Sorry if this has been asked; I've searched the forums and come up empty.

The sad thing is, when I attempted to make maps for JO before, I had this same problem, but I'm old and forgetful and can't remember how I solved it.

At any rate...

I'm cruising along, creating a few rooms (very few, so far) and suddenly, when I BSP and test the level, there's this weird graphical error. It looks like...I dunno, strange repeating textures. It's nearly impossible to describe, so I'm thinking maybe a screenshot would help. It's as if the graphics from other parts of the room are being repeated in certain areas, rather than the engine drawing what's really there...if that makes sense.

If this is too vague, I'll do a screencap and post it up here.

By the way, I've done a lot of reading here over the past few days and I want to say thanks to everyone who's answered questions in this forum from other newbie mappers---it's been a great help to me already!

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Hmm. Is it HOM effect? HOM stands for "Hall of Mirrors".

Does it look something like this?

Ha! Yes! I just stumbled onto a post elsewhere referring to the "HOM" effect and I was coming back here to edit my post!

So...what sort of mistakes cause the HOM and what can be done to fix 'em? Is there an article somewhere on avoiding and/or repairing this problem? (I just searched and found a few suggestions but I don't think there are too many adjoins in view...)
Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!!

Simply, the vast majority of HOM errors occur when players see "the void". What is the void, you ask? Look in the 3d preview in your editor, the infinite gray space is "the void". When you go and compile your map, that "void" becomes the universe of HOM ingame.

Exposing the player to the void is a terrible thing, so you need to build a map where he is safe and will not see the void, ever. That means, put yourself in that 3d preview window of your editor, if there are places where you can see gray, cover it up with brushes. Usually, your editor points to these holes to the void, or in other words leaks. But you also make sure that you are not making transparent windows looking out to the void, and if you are using good brushes that prevent the player to seeing the "universe of HOM".

Think of it this way: your map is a submarine and you are in it. You are underwater (water = void). What happens when there is a hole in the sub, or if one of its sides went missing? Horrible things happen. If you see HOM, you drowned.

I've been compiling with an eye toward leaks and repairing them; no leaks.

The HOM appears in an area where there is a solid floor.

Perhaps the thickness of the floor?

I thought I might have accidentally made the floor brush detail rather than structural, but that would cause a leak, I would think...

In any case, I'll take your input and put it to use hunting down that evil error, wherever it may be. Thanks again!

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If your floor is textured with a see-through shader (caulk, clip glass), the effect will also occur.

I dunno what happened to the floor...but I deleted it and completely replaced it with a new brush and the problem is solved. Still not sure where the error was...the floor texture was a solid (although the void-side of the brush was caulk, of course)...a mystery, but I won't have to worry about "why" until it comes up again...

Thanks again, everyone, for the input!

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Sometimes, HOM can occur when 2 brushes, of the exact same size, try to both occupy the exact same space. This can occur when you copy/paste a brush and forget about it, or if the editor messes up undo. The compile gets confused and makes both brushes disappear ingame, leaving that area open to HOM.