Terrain not lighting in a zone problem

[legacy-Buckyfg]

Hey folks, on my latest map I'm working on, I have a large terrain (desert island) and everything has been fine. untill I made a large room in the middle of the map that sits just above the actual terrainzone actor and zone info actor for the main level. but has terrain flowing through it.

So the big room in the middle has its own zoneinfo set with terrain zone = true, but for some reason the terrain in that area is always unlit. its only happened since I made the room zoned off. and if I am in the editor the terrain for that area is invisible untill I hit the realtime preview button.


Always a new problem eh? damn editor :)


Any help would be great.

[legacy-sneaky_usb]

*i gotta ask.. cause you didn't mention it:

Didja check the zone lighting?
-=sneak

[legacy-Buckyfg]

Originally posted by sneaky_usb
*i gotta ask.. cause you didn't mention it:

Didja check the zone lighting?
-=sneak

Sneaky, u mean the ambientbrightness? it make no difference :(

If I'm in the editor and in that zoned off area the terrain isnt there at all untill I hit realtime preview then it shows, but all black

[legacy-Buckyfg]

heres a few pics to show whats happining:


http://www.aengusfinnan.com/temp-bucky/con-error1.jpg

With realtime preview checked on.
http://www.aengusfinnan.com/temp-bucky/con-error2.jpg

this is where the terrain actor and main zoneinfo are, just under that zoned room
http://www.aengusfinnan.com/temp-bucky/con-error3.jpg

all terrain outside of that zone is fine.

[legacy-sneaky_usb]

How far does the building cut into the terrain?
It might be blocking.. know what I mean?
*kinda like puttin a mesh too far into bsp.. it doesn't light correctly.

-=sneak

PS: i'm starting to guess now.. i've never experienced this problem.

PPS: does the building need to be zoned? it looks like you can see outside pretty easily.. will it matter?

[legacy-Buckyfg]

Originally posted by sneaky_usb
How far does the building cut into the terrain?
It might be blocking.. know what I mean?
*kinda like puttin a mesh too far into bsp.. it doesn't light correctly.

-=sneak

PS: i'm starting to guess now.. i've never experienced this problem.

PPS: does the building need to be zoned? it looks like you can see outside pretty easily.. will it matter?


the terrain flows through all the walls of that room. unfortunatly I want to zone it off because its a VERY open map and I need all the optimizing I can get.

[legacy-sneaky_usb]

I would try antiportals instead of zoning.
Why have it zoned if you can see thru the other sides?

-=sneak

ps: i think i'm outta ideas.. sorry man.:(

[legacy-Buckyfg]

Originally posted by sneaky_usb
I would try antiportals instead of zoning.
Why have it zoned if you can see thru the other sides?

-=sneak

ps: i think i'm outta ideas.. sorry man.:(

no worries Sneaky, I'm going to do just that. I can cover most of the same area with antiportals and not have to deal with the problem. Thanks alot for the help

[legacy-Chilly(BP)]

Heya Buckyfg. :)
Can't wait to see what you're workin on next.

Have you got a separate terrain actor for that particular zone? You will need one otherwise the terrain will be visible ONLY when you are inside the room. As soon as you step out of the room it will be gone because (as I found out the hard way and an excruciating remaking process later) that terrain generated from a single terrain actor does NOT span zones. You may SEE it from one zone to the next but it will only actually exist to walk on in the sole zone that it sits in.

Have you run through the map yet in-game? Bet you ten bucks thats the problem! Take the bet, I need the dough. :P

Chilly

[legacy-ObscureRefrence]

Terrain extending into other zones is unrealiable, as Chilly said, but I wonder what you mean by it being not lit.
Are you using any lights on it other than a sun light? I beileve those are zone specific.

[legacy-Buckyfg]

Chilly(BP), first of all I have a thread in user maps section about my latest regular UT2003 map (working on mod as well) it can be found: http://www.ataricommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=302621

Also I thought that if you put another terrain actor your creating two terrains right? I would have to retexture and remake the terrain for that area? and how would it match up to other terrain that litterally flows right through the doorway? this is good stuff to know, I'll think I'll just scrap the zone and use antiportals there anyway. I'll hopefully have a beta of BR-Contact to test next week.

ObscureRefrence I'm using lights in that zone as well but it seems the terrain isnt there untill I hit realtime preview (like in the rebuild process the terrain wont show up at all so I presume its not there to be lit by the lights. I even have ambientbrightness set e.t.c. how come every damn map has some crazy new problem :)?

thanks for the replies guys

[legacy-LOVE-FEST]

Chilly, that's the best description of R&D I've heard in a long time:

"that terrain generated from a single terrain actor does NOT span zones. You may SEE it from one zone to the next but it will only actually exist to walk on in the sole zone that it sits in. ".

That's exactly what I was running into. So I took a look at "BR-Twin Tombs"... Epic made a sepearte terrain actor for it's hallways, and another for its "outside" area of the map.

Twin Tombs didn't have terrain running from the outside into the inside like Buckyfg wanted. Maybe he can move the start of his second zone (for the room) back away from the entrance, so the sand can continue flow in. And then restart the sand with a new zone later in the room.

SOLUTION:
If DON'T want black terrain, make a terrain node for each zone you want to place terrain in.

Thanks Chilly! That's confirmation for me :up: I just had to hear someone else say it.

[legacy-Shuri]

You do know that was a 4 month old thread?

[legacy-LOVE-FEST]

You do know that was a 4 month old thread?
Hey long time Shuri! You're so funny. Doesn't matter how old it is? Truth is truth. It still applies today.

I just did the search today and found it. And I wanted to express my gratitude for Chilly(BP)'s insight. I'm just getting around to solving the problem now.

[legacy-Shuri]

Heyhey... was just pointing it out, in case you didn't know (got linked here by someone and thought it was recent...). Not *****ing or anything :) Was the problem for DiamondSword - we gonna get a release soon?

Oh, and btw - CTF-Overpass looks gorgeous.

[legacy-LOVE-FEST]

Was the problem for DiamondSword - we gonna get a release soon?
Yes. And as soon as I get this issue solved and rebuild my assault paths, I'm releasing it. I'll be glad when that's done.