Why Are My Func_nobuild Ents Solid?

Cagey

<div class="IPBDescription">Am I doing something wrong?</div> I've been working on my first ns map, and I've run into some problems with the func_nobuild entity. It seems like the brush volume is clipping players as well as keeping the comm from building. I've tried texturing with aaatrigger without a change in results, and I've used other brush ents (trigger multiple, etc) in the past without a problem--is func_nobuild meant to be solid, or am I doing something wrong?

I'm trying to keep the comm from building on a short staircase since he could block passage by placing a building (model height + floor height change would be too much to jump over).

According to the official map specs, something isn't buildable if it (1) uses the nobuild texture or is (2) below a func_nobuild. When I've tried placing a brush at ceiling height to block building, the items are blocked at the height of the entity, but this causes other problems -- skulks are blocked from wallwalking, and the non-orthogonal camera perspective makes it impossible to control the exact position that I am blocking.

An alternate solution would be 1 unit high brushes covering the stair steps... is this what we're supposed to be doing?

Devs: If func_nobuild is solid, could a ent flag be added to toggle this type of nobuild functionality with TFC's implementation in the future? Defining the behavior within the volume instead of using collision checking at the surface faces would mean far fewer faces, map planes, etc.

Apologies in advance if I'm doing something wrong and the problem's mine...

<i>Cagey</i>

Cagey

Actually, now that I've spent some time thinking about how to efficiently allow nobuild checking, the problem could also be solved by adding a nobuild flag to existing entities -- I'm using a func_wall for the stairs to cut down polies... if I could mark that nobuild, the problem disappears--this would be even more effecient from a map resource perspective than using the volume based checking, and also less overhead at run time (check a bool on the ent instead of the list of volumes).

Greedo

func_nobuild necessarily needs to be solid, because building placement is based on clipping hulls, and non-solid brushes do not create clipping hulls.

For now, the 1 unit thick brush method is the best way to go about it.