Creating Portal Vents

← Portal Level Creation

Introduction

Vents found throughout the BTS Areas

This guide will teach you how to create vents. These vents are mainly used for lighting.

Vents

Inside

Inside of the vent

Create 2 48w*16l*40h brushes with the nodraw texture.

Create 2 48w*40l*16h brushes with the nodraw texture.

Create 1 16w*40l*40h brush with the nodraw texture.

Texture the back with the light_orange001.

Texture the sides with metalwall_bts_006b_gradient.

Use the Face Edit Sheet to align the textures.

Surrounding

Surrounding of the vent

Create 2 4w*2l*40h brushes with the nodraw texture.

Create 2 4w*36l*2h brushes with the nodraw texture.

Texture the front faces of the vents with metalvent001a.

Select the front visible faces and open the Face Edit Sheet and enter the following properties:

Texture scale:

• X: 0.15
• Y: 0.15

Texture shift:

• X: -7
• Y: 5

Select the top and bottom faces of the center faces, enter the following properties:

Texture shift:

• Y: 64
• Rotation: 180

Grating

Create a 4w*36l*4h brush with the nodraw texture.

Position this brush right below the top surrounding.

Use the Clipping Tool to cut the brush as seen in the image.

• 

  Grate cut

Select the front face and set its texture to metalvent001a and enter the following properties with the Face Edit Sheet:

Texture scale:

• X: 0.15
• Y: 0.15

Texture shift:

• X: -4
• Y: 219

Make sure the face's alignment is set to World.

Set the bottom face's texture to metalvent001a.

Select the back slope face. Set its texture to metalvent001a and enter the following properties with the Face Edit Sheet:

Texture shift:

• X: 8
• Y: 192

Make sure the face's alignment is set to World.

Copy and paste the brush 5 times as seen in the image, moving the brush 6 units down each time. Make sure Texture Lock is enabled.

• 

  Grating

Select both the Surrounding and the Grating and tie them to a func_detail

Lights

Create a light_spot entity and enter the following properties:

Property Name	Value
Pitch Yaw Roll	-22.5 0 0
Brightness	242 91 0 800
BrightnessScaleHDR	.5
Constant	200000
Inner (bright) angle	15
Outer (fading) angle	30
Pitch	-22.5

The vent lights in Portal don't have a specific angle or position. However, it is safe to keep the lights near the orange texture face and you can modify the light to point in a specific direction (only slightly).

Note: Only use this next light in long hallways

Create another light_spot and enter the following properties

Property Name	Value
Pitch Yaw Roll	-15 0 0
Brightness	242 91 0 150
BrightnessScaleHDR	.5
Constant	200000
Inner (bright) angle	1
Outer (fading) angle	60
Pitch	-15

Place this light as seen in the image

• 

  Optional Light Source

Implementation

Assuming you build your maps in 16 units wide, put the inside of the vent just outside of the brushes. Cut a hole using the clipping tool (make sure the hole is center with the texture) and place the vent in the whole.

Fill in the nodraw spaces and you have a vent.

Skinnier Vents

Skinny Vents

Skinnier vents seen in testchmb_a_15

Todo:  Finish this guide

See also

• Light Sources

• Portal Level Creation