Mapping/Surface inspector

From UFO:AI

Contents 1 Intro 2 Texture options 3 Surface and contentflags 3.1 Surface flags 3.2 Content flags 4 Value

Intro

This page intends to be a summary and reference of "surface inspector" use and effects for UFO:AI. Surface inspector can be opened by hitting s key or choosing menu entry "View -> Surface Inspector".

Mostly this is the effects of each flag when no other flag is set. Combinations of flags can be tricky but mostly it seems that "going through" effects override blocking effects. Ex: if you set 2 flags, one allowing shots to go through the brush and the other one blocking the shots, final effect will be to allow the shots going through.

Texture options

Texture related controls

Field or button	Purpose
Texture	Texture path and name, starting from base/textures, without extension.
Horizontal/vertical shift	Horizontal/vertical shift of the applied texture
Step	For all fields - by how large value should scroll buttons change the field.
Horizontal/vertical stretch	Horizontal/vertical stretch of the applied texture. Note that it is applied to the whole texture, so shifted textures will have the stretch applied also to parts that do not fit on the face.
Rotate	Rotation of the texture
Match Grid
Brush - Axial
Brush - Fit
Brush - Width/Height

Surface and contentflags

Surface and contentflags affect almost everything regarding brush, except the texture - visibility, transparency, additional effects, even sounds. The following attempts to be a full list of these flags used in UFO:AI.

Meaning of each attribute:

• visual effect : does flag change fac appearance?
• player : can a human player go through a "wall" with that flag set
• shots : can a shot go through a "wall" with that flag set
• visibility : is it possible to see through a "wall" with that flag set
• blast: does a blast go through a "wall" with that flag set (tested with rocket)

Surface flags

• light
  • visual effect: produces light
  • players:
  • shots:
  • visibility:
  • blast:
  • used for: lamps

• trans33
  • visual effect: 2/3 transparent
  • players:
  • shots:
  • visibility: go through
  • blast:
  • used for: windows, water

• trans66
  • visual effect: 1/3 transparent
  • players:
  • shots:
  • visibility: go through
  • blast:
  • used for: windows, water

• nodraw
  • visual effect: invisible, but casts shadow
  • players: blocked
  • shots: blocked
  • visibility:
  • blast: blocked
  • used for: shadows, performance optimisations
  • specific texture: tex_common/nodraw texture should be always used

• warp
  • visual effect: warps
  • players:
  • shots:
  • visibility:
  • blast:
  • used for: water surface
  • notes: Should be assigned to visible faces only

• fireaffected
  • visual effect: none until fired up
  • players: blocked
  • shots: blocked
  • visibility: blocked
  • blast: blocked
  • used for: faces that should have an ability to light on fire, like straw
  • notes: Will spawn a fire particle when shot with some flames inducing weapon, fo example, flamethrower

• footstep
  • visual effect: none
  • players: blocked
  • shots: blocked
  • visibility: blocked
  • blast: blocked
  • used for: faces that should produce a sound when stepped on
  • notes: See footsteps

• flow
  • visual effect: flows
  • players: blocked
  • shots: blocked
  • visibility: blocked
  • blast: blocked
  • used for: river
  • notes: To change the direction of moving rotate the texture with the surface inspector

• phong
  • visual effect: smoothes the texture
  • players: blocked
  • shots: blocked
  • visibility: blocked
  • blast: blocked
  • used for: barrels, pipes, rocks, tree trunks
  • notes: Should be assigned to visible faces only

Content flags

• level1 to level8 :
  • see Levelflags or Levelflags - step by step

• actorclip :
  • visual effect : invisible (no shadow)
  • players : blocked
  • shots : go through
  • visibility : go through
  • blast : blocked
  • used for : limiting actor movement (whole cells and railing), creating "floor", stairs (see Ladders)

• weaponclip
  • visual effect : invisible (no shadow)
  • players :
  • shots : blocked
  • visibility :
  • blast :
  • used for : blocking shots on objects that wouldn't block them otherwise (for example, models)

• solid :
  • visual effect : none
  • players : blocked
  • shots : blocked
  • visibility :
  • used for : mostly by ufo2map during compilation phase to determine which brushes will have priority when splitting overlapping brushes
  • Note : if trans33 or trans66 is checked, it overides solid flags (ie the brush is transparent and allows everything to go through it)

• water :
  • visual effect :
  • players : go through
  • shots : go through
  • visibility :
  • used for : water. Use flow flag for "flowing liquid" and warp for water bodies like lakes or seas

plays sounds on entering the brush;

exports envmaps for that surface (material) (explanation by mattn)

• window :
  • visual effect : doesn't draw inside of the brush
  • players :
  • shots : blocked
  • visibility :
  • used for : windows, of course.

• passable :
  • visual effect : none
  • players : go through
  • shots :
  • visibility :

• origin :
  • visual effect : invisible
  • players :
  • shots :
  • visibility :
  • used for : doors

Value

Used for surface lights (see surfaceflag light and surface lights).