I am currently creating a map involving a giant seawall with two different water levels.
Looking at maps like Death Island/Silent Cartographer, Hydrolysis and Yoyorast Island (all versions), I noticed that there's some sort of plane that "defines" where the underwater "fog" is, which basically creates oceans on Halo.

Is it possible to create two different planes or a "hole" in the fog?

If not, is there a way to fake the fog (i.e. -making a 3D model that feels like the fog, shaders etc.)?

To be honest, I don't... I haven't even touched Sapien or Tool or whatever before. (yet.)
But I'll figure that out eventually when I get to that step, thanks!

Just to make sure, this wouldn't make the two different water levels overlap, would it?
(i.e. -let's say there's area A and area B, and area A has a higher water level than B. If I was at an altitude in B where I would be underwater at the same altitude in A, the underwater fog effect wouldn't happen where I am, right?
Edited by renegade343 on Jul 20, 2012 at 08:45 PM

Awesome, thank you very much! :D
That really did seem a lot easier than I expected (besides my lack of a certain 3DS MAX program)!

the symbol goes after the name.

Okay thank you all, I'll keep that in mind.

I noticed that the plane definitions etc. are all done in 3DS MAX, but are there any other programs (preferably freeware -but I would love it if I get paid to use it :D) that I could use to make these maps?

The "!" means no collision. The "$" is used for fog planes.

You can see what all the symbols mean here: http://hce.halomaps.org/hek/ under Materials Overview.




You can use Gmax.

I...did not expect an actual answer... but awesome! I'll try it out ASAP, thank you!

i think it IS possible to have 2 fog planes in the same bsp, the level Halo (a30) is proof of that (first one on cave's entrance and the other inside the tunnel where the bridge is) but i think that it depends on either how is the bsp designed or how you add the rest of the portals (+portal and +exactportal) fog planes have to be flat (not any shape), but as long a you "seal it" into a cluster (like with portals) you can even make vertical fog (note that the first fog plane in a30 finish inside the tunnel in vertical way), i had a map where i spent time testing that and i got the vertical fog but i wasn't able to get 2 fog planes but you can go see yourself that it is possible to have 2 fog planes.

i believe the reason bungie was able to get 2, is that one plane is "outside" and the other is "inside" (after several portals leading into a tunnel you get "inside" and even the sky lighting and atmosphere fog changes, hope you get what im saying lol) which means that you can get one fog plane in both "outside" and "inside" so i recommend you to test all this yourself and find out, that's how someone learns :-)

wrong... i checked just now, you can have 2 fog planes in the same bsp, not sure if it's as long as one is "outside" and the other is "inside" but i'll make some testing to find out, there are 2 fog planes in A30, IN THE SAME BSP, the second bsp from that level starts when you are about to get out of the tunnels, see it yourself im not lying

Edited by ChBgt909 on Jul 23, 2012 at 04:35 PM