Zones....
by Jason Gitlin · in Torque 3D Professional · 10/01/2009 (5:01 pm) · 1 replies
I'm having a hard time finding any decent information about zones and portals. I found some talk in one thread suggesting that it's possible to create portals in 3ds max. Is this possible (with zones as well as portals)? If so, then how? It would be a million times easier than sizing and positioning in the level editor. Also what're the general rules of thumb when creating zones? Would it be ideal to zone of a wing of a building or every couple of rooms?
Also, when I create a zone in the level editior, it culls out the skybox when I enter it. Is there a fix for this?
Documentation would be wonderful...
Also, when I create a zone in the level editior, it culls out the skybox when I enter it. Is there a fix for this?
Documentation would be wonderful...
About the author
Associate Steve Acaster
[YorkshireRifles.com]
It's supposed to. Zones cull all objects not inside them. It might be helpful to think of zones as the geometry of BSP, with the portals as ... well portals.
Don't think of zones as the terminology used in MMOs.
You can zone/portal as much as you like, it's probably easier to zone a wing of a building rather than each and every room, as if you can see all the way down through different rooms, then there is not much point trying to cull it from view. Portals are best placed at angles akin to junctions or curved tunnels.
Have a look at how they are used in Beta5's Undercity demo ... as long as you haven't uninstalled it that is. Switch to wireframe view with zones and portals visible and see how the objects cull when you move around the tunnels.
As for creating zones in a modeling app, I haven't seen any info that says this is possible (but agree it would useful).