About 2D SKYBOX

[fr33m4n119]

Hi guys !

I'm trying to make a nice 2D Skybox for my map.

Can i use a 360 HDR Sky image for the 2D Skybox ?
(examples of 360 HDR Skies there : HDRI Skies [hdri-skies.com])

If yes, what is the process of creation ? how do you do that ?
I know that i need to make "front" "left" "back" "right" "up" "down" textures for it, but i can't figure how to do it with a 360 HDR Sky ? i don't know if it's possible or not.

Thx !

[bundestrojaner]

You can use these textures but you need to convert them from equirectangular images to cubemaps.

You can use this[gamebanana.com] tool to do this.

Open up the picture you downloaded using the 'LivePicture, SPHERE/CYLINDER, JPEG' format and then re-save it using the 'QuakeII, Targa' format following the same naming convention you would use to specify a skybox in hammer, i.e you would name the sky 'sky1_01' (for example) and the program would automatically create six images with the correct suffix attached.

[fr33m4n119]

Awesome dude, it's working ! thanks a lot

Ok, now that it is working, i would like to know how to configure the "light_environment" entity to match the 2D Skybox ?

How do you do to know which value to assign to :
- Pitch Yaw Roll (Y Z X)
- Pitch
- Brightness
- Ambient

How does it works ?

Thx !

[bundestrojaner]

The best way to find your Pitch Yaw and Roll values is to experiment with it in your map and then keep the values in a text file to reference later.

The first value, Pitch, determines the downward angle of the light, or in other words, how far above you the sun is in the sky, with 90 being directly above you in the zenith and 0 being perfectly on the horizon.

The second value, Yaw, determines the cardinal direction the light will be coming from, with 0 being from the west, 90 from the south, 180 from the east and 270 from the north.

The final value, Roll, doesn't affect anything in regards to light so there is no need to change it.


For the box below this that just reads 'Pitch', copy your first value from the first box into this one and negate it. e.g. if your first value is 35, change it to -35. If your first value is -20 change it to 20 and so on.


Brightness determines the colour and brightness of your direct sunlight. The first three values are the RGB value that you can choose with the colour picker, this is best as a pale yellow. The fourth value is the brightness, somewhere in the range of 1000 - 2000 is a good starting point.

Ambient determines the colour and brightness of your indirect sunlight that lights up shadows. The RGB value for this is best set to a dull blue colour and your brightness value shouldn't go above 100.

[fr33m4n119]

ok,

one more question :
how do you create a HDR Skybox ?
i mean, in Hammer, when you compile a map and "Run Map", you can check HDR for Run RAD

does it makes the 2D Skybox a HDR 2D Skybox ?

[bundestrojaner]

HDR skyboxes require special textures in order to work properly.

Wallworm[dev.wallworm.com] claims it can create HDR textures out of regular diffuse maps if youre willing to go into 3DS Max (if you have it of course) and create a textured sky sphere and then let it generate the HDR textures for you. There are some extra steps after this and the whole process is explained on the VDC but its up to you if you want to go to that effort.

[fr33m4n119]

How to create .pfm files from a .hdr 360 texture ? In photoshop ? Else where ?