Dark maps...

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pennsyrail

L2: Junior Member
May 12, 2016
62
6
Hello guys,
I was wandering if anyone has tried making a map that truly approximates darkness. In maps such as millstone event and fifth curve, you have this environment with a dark skybox and what appear to be bright lights, but in most every tf2 and even many hl2 maps everything has a continuous flowing sort of light that touches everything. Would it be possible, let alone probable to create a map that allows some corners and halls to be completely dark without affecting game play too much? I was thinking of doing some experiments in hammer and though that maybe working with some underwater dark lighting too. Just curious. Also, has anyone made a half and half underwater payload map yet?
Thanks, and happy mapping!
Also, enjoy the update. So many bugs!
 

pennsyrail

L2: Junior Member
May 12, 2016
62
6
Yeah, I thought that through, but the has to be a way to better approximate the dark rather than basically fulbright everywhere...
 

YOYOYO

41 crashes and counting
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Jul 10, 2017
588
497
i personally like darker maps, and have treid to make some. Also* lighting can be adjusted.
 

YOYOYO

41 crashes and counting
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Jul 10, 2017
588
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Could you post some screenshots of them. I'd be neat to see some ideas...
This might come out as a stupid question, but of what exactly.
(it might take a while because this isn't my computer.)
 

squ1rrel

L4: Comfortable Member
Apr 11, 2016
167
24
If you look around some of the older maps such as hydro, it effectively uses light_spot entities make some areas appear dark while other parts still relatively bright. It makes the environment much more atmospheric and varied if that's what your asking about?

Example
V0h1G

Notice how the areas where the player will walk are lit up and the sides much darker.

You can also just have areas still lit but barely compared to the others OR have different coloured lights in areas eg light orange to a dark + rich orange. There's examples of that in the rocky cave/tunnel areas of hydro too.
 

YOYOYO

41 crashes and counting
aa
Jul 10, 2017
588
497
If you look around some of the older maps such as hydro, it effectively uses light_spot entities make some areas appear dark while other parts still relatively bright. It makes the environment much more atmospheric and varied if that's what your asking about?

Example
V0h1G

Notice how the areas where the player will walk are lit up and the sides much darker.

You can also just have areas still lit but barely compared to the others OR have different coloured lights in areas eg light orange to a dark + rich orange. There's examples of that in the rocky cave/tunnel areas of hydro too.
oh, is that what he meant
 

squ1rrel

L4: Comfortable Member
Apr 11, 2016
167
24
Idk that's just my interpretation. Having a whole corridor pitch black is just bad design.
 

YOYOYO

41 crashes and counting
aa
Jul 10, 2017
588
497
To be honest I'm not expereinced in dark maps as much as i want to be (im more focused on medieval) but you could get in contact with othe mappers who HAVE made beautiful dark maps. Like blackwood valley by zpqrei https://tf2maps.net/downloads/authors/zpqrei.2555/
(this is only one of MANY beautiful dark maps, but this one gave me a lot of motivation toward dark maps.) Of course other more popular mappers who have made dark maps are Phi, with sinshine, Crash with probed, the dude who made gored, and many more. You can contact them through the discussion, but try not to disturb them to much. I once asked crash a question, he answered. That was it.
Hope this helps, and that it wasn't to confusing. I'm still not used to helping poeple and my speach is , like, level 2. <P_P>
 

Empyre

L6: Sharp Member
Feb 8, 2011
309
187
Darkness looks good, but plays poorly. It needs to bright enough that not only is it easy to see the other players, but also easy to see what team they are on. Basically, darkness is better reserved for single-player and coop, so not TF2.
 

pennsyrail

L2: Junior Member
May 12, 2016
62
6
That's what I figured. I might do some sfm art in a dark map, like a lone light outside a mill or something. Just curios to see what boundaries you can push. I've been thinking of trying to make a supper detailed room, maybe dark with light shining through cracks in the door. Seeing how precise and detailed you can get. I'll keep y'all posted!
 

pennsyrail

L2: Junior Member
May 12, 2016
62
6
To be honest I'm not expereinced in dark maps as much as i want to be (im more focused on medieval) but you could get in contact with othe mappers who HAVE made beautiful dark maps. Like blackwood valley by zpqrei https://tf2maps.net/downloads/authors/zpqrei.2555/
(this is only one of MANY beautiful dark maps, but this one gave me a lot of motivation toward dark maps.) Of course other more popular mappers who have made dark maps are Phi, with sinshine, Crash with probed, the dude who made gored, and many more. You can contact them through the discussion, but try not to disturb them to much. I once asked crash a question, he answered. That was it.
Hope this helps, and that it wasn't to confusing. I'm still not used to helping poeple and my speach is , like, level 2. <P_P>
It does help a lot! Thank you guys!
 

Tuaam

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 26, 2015
376
248
I mean, pitch black maps have been done (Every Half life game), but half life is a different game from tf2 (tf2 is a fast paced game like quake where you move faster than the normal half life character), and half life is revolved around tight spaces and a flashlight. Therefore, play spaces in tf2 are very bright as they're essentially designed for combat (while reality might disagree otherwise).

If you do, however want to make "dark" maps, I would recommend using a darker array of textures that help compliment looks. Or, think realistically. Take a map like pipeline or doublecross. It's very clear that people do work in those complexes at night, hence all the outdoor lighting. So, look at how people would light up outdoor areas in real life, and then apply that to tf2. Doesn't mean that you have to light up every blade of grass, tree, or train track. Only light up the areas where person-ell. would normally work in. Alternatively, you can mark inaccessible areas with very little lighting. Have a small corridor that's barred off? It's probably a better idea not to put a light there.
 

YOYOYO

41 crashes and counting
aa
Jul 10, 2017
588
497
I don't think he meant pitch black