im not a great mapper yet, so i was wondering...in my map, i have lots of leaks, due to the size of the map. i know you can fix this by getting rid of the leaks, but i have too many of them and not enough time. would you reccommend just making a huge box outside the map covered with caulk, because you can barely see out of the leaks anyway? thanks

and also, whenever i compile the map, it continuously repeats the "illuminating raw light map" phase. its gone through it about 3 times so far, and i was wondering if this is normal. thanks again

I'm not sure, but I think you can get leaks through caulk. I just finished eliminating like, fifty leaks and it is even a relatively small map:rolleyes:-A faulty sky caused many a problem. I think it's because light isn't affected by caulk and light, of course, causes leaks. A giant brush could cause other problems like max map lightgrid array (my most hated error, ruined a wonderful moria replication), and could increase compiling times (I think). Unfortunately, I think you have to fix the leaks manually. :(

I don't know about the illuminating raw thing though.

well im working on my first map (screenshots at www.uba-council.filetap.com/theedproject.html) )but i find the easiest way to avoud lots of leaks at the end everytime you do a complex brush or sumthing that has potential leaks just do a simple bsp novis(nolight) and just get rid or the leaks but as for the leaks i think if u do put a caulked box round it it will still leak(caulk being a shader that whatever gets put on doesnt draw it) i think thats how it goes not sure im only a n00b

Light causes leaks? Time to read a manual.

Poor construction causes leaks, and to build a huge box outside your map to fix it is a rather poor solution. The leaks will still be there, and you'll have nothing to show for it except very poor (depending on how bad it is) framerates.

If you don't have enough time to fix it, wait until you do. No-one I know has enough time to play on poorly constructed maps.

dont worry, the leaks ive missed are only like 1-2 spaces wide. you wont notice them until you use noclip, go through the floor slightly, and look real hard. anyway, i got em, thx for the help

:) You know it doesn't matter how big a leak is. What matter is that it is present. You have to fix them always, because the VIS phase of the compiling can't create visibility table if there is only one leak even. The result will be that all the map will be drawn always. Yes, the parts behind the walls too, because no list which could tell the game what areas to draw.

With light... You use q3map2, right? If you can see that message more than one times, then check what compile option did you choose. If you can see "-bounce 8" in it, then choose an other one. :) "-bounce 8" means it will run the light phase 8 times to calculate radiosity in the map. You know, when everything reflects light as in the real wolrd.