Add parameter to build cubemaps more than once

[statecouncil]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. TF2 (and other branches, I guess) requires reflections to be off when building cubemaps for the first time to avoid baking error textures into the vtfs. However, the buildcubemaps command can be run again (with mat_specular 1) once there are cubemaps, to add reflections. This overwrites the existing cubemap textures, so no file bloat, and adds more detail to them.

Describe the solution you'd like A parameter for the Cubemaps step that allows setting how often cubemaps should be "bounced". Default: 1.

Describe alternatives you've considered Building cubemaps manually, as described here https://tf2maps.net/threads/tutorial-building-cubemaps.16452/

Additional context This helps make large reflective surfaces more detailed and realistic, which is needed considering Source still doesn't have parallax-enhanced envmaps. Can provide comparison screenshots if required. Thank you so much for your work on CompilePal.

[Exactol]

I can look into this, but I'm currently freezing new feature development so I can release v28

[granis48]

Adding on to this, there are situations where you might wanna run the same process more than once so adding this functionality for more/all processes could be useful for some people.

I recently compiled a map where VRAD would run out of memory when doing a -both compile so the fix was to run VRAD twice, once with -ldr and the other with -hdr which is not possible to do with just one preset in compilepal.

[Exactol]

After thinking about this for a bit I think the best way for a generic solution to running a step more than once would be to create a plugin thats a copy of the step. I'm not sure if a generic way can be done without doing a large refactor, and I think the use cases for it are pretty small. Doing it for specific steps shouldn't be too hard, like adding "bounces" to cubemaps, or a flag to run VRAD with hdr and ldr separately, so if you still want the feature I can look into adding it.

If you want to use the plugin method:

• Copy the CUBEMAP (or whatever step you want to run multiple times) folder in your Compile Pal Parameters folder
• Rename it to something like CUBEMAPS 2
• Open the folder and edit meta.json
• Edit Name to something like CUBEMAPS 2 (optional, but it might be confusing if its the same name)
• Edit Order and increase it by 0.1
• Repeat for however many times you want to run the step

[statecouncil]

Oh yeah, I've been using the same trick to get an additional VRAD pass to work. I wasn't sure if it's that simple with Cubemaps as I figured it would simply overwrite the previous Cubemaps (without the bounce). Will test this out.

[worMatty]

Hi. If it's any use to you, according to the SDK wiki the game launch parameter buildcubemaps accepts an integer, and will run as many times as you specify.

[statecouncil]

Hi. If it's any use to you, according to the SDK wiki the game launch parameter buildcubemaps accepts an integer, and will run as many times as you specify.

Hmm, I thought the launch param didn't work correctly? I may be mistaken.

[Exactol]

Can you try this build? https://www.dropbox.com/s/27gwbexhqdbwmeq/Compile%20Pal%20028.1.zip?dl=0

[statecouncil]

Seems to be working fine. I tried it with 4 "bounces", and that's what it did. Thanks!