Hiding Areas In A Map

[zhz]

Hello,
I'm in the process of making a map for Garry's Mod.
The top 20% of the map is a gravity-free space area, visually separated from the rest of the map by a non-solid divider (Currently a func_brush).

Basically, a place players can launch them and their contraptions into for some gravity-free fun.

I want to use a 2D skybox, but since the tools/toolsskybox texture has to be applied to a world brush, I can't apply it properly to my func_brush divider.

So, I haven't been able to find a decent way to hide the space box, while using a 2D skybox, and still allow players and props to freely pass between the two areas.

Here is a screenshot to get a better idea:

I would really appreciate the help.


Thanks,
~zhz

 

[Skywarp]

Maybe not use what you have there and make a trigger push out of a trigger tool, make the upward push be strong enough to simulate no gravity. At some point where the push ends players or objects will just float there. That way you can just remove what you have there and have just a normal 2d sky throughout.

 

[zhz]

Maybe not use what you have there and make a trigger push out of a trigger tool, make the upward push be strong enough to simulate no gravity. At some point where the push ends players or objects will just float there. That way you can just remove what you have there and have just a normal 2d sky throughout.

I'm not sure if you understand.

The whole purpose of the map is to have a separate space area in the sky.

See, beyond that blue rectangle in the sky is a big gravity free box/area with star textures inside.

I'm trying to completely hide the big blue rectangle into the 2D skybox, yet still allow players to pass through it into the simulated space area.

But since nodraw and tools/toolsskybox have to be on solid brushes, I am at a loss as to how I can make it completely invisible from ground view.

Here are a few more screenshots to better explain:

 

[Skywarp]

You can't then, anything behind or on top of a skybox will always show through. Either you put it behind a real wall or under the map where no sky will show it off.

 

[zhz]

There must be an innovative way of hiding world brushes.

Such as the way func_occluder hides props.


Are you sure it's completely impossible to do this?

 

[Skywarp]

Yeah, nothing can be on top of a skybox or it will be seen, you're not even supposed to put nodraw textures on a skybox as you would a "normal wall texture" where it is not seen at the outside of the map.

 

[zhz]

Yeah, actually there is a skybox surrounding the space box.
The broken skybox you see in front of the skybox was just a test (which obviously didn't work).

So basically, I just need a non-solid way to hide world brushes in general, again, the way func_occluder hides props. Anyone know how?

I was also told to try using trigger_teleport. But I'm not sure how well that would work out considering I need to to send all entities and players between the two areas, while also changing the gravity.

 

[Stigmata]

You could just use the space skybox, but put in some sort of sky-blue fog entity surrounding the area that is under the effect of gravity.

But, I don't map much, so maybe I'm retarded.

 

[JFry]

I'm not sure if I understand what you want exactly but here's my idea. Where you have the func_brush right now change into a trigger_teleport which will take you to the zero-gravity area. Inside the zero-gravity area would be another trigger_teleport which would return you to the normal area.

 

[Kester^]

JFry is bang on the money.

 

[MasterD]

how do you make an area gravity free?

 

[Crispy]

Could you also use a fogcontroller (or another device) to set the view distance so the space section doesn't actually show from the ground? The only problem here is that the space section would start being rendered as you got close to it.

OR

Could you do a brush with an opaque 'cloud' texture, that didn't react to light or cast shadows and was passable? So you go through the cloud layer and into the space section.

 

[Rapstah]

Spacebuild does it somehow. With extreme fog.