artpass_psihomir

psihomir

L4: Comfortable Member
Mar 17, 2008
192
32
So I decided to take the whole thing underground :O I'm hoping to go for a style similar to this, though not so artsy - but I'd like to play around with overgrown vegetation and stuff. I may or may not go for an ancient underground city theme, still haven't quite decided on that aspect - if I don't, it'll be all mining/tech.

It'll *definitely* have a huge underground waterfall room though. :p
 
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Chilly

L6: Sharp Member
May 3, 2008
326
127
Very nice. If you're able to get the vegetation working I think this could be one of the better ones. Any chance you'll be leaving some roof areas open just for some natural lighting and variation?
 

Mr. P. Kiwi

L5: Dapper Member
Nov 22, 2009
244
95
Amazing, simply amazing!
Can't wait to see the final product...
 

Infi^

L1: Registered
Nov 3, 2009
35
16
Might as well delete my version.

Why?

I'm also doing a similar idea to this, I doubt we're going to be the only ones, and it's been done before anyway: See CP_Junction. The map may play pretty badly, but the entire thing is underground and uses displacements instead of any sky. The concept which is setting these ideas apart from Junction is simply the use of vegetation and natural elements, instead of one hundred percent machinery. As soon as I opened up the .VMF file after reading the blog post, I said to myself I'm going to try and use a new abandoned and forgotten underground theme myself, which means more possible work for me, but it might help me achieve a unique look. So it's the same basic idea as Psihomir's take on it, but it has it's own unique twist. Perhaps you could do something similar?

The simple fact that he or she has submitted the thread first, shouldn't mean you feel that you HAVE to delete your work. If you were hoping that no one else was banking on using the same idea, and now that there is other potential competition using the same ideas, pretty much by coincidence and that you simply cannot deal with that fact, then I guess deleting your work is the only option you can take. I still think it's a total waste though and a bit of a silly move to make.

Back to the thread at hand. Looking good so far. As I said earlier, let's hope our own personal ideas will give us enough space to avoid them from looking too similar. Considering aesthetics will be the major area where each submission will differ from other entries.
 

psihomir

L4: Comfortable Member
Mar 17, 2008
192
32
Someone put it very nicely in the chat - you can forget about uniqueness in your theme in this contest, there WILL be at least one other entry using your idea. Just concentrate on making yours look as best as you can, and most importantly remember to have fun :) Plus, I had a look at your map bench, and I don't really think that your theme is even similar - you're doing an open night map, which is different enough - so by all means continue, I actually like how it's turning out.

Chilly, yes, there's actually a hole in the ceiling in the picture though it's not very obvious (it's where that light beam is coming from; in related news, this is probably the first time I've got to use that prop, like, ever) I'm not sure if I'll put any more of those though, as I'm planning for the map to have an impression of going deeper and deeper with each point. I'm thinking a huge-ass waterfall scene somewhere around B.
 

psihomir

L4: Comfortable Member
Mar 17, 2008
192
32
Small update, haven't really done that much yet but at least the picture quality is better this time :p I need to buff up the lighting in some areas (and fix a few spots where it's bleeding), otherwise i like how it's going so far.
 

Chilly

L6: Sharp Member
May 3, 2008
326
127
How does grass grow there though? ;)

There are plants that grow with little to no light, of course. Perhaps if you scale down the grass texture on the ground it would look more like moss, which would be more fitting.

Good overall point, though... the further down you go (less natural light), the more likely you'd see mushrooms instead of green vegetation.
 

E.B.

L1: Registered
Mar 15, 2009
49
39
I love those massive wood struts on the ceiling. They'd look even better if you could find a way to make them actually jointed together though.

Also, put those 3 pictures you updated with into your first post! They look good and people should see them. If you can have the surface light in that first pic be non-skybox, you could probably have some neat underground skybox detail areas (which would also help with making the map non-claustrophobic).
 

psihomir

L4: Comfortable Member
Mar 17, 2008
192
32
Thanks for reminding me about the OP, updated it now.

And yes, that grass is supposed to be moss, at least the one on the ceiling around the supports. I'll try scaling it down like was suggested or I'll just whip up a custom texture if that doesn't work.

Good idea about the mushrooms as well, I hope we're allowed to use the swamp pack :) (I'm already using the vines from it anyway)
 

Penguin

Clinically Diagnosed with Small Mapper's Syndrome
aa
May 21, 2009
2,039
1,484
Major points for originality.
 

psihomir

L4: Comfortable Member
Mar 17, 2008
192
32
I couldn't build cubemaps (disabled their visgroup and forgot to enable it for compile) and was too lazy to go back and recompile the map, but at least it's better than a hammer shot (sort of).



And for some perspective of where this is:



I should start recoloring those Egypt bricks tomorrow. I need something more green.
 

God of Rock

L2: Junior Member
Feb 17, 2010
54
15
It must come through that light hole. :rolleyes:


Anyways. I like what you are doing so far, keep it up.
 

RaVaGe

aa
Jun 23, 2010
733
1,210
I don't like

Your waterfall aren't natural, add more rocks and vegetation, do an twisted path for your water and detail your ceiling with rocks.

That will be a first step...