Mirrors in Source

I just found out about an entity called "Func_reflective_glass". I have been looking for a way to get real time reflections for ages. I haven't installed Source SDK yet so I haven't had the time to try it out so a few questions:

When did this entity appear?
Where did it come from?
What are the limitations?

http://www.google.com/search?q=Func_reflective_glass&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

How I did mirrors was I used the CAMERA and the screen brush and made them that way.

Sehnsucht said:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Func_reflective_glass&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

I know how to google. I wasn't born yesterday. That's what I mean when I said I just found out about it but my questions remain valid.

Muhnay said:
How I did mirrors was I used the CAMERA and the screen brush and made them that way.

Holy sh*t! No one posts all night, then 1 within the past hour and another post while I first typed this one. Anyway yeah, no longer a need to use camera/monitors anymore apparently. Look at this Muhnay.

HOLY HAND BAG! Thats sweet! When do we get that.. cause its not in my entity list.

Ok I do have the brush entity but I do not have glass/reflectiveglass001.vmt, Where can I get this, or do I have to make it?

I did find this online..

"lightmappedreflective"
{
    "%tooltexture" "dev/flat_normal"
    "$refracttexture" "_rt_WaterRefraction"
    "$refractamount" "0"
    "$refracttint" "[.5 .5 .6]"

    "$reflecttexture" "_rt_WaterReflection"
    "$reflectamount" "0"
    "$reflecttint" "[1 1 1]"

    "$fresnelpower" "0"
    "$minreflectivity" "0.8"
    "$maxreflectivity" "1.0"

    "$normalmap" "dev/flat_normal"

    "$surfaceprop" "glass"
    "$bumpframe" "0"
} 

Is that what I need to make?

Ok Found it.. here is what I get when I try to compile and run a CSS map with it..

maxplayers set to 32
Heap: 256.00 Mb
Parsed 359 text messages
Couldn't find custom font file 'resource/HL2EP2.ttf'
Couldn't find custom font file 'materials/vgui/fonts/buttons_32.vbf'
execing config.cfg
Can't use cheat cvar cl_upspeed in multiplayer, unless the server has sv_cheats set to 1.
Can't use cheat cvar cl_forwardspeed in multiplayer, unless the server has sv_cheats set to 1.
Can't use cheat cvar cl_backspeed in multiplayer, unless the server has sv_cheats set to 1.
Can't use cheat cvar dsp_dist_max in multiplayer, unless the server has sv_cheats set to 1.
Can't use cheat cvar dsp_dist_min in multiplayer, unless the server has sv_cheats set to 1.
Can't use cheat cvar r_ambientfraction in multiplayer, unless the server has sv_cheats set to 1.
1 CPU, Frequency: 2.0 Ghz, Features: AuthenticAMD SSE SSE2 MMX 3DNow RDTSC CMOV FCMOV
execing valve.rc
execing game.cfg
Network: IP 24.28.176.161, mode MP, dedicated No, ports 27015 SV / 27005 CL
Spawn Server mirror
Error: Material "mqbumpmap/reflectiveglass001" uses unknown shader "lightmappedreflective"
Begin loading faces (loads materials)
End loading faces (loads materials)
execing skill1.cfg
Executing listen server config file
Incorrect price blob version! Update your server!
ERROR: mp_dynamicpricing set to 1 but couldn't download the price list!
Attempted to create unknown entity type func_reflective_glass!
Can't init func_reflective_glass
Section [Scenes]: 0 resources total 0 bytes, 0.00 % of limit (2.10 MB)
32 player server started
couldn't exec listenserver.cfg
Attempted to create unknown entity type func_reflective_glass!
Can't init func_reflective_glass
Client "{NW}Conman" connected (127.0.0.1:27005).
Connected to 127.0.0.1:27015
Adding master server 69.28.140.247:27011
Adding master server 68.142.72.250:27011

Counter-Strike: Source
Map: mirror
Players: 1 / 32
Build 3531
Server Number 1
No pure server whitelist. sv_pure = 0
CAsyncWavDataCache: 0 .wavs total 0 bytes, 0.00 % of capacity
Initializing renderer...
Connection to Steam servers successful.
VAC secure mode is activated.

{NW}Conman connected
Game will not start until both teams have players.
Scoring will not start until both teams have players
--- Missing Vgui material vgui/resource/icon_newfolder
Game will not start until both teams have players.
Dropped {NW}Conman from server (Client timed out)
Disconnect: Client timed out.
Disconnect: Client timed out.

couldn't exec userconfig.cfg
Host_WriteConfiguration: Wrote cfg/config.cfg
couldn't exec userconfig.cfg
Host_WriteConfiguration: Wrote cfg/config.cfg

CRAP.. I guess CSS is crap.. I cant use this great new tool to map with for CSS.. that sucks.. fuckin steam.

In Hammer for counter strike:source I have found a entity "Func_reflective_glass". How I can use this entity in CS:S? Sorry, my English is bad:)
You can't use it in CS:S. It's only available for games that run on the Orange Box version of Source. --Darthkillyou 16:11, 18 Dec 2008 (PST)

At least it works in HL2. Here I have designed my map to be symmetrical except the half that uses "real world" textures. The mirror seems to duplicate the half of the room the player is in but with some fuzzy pixelation.

I've not bothered to try out the new entity myself, but I know this discussion has occurred on many other sites before, but a Google search normally won't link you to them. So, here are some I've stumbled upon in my searches:

HL2World: "real reflections"

Interlopers: "realistic reflective floor (tutorial!)"

They describe older ways and alternative (modded) ways of making other things reflective too! (Including how to get it to work in CSS!)

---

Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Then RIVEN we need to grab that stuff and post it here. Because I am a snarker.

ive not yet seen it work like a moniter would every time ive seen reflective glass it looks like a shiny material that has a 100% reflection of what the nearest cubemap is.
ive never seen one reflect moving objects(players,props,...etc).

however when i did see it i was in shock and wondered when they added it.

but since it was added for orangebox is it used anywhere in ep2?

Not that I can recall. Na, I don't think it's in EP2. -but you know Valve, they always add a few entities in for legacy support and they may not use some in the long run, but they leave 'em in anyway so that modders can mess around with them

---

Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

So, does this work in Half-Life 2 or only in the orange box version? Normal half life 2 doesn't seem to contain a texture called 'reflectiveglass001'.

that entity is only available in the orange box version of Source

---

Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Riven said:
that entity is only available in the orange box version of Source

Would you know how to recreate the same effect for normal half life 2?

Yea, I already posted two other links just 7 posts up for other methods to try and implement the same effect in older Source games.

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Allright, cheers.

Well, the first method is specifically for Counter-Strike: Source and after experimenting, the latter doesn't work for mirrors. Is there any other way to create a mirror in Half life 2?

The tutorial on Interlopers doesn't work? did you download their example map? I mean, I haven't tried it myself, but I do know it only works on horizontal surfaces, so for example you couldn't use it on walls. I think there might be an alternative way on editlife's forum, but I can't look right now.

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Yes, that only works on things like floors and water, but I'm trying to create a mirror.

I will search their forum, thanks.

Has anyone tried to use a camera entity, and have the screen right in front.. that way you get the video of you on the screen? Would that work?

you would see everything but yourself because the engine doesn't render your player character, just others. Maybe in multiplayer, but even then I don't think the character model isn't clientside until you die. So with that method, you might be able to see other players but not yourself, but I haven't tested this out yet

---

Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Well, wouldn't that make everything unsymmetrical?

How do you mean? -In some cases, yes.

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Unless, is there a way to invert the display of the camera?

well, since the camera has a field of view, yes it will be distorted unless looked upon exactly perpendicular to the screen. It's a hack way of simulating the effect, but it gets the idea across. Did searching Editlife bring up anything?

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Editlife is empty apart from one admin who is left on the board, I did a search but there was only something about cubemaps, which is not what I want.

Well, the camera seemed like a good idea, but I've been informed that half life 2 can only use 1 camera in one map, and since i have a broken mirror with many different shards it won't be possible to create a broken mirror effect.

Well, if those shards are lying on the floor, then you could simulate their effect but I'm sorry, it seems there isn't an already coded way in the game to allow for this, apart from making your own mod.

---

Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Well I can come close.. in my lasertag map, I have these mirror like FX on the globes on the walls. I should dig that map up and upload it.

Riven said:
but I'm sorry, it seems there isn't an already coded way in the game to allow for this, apart from making your own mod.

I'm working on a mod, but we don't have a programmer who could make such shaders.