Water Improvements (The Fake Water Effect)

Water in your map is always nice, sometimes it can really work out in your map. But then you face a big problem, the fps. Because the func_water entity is always rendered no matter where you are in your map. So if you have allot of func_water entity's in your map, it render ALL the entity's at the same time. Result: low fps, high wpoly.

To solve this, we can make a simple water effect called "fake water". This is simply adding a look-a-like water effect.

We need to following entity:
- func_illusionary

1. Make a simple solid block, no matter which size it is!
2. Click on the solid, and press CTRL + T, to tie a entity to the solid.
3. Now look up for the func_illusionary entity. And follow these settings:

func_illusionary
Render Mode: texture
FX Amount: 128
contents: -3
texture: A water texture

Render Mode: Set to texture, because you want transparency in your water.
FX Amount: This is the transparency value, 255 is max.
Contents: This is the little trick, it makes your water texture "move". No, im not talking about waves, we cant create a fake water effect with waves. Im sorry.

If I'm not clear enough, sorry but I cant express myself very good in english. Please tell me about it and I will try to correct it.

hgl & hf

Ah, nice .. Thanks!

putting an exclamation mark in front of your water textures also work.

Special hint:
Solid Brushs that are given the !texture will look like moving water even on the side-faces. Also it behaves like water when you stand in it (No damage on fall and so on).

but you cant swim in it ;P