The alpha value will not have the desired effect - the entire brush will be transparent. The vines in AD are entirely non-transparent, but the rest of their texture is. That's completely separate from the alpha value of the brush. 

In an editor the textures will look something like this: https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS1LSsZWB4Oc0pSm2QDhsSz0fQmW_B5cYNCIy8IXZq4D_0yXWajB9_ySaPj 

The vine feature is called "fence textures" or "alpha-mask textures".. the texture name also needs to start with a "{" character.

(sidenote: it's possible to make them work in the 2014 build of DarkPlaces, AD does this by supplying .tga files. There is a "fixtrans" command in DP that helps prepare the .tga's) 

Most of the techniques I employ are derived directly from "top tier" maps.

Func_illusionary + alpha is in use in ad_necrokeep to good effect.

http://imgur.com/a/2S7ZP 

sidenote: it's possible to make them work in the 2014 build of DarkPlaces, AD does this by supplying .tga files. There is a "fixtrans" command in DP that helps prepare the .tga's
I didn't know that. The September 2016 and newer builds, however, do support alpha-masked textures from the get-go and don't need this command.

@Pritchard The DP site at icculus doesn't seem to be maintained these days. The new builds are not in the /download subfolder but in /files (which is, of course, not accessible via the on-screen menus). 

i have 15 water brushes. there aren't gaps or intersections between brushes.
i tested the map in quakespasm and i can swim without problem of any kind.
can i expect problems or bugs with what i did?
weird bugs, problem with other engines, something like that.

http://imgur.com/a/cqDlp

(i put this message in the QUMP thread, but here is better. i can't erase the other message) 

i'm having problems compiling a map, i have everything set in a profile but i keep getting a error "execution of command 'C:(the path of the .bsp compiler)" andt1.bsp' failed (error 267: the directory name is invalid.)" what do i do??? 

Make sure all your directories have names without spaces. 

none of them have spaces :p 

also, when i try to launch it, this "W_LoadWadFile:couldn't load gfx.wad" appears, the engine is Quakespasm 

I assume you are compiling in Trenchbroom. I am willing to bet you have a small typo or hard to find syntax error in the setup. I am pretty experienced and that interface is too much for my tiny brain. I would suggest downloading and using Necros' compiling utility. Just keep it running and pointed to your map and alt-tab to it when you save. It works beautifully and is very easy to use. After you have it setup all you will have to change is the mapname when you Save As... or start a new map. Download it here: https://www.quaddicted.com/files/tools/ne_q1spCompilingGui103.zip 

i don't know what i'm doing wrong. it seems like i've set up everything correctly, it even compiles(it seems), but the .bsp file doesn't appear in the output folder(and in any other folder). 

http://imgur.com/a/l5klI

uuuuuh...dumb question of the day..why are surfaces multicolored? 

Solved thanks to scampie via twitter.

My .lit file wasnt updated 

i post my config:
http://imgur.com/a/0vqvZ 

@Ranhcase
Did your map used to compile? or are you trying to compile it for the first time?
If is did compile, perhaps try deleting some of the more recently added brushes (save a new version first!), particularly any that overlap.
I've had a similair problem where the map wont compile, and each time it was due to a single brush that must have overlapped in a strange way. 

this message is caused by the working directory.
launch the game from a .cmd or a .bat

this line ensures the correct working directory, which is the directory in which the binary file is located.
pushd "%~dp0"

and '%*' pass all the arguments to quakespasm.
quakespasm.exe %*

so, a .cmd script with this two lines
pushd "%~dp0"
quakespasm.exe %* 

i forgot this:

the .cmd file has to be located in the binary folder. quakespasm.exe in my example. 

Yay, Saturday Quake Fever!!! Ah, ah, ah, ah stayin' aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive! 

Take my advice and try necros' compilier gui. It will take less time than posting screenshots here etc. Give it a shot. 

my map never compiled, not once. 

that's what i used!!!! the second problem i got with compiling is in that! 

Okay let's try a few things.

Search for your mapname.BSP and try and find it on your machine. Take note of where you found it.

Next make sure it's been placed in your maps directory under id1 folder. i.e. C:\quake\id1\maps

next, start quakespasm, bring down the console and type map <your map's name>

does it run? let us know. 

that's the problem, i can't find the .bsp, i don't even know if it is compiling correctly, i've looked in every folder present in the setup, but there's nothing there 

I know this seems like grasping at straws but if you are using NecrosGUI, completely remove it from your computer...download it ago and set it up again.

There could be some corruption or other snag that happened. I had this happen to me one time and I was completely puzzled until I did what I said.