Camera Portals

This is deffinately one of the most confusing
elements  available  to  level  designers.   I've 
received multiple requests to explain this effect
so here it is.  It's actually not that bad.

I've    incorporated    the    effect   with  one  of  my    portal
models  but  you  can  use   whatever   you   want.     Create
a    brush  that  will  be  the  teleporting  veiw.  This    brush
will    display     the  veiw     where  the  player  will    launch
into.     Use  the    'common'    and  then    'no draw'    texture
for    the    brush    and    then    select  just  the  surface  by
hitting    (ctrl+shift+mouse1)    and    use    'sfx'    and   then
'portal_sfx'    to     cover     the    facing  brush.      Now     right
click on the 2D window and select 'misc_portal_surface'
and    place    it    in   the center  of the portal brush with no
more   than   64  units  between  the  entity  and the brush.
Now  directly  in  front  of  the  new  entity right click again
on  the  2D  window and select 'misc_portal_camera' and
deselect   the  entity.    Now  figure  out  where you'd like to
point  the  camera  view  and  again  right  click  on  the 2D
window  and  select  'target_position'.   Think  of this entity
as   being   the   eye   of   your   camera. 

   

Now   deselect   the   'target_position'   box   and   select   the 
portal  surface  box  first  and then select the portal camera
box  next  by  using    (shift+mouse1)    and  then  hit  (ctrl+k).
You  should see an orange line go between the two entities.
Now  do  the  same  with  the  camera  entity  and  the  target
position.    Once  again  you'll  see  the  connecting  line but
now  it  will  be  green.    This  is a  shortcut that can be used
for  jump  pads,   teleporters,   and  any  connecting   entity.
Above  the  image  on  the right shows this effect used with
a standard teleporter.  You can reveiw the teleport feature
by  visiting  the  tutorial    here.    Below  is  an  image  of  an
example  of  the  key and  value  structure  for  this  effect.



There   is   also   an   angle   feature  that   can   be   used
to   manipulate   the  yaw  and  rotation  of  the   camera
veiw but is a real pain to make work properly.  A buddy
of  mine  suggested  just  going with  the  default  and it
seems   to  work   just   fine.    However,    if   your   feeling
adventureous   then   go   for   it!    On  the next page you
can   see   an   example   of   the   effect.