How to make a Skybox
Hi, im Mr. Tea and im gonna show you how to make a Simple Skybox and how to change the texture of your skybox using Valve's Source SDK Hammer Editor (World Builder).
Assuming you already now how to make basic shapes and spawn points (info_player_start), you want to select the Brush Tool (https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2Fmappingtutorial39.jpg&hash=079f6c322c702ac0602edff3fc4af81aef38622c) and make a box around your map like so, make it as high as you want but it MUST fit around your map
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut2.jpg&hash=9a03ce2167d0df0f7afb00fbf597a36fe31497fb)
Right click and hit Create Object to make it a Brush. After that click on your Texture Tool (https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2Fmappingtutorial7.jpg&hash=02c37c275328da461411b3a44a17bcd06b76ffad) and click browse, Now type in the filter "tools" (Without the ") like so, then double click on the Skybox texture
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut3.jpg&hash=f6958ab903afdf78526d5ad534231a1471ab6e41)
If you already have your skybox selected, just hit apply in the Texture Tool window, if not select your skybox and hit the Apply Current Texture tool (https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2Fmappingtutorial13.jpg&hash=dc2152b046375c8235754dd088cd6a433b2b1978). After your box is textured with the Skybox material, Select the brush and right clic, select "Make Hollow" option and you should see this
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut4.jpg&hash=e60019ae6a5fef339de26e44a628a1f9b4c02c43)
Like in the image, type in -16, after you have click ok. The results:
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut5.jpg&hash=f72cabbe89f967308996ff5d7d932f6217c41fe5)
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut6.jpg&hash=c2025852d98dafec85fc18edb1e3d9d138f03e0e)
There you have it, You just made your skybox.
How to change your skybox texture
List of working sky textures (http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Sky_List)
Select your skybox and click on map at the top left
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut7.jpg&hash=e994bcc1c4f9b532e04a67661cf3152e58eb20de)
Then select Map Property's. After you have you should see this
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut8.jpg&hash=6178a8900eb5f042a1f6ae25ad4c9e27751e6540)
Do not mess with any of the other settings, just click on skybox texture name. Now that you know where to change the texture, all you need to do is find one. Click on your Texture Tool and hit browse, in the filter type in "skybox"
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut9.jpg&hash=0edc62fddce85305b1e6040ef72adae2109aae38)
Just as an example i chose sky_day01_05 (NOTE: You will see dn, up, bk, rt, lf but these do not matter, all you are looking for is the name "sky_day01_05", Never include anything behind that unless you are using CSS textures). Do not double click on it, just remember the name. After you have chosen your skybox go back to the map propery's and type in your new skybox texture name
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut10.jpg&hash=9fe25e85494cfc54dc5949f086d5aa02c2c34462)
Hit apply and you are done! you just changed your skybox texture. In game shot
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fhl2-20090814-135929.png&hash=3cb1c6ca17d1ee8a661e2c0b5d2021ea8e7d7c0e)
How to make a 3D Skybox (BONUS!)
Select your Entity Tool (https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2Fmappingtutorial26.jpg&hash=179db71f6491ff32260f107528111ac0e88b5283) and create an entity where you want it (Use your camera view to place it), after you have select it and hit property's. In the class type in "sky_camera" (There can only be one sky camera)
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut11.jpg&hash=588b87104db4a118b792ec52e35b574339dc2bbe)
Do not mess with any of the settings, just hit apply and you have made your sky_camera (Sky camera makes things much bigger then they actually are). You need to place your camera DEAD center of you map, and make sure is far underneath it too
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut12.jpg&hash=b7ce9d0cde6488201b0a3c9f7450b9ff545541a9)
After you have done that, like before, make a sky box around it using the method before. make sure the sky_camera is close to the bottom of the mini skybox like so
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut13.jpg&hash=949c3ff99315344b2443d82cc06d5c9deab4e87e)
When your done with that, just put/make things you want around the sky camera, i made a few block towers as an example
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fmaptut14.jpg&hash=3dee340fce3fb40aafbf7a38b697d6b3e9a95170)
And guess what, youre done! Run your map an walla, you items in your 3D skybox are HUUUUGE. In game shot:
(https://forums.hypergamer.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi530.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd345%2FFragger21%2FMapping%2520Tuts%2Fhl2-20090814-140747.png&hash=d6a2286b6e6a84a3b76a48de93541f15cf879435)
This was a short, simple tutorial by Mr. Tea if you have any questions just SF me :)
WINGZERO LISTEN TO THIS MAN
For optimization, use the 'nodraw' texture on the outside of the skybox.
Quote from: Horsey on 24-08-2009
For optimization, use the 'nodraw' texture on the outside of the skybox.
and all sides which arn't showen, including where brushes meet, it lowers the map filesize and makes compiling faster !
What a great tutorial, thanks tea my boy.
Thanks for making this tea, i was having trouble with the skybox.