Commented 19 years ago2004-11-14 00:11:57 UTC
in vault item: sg_underworldComment #5043
It is a decent map for a room. For Deathmatch, you should have it alot larger. The teleporters made if seem really disconnected. Maybe color co-ordinating the teleporters to their locations, so you knew where you were going. Also, because weaponstay is a possibility for a server setting, I'd stay away from using guns as ammo. If you want ammo, you should place ammo. I'm talking about the three taus in the water trough. Nice use of texture lighting, though you might brighten it up a little bit. And speaking of textures, somewhere in there is metal, though everything looks like stone. You can hear your footsteps as if it were metal.
All in all, it seems like a good start to me. Maybe make three or four little room maps like that one and copy them all into one .rmf and connect them. That's if you're looking for ideas on how to proceed...
Commented 19 years ago2004-11-05 01:48:56 UTC
in vault item: cs_skoolComment #4943
The "up" view from the bottom of the ladder does not actually reach the very top of the map because of the block on the wall above the ladder. Instead of seeing from bottom to top, VIS looks up until it hits that block, and then it starts calculating. It can't handle looking from the bottom to the top of the entire map. That distance is too big... and you must consider that VIS sees in 360 degrees. If the block had a break in it, then VIS could see up to the top, through the break, and it'd be too much math for its tiny little brain.
This was just an example map. There are many tutorials about breaking up VIS. Think of the Halflife map Gasworks. It has those corridors that seems to turn right, turn left, turn left, turn right... why not just make a straight hallway? To break up VIS...
Commented 19 years ago2004-11-03 03:11:54 UTC
in vault item: cs_skoolComment #4900
1. You only need one info_player_start for a multiplayer game. All the other spawns are info_player_deathmatch. Not sure what CS calls them as I've never mapped for CS.
2. Anywhere you have a texture who's name starts with a brace "{", you need to make that an entity. A func_wall or similar and set the rendermode "solid"/ FX amount 255. That will tell the game to make the blue invisible.
3. All of your func_ladders need to be textured with AAATrigger. The texture of the ladder (and the netting) need to be func_wall/ rendermode "solid"/ FX amount 255. So in front of your climbable textures, place a second brush with AAATrigger on it and make THAT the func_ladder.
4. In the Map dropdown menu, go to Map Properties and change the "Max viewable distance" setting from 4096 to, say, 8192. This will help the lag a bit. It'll help stop the "Hall of Mirrors" effect you get when things are too far away. Also in this Map Properties pallet, add the name of a sky texture... look in your Mod/gfx/env for choices or look in the sky tutorial for the stock names.
5. Stay away from making brushes 1 pixel wide. Don't hesitate to make them 32 or even 64 wide. Look down on the bottom of Hammer and you'll see the size for any selected brush shown as w x l x h. And don't interlock the corners of brushes. This creates "fractures" in the vis compile. Lap the corners as if they were actual 2"x4" boards. Picture a square made with four boards... two opposing sides are longer than the two other sides.
6. You are able to view across 6391 units, if you run from an upper corner to a lower, opposite corner. WAY too much. Try to block your large area off in such ways that you cannot see straight across. Even leaving a 1 unit space between the ground and an object makes the game engine calculate the entire distance across. And VIS does not see entities... For you, that means that func_ANYTHING doesn't stop the engine.
Instead of running around the entire building, you could have four separate "rooms" for each side of the building. The roof could be included in one of those sides.z
7. The large textures on the border "walls" are set 1:1 ratio, meaning they are not scaled different than the original size. You can bump them up to 2:1 with the texture application tool (shift+A). This takes some of the burden off the game engine because it doesn't need to draw that texture as much. If it takes 8 napkins to cover a picnic table (2 x 4), and you get napkins twice as big, it only takes TWO (!!!) to cover it the same amount. Since it's twice as big BOTH directions.
In the example map I've uploaded, notice how I made the ladder, notice how I blocked the veiw "Up" from above the ladder, and notice the texture on the floor. Inside the green border, the texture is 1:1. Outside, the same texture is 2:1. It doesn't look much different, but it's much easier on the engine.
Commented 19 years ago2004-11-02 02:56:01 UTC
in vault item: cs_skoolComment #4885
I've touched it up a bit so you could see about boxing things in... the layout isn't really great for what you're trying. I added skyboxes, though it's still quite a bit much. The long road area is too long for vis to function correctly. I placed a BIG block, but it would take more than that to effectively block vis. Gotta block it from top to bottom as well as side to side. I changed a door from a func_door back to a solid, just for compiling purposes. I also added some details to help close a player off to the areas you want them. And I added a few lights, since there weren't any. They are just so you'll be able to see your way around. I chose "night" for a sky, as I needed to put a light_environment in it for the sky textures to work.
Commented 19 years ago2004-09-05 01:39:30 UTC
in vault item: tournamentComment #3780
Just so you're aware, I ripped it with WinBSP and I'm just reconstructing the geometry where it needs it. It's not an original, by any stretch, but they'd like it fast.
Commented 19 years ago2004-09-03 02:20:53 UTC
in vault item: tournamentComment #3772
It isn't that great. The way it was constructed seems to go against everything I've learned about mapping because it has low r_speeds, yet appears to be made "during lunch hour". It just seems so chopped up!
Commented 19 years ago2004-08-31 00:00:24 UTC
in vault item: tournamentComment #3708
Well... I made a .wad. In for a penny, in for a pound. Once I figured out the best ways to adjust the initial photo/graphic, I started cranking them out. Checking to make "seemless tiling" in the photo program speeds things up tremendously, also. So I have a .wad approximately 1.5 mb now.
The map has been re-textured, but it's still disjointed. I have been asked to rip Crossfire apart and re-construct a variation of it for a tournament coming up in the next month, so this map went on hold. I am almost finished with that project, though, so I'll be back on it soon!
Commented 19 years ago2004-08-21 15:35:58 UTC
in vault item: tournamentComment #3491
The exponential increase in compile time I understand completely. I build metal objects out of flat metal and "real-world" geometry makes sense to me. Understand triangles and you understand the Universe.
I have creativity issues. I have a hard time drawing maps out ahead of time. Though, thinking about it, my other map, Courtyard2, compiled in 8 minutes... I drew that one out.
And texture stretching is mostly a product of the "fit" command.
I'm old enough now that I'd rather improve than be right.
Commented 19 years ago2004-08-19 20:22:01 UTC
in vault item: tournamentComment #3459
It is very helpful. I like the dialogue... it helps me understand if I can voice my questions and opinions, so don't think I'm trying to disagree with what you tell me. I'm just making sure I have a well-rounded understanding of these things.
Many of the entities, like trains, were tested in small maps. I just didn't mention it. many times I use the cordon tool to create a .map of that area, if I've gotten creative without switching to a small test map.
Textures- I would do well as half of a team of two mappers... one who builds and one who textures. I hate texturing. I would build...
The hint brushes I kept thin because some tutorial somewhere (and poosibly these forums) mention that only the side marked hint is used during the compile and the rest of the brush did nothing, so it didn't matter how big it was... as long as the side marked hint intersected the brushes around it. I don't really know if that's true or not.
I did try to keep the other 5% below 1000, and if you'd seen the r_speeds before I adjusted things (5500 in one spot, since deleted), I'm happy I was able to have only a few spots above 1000. I'm also unhappy I have a few spots above 1000. Conflicted, I know.
Lastly, I map with the grid set to 1 and I only change it (with the [ and ] keys) if I need to move something a long distance in one direction. And I size it back to 1 before I set it in it's final spot.
Commented 19 years ago2004-08-18 20:09:47 UTC
in vault item: tournamentComment #3435
Here is what I hoped to accomplish with this map.
1. Eye Candy. Adding detail with architecture, sprites, models, sounds, and other entities. My other maps were "blah".
2. Build a map that wasn't two dimensional. Like Datacore, this map has it's semi-ups and semi-downs. I wanted (and had) two outside areas, but it wouldn't handle it.
3. Keep a texturing theme, possibly create a texture theme from scratch. Had too many other problems to add textures to it, but I did learn alot about Wally and models in general. By the way, I have the transparancy .dlls in my old won folder. I can see the models when I test run the map, but I loaded it onto a commercial game server and nobody could see them.
4. Skip brushes. I don't think you looked in the .rmf because I wasn't wondering if I needed more, per se. I was wondering if the ones I had were placed relatively correct. But I did use skip brushes.
5. Trains. The cut away parts of the map had two trains running, one a target, one attached to an env_beam, with random path_corners in the sky and on the ground. So I learned alot about it... you don't get to see it, though....
6. Texture lighting. I haven't extensively used texture lighting, and I think everything in this map is lit with texture lighting. Not well, mind you, but it's there.
7. Low r_speeds. I was shooting for 95% of the map to be 800 or less.
I will keep working at it, but I'm really getting sick of this map. Which doesn't help the "perfection" part.
Commented 19 years ago2004-07-10 02:25:52 UTC
in vault item: Courtyard2Comment #2657
I will get a screenshot of it. Texture behind building = bad = yes! I will see if I can put some brush details in it. Courtyard is really non-descript, but nothing says this has to be also. Thanks for checking it out.
All in all, it seems like a good start to me. Maybe make three or four little room maps like that one and copy them all into one .rmf and connect them. That's if you're looking for ideas on how to proceed...
This was just an example map. There are many tutorials about breaking up VIS. Think of the Halflife map Gasworks. It has those corridors that seems to turn right, turn left, turn left, turn right... why not just make a straight hallway? To break up VIS...
2. Anywhere you have a texture who's name starts with a brace "{", you need to make that an entity. A func_wall or similar and set the rendermode "solid"/ FX amount 255. That will tell the game to make the blue invisible.
3. All of your func_ladders need to be textured with AAATrigger. The texture of the ladder (and the netting) need to be func_wall/ rendermode "solid"/ FX amount 255. So in front of your climbable textures, place a second brush with AAATrigger on it and make THAT the func_ladder.
4. In the Map dropdown menu, go to Map Properties and change the "Max viewable distance" setting from 4096 to, say, 8192. This will help the lag a bit. It'll help stop the "Hall of Mirrors" effect you get when things are too far away. Also in this Map Properties pallet, add the name of a sky texture... look in your Mod/gfx/env for choices or look in the sky tutorial for the stock names.
5. Stay away from making brushes 1 pixel wide. Don't hesitate to make them 32 or even 64 wide. Look down on the bottom of Hammer and you'll see the size for any selected brush shown as w x l x h. And don't interlock the corners of brushes. This creates "fractures" in the vis compile. Lap the corners as if they were actual 2"x4" boards. Picture a square made with four boards... two opposing sides are longer than the two other sides.
6. You are able to view across 6391 units, if you run from an upper corner to a lower, opposite corner. WAY too much. Try to block your large area off in such ways that you cannot see straight across. Even leaving a 1 unit space between the ground and an object makes the game engine calculate the entire distance across. And VIS does not see entities... For you, that means that func_ANYTHING doesn't stop the engine.
Instead of running around the entire building, you could have four separate "rooms" for each side of the building. The roof could be included in one of those sides.z
7. The large textures on the border "walls" are set 1:1 ratio, meaning they are not scaled different than the original size. You can bump them up to 2:1 with the texture application tool (shift+A). This takes some of the burden off the game engine because it doesn't need to draw that texture as much. If it takes 8 napkins to cover a picnic table (2 x 4), and you get napkins twice as big, it only takes TWO (!!!) to cover it the same amount. Since it's twice as big BOTH directions.
In the example map I've uploaded, notice how I made the ladder, notice how I blocked the veiw "Up" from above the ladder, and notice the texture on the floor. Inside the green border, the texture is 1:1. Outside, the same texture is 2:1. It doesn't look much different, but it's much easier on the engine.
Good luck!
The map has been re-textured, but it's still disjointed. I have been asked to rip Crossfire apart and re-construct a variation of it for a tournament coming up in the next month, so this map went on hold. I am almost finished with that project, though, so I'll be back on it soon!
And thanks for checking back. I appreciate that!
I have creativity issues. I have a hard time drawing maps out ahead of time. Though, thinking about it, my other map, Courtyard2, compiled in 8 minutes... I drew that one out.
And texture stretching is mostly a product of the "fit" command.
I'm old enough now that I'd rather improve than be right.
Many of the entities, like trains, were tested in small maps. I just didn't mention it. many times I use the cordon tool to create a .map of that area, if I've gotten creative without switching to a small test map.
Textures- I would do well as half of a team of two mappers... one who builds and one who textures. I hate texturing. I would build...
The hint brushes I kept thin because some tutorial somewhere (and poosibly these forums) mention that only the side marked hint is used during the compile and the rest of the brush did nothing, so it didn't matter how big it was... as long as the side marked hint intersected the brushes around it. I don't really know if that's true or not.
I did try to keep the other 5% below 1000, and if you'd seen the r_speeds before I adjusted things (5500 in one spot, since deleted), I'm happy I was able to have only a few spots above 1000. I'm also unhappy I have a few spots above 1000. Conflicted, I know.
Lastly, I map with the grid set to 1 and I only change it (with the [ and ] keys) if I need to move something a long distance in one direction. And I size it back to 1 before I set it in it's final spot.
1. Eye Candy. Adding detail with architecture, sprites, models, sounds, and other entities. My other maps were "blah".
2. Build a map that wasn't two dimensional. Like Datacore, this map has it's semi-ups and semi-downs. I wanted (and had) two outside areas, but it wouldn't handle it.
3. Keep a texturing theme, possibly create a texture theme from scratch. Had too many other problems to add textures to it, but I did learn alot about Wally and models in general. By the way, I have the transparancy .dlls in my old won folder. I can see the models when I test run the map, but I loaded it onto a commercial game server and nobody could see them.
4. Skip brushes. I don't think you looked in the .rmf because I wasn't wondering if I needed more, per se. I was wondering if the ones I had were placed relatively correct. But I did use skip brushes.
5. Trains. The cut away parts of the map had two trains running, one a target, one attached to an env_beam, with random path_corners in the sky and on the ground. So I learned alot about it... you don't get to see it, though....
6. Texture lighting. I haven't extensively used texture lighting, and I think everything in this map is lit with texture lighting. Not well, mind you, but it's there.
7. Low r_speeds. I was shooting for 95% of the map to be 800 or less.
I will keep working at it, but I'm really getting sick of this map. Which doesn't help the "perfection" part.
(And it's the minor things I'd like to know about. I'm trying to improve... really I am!)
Texture behind building = bad = yes!
I will see if I can put some brush details in it. Courtyard is really non-descript, but nothing says this has to be also. Thanks for checking it out.