Mapping: Semi-Solid Discussion

[ShadowRunner]

Use them please.

BRUSH>SPECIAL>ADD SPECIAL

select semi-solid... click on ADD SPECIAL.


FAQ: Why the beep do you want me to use semi-solids?

1. It's gonna reduce any likelyhood of BSP error
2. It's gonna reduce your map filesize by a considerable amount

FAQ: When the beep should I use them?

Open a SP map and see where semi-solids have been used.

Then see where else you can use them.

So far I have got away with using semi-solids, for everything which doesn't need to be intersected or subtracted into... stairs, walls, screens, crates, buildings, everything, railings, tanks, floors, ceilings, everything...

Sometimes semi-solids will be unfortunately non-solid. Don't panic, rebuild your map on optimal... (which u should be doing anyway) Press F8, click on BSP, click on "optimal", rebuild twice if necessary... if it doesn't go away try repositioning, with semi-solids, you shouldn't get a BSP error at all really.

[Jon]

Shadow, its easier just to edit the brushes properties once added

[ShadowRunner]

i.e. add a brush > make it a semi-solid? what's the point of that button then?
Your suggestion does seem a lot easier...

[~[A]lex~]

Can't you also add regular brushes using ADD SPECIAL? It seems to me that the Add Special button just gives you the possibility to create all sorts of available brushes.

[chin.democ.]

I guess I should really cut down the sizes of some of my maps, I tend to forget about semi-solids, as Jon said you can right click any number of add/subtracts/semi solids and change their status with a couple of clicks, very handy.

[Magus]

As a general rule, all the tiny based BSP details that players aren't going to be colliding with should be turned into Semi-Solids.

[ShadowRunner]

It is not easier to make a brush and then convert it to semi-solid...

It is far quicker to have the box open and be pressing on "add special" once, than it is to...

Menu>Brush>Solidity> right Click> Click on "make semi-solid"...

you can keep the box in a 2-D view and work using the other 3... I tend to have build a cube, F8 and add special open all the time, so it's much quicker.

[chin.democ.]

Well I disagree so