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quote:...An Explanation of T-Junction Cracks"T-junction cracks" are a little more complicated than 'Z-fighting', and can be more difficult to track down and fix. They are caused when the vertices (control points) of a curve patch don't match up with surrounding world geometry. They can be caused when a patch extends into the world on one or more sides (see fig. X-3,) or when there is a split in the faces that make up one or more edges of a patch (fig. X-4.) Avoiding T-Junction Cracks and Z-fightingThe best way to keep maps free of "T-junction cracks" and "Z-fighting" is to keep these problems in mind while adding patches and supporting geometry. There are a few simple methods for adding patches. Initially, they may seem like more work that they're worth, but they will save hours of hunting down and fixing problems that can arise through careless construction. Avoid spanning more than one brush with one edge of a patch. For example, if an inverted bevel is 128 units tall, back it with 128 unit tall caulk brushes. Likewise, if the wall is made up of two vertically stacked brushes; use two vertically stacked patches of matching heights. Avoid patches that extend into world brushes, unless all of the edges extend into world brushes. When adding patches, if one edge of the patch extends into the world, while the other edges line up with other brushes, there will most likely be cracking. Sometimes, particularly in the case of 'flesh' elements, it is necessary to extend parts of a patch into the world. In these cases, extend all edges into the world, or into surrounding patches. Be Careful with vertices. Use Snap to Grid. Without it, your curves will create far more problems than they will otherwise might. Sometimes, especially after resizing patches, vertices can get "knocked off" the grid. Always make sure vertices are where they're supposed to be. If needed, patch vertices can always be snapped back to the grid using CTRL+ G. It's always a good idea to be completely aware of where things are in relation to the grid. Caulk, caulk and more caulk. Get into the habit early of building the space behind curve patches with caulk brushes. You will eliminate Z-fighting, seal up the area behind the curves, and unless you are building a map in fashion doll pink, edges that aren't aligned with the curves have a better chance of showing up....Rounded Wall Edges (endcapped) This is a simple example of terminating a wall in a rounded edge. The most important thing to keep in mind here is where the vertices are placed. If the patch is extended into the ceiling or floor, there will almost certainly be cracks. ...Finding and Fixing T-Junction Cracks and Z-FightingThere will usually be cases where, despite careful building, cracks appear. When looking for cracks that may have been missed, there are three console commands that will be a great help: \r_clear 1: This will clear the frame buffer on each frame, eliminating the Hall of Mirrors effect. \r_fastsky 1: This will draw the sky as a single, solid color, making it easier to see the void behind curves. This makes cracks stand out. Be aware that fastsky also disables the function of portal screens and mirrors. \r_showtris 1: This will draw white lines around all of the triangles in the world, showing exactly how the geometry in the map is affecting the patches. NOTE: Another good way to use these commands is to set them to toggle on a key. The Debug Config below contains these commands as toggles. Turn on r_clear, and r_fastsky, and run through the map, looking at the patches from all possible angles. If there is a crack, turn on r_showtris, and make sure that the patch does not extend into the world, unless it was intended to. Next, look at the surrounding brushes. Make sure that no splits meet the edge of the patch. If neither case is true (it happens these case? 'mystery cracks'), then try a different approach to building the area; perhaps splitting one patch into two, or rearranging the brushes surrounding the patch. When none of the above seems to work, experiment with as many different ways as possible. If something works, keep it in mind for the next time. ;;;
quote:Originally posted by Sypher_5:Psst, Browser [ICE], you GMAX site page doesnt work. Why dont you just link to http://BrowserICE.gmaxsupport.com/Main.htm I tried seeing what is surpose ot happen but, this doesnt exsist aparently, check spelling and caps, the server may be case sensitive.http://BrowserICE.gmaxsupport.com/web/JavaScripts/Home.js
