulation on Planes at all?
No.

- Is it possible to rotate Materials on a Plane without having to rotate the Plane itself?
Yes. Select the plane, and in the options menu on the left hand side of the editor go to the "Plane" tab. It's called "Texture angle".

- Do the Planes perform any occlusion or Vis Blocking function?
Yes.

- Somewhere in the editor (I forget where) I saw a Plane called 'Culling Plane' (or something like that). What is its function? Does it control engine visiblity or something similar?
Never seen it.

[einfrnirdyr]

Most of those answers I was anticipating. I didn't have the editor loaded at the time as I was in a hurry to make another appointment so some of my questions were a bit - er -rushed. Sorry about that.

In regards to vis blocking, what is the correct way to build a map, then? Should the entire level be sealed in with Planes to prevent leaks? Or can decorative Meshes just hang out the sides without any Planes behind them?

For that matter, do Meshes perform any vis blocking..?

Also, the other feature that I was confused with is the 'Clip Planes' tool at the bottom of the editor - what does that do?

Thanks for all your help! Especially for the 'Texture Angle' tip - I wouldn't have found that one so readily. Anyway, I'm getting to know the editor rapidly and I hope to have something to show you Guys soon.

This little testmap I am building is now about two thirds complete.

One last question... Is there a jet black Material/Texture that I can use to hide how close a wall actually is? I am building a series of cliffs and I want the Player to look out across an endless pitch black abyss with nothing else in sight. Nothing. Just absolute nothingness instead of any visible horizon or opposite wall.

[graykin]

One last question... Is there a jet black Material/Texture that I can use to hide how close a wall actually is? I am building a series of cliffs and I want the Player to look out across an endless pitch black abyss with nothing else in sight. Nothing. Just absolute nothingness instead of any visible horizon or opposite wall.

Not that I am aware of, but what you could do is simply activate "distance fog" in the "level settings" option, and change the fog color to black. You may have to adjust the maximum distance of the fog, but it should be able to give you the effect you want.

[einfrnirdyr]

Thanks. I may use that method.

Does fog use affect draw distance rendering and engine visibility?

Yeah, I'm always concerned about learning performance optimisation tricks when learning new tech.

[Equil]

Also, the other feature that I was confused with is the 'Clip Planes' tool at the bottom of the editor - what does that do?

Would like to know this too. I think it might be used for managing large maps or something, as in the official maps they're used to toggle the ceilings and such on/off.