Note: How To Easily Fix A Leak
Zero3Cool
Join Date: 2003-01-04 Member: 11834Members
Join Date: 2003-01-04 Member: 11834Members
Its actually not as hard as many thinks! Pointfiles is first needed if you are so lost why and you tested this easy method too:
If you know where the leak is around (the part you edited/added since last test (of course you test your map often)) then you only need to place a box in that part and not the whole map - read on and youll understand why.
First find any texture that you dont use in your map (so you can find your box again <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->).
1. Create a massive box around the half of your map (or the part of your map you mistake!). Yes you heard right! A massive box that will make your map un-playable if you dont delete it again! But dont worry you aint gonna play with it!
2. Go to the compile dialog (f9 in hammer) and change to advanced mode if you dont already use that. Uncheck the last box in actions (the ones that runs half-life with your map).
3.
If your map compiles in less than 10-15 secs (its skipping the part that takes long time - the light calculation) then your box is not covering the leak and you should make it bigger until the leak is covered again or try to find the leak in the area around the box.
If it takes ages (its calculating lights) then your box is covering the leak and you should make it smaller, go back to 2 and keep doing it until its so small that you can see the leak.
Note that this method may be a bad way if there is more than 1 leak.
(sorry for my bad english so if you dont understand it let me know and ill try to explain it <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> )
If you know where the leak is around (the part you edited/added since last test (of course you test your map often)) then you only need to place a box in that part and not the whole map - read on and youll understand why.
First find any texture that you dont use in your map (so you can find your box again <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->).
1. Create a massive box around the half of your map (or the part of your map you mistake!). Yes you heard right! A massive box that will make your map un-playable if you dont delete it again! But dont worry you aint gonna play with it!
2. Go to the compile dialog (f9 in hammer) and change to advanced mode if you dont already use that. Uncheck the last box in actions (the ones that runs half-life with your map).
3.
If your map compiles in less than 10-15 secs (its skipping the part that takes long time - the light calculation) then your box is not covering the leak and you should make it bigger until the leak is covered again or try to find the leak in the area around the box.
If it takes ages (its calculating lights) then your box is covering the leak and you should make it smaller, go back to 2 and keep doing it until its so small that you can see the leak.
Note that this method may be a bad way if there is more than 1 leak.
(sorry for my bad english so if you dont understand it let me know and ill try to explain it <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> )
Comments
As for 10-15 seconds compile time, no need to place a box around the level. If you donwload and use ZHLT tools, it will tell you, that you have a leak.
The best way would be to just use point files.
So I suggest you download the ZHLT tools and try with that. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I see this method way easier than any other! The pointfiles takes ages to follow and find where it breaks through. The Compile time was actually just a tip to easily to see if there was errors or not. (assuming any error would be a leak error)
If you encounter a leak, stop and ask yourself. Have you done some carving? Have you done some big vertex manipulations and so on. You'll find it to be really easy to find leaks in your map that way. Just practice! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Let's put it this way. You spend 4-5 minutes compiling plus 4-5 minutes testing <i>each time</i>.
I spend 5 seconds finding the object and 1 minute fixing the leak <i>each time</i>. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
But anyway, I'll stop with this silly bragging. If you don't have any questions more, I suggest we leave this thread alone.
that's right.
but if you want to remake or resize some room in your map, there come the leaks ;(
BUT, I use Quark, and Quark can check if you have any leaks in seconds, and mark the leak with red X. very easy!
Anyway the best way to find leaks is Quark built-in leak finder.
quark is for nubs <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
it has a tool that makes stairs for you... lol <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
[/dis]
Bet you weren't expecting that.
When I was a newbie I used Carve, and Subtract, and Hollow to make just about everything. So it's leak finder was very helpful. Now I hand-make nearly every brush and haven't needed it in awhile. Quark is much easier for newbies to learn and use then Hammer is, and once you learn it, it can do everything hammer can and more.
P.S. Hammer will make stairs for you to, so that kinda throws your whole argument out the window anyway. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
- POINTFILE in console
- Load pointfile in Hammer 3.5beta
- Leakmarker ( <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> )
- Big box + many compils
- To map correctly <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
- Not mapping with smallest grid
Another ?
Most leaks can be found just by looking around in hammer. If they cant you gotta question whether your really doing things right in the first place.