Leaks in Maps ... Handy Vandal's Almanac

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LEAK LEAK LEAK LEAK
See also: Compiling - Level Design -
Updated May 26, 2002 - 6:06 PM

LEAK LEAK LEAK LEAKS:
Map Leaks: Avoiding, Finding, Fixing

Each time you compile a map, examine the results of the compile process in the process window.

If you find LEAK LEAK LEAK LEAK ... your map leaks!

This means the compiler has found a "hole" in your map.

Some leaks are worse than others ... some you won't notice while playing the game ... other leaks will slow the game ... big holes will cause display problems -- and heaven help the player who falls through a hole, into the void - !

You should always checks for leaks -- and when you find them, you should always fix them. (This is "a must" in the Handy Vandal school of mapping.)

Better yet -- by rigorously observing leak-free level design practices, you can avoid leaks altogether.

LEAKS ARE CAUSED BY ...

* Hole in the Hull - a map is like a spaceship in the void ... the hull must be perfectly seamless ... all the brushes which form the hull must fit together "just so" ... the World is inside the ship, the Void is outside ... if the World can see the Void ... LEAK LEAK LEAK LEAK ...

* Entity in the Void - all entities must be inside the World -- if one or more entities fall partly or entirely into the Void ... LEAK LEAK LEAK LEAK

Leaks: Links to Resources

Leak Finder Program
by saida <saida@lava.nu>

See also http://hlprg.leveldesign.nu/ -

Leaks: Miscellaneous Notes and Advice ...

Using a brush to locate leaks - It has been said that putting a huge hollow brush over everything is not a very good idea if you want the best performance. But you can use a brush, hollow or not, to strategically find your leaks. Cover half of your map. Any leaks? Yes? Ok, the leak is in the other half. Then cover some suspected volume in THAT part. Any leaks? And so on. Be sure to set your compiler to use only the few first commands, so it won't start up vis.exe and HL etc.

- Clownfish

Try the pointfile method. First, make sure WC copies your .pts file on compile -- there's probably info on that here:

http://halflife.gamedesign.net/resources/worldcraft2_setup.shtml

Next, add particles 80000 onto your HL executable string.

Then, go into your map, and type pointfile into the console. It'll draw a line to the area of the leak (the line is much easier to follow in software mode). See if that helps.

- JuddHunter

E-Mail: juddhunter@gamedesign.net

Surround your level with a massive sky brush. Turn up the lighting to 5000, and change it to red or something. compile and walk through your level. the colored light will shine through your cracks...

- HurtMyPony

Each time you compile a map, examine the results of the compile process in the process window. This is necessary for finding the dreaded LEAK LEAK message -- and just as necessary for finding many other compile-time problems.

Examine everything in the process window -- you should understand how the process window reflects the compile process.

When you're ready to compile a map, look at the compiler command list -- .BSP, .RAD, etc. These are the various compiler programs, along with their parameters (which you should understand, especially if you're making a mod).

After the compile, compare the command list with the process window -- each command on the command list appears in the process window. Converting the .RMF file to a .BSP file requires running several programs, each of which feeds the next program -- this is the compile process, and the results of this process are displayed in the process window.

You should have a general understanding of your commands, and where the results of those commands appear in the process window. (The specific error messages etc. will vary from compiler to compiler, but at a minimum you should be able to locate the process window text where each compiler program runs.)

LEAK LEAK LEAK LEAK

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