WIP Ship very early alpha

[Troublesome]

EDIT: 28/05/08

Didnt get much done tonight, I was at my brothers for most of the night.

Changed some textures and added so transisions to other tunnels and made a new walkway.

Havent done any lighting at all, just havent had the time yet.

New screen shots.

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My first map to be released.

It's loosely based on a map from a game called Forsaken that was around in the mid 90's

This will be a small, very fast map, I havent fully decided what style of map it will be yet since my method of making maps is a little odd, I never plan anything at all, I just start mapping and the map evolves as I go.

Even tho I havent planned anything I think this map might be a Total control map with 3-5 cp's one for each team to have locked untill they cap the 2nd point then they are free to go cap the other teams previously locked cp.

Enough of that, im sure you all know how TC works.

Please leave constuctive comments, saying stuff like "oh dude ur map sux" helps no one, if I have done something wrong in my map I would like to know in a helpfull manner.

Thank you.

Now for the screen shots.

 

[Juice]

I can't see the pictures until I get home, but awesome, another TC map.

 

[oxy]

Nice. Your displacements look really clean, almost too clean.
Maybe rough some of them up. I also like the idea of a completely underground map. Keep adding detail and more structures. :thumbup:

 

[YM]

Indeed your displacements look like you have only used the subdivide tool, go in and manually adjust them, make them look like they are actually cave walls
point_spotlights underneath the light cones please
Overall your lighting is too dark. although you can see what is going on player team recognition decreases dramatically in dark environments
sign with A on it - should be prop_static not prop_dynamic
Texture variation!!! all I'm seeing is one texture over your entire map! its going to make players sick of seeing yet another identical tunnel and confuse them as to where they are. I suggest you at very least use a different texture for 1) walls 2) floor and 3) ceiling.

Edit: "This map is total ship!!!"

....oh, wait....

Edit 2: Why ship? Its totally underground, it makes little sense...

 

[Troublesome]

Nice. Your displacements look really clean, almost too clean.
Maybe rough some of them up. I also like the idea of a completely underground map. Keep adding detail and more structures. :thumbup:

Thanks man, needed that.

Indeed your displacements look like you have only used the subdivide tool, go in and manually adjust them, make them look like they are actually cave walls
point_spotlights underneath the light cones please
Overall your lighting is too dark. although you can see what is going on player team recognition decreases dramatically in dark environments
sign with A on it - should be prop_static not prop_dynamic
Texture variation!!! all I'm seeing is one texture over your entire map! its going to make players sick of seeing yet another identical tunnel and confuse them as to where they are. I suggest you at very least use a different texture for 1) walls 2) floor and 3) ceiling.

Edit: "This map is total ship!!!"

....oh, wait....

Edit 2: Why ship? Its totally underground, it makes little sense...

I was hoping you would reply, I value your input very much.

I was considering the textures but didnt really know what direction to go in, I will try out a few and post some more screen shots.

The name... well the map its based on was a space ship so I kept the name, maybe I will change it later.

Thanks for you input guy I am very very greatfull.

 

[YM]

You using the models for the wooden supports? Its probably best to use the models for most things. If you do use brushwork make sure if it doesnt really block vis its turned into a func_detail
It looks like the track has a dynamic shadow as well, that should be prop_static (don't forget to change the collisions to 'not solid' otherwise you'll get loads of error messages in the console)
Second picture down, you've got a balcony with lots of barrels in. In a real work situation this would seem very odd, no way of getting up there, no reason for it to be there, no reason for the barrels to be up there. Whenever you make an area with a map you've got to think it though logically: "Why am I putting this here, would this feature exist in a real life environment?" You've basicly got to put little bits of backstory into your maps, like in one part of episode 2 they put a chair and a few beer bottles next to an smg and infinite grenade crate, giving the impression that sometime in the past someone had sat there endlessly shooting grenades at the zombies below. Of course not everything needs this much detail in it but things like putting a balcony without a way to get up to it should be avoided.(that doesn't mean you have to be able to use the way up..)

 

[grazr]

Some wooden panels propped up against the wall as if to hold back the wall from collapsing is probably a good idea, look for "models/props_mining/support_wall001a.mdl" or texures "wood/wall20" i think it is, or any wood texture for that matter, if you want to build your own supporting structures, since those models are quite tall. This would also break up the monotony of your "samey" walls, and provide definition to the areas.

 

[Ida]

Monotony aside (just follow these guys' tips, and that's no problem either), this map looks really good. I don't think I've seen a proper, decent underground map before, actually. I like it!

 

[Troublesome]

You using the models for the wooden supports? Its probably best to use the models for most things. If you do use brushwork make sure if it doesnt really block vis its turned into a func_detail
It looks like the track has a dynamic shadow as well, that should be prop_static (don't forget to change the collisions to 'not solid' otherwise you'll get loads of error messages in the console)
Second picture down, you've got a balcony with lots of barrels in. In a real work situation this would seem very odd, no way of getting up there, no reason for it to be there, no reason for the barrels to be up there. Whenever you make an area with a map you've got to think it though logically: "Why am I putting this here, would this feature exist in a real life environment?" You've basicly got to put little bits of backstory into your maps, like in one part of episode 2 they put a chair and a few beer bottles next to an smg and infinite grenade crate, giving the impression that sometime in the past someone had sat there endlessly shooting grenades at the zombies below. Of course not everything needs this much detail in it but things like putting a balcony without a way to get up to it should be avoided.(that doesn't mean you have to be able to use the way up..)

Some of the supports are models but they didnt fit in all the areas I needed them in, so I made some brushes and func_detailed them.

Every prop I make is a prop_staic and stays that way untill I find it/they wont compile properly, the collsion thing I wasnt very sure of, thanks for pointing that out.

I totaly understand what your saying about logical placement, that balcony was just me being in a rush to post some screen shots before I went back to work, I really needed to know if I was wasting my time or not.

I have already made a few improvments after hearing your comments, I will post some more screen shots in a day of two, maybe even tonight, depends on how much I get done before I have to goto bed for work.

Some wooden panels propped up against the wall as if to hold back the wall from collapsing is probably a good idea, look for "models/props_mining/support_wall001a.mdl" or texures "wood/wall20" i think it is, or any wood texture for that matter, if you want to build your own supporting structures, since those models are quite tall. This would also break up the monotony of your "samey" walls, and provide definition to the areas.

LOL Already did this last night, thanks for the suggestion.

Monotony aside (just follow these guys' tips, and that's no problem either), this map looks really good. I don't think I've seen a proper, decent underground map before, actually. I like it!

Thanks for the support, hopefully you will get to play it sooner rathaer than later.

 

[AWESOME-O]

Spy Haven!