Comments

lol yup! I really took it for granted that most people would remeber it from my Battlefront turret map. Looks like I should add a game_text message trigger when you go near the turret

Again, the yellow bar is supposed to be a progress bar, however, if you looking at it in parallel to the movement, it won't appear to move at all unfortunately

Ha Ha Awsome!

It looks a lot like the cs:s version! Great performance considering some of the nice detail in the level like thos stairways.

In general the texturing could be a lot better, and the lighting would look nicer with more contrast--so the shadows are more visible.

Because I suck at texturing, it's hard for me to recommend what to do, besides maybe try some new ones or try scaling them differently. Be careful not to scale them too small though, as it will make your compile time much longer not to mention your wpolies will rise dramatically.

The lighting in general is way too bright imo. If you keep it so bright, maybe use a series of sprites to mimic a HDR effect or something.

Lastly, I'd recommend a custom sky. Since it looks like cs_assault source already, why not use the sky from that. I've seen tutroials for converting 3D skyboxes to 2D for Half-Life 1, but I've never actually tried it. Here's the tutorial if you're interested:
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Skybox_(2D)

Misc nitpicks:

• Make the concrete "french fries" inside all vertical. You can intersect them with the floor at the diagonal parts if you make them func_walls without any brush intersection problems.
• The scale in some of the intereior areas was strange. Adjust it where needed to make it more realistic.
• Some of the parts inside are too thick or too thin inside. The HVAC vent looks too fat for example. Your light fixtures look way too skinny, and it's supports look too fat Take some more time to make your detail items proportion/scale look real in-game

Well I hope you keep working on it! This maps worth between 3-4 imo at present. Please pm me with updates, and I'll rate it when it's more finished!!1

First of all, don't repost/bump your maps.

Second, this map is as unplayable as the first one. Type R_SPEEDS_1 in the console and look. Your wpolies are >3000, which is about twice as high as I'd recommend going with those. Your epolies are > 60000, and while I'm not sure about epoly limits, I'm sure it's way too high--even in maps saturated with high-poly props, I don't remember ever seeing a map go over 12000.

As I said the first time you posted this it's a cool idea, but you should do something to make the performance better before anything else imo.

This looks like a good test map for a new guy to try out different effects, ligting and just mapping in general. Besides that, there is nothing really too eyepopping about the map

For your next map maybe think about:

• Work on scaling/aligning your textures better. The dimensions of the the texture are usually the intended scale for it too, which is a good rule of thumb.
• Use some wedges as trims so your big blocky rooms don't look so square!
• Working on a realistic theme--or any sort of theme for that matter--will help your map look more uniform/coherent.
• If you have questions, search the forums, and/or post a question.

Nice first map, and good luck with your future ones!

This is really weird. It works for some people fine, and borks for others. I have no explanation! I can try emailing it uncompressed if you want. PM me if you do.

I'd like to preface any further reviews by saying that The time and place for gigantically huge maps like this has come and gone. Some really great maps thematically--like that persian nights one you made me aware of--was superb in every way besides it was built 10-times bigger than it should have been imo. This is a compilation map, so technically you get a pass on that respect, but that reason alone doesn't make the map more playable.

My review will also be largely incomplete, considering again the sheer size. It's hugeness and my short attention span are not a good combination, so it would take an enromous amount of time for me to play the whole thing through, get an accurate feel for everything, and therby give a decent review.

That all said, I can only offer a few misc comments atm. If I find the time/inclination to play it more, I'll give more comments.

I liked Grimlock's Area the best. With the doodads and interesting looking structures, it was by far my favourite in terms of design.

The segues between maps was seemless, and it was difficult imo to tell where one began and ended, which is a really good thing for a map like this. Whomever merged the maps kudos to you

Whomever had the neat neon-like orange rims around the window thingies, those were pretty neat and stood out. The lift in the center was definitely unique, if not unrealisticly fast-moving.

A few random things I remembered from your portion:

+I liked the general design and relief of the room
=maybe could do with a stronger theme, unless your theme was to be completely neutral
=it's hard to nicely light a room like that, imo, and you did a pretty good job considering
-some structures looked blocky like the light fixtures and some of the ceiling parts.
-some things look unrealisticly too thin, like the middle platform and the unsupported stairway leading to it. The crete platform itself had no supports at all, making it not only unrealistic, yet kinda boring to look at.

I'd like to play this some more sometime some more, and give a more complete review. Maybe I will sometime, and I'll forgo any rating 'till then.

Dude it IS a valid zip. IF it wasn't all the people who've left comments wouldn't be possible. I don't know how, but the problem is on your end. I can try emailing it maybe?

Freshed: Thanks. The rotating green icons are for spawnable func_tank lasers. Tilt your player view toward the wrench icon and click the use button. The yellow brick is a progress bar--but only looks right if you are at certain directions, because it only "progresses" in one direction.

After a couple seconds, a Battlefront-style turret should emerge

Orph: Your transparency Dlls are need updating afaik--they look transparent for me, and nobody else has said anything. If the sprite wasn't included, you'd get an error message, and/or the map wouldn't even load.

If you're using steam, try the validate feature. If you're using WON, copy the steam dlls over yours.

Hunter: Making 0 crush damage will not prevent the sequence from borking, which I care about more than killing the player. Maybe If I put a bullseye in the center of the lift?

There is no RPG on the map, only the weapons from the weapon dumps. The one in the screenie shown was managed by impulse 101 ;)--sorry I didn't answer your question the first time around

Muzzle: Fair enough. After seperating all the props to a seperate map--to focus on the layout--, I dedided I'm redesigning the main bulk of the map--as well as new textures.

Since people are complaining about the weapons I suppose I may eliminate the weapon dumps as well

Ag3nt-x: I dunno waht to tell ya, sorry

Orpheus: I double checked all the stuff that uses sprites--mostly func_tanklasers and some lights, and I couldn't find any missing. If you could pm me more information why you believe one is missing, maybe we can get to the bottom of it

Thanks all for the comments! The general consensus is this map needs a lot more work than I thought it did... so I better get to it! <3

I just used xp's "send to compressed (zipped) folder" right-click option, and it seems to work for almost everybody, although Tetsu0 was having a problem too saying the file was invalid.

Don't know what to tell you about WinRAR, but maybe try redownloading?

Mine too!! nothing beats the speeders imo, picking off the ground troops and ATSTs (I never used the tow cable ;)).

That's a great idea with the func_rotating speeder and the ATAT. It's definitelely plausible!

I agree about the sound too. I have a whole slew of triggerable sounds to work with I recorded from the first 34 minutes of Empire Strikes Back--all the battle of Hoth. I'll look into other music for the theme as well.

Thanks for the comments and the ideas!!

Captain P:

I threw in weapon spawns at the last minute and didn't add any other weapons in the map, which is bad on me. The original aim was to make the outside of the map pretty much a suicide zone, with some goodies to enitice you to risk it. As Hunter pointed out though, it's apparently not deadly enough I'm going to use the droid health and shield chargers from dm_lars as well--which I also forgot to add.

Most of the star wars things are just there as big props. The transport in the main hangar is intended as a vis blocker. Looking back, the work I spent fleshing out the falcon was not worth it looking at the end product, and I would've left it solid if I had it to do again. As it stands now, both of the big ships need lots of detail/accessibility upgrades. I plan on adding a couple of func_tanks to the falcon eventually, as well as other things.

I agree about the vertical gameplay. I'm adding catwalks to the falcon area, and I'll probalby connect that area also with the outside. As far as other connections, I'm not sure.

I totally agree about your layout/gameplay remarks. Whenever I start maps like this, I always try to create the theme 1st, and consider gameplay and performance second. It's a problem I know. One of these days I'll listen to you!

Thank you again for the detailed comments! I'll try to do MOST of the things you mentioned

Thank you for the super-long review Mr. Hunter! It's amazing to me the things obvious things I've missed making this, and I appreciate your help in pointing them out!!1

Your review made me think of things I never previously thought would be issues. A big one is I forgot about the gauss jump. Because I was planning to keep most of the outside area cliffs inaccessable, clip brushes will definitely be in order.

I never thought about making the shield generator or ion cannon more interactive, but it's certainly worth a try--especially the Ion cannon shot/sound every once in a while would be cool as hecks.

The transport ships top access door is a real problem. As you know, unless you sit in the center of the lift, it will crush/kill you, not to mention bork the sequence. I'm really at a loss as to how to fix this besides putting in a ladder, or making the whole top of the hatch area func_illusionary :

I agree about the probe sounds in the control room. I actually recorded this for that room, but haven't put it in yet:
http://rowleybob.googlepages.com/hoth2.mp3

And finally, I agree about the flaws you pointed out with the ATATs. I have a seperate map with them in it for testing purposes, and they still need plenty of refinements, not to mention making the laser blast's more realistic and the forced-perspective ATATs--which were never meant to be reached up-close.

Thank you again Huntee for the comments! I'll try not to let you down

Thanks for the detailed commments!

It is pretty huge, but atm the whole outside part of the map is more than a gimmic than anything else. Unless the ATATs are shooting at somebody else on the opposite side of that area, it's virtually impossible for combat out there. I either have to create more cover or make their laser bolts weaker or something. The original aim was to put secrets/goodies to entice players to walk out there, but at this point, there is nothing

I have some ideas on how to reduce the hallway length or break them up, and upon yours and Kasperg's advice, I'm definitely going to modify them. There are some detail rooms I could add like the water chamber where Luke is healed, or some other things.

The rotating weapon icons are supposed to represent weapon/ammo depots. I realize it's not a traditional dm thing, but whatevs. Your method to make weapon models rotate is quite intriquing though actually, and sounds like a simpler alternative to this recent tutorial:
http://twhl.co.za/mapvault_map.php?id=4339

Thanks for taking the time to playtest it! Feel free to add more if you come up with more ideas!

Thanks so much for the comments! This will still be the playtestable map as-is for the server--if muzz approves it--. I will certainly take you comments into consideration for the the stage-2 version though.

I never realized about the hallways being so long, but I suppose it's quite obvious I suppose also it makes the whole level unnecessarily long to navigate.

Yeah, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't have made the Falcon "enterable". It took way too long to work on, and it still has far to go (and not really worth the effort/time imo). O-well

I agree 100% about the lighting. Updates-a-comin'!

Thanks again!

Some neat stuff imo.

FY maps are traditionally under-detailed and generally boring killboxes, but yours has lots of interesting elements.

+Spawns--neat that you come out of shoots
+Looks like it could be fun to play
+some neat albeit weird detailing
+generally a pleasing layout for this type of map
+neat concept with the healing fountain
+The env_beam sprite choice--the ones that look like a oxy-acetylene torch--, were weird but still cool

=maybe more varied routes too the fountain.
=Textures aren't the greatest could be a lot worse!
=The "hedges" comprising the maze/cover in the map could be more interestingly concieved.
=Lighting is adequete but could be better
=r_speeds aren't great but it's playable.

-Water under the chutes is strange. I think you did it to protect the starting players from falling damage, but you can render the water invisible, construct pools for it so it looks better.
-sounds?

Anyway, a decent FY map, but certainly room for improvement!

I must say I'm interested in the concept and of trying to make glass maze maps work. Your's doesn't look to terribly bad condsidering it's tough to make multiple see-throughable stuff look realistic in HL--Stuff that is supposed to appear in front of other stuff appears behind it and vice versa.

Also I agree with WCD that it's a very good first map.

It's hard to know what to suggest to improve this map, for the aformentioned reasons, and that I've not been able to ever make them work myself.

Good luck with your future endeavors!

This is the same as your kool deathmatch map with some different textures? I guess you can just use the same review from that one

One thing though, the layout is not really conducive to a traditional hostage rescue--cs--map, but whatever. It's more suited to an aim or fy.

Hopefully your next map will be a little different from this one

Ha Ha excellent christmas map!

I loved the sprite christmas lights and the scene inside the house by the fire:

https://sites.google.com/site/rowleybob/iv_christmas_20060000.jpg

I also liked the "wall of shame" in the basement... is "buttery toast" a girl or a guy? :'D

Anyway, I won't bother nitpicking--unless you want--, since it's not the point of the map. 'Tis a superb Christmas map!!1

*win
*****

"you have 3 choices... pick wisely!!!

[] fun
[] fun
[] fun

I lol'd and lol'd Pretty funny stuff, a well-deserving compo winner

This minimod doesn't work for me--it just crashes back to windows when I try to run it.

Forgot rate lol-- edit map comments.. someday

Haha that's so much better!!1 The map is just a little thing for christmas, but the detailing, feel of the map is superb! The beam effects are excellent. *win

*****

Quite unique/cool! Yeah the only lighting glitch is the shadow uner the "car" you're riding on--which shouldn't be too hard to fix.

Maybe adding some sprites for a haze effect would mask the edges of the tunnel a little, making it more realistic. Still, very cool and innovative, which is a s usual with your work!

Good to see you still around!

Nice example though I can use If I ever have a multipe-bsp map, and useful since I know lots of people have trouble with landmarking.

Good work, and nice explanation/description--helpful too for keywords if people are searching for using keywords and the search function.

lol i tried compiling and there were no textures either... I'll just wait for the next release I guess

I never played DMC in multiplayer, but wow, I really like the sounds of the weapons--paticuarly the grenade launcer!

I agree with FresheD about removing the skybox and working on different maps.

I don't really know what to say, except I don't really see the point of developing maps for DMC...

Anyway, nice map

Some of the ladders extend way above the buildings, which means your climbing on nothing. It also sucks if you're trying to jump from one building to another and you run into one of these ladders instead

There's no floor to the map, which looks bad/stupid.

Otherwise, I think it's a superb idea, and I look forward to future updates. The only other negative I can think of is eliminating the ladder sound, but I don't think there's a way for dm

Neat stuff!

There is no bsp :

No biggie, but I would recommend including them in the future

I'll compile/play it later

Heh some nice stuff, but not without it's problems.

-There are missing textures
-There is a 24-piece arch erroneously in the middle of the floor
-2 invalid solids--easily clipped by clipping them each about the diagonal
-disappearing faces on some of your architecture--normal

But the biggest problem is that some piece of architecture is crashing VIS--probably the big arch. Maybe try putting all the verticies on-grid, and/or remaking it without the arch tool--the smaller scale arch in the floor was perfectly on-grid.

Your architecture in general is all on-grid and very nice, and that hazy light--HDR in source?--looks superb.

To fix the disappearing faces:

Almost anytime you have semi-sophisticated architecture, VIS doesn't seem to like it too much, and lets you know by making some of your faces of otherwise perfectly fine architecture to disappear.

Make the brush with a disappearing face a func wall. DON'T make the WHOLE object a func_wall however. Inexplicably, if you make the whole obect a func_wall, the same faces STILL disappear. Plus if you make too many brush-based entitys, your performance will suffer.

Anyway, pretty nice work

Ha Ha! Excellent!

I loved the look/detailing/textures of the hallway leading up as well.

MERRY CHISTMAS!!1

edit: lol I just played it again, and once again, it was crowbar only!! I missed the best part of the map!!

The tree looks spectacualar--I thought it was a model--, and the railings--reminded me of something you'd see in a japanese garden--and omg the irisish door were cool as hell!

Neat shit!

LOL I accidentally noclipped through the ceiling--key bind--whilst looking at the toast in your map, and I ran into the room with the fat-headed babies, which I never saw before! (I couldn't get throught the door, lol )

I'll try to go through the door again, lol--is is supposed to be a puzzle?

After replaying this, I have to say this door has one of the more unique mechanisms to it and is very well done.

The aforomentioned small occlusions which wouldn't have been really difficult to fix really dropped my rating of this map. Still, it's excellent work.

A great entry, good work!
*****

LOL very nice!

Like Daubster's you had some excellent sprite/env_beam and sound effects, timed perfectly with there execution. You actually used a func_door_rotating, which I though more of the entrants would have taken advantage of.

The displacement-like terrain was also very nice outside the door.
(lol btw I never saw anyone texture the outside of their level with {blue before!--quite unique

The door(s) itself were also pretty good, and good use of the aformentioned rotating entity. The last stage of the door would have looked nicer with some different texturing, but whateva.

The ending had a nice twist, also like Daub's... I lol'd

Great work, and another--and final--perfect entry for the compo.
*****

Just a suggestion, but you may want to include a working .bsp file with the map. It's one thing to look at people's maps, it's quite another to compile them too

Your screenie looks nice. If I get time, I'll compile it.

I well-done beginner's map, but not without it's troubles.

-Turn up the max-viewable distance under "map properties" in Hammer, and you'll be able to see all the way down the road, all the time.

-there are invisble brushes and missing faces. These are usually caused by "leaf portal" errors. Check your compile log, go to the coordinates it gives you, and redo the bruswork around that area.

-Fullbright. My first maps were fullbright and I thought they looked so good! I even once submited a compo entry fullbright!!1 But believe me, running RAD--lights--is absolutely essential to mapping. If you're having trouble or more questions, check out the tutorial section/forums for help.

All in all again, a nice beginner map. The non-error brushwork you had looked fine as well the texturing. Fix the errors and get some lights now!

A cool idea, nicely implemented. Transitions from one area are creative/nice, though I'm sure there are tons of other way you could do it.

General mapping is really good, and superb for cs fyish maps like this one. My favourite area was cbble. Dust was fine, even with all the crates--I suppose on purpose--, but aztec was weak imo.

5 from me for a nicely implemeted, cool idea.
*****

Killjoy: you make goddamn surf maps and you have the audacity to rate this map 2 stars?!

Considering the level you're at, you shouldn't even be allowed to rate maps, since you can barely make them yourself
/rant

If you just move it it shouldn't remove the map comments afaik... maybe it's a glitch?

My bad, sorry!

Reposting is generally not cool, but since you added some nice detail in there, we will let it slide this once

The cabinets, window and toaster look really nice, but my absolute favourite is the toast!!1 (just add a plate, butter, jelly, etc)

The rest of the map seems to be the same, except the wall cracks, which with your brushwork skills I KNOW you can make look more natural/realisitic.

I don't know what your full intentions for are or the map, but if you add more detail, pm me and I'll check it out!!1

Btw, I think you may have just given me an idea for the next compo!

Quite realisic with all neat the effects I noticied:

?env_shake
?The breakables
?Wicked sound!~
?trigger_hurt
?sprites for smoke/dust
?env_beam/sprite for the door mechanism thingies?

The lighting was nice and gave it an eerie ambience too. The sequence is impeccable on the open and close, and the "Big D" with the switchable animating texture was a superb final touch!!1 I just would have added a point light to turn on when the D completed it's arc

Minor nitpicks:
-Some brush interesections were a very minor distraction.
-the silver door mechanisms with the blue env beam/sprite in-between looked a bit too thin to me. Kinda clashed with the rest of the door, but no biggie.
-I agree with Srry there could have been more intricacies for the door, but whatever it's still outsanding work!

Another Spectacular entry for the compo!!1
*****

Wow that is amzazing!!1

I've always wanted to do a bank vault--we think alike on many things

The sequence is compicated and very cool--multiple trains? I haven't looked at the rmf--, and the other mechanisims are a great touch. My favourite part was the rotating guy/latches that move UP with the door! Excellent.

The detail on the rest of the map is nice--more than sufficient for our purposes, and thoughtfully constructed. The precious metal prop was also a nice touch.

Why doesn't the sequence work in reverse? It's not a big deal--we already decided that the door didn't have to close--, but I'm just curious.

Small nitpicks:
-no space for the rotating dial to pass through when the door opens, so it intersects the top of the wall. Also, no lip on the door itself, so it also interesects. (maybe adding lip would fix both troubles?)

-Agree with Dauby that the sequence is a little too long. No biggie really.

Another superb entry, perfect for the compo!
*****

Spoiler below this line, lol :

The map credits behind the crack in the wall, pretty much any hidden stuff like that is called an "easter egg" I think.

The mapping is quite lackluster in terms of everything, but it's a neat concept. There are more of these "freefall" maps?

I lol'd at your easter egg--quite funny actually!

Oh and btw, if you're including 1 custom texture, why not wadinclude?
Tutorial if you're interested:
Custom Textures

It's really very cool and the sequence works flawlessley--which is unique and cool--, but it suffers from some bad flaws imo:

The door mechanisims are very blocky. Some or all of them also intersect the wall which is never a good thing. Lastly, there are visible gaps in the wall which = bad.

Again, very unique, cool, and well though out, but I think you can make this better

The screen really doesn't do this map justice, but whatever. It would probalby be impossible to show the effect in one screenie--maybe if you had 4 in various stages of opening?

I take back what I said about the doors at the end of Half-Life: Yours are vastly sexier/more complex--and the sound is also well done.

You should submit this for the door compo!!

The zero G is again, also a very neat idea. I'm too experimenting with func_water rendered invisible, to try for a limited zero-g effect in my current map, but it's not working too well

Rednick, you fail. Your mom gets 1 star Why don't you actually try the map?

If you actually played the map and you actually think it sucks--quite doubtful, then I challenge you to make a better one.

I must say though the screenie doesn't do this justice. Really Great work, and the sequence is flawless each way, no matter how often you open/close it.

It's also a unique way to secure the door, and the mechanisms are nicely detailed.

The only improvements I can possibly think of would be from a texturing standpoint, but since this is a brushwork competition, it's not really warranted. In the same though, good textures add realism, so maybe it might be worth considering some new/different textures.

The sound effects and sprites were also a great touch, perfectly executed.

Feel free to update it at you leisure 'till the end of the compo--remember, the compo ends when we recieve at least 5 submissions int the thread.

Great work, Perfect for the compo!
*****

A nice beginners map!

Brushwork looks fine throughout, and you even added lights--My first few maps had none!

Your texture alignment/application/choice is something else though Try aligning stuff better and use differnt ones for the outside walls and the roof.

Texturing is a little weird at first--I still dont really understand "face" or "world" lol, but you get better the more you use it. A couple of tips I can think of:

?when scaling the texture, set the x and y values--under the Face Properties window(shift-a)--to what is listed under "Size". (also in face properties.) In most all cases, the size is also the intended scale for the texture.

?Use the "Justify" buttons also under face properties. They are very useful, and will make your texturing life much easier. For the most part, don't use the "fit" button until you know more what you're doing.

?If a texture looks funny, even after all this stuff, try checking the "Face" box for the heck of it. Sometimes that's all you have to do, but I must admit, I dunno why.

?Clicking the "Hide Mask" button makes darker textures easier to see. Use the mask to make bright textures easier to see.

?If you like the way the texturing on one wall looks and you want to transplant those exact settings to another wall: select the texture and while holding the ALT button down, RIGHT-CLICK the wall you want to look the same.

Once again, the more you play around with these options, the better you'll get. Don't be afraid to try new stuff... it could make your mapping life much easier

Is OP4 DM it's own mod, or this will just work regularly in OP4? (sorry me stupi)