mirror question (original!)
 

Making a mirror on a wall or on the floor inside a box is no problem (using portal_512 or yavin_mirror). HOWEVER, I want a map with a flat, horizontal brush that is a mirror on top, hanging above lava. When I make this, no matter what I do that brush with the mirror acts as a clip, i.e. you see the lava through it without any sort of mirror effect. Anyone know what's causing this??

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

I've been trying to create a work-around but I can't find a way.

The problem is with sort orders, you know how a skybox is always drawn behind everything else within your viewable area? So even if you place a skybrush in the middle of a large open space you'll still be able to see behind it? Well portals are drawn kinda like that, according to the shader manual though they're actually drawn first. The reason they work fine when part of walls is there is nothing behind them.

Of course this could all be bull but after the tests I just did, that's how it seems to come out!

I tried adding "sort opaque" to the portal shader but it didn't help so unless someone finds another way or a workaround you're stuck!

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

So basically if there's anything behind it visible to the player the mirror doesn't work? That'd be a b*tch..... It does seem to be the case though.
Thanks for your explanation WadeV1589, I hope someone knows a workaround for this...... :(

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

Well make a box with an info_player_deathmatch and place a caulk brush mid way up, cover the top with portal_512 and place a misc_portal_surface. Compile and you'll see the mirror effect fine, now just resize that brush so it doesn't touch all 4 sides of the box and it will stop working.

I've tried a few ways to trick it but so far had no joy.

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

So.... you say make a box with a spawn point on top/in it, and a caulk brush inside the box or above it? Btw does it work any different with lava underneath it (since that's what I want)?
If it helps you do explain what I need, this is what I made: a box with a simple wall texture inside and caulk outside, with at the bottom lava2 (with caulk_lava on the sides you can't see) and at the top of the box a sky texture (with clip in front of it ofcourse). In the middle of the box is a horizontal brush, again with simple wall texture, textured on the top with a portal_512, and it has a misc_portal_surface on top. The mirror-brush doesn't touch the sides and there is quite some space between it and the lava.
I hope this helps explain my problem.

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

Ok take that brush with the portal_512 on and stretch it so it does touch all the outer walls and cover it in caulk_nonsolid on all but the top side, if you compile it now it will work fine, of course vis will be blocked and u won't be able to see thru the mirror.

That's my point, works fine if it's blocked by vis, the second you see behind it tho it refuses to work.

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

LOL I went right through with non_solid but fixed that now..... still, it sucks that I can't have anything under it..... nothing you can see anyway....

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

Yeah the reason I said use nonsolid is so u can drop thru it to see that there is stuff there just it's totally invisible. I honestly don't get why the portals refuse to draw with stuff behind them, it seems insane.

Re: mirror question (original!)
 

Well too bad I'll just have to make something else...... Thanks a lot for your help though! :thumbsup: