detailing ideas needed

(-TN-) Ben2

L4: Comfortable Member
Apr 10, 2009
172
15
pl_weapons_facility_a70010.jpg


you see in the picture above, look to the left of the train i need ideas on how to detail that area, it is outside of the playable area but as of now you can see it has no detail, so what should i put? a canyon, a storage area, more trains, etc. please post ideas.
 

CaptainKraken

L1: Registered
Aug 4, 2009
2
0
I haven't seen your map (yet) but depending on how sparse you want it building wise, add perhaps another 2 rows of tracks, with or without traincars, and a building behind those meant to look like a place where things would be shipped to/from using that train system.

This is just my opinion :3
 

bomc

L2: Junior Member
Sep 25, 2008
83
18
If it was me, i would just put the train tracks higher, like in badwater, so i wouldnt have to think about it :p
Else, you could make some more tracks (and trains) parallel to the current track, and make some kind of big house / trainstation, maybe as an extension to the current wall in the back.
You could also make a high cliff all around the area and use the tunnel from lumberyard at the end of the tracks.

theyre just ideas, its up to you to decide what to do with the area :p
 

Hanz

Ravin' Rabbid
aa
Jan 18, 2009
844
479
You can always open up the valve maps in hammer and see how valve did it. :)
 

Waif

L7: Fancy Member
Mar 22, 2009
412
125
Put a big fence on the other side of the track and just have open land on the far side.
Doesn't need anything too fancy, you want the players attetion in the playable areas :p
 

Beamos

L2: Junior Member
May 14, 2008
80
43
jp77sl.png


I hope everything is legible! :D

edit: Whoops, didn't notice the image extended past the area I was looking at. It's taller than I thought! Big oversight! Well, my opinions still apply, but with taller walls. The building with the doors is fine for height, but the area with the satellite needs a taller wall, as do the new walls + building I recommended you add be taller.

Anyways, the general idea is to make any *textural* changes over prop additions, as props do not necessarily help a map's aesthetic. In fact, it oftentimes just adds clutter, the "junkyard effect," where a map looks like a hillbilly's front yard with trash strewn everywhere across it. Not to mention the problems involving FPS that can occur with too many props... So overall, try to opt for making textures more complex as well as adding any vertical/horizontal geographical lines to walls via func_details. A good example is in pl_badwater, the stretch after the first cap the cart passes by. The wall on the right is a very simplistic wall, but superb texturing + some detailing geometry on the building to add vertical lines really make it look good, but not so good that it distracts from the game or looks out of place/more like a piece of art.

You know what? Overall, for detailing, I'd recommend you take a look at badlands, badwater, and dustbowl (stage 3). All 3 share the idea you're looking for: a dusty, industrial environment. Badwater is especially good to look at regardless of type and theme of map due to the fantastic texturing on the map. It looks so good with so few props!

Also, looking at the image again, the concrete area the tracks are on, try to make that more clean and separate from the dirt around it and raise the concrete surface in relation to the dirt a few units. Not too many (4 units sounds about right). Of course, you'll need to add clips to make walking between the surfaces nice and smooth! :D
 
Last edited: