Before I begin this tutorial, I would like to suggest you read my previous tutorial on architecture. This tutorial assumes you have the knowledge which the spicing up your architecture tutorial covers.

This tutorial is not so much a "start to finish" tutorial that you can follow through. It is more a reference to show possible ways to create corners. I cover 4 different corner types, none of which are technically better than the others, but they are suited to different situations.

For this tutorial, I will use the example of a room with walls made up of brushes like the setup below.

Corner 1

The first corner is technically the simplest of the 4. It is a simple meeting of the 2 walls at a 90 degree angle. To achieve this with reasonably complex walls, you simply extend both walls so that all sections overlap entirely. Now use the clip tool on one wall at the furthest extent of the overlap and cut off a 45 degree angle. Repeat this on the other brush, so that they meet a precise plane. The image shows better what I am trying to describe...

Corner 2

This corner is a smoother transition between the walls, with one intermediate wall section at 45 degrees to the original walls. To create this, first use the clip tool to shorten both walls and leave a significant gap between them. The larger the gap, the larger your corner wall will be. You should ensure that each equivelant vertex of the walls lies on a 45 degree line from the other. Again, this is quite hard to explain but easier to see from the image. Now you should clone one of the walls, and line up the correct vertexes with your walls. For extra accuracy in the width of any parts of the wall that stick out, you can bevel the ends of the main walls like I have in the example.

Corner 3

This method involves putting a pillar in the corner which the walls go into. To do this, simply create a brush at the corner (square shape from above is recommended, although any shape could be used really) and clip off your walls so that they are flush with it. Keep in mind that the pillar need not be a simple, flat sided brush, but can be designed however you want. If using more complex pillars, ensure you are sealing the map still, as otherwise you will have a leak.

Corner 4

This is the most complex of the corners, but is perhaps the most visually interesting. It is really a mix of corner 2 and 3 - there is an intermediate wall section and 2 pillars. First off, you should clip back your walls to leave a gap for an intermediate wall, as with corner 2. Now construct some support pillars - either simple cuboid brushes, or something more complex as in my example map. The type of intermediate wall you create is entirely up to you, but in this example I have used the arch tool to create 2 trim sections at the top and bottom, and another arch in the middle. Smooth corners are often very suited to these situations, although sharper angled walls work well too.



As I stated before, this tutorial is more of a reference and theory article than anything. I hope it has given you some useful examples of how to create more interesting corners to rooms, and how to create corners to rooms with non-flat walls. As usual, any questions, suggestions or comments should be left below or in the forums.