Just wanted to toss out a word of encouragement.... This is looking really great. Really creative implementation of the new aesthetic. The look is so unique that a lot of people will give it a shot just for that. That's a quality that most maps can't boast. If the gameplay's as good as the detailing, I'd say you have a winner.
- Thread starter Acegikmo
- Start date
- Jan 31, 2008
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Hopefully, yeah.
The problem with 3-cp maps is that they're split into large open areas where pretty much everything is visible at the same time.
Gravel pit got away with it, since there aren't many people complaining about the lack of detailing in Valve's maps.
- Jan 31, 2008
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My ice material consists of four textures:
- Diffuse map (The texture)
- Environment map (Sninyness)
- Environment map mask (To control the amount of shinyness on different parts of the texture)
- Bumpmap (To make it look less flat)
I will release the ice material after cp_glacier is released, if you're still working on yours by then
All you need to do is ensure the four areas (A, B, C and blu's spawn) cannot possibly see each other and that even standing in the middle of the tunnels between them you can't see either end. then you've got four separate areas which you can cram full of detail, thats how gravelpit got away with it.
- Jan 31, 2008
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I know, that's what I've done.
What I am saying is that gravelpit have alot of empty places which could use alot more detail.
Valve can get away with this since people don't critisize their maps on the same level as custom maps. So if I would release a map with the same amount of detail as gravelpit, some people would say it needs more detail. If I detailed it, it would probably lag.
Exactly my problem with furnace creek, it's got roughly the same ammount of detail as gravel pit and yet its being claimed as empty
Tinker
aa
- Oct 30, 2008
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Check WHERE you put the detail. Remember that wall in 2fort, at the back of the stairs? Of course you don't - you never look at it. Go spectator, see what catches people's eye, put detail to emphasize those points. That way, it can be incredibly empty - but yet feel very detailed.
SuperNerd
L2: Junior Member
- May 13, 2009
- 60
- 6
You can sort of solve that issue with:
Areaportalwindows
Areaportals
Occluders
Hints
Create area portals and link triggers to them, but position it so that they'll never notice.
Also, stick occluders in all solid brushes, so models don't render through them.
Use "mat_wireframe 1" to see through things.
Last edited:
- Jan 31, 2008
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Areaportals won't help when you can see a big chunk of a whole area, the same goes with hints.
And placing occluders in every solid brush would kill the framerate.
Pretty much the only thing I can do is to have fade distances on the props.
eyefork
L3: Member
- Oct 27, 2008
- 130
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If it doesn't throw off the balance somehow, could Red possibly get a stairway on the interior of the spawn or something of the sort to get to the top level? It's a bummer to be spawned on the lower level when you want to be on the top and you aren't a class that can jump up there.
- Jan 31, 2008
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That was the point from the beginning.
I was thinking that the height advantage of always spawning on the top level would make it too hard for blue to win.
However, I have now changed it. I sealed the hole and added some stairs on the back. Now it's more of a tradeoff; if you want to get up you'll have to walk a time consuming bit.
I am uploading Alpha 10 right now by the way.
red_flame586
L420: High Member
- Apr 19, 2009
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I haven't read the last few pages, only the last few posts but what I got is that you didn't feel area portals would help your optimization and were just going to use fade distances on objects.
Do use fade dist but also use area portals. Objects that can't be seen directly through an area portal will be culled, even if the entire area of terrain around them isn't.
And when all the players are running around just out of view it will help alot.
(sorry if you're aware of this already)
Do use fade dist but also use area portals. Objects that can't be seen directly through an area portal will be culled, even if the entire area of terrain around them isn't.
And when all the players are running around just out of view it will help alot.
(sorry if you're aware of this already)
- Jan 31, 2008
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I was trying to say that it's not really possible to optimize more than to place areaportals between the large areas (A, B, C and blue's spawn) with areaportals, which I have already done
- Nov 12, 2007
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After playing a couple rounds on it, I'm inclined to think there should be substantially less possibility of accidentally falling into deathpits. Here are a few suggestions:
It still keeps the danger in a couple key areas, but reduces the frustration of accidentally falling into one in the middle of a battlezone by strafing to the side or running backwards.
It still keeps the danger in a couple key areas, but reduces the frustration of accidentally falling into one in the middle of a battlezone by strafing to the side or running backwards.
OK
(area portals)I agree with Shmitz. Always good to minimize frustration and what he recommended looks good to me. That was a problem (not death pits but difficulty navigating) in the early vers of pl_cumulus (I believe). The ground look great but it was too hard to get around in a fast paced game when you're looking at players and rockets coming at you and not the ground.
If it was single player I'd say more death traps is better.