How to make a 2D skybox!

So, you want to make some sky in your map, huh? I hope so, because unless you are making some kind of bunker map, using sky with light_environment helps make realistic outdoor environments.


This assumes you have a map made and now want a skybox to let some light in!

I will cover the huge difference between 2D and 3D skyboxes in my next tutorial on 3D skyboxes.

You can also use it to light a room with sunlight:



It is really simple to make a 2D skybox. All you need to do is make a brush with tools/toolsskybox as the texture where you want the sky. so if you want to make a sky for an outdoor map, make the four sides and the "roof" of the map (Where the players can't go past, the invisable skybox wall which shows the skybox texture picked later) with the tools/toolsskybox texture.


Now, up where you see "File" "Edit" etc goto Map -> Map Properties... and go into "Skybox Texture Name."

Have a look here. Pick the skybox you want and put it's name (ex. sky_borealis01 ) in the "Skybox Texture Name" keyvalue in Map Properties.

Now, you have a sky! If you want it to emit light and/or have a sun then keep reading!

Place a light_environment. Open up the properties and go back here. For your skybox are the preferred settings to make the lighting look realistic, they are what valve used in their maps.

Copy the four numbers it gives for Ideal Brightness ( 254 227 167 80 for sky_borealis01 ) (There can be more than one set, more than one row, there is one for each valve map with that skybox, and each has different settings. If you don't care, just pick any one.) and go back into hammer and paste that into "Brightness" keyvalue for your light_environment. Do the same for "Ideal Ambience" except paste it in Ambient.

There, your map has light, but no sun!

Place an env_sun and open up the properties for it. In the Sky List, it has ideal sun pitches (Where the sun is in the sky.) to the left of Brightness and Ambience. Copy Ideal Sun Angle and paste it into the Pitch Yaw Roll keyvalue. Copy Ideal Sun Pitch and paste it into "Pitch". See the keyvalue that says "UseAngles"? Well, that asks if we want to specify pitch or point it. Since we gave it a pitch, set it to YES.

There. You have a skybox, and a sun! Depending on the skybox you picked, you may or may not see your sun yet, it might be below the horizon.

If there are any problems, tell me.

-Chip

another awesome tutorial

Nice one =]

thanks for making this il try it now