Commented 17 years ago2006-10-27 17:10:39 UTC
in vault item: De_SplinterComment #13353
Well, I didn't like this map very well. The outside displacements looked a bit weird. The mountain sides wasn't very,, um, mountainious and you could at bombsite a (?) stand ontop of a crate and see the nodrawtextured top of a peice of mountain.
What I did like was the inside. It was filled with fun stuff and small halls etc, fun fun!
Outside: 2.5/5 Inside: 3.5/5
The inside was a bit empty at some spaces but really, I loved it.
I recall playing this map on a TWHL CSS server (ZLs server wich he shut down perhaps?) and the gameplay was fun.
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-27 14:51:21 UTC
in vault item: TwoComment #13351
CS 1.6 does have dynamic lighting, like cs_office. CT spawn is darker than outside, that is dynamic lighting if I am not mistaken.
As for the sky thing, the amker does not know what you mean. What he has done what is in the envirnment tutorial found on this website which says, create a box around the edges, apply the texture "sky", opened the map properties and set a sky map.
A very faithful if not very blocky representation of a gym
By blocky I mean most if not all of the nice detail stuff you have--basketball hoops, drinking fountains, etc--are all WAY too thick and not streamlined--hence the blocky
Make them thinner. One way is to use wedges and spikes to give curved edges and appear slimmer. For the basketball hoop, use a transparent--{ in hammer texture browser--texture, make it a func wall, and set
Render mode: solid fx amount: 255
Do this with any transparent texture, and the "blue" part of the texture won't show. Good for fences, grass and Basketball nets among other things
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-26 19:55:05 UTC
in vault item: Room of DoomComment #13347
its not lava its a (quoting myself) "river of blood" actually it should have been a river of guts ~lol~ yeah my self drawn textures could have been better and I sure was lazy with that lighting xD
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-26 18:19:01 UTC
in vault item: Room of DoomComment #13346
Like FresheD said, very nice architecture.
Texturing wasn't that bad, although I agree the lava did look really ugly. I'm pretty sure there's a good lava text over at the Wadfather somewhere. Also, try adding a trigger_hurt with a low damage per second rate, maybe 5 or so.
Lighting was the worst part. In the big circular area, the light_env looked really bad. Why not go for some redish lights under the walkway, or something along those lines?
Overall, not a bad map, that could be much better with some minor improvements. 3.5.
If UE is making your HL to go bonkers, your obviously doing something wrong, i think. On that screenshot, you have the valve folder open. You have nothing to do in there, and you must in no way put the dlls there!
The correct installation of HL:UE is as followed:
Open the zip. Copy the entire folder named uplink_ext to your Half-Life root directory (C:SierraHalf-Life by default). Don't copy each file into your valve folder!
Its out of the question that my singleplayer mod can screw up your entire HL installation, if installed correctly. So im pretty sure this is not caused by my mod.
Perhaps i should make somekind of autoinstaller or a selfextracting exe utility, to ensure my mod is installed correctly.
Also, there will be many fixes in the upcoming update. I found out why the houndeyes were getting stuck in the floor. Their boundarybox was the problem.
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-26 07:09:17 UTC
in vault item: Room of DoomComment #13342
Meh, nice architecture, but that's about it. Can't judge about gameplay, this is one of those maps you really do need to play with other people to judge..
The texturing is HORRIBLE, I figured you got the textures straight from quake as I looked at the lava, that lava was ugly and it didn't hurt you, even in the most unrealistic games lava hurts you..
Also didn't liked the lightning, dunno, it was so bland.
Does this map somehow fuck up your HL? because I cant start a server anymore with HL I cant even select a map. Searching for something suspicious the only thing I found was that next to the HL title in my windows was "Uplink" Ill probably have to reinstall it..
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-26 02:06:18 UTC
in vault item: TwoComment #13336
lol dude, uhhh cs 1.6 doesnt have dynamic lighting; and are you trying to say you're going to add a skybox? wow, youre giving us a sky in 1.6 (lol here we are, source mappers working for weeks on the damn 3d skyboxes themselves, and this guys is adding a sky texture to the top of his box!! omg) keep going dude.
This comment was made on an article that has been deleted.
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-25 21:36:49 UTC
in vault item: ApoctaComment #13334
Ok, I wrote a huge review, and lost it--fuck fuck fuck!!1--, but I'll try to quickly recap:
+Superb visuals, using sprites, lighting, and volumetric light. +Love the way you blended the map/sky with the water at the bottom +GPEs, Turrets, "pushers", holograms--all very nice doodads
The architecture is very simple/subtle, but you don't notice it because you've pulled off the theme so very nicely without any extreme brushwork.
The texturing looked fine to me, but like Rimrook said, maybe you could improve some of them--I'm sure he would be more than willing to help if you asked
Sounds? I didn't notice any, but I was listening to System of a Down while playing the map. Did you have soundfx for the Weapon depots or the pushers? If not, adding some sounds would be a sure way to improve this already pwn level.
Great work, and a great improvement from your previous map--which I also liked very much!
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-25 21:11:17 UTC
in vault item: Research ComplexComment #13333
The HEV suit holder is odd because it doesn't look like any kind of holder for them I've seen before. It's a rusty looking cage with none of the hookups you normally see with the HEV suit, so it's just a little too different (not to mention it doesn't really fit the high-tech theme of the area).
The skylight still doesn't make sense, because the Lambda reactor complex is, well, a reactor complex. Last I heard, those things are always very well sealed off, and they certainly don't have any windows. It's even more critical in Half-Life that it's well protected, because this is the same area they were doing all their top-secret teleportation experiments. If you want though, keep it there, it's just a bit out of place.
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-24 22:04:55 UTC
in vault item: de_disneylandComment #13327
Lots of neat stuff in this map, but I would say it's far from 'completed.'
Some neat textures, architecture, props, and some cool entity effects. It's been a long time since I've been to Disneyland, so I also don't have a point of reference to judge how things look, but you can tell this is somewhere you've been by the 'comprehensiveness' of the map, which is always cool.
Those upstairs windows, in the the building with the movie projector look really nice, and the fx from the projector gives a neat glare from the outside looking in.
The building with the dormers--roof windows--is also really cool inside and out, but you could probably eliminate those pesky brush errors by using HLFix, which comes with the latest ZHLT afaik.
Having the Magic Kingdom Castle cut in half is a bit of a big distraction, and something you might address in a future version. Maybe you could somehow blend in the existing 'facade' with a custom sky, so you can see the whole castle. You other options would be to use models for parts of the castle, or of course, try brushing it.
Scale everywhere is waaay too big and that's another big issue with this map. There are multiple other small errors and "glithes" here too, so hopefully as you become a better mapper, you'll come back and fix this up or redo it
Last time I forgot to pick up the shottie in the closet. I figured it out this time. Very cool Probably the reason I had an ammo problem the first time around.
I did experience some weird glitches this time around:
The elevator glitch still occured. I hit the switch in the security room (1st time around, and 2nd) and hit the elevator button, but it would not come up. I hit it about 10 times, then went back, killed the monster with the rockets, then came back, hit the button and it worked!
Also, when I returned to the main room displayed in the screenie, when I talked to barney, all his responses were said 10 times faster. It was like someone fast-fowarded his speech! Scared the hell out of me when I spoke to him
Oh, and at the end where the huge monster (please forgive me, I dont know HL1 monsters names ) attacks barney, and the scientists, he did not come after me the first time I ran through the map. Second time he did come after me though.
It was even more fun the second time around! You really should show Valve this. Maybe they will post it on Steam
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-24 16:30:22 UTC
in vault item: Research ComplexComment #13324
Hm thanks for the support folks I'll take note of what you said, i'll work on it...As for the skylight, well, wanted to give it a bit of a different feel. Just because the sky is visible doesn't mean it cant be between some canyons or something. Yes I know, the speed of the 'doors' of the cage was set too low, I noticed that myself and fixed that now, why's it odd anyway? I found it a nice invention. The lighting is supposed to be a bit darker as I said, but I agree the panel is not too well lit up. OK, made some changes now. I've now put a power generator in the middle of the room (some improvised architecture though, and it's rotating and all, just wanted to put some tesla-style rails and eletricity arcs but am having problems with env_beam and env_laser atm...I'll see if I can sort it out.
To call the elevator, you must use the lever in the security room (security override). After pulling the lever, the button that calles the elevator will be active. Try that part again.
I just finished playing it and it have 3 words to say, "Great job, MuzzleFlash!". The weapon/monster placement was superb as well as the scripted sequences. The overall ambience of the levels were awesome. This series beats the original HL Uplink by VALVe any day. Lookin' forward to playing more of your maps. 5 Stars!!
P.S. I know this is probably a noob question but at the end, how did you get those spinning wheels to move with the elevator?
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-24 09:01:35 UTC
in vault item: TwoComment #13317
Hit a snag with it. Dynamic lighting will be included in the next attempt (I never used it before, seemed like too much hard work), as well as a skyscrape (or whatever you call it) where there is a better looking surrounding.
It was when I finally returned to the lab that I spawned at the beginning of the game. You know, the large room in the screenshot with Barney and the scientist.
I could hear some vortigaunts behind the door, so I just tossed some nades to get rid of them before they had a chance to zap me.
I plan to do that... but im close to the maximum brush based entities allowed in a map. So in the upcoming update, ill cut the first map in half, so i can add some more stuff i originally planned to add.
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-23 05:20:08 UTC
in vault item: aim_para_27Comment #13310
Thanks for the comment.
And to everyones releif (especially mcmitcho's), I officially announce an end to making any more aim maps. Infact, rowleybob already gave me an idea for my next map (but unfortanately it would require custom textures which i HATE; Wally's even more confusing than hammer in my oppinion). Anyways, the next map I make i'll put a little effort into or just quit altogether (seeing as how theres already about 10000 custom maps out already, who cares for the 10001'th (but thats just my oppinion) )
Commented 17 years ago2006-10-22 17:42:07 UTC
in vault item: Xen Cryo - Compo 15Comment #13304
Very nice, and I'm glad I played it again since the compo!
Very neat Xen architecture at the Xen part--sleek, nice brushing and textures. If you revisit this, you might try textlights for the outside area instead of a light_enviroment to achieve nicer, not-so-flat lighting, but it still looks fine. My favourite part of the Xen area is the the big voluminous room where the transport takes place.
The earth end looks superb too--is that predominant wall texture an original HL?! The only letdown for me in this again, nicely stylized area are the barrels, which though had an interesting construction, still looked kinda plain--maybe the texturing? The brush errors srry mentioned didn't bother me at all.
All in all really great, and a well-deserving 1st place, Good Work!
The outside displacements looked a bit weird.
The mountain sides wasn't very,, um, mountainious and you could at bombsite a (?) stand ontop of a crate and see the nodrawtextured top of a peice of mountain.
What I did like was the inside.
It was filled with fun stuff and small halls etc, fun fun!
Outside: 2.5/5
Inside: 3.5/5
The inside was a bit empty at some spaces but really, I loved it.
I recall playing this map on a TWHL CSS server (ZLs server wich he shut down perhaps?) and the gameplay was fun.
2.5 + 3.5 = 6
6/2 = 3.
3 stars it is.
T2: Escaped 1st Try.
T3: Escaped 1st Try.
T4: Escaped 1st Try.
T5: Escaped 1st Try.
After dying once you can prettymuch figgure out how to go because there are only two options.
I then tested all of the traps and it was fun.
As for the sky thing, the amker does not know what you mean. What he has done what is in the envirnment tutorial found on this website which says, create a box around the edges, apply the texture "sky", opened the map properties and set a sky map.
-Jack
By blocky I mean most if not all of the nice detail stuff you have--basketball hoops, drinking fountains, etc--are all WAY too thick and not streamlined--hence the blocky
Make them thinner. One way is to use wedges and spikes to give curved edges and appear slimmer. For the basketball hoop, use a transparent--{ in hammer texture browser--texture, make it a func wall, and set
Render mode: solid
fx amount: 255
Do this with any transparent texture, and the "blue" part of the texture won't show. Good for fences, grass and Basketball nets among other things
The method you used of entering builings was quite "unique"
Simple Architecture, Simple texturing, not so much detail, but a fun-looking little DM just the same.
actually it should have been a river of guts ~lol~
yeah my self drawn textures could have been better
and I sure was lazy with that lighting xD
Texturing wasn't that bad, although I agree the lava did look really ugly. I'm pretty sure there's a good lava text over at the Wadfather somewhere. Also, try adding a trigger_hurt with a low damage per second rate, maybe 5 or so.
Lighting was the worst part. In the big circular area, the light_env looked really bad. Why not go for some redish lights under the walkway, or something along those lines?
Overall, not a bad map, that could be much better with some minor improvements. 3.5.
The correct installation of HL:UE is as followed:
Open the zip. Copy the entire folder named uplink_ext to your Half-Life root directory (C:SierraHalf-Life by default). Don't copy each file into your valve folder!
Its out of the question that my singleplayer mod can screw up your entire HL installation, if installed correctly. So im pretty sure this is not caused by my mod.
Perhaps i should make somekind of autoinstaller or a selfextracting exe utility, to ensure my mod is installed correctly.
Also, there will be many fixes in the upcoming update. I found out why the houndeyes were getting stuck in the floor. Their boundarybox was the problem.
Can't judge about gameplay, this is one of those maps you really do need to play with other people to judge..
The texturing is HORRIBLE, I figured you got the textures straight from quake as I looked at the lava, that lava was ugly and it didn't hurt you, even in the most unrealistic games lava hurts you..
Also didn't liked the lightning, dunno, it was so bland.
3 stars.
well I deleted the liblist.gam and it worked fine again.
maybe something with the DLLs you put in there?
+Superb visuals, using sprites, lighting, and volumetric light.
+Love the way you blended the map/sky with the water at the bottom
+GPEs, Turrets, "pushers", holograms--all very nice doodads
The architecture is very simple/subtle, but you don't notice it because you've pulled off the theme so very nicely without any extreme brushwork.
The texturing looked fine to me, but like Rimrook said, maybe you could improve some of them--I'm sure he would be more than willing to help if you asked
Sounds? I didn't notice any, but I was listening to System of a Down while playing the map. Did you have soundfx for the Weapon depots or the pushers? If not, adding some sounds would be a sure way to improve this already pwn level.
Great work, and a great improvement from your previous map--which I also liked very much!
5 Stars
The skylight still doesn't make sense, because the Lambda reactor complex is, well, a reactor complex. Last I heard, those things are always very well sealed off, and they certainly don't have any windows. It's even more critical in Half-Life that it's well protected, because this is the same area they were doing all their top-secret teleportation experiments. If you want though, keep it there, it's just a bit out of place.
I'm sure it would be more fun with more/real people
Cons:
You should of made the folders in the zip file. I didnt like creating them myself. Just for that, ONE STAR!! lol, jk
Pro's;
Really well done custom textures. Snow on the crates, the arch texture, buildings, etc.
I really liked the sprite effect in the air. Makes it feel like the northern lights
Brushwork was great. Although terrain felt a bit lacking, it was still good.
The war torn house espically was excellent.
Sounds and ambience was perfect. Custom flag model also was done well.
Lighting matched the theme of the map. Very well done.
Interesting encounter spots. Seems like it would play very well.
All in all a very well done DOD map.
Oops, thought it was for HL.
But all the architectural/lighting gripes I had still remain. And about the game_end, it never triggered for me. Don't know why.
I was way more impressed by how nice the surroundings looked, and very funny touch getting slapped if you try to walk down the corridor...
"You don't need to go there"
Some neat textures, architecture, props, and some cool entity effects. It's been a long time since I've been to Disneyland, so I also don't have a point of reference to judge how things look, but you can tell this is somewhere you've been by the 'comprehensiveness' of the map, which is always cool.
Those upstairs windows, in the the building with the movie projector look really nice, and the fx from the projector gives a neat glare from the outside looking in.
The building with the dormers--roof windows--is also really cool inside and out, but you could probably eliminate those pesky brush errors by using HLFix, which comes with the latest ZHLT afaik.
Having the Magic Kingdom Castle cut in half is a bit of a big distraction, and something you might address in a future version. Maybe you could somehow blend in the existing 'facade' with a custom sky, so you can see the whole castle. You other options would be to use models for parts of the castle, or of course, try brushing it.
Scale everywhere is waaay too big and that's another big issue with this map. There are multiple other small errors and "glithes" here too, so hopefully as you become a better mapper, you'll come back and fix this up or redo it
All in all, still very neat work
Last time I forgot to pick up the shottie in the closet. I figured it out this time. Very cool
I did experience some weird glitches this time around:
The elevator glitch still occured. I hit the switch in the security room (1st time around, and 2nd) and hit the elevator button, but it would not come up. I hit it about 10 times, then went back, killed the monster with the rockets, then came back, hit the button and it worked!
Also, when I returned to the main room displayed in the screenie, when I talked to barney, all his responses were said 10 times faster. It was like someone fast-fowarded his speech! Scared the hell out of me when I spoke to him
Oh, and at the end where the huge monster (please forgive me, I dont know HL1 monsters names
It was even more fun the second time around!
To call the elevator, you must use the lever in the security room (security override). After pulling the lever, the button that calles the elevator will be active. Try that part again.
Check out my maps for an example map.
P.S. I know this is probably a noob question but at the end, how did you get those spinning wheels to move with the elevator?
I know I've said that before and not done it but this truely seems awsome
It was when I finally returned to the lab that I spawned at the beginning of the game. You know, the large room in the screenshot with Barney and the scientist.
I could hear some vortigaunts behind the door, so I just tossed some nades to get rid of them before they had a chance to zap me.
And to everyones releif (especially mcmitcho's), I officially announce an end to making any more aim maps. Infact, rowleybob already gave me an idea for my next map (but unfortanately it would require custom textures which i HATE; Wally's even more confusing than hammer in my oppinion). Anyways, the next map I make i'll put a little effort into or just quit altogether (seeing as how theres already about 10000 custom maps out already, who cares for the 10001'th (but thats just my oppinion) )
Very neat Xen architecture at the Xen part--sleek, nice brushing and textures. If you revisit this, you might try textlights for the outside area instead of a light_enviroment to achieve nicer, not-so-flat lighting, but it still looks fine. My favourite part of the Xen area is the the big voluminous room where the transport takes place.
The earth end looks superb too--is that predominant wall texture an original HL?! The only letdown for me in this again, nicely stylized area are the barrels, which though had an interesting construction, still looked kinda plain--maybe the texturing? The brush errors srry mentioned didn't bother me at all.
All in all really great, and a well-deserving 1st place, Good Work!