Journals
Wow, it's been what.....over 4 months or so I have not posted anything on this site, and I must say it was not by my choice. To make a long story short, I was a U.S. Naval reservist that got called up to finish my last remaining few months in my 8 year service commitment as an active service member. I just got back 4 days ago from a surprise trip somewhere in the south Atlantic ocean onboard a certain naval ship I am not at liberty to identify or it's purpose of it's mission. Sorry, but that's the extent of what I can say without going to a military brig. Now, what I can say is that it was one of my most boring 3 months of my life. I was not allowed to have my cell phone and laptop with me, so no phone calls or internet for all that time. Normally it is not like this on a Navy ship, but due to the specific nature of my deployment, maximum restrictions were put in place for the ship's crew. All that is behind me now, my military commitment is done both in active and reserves modes. I am back home with my family and that's all I care for. So, been looking around all the new postings in TWHL and I see there are a lot of neat things being talked about, so I can't wait to engage in some of them, especially the ones by satchmo and Penguinboy.
I've been promising it for a while now ... and here it is! I've just released my ninth HLDM level: Canyon: Redux.
I'd love to hear what you all think!
Edit:
On a related topic, when uploading I notice it says "Upload your screenshot. You can add extra screenshots later." How exactly would I go about adding additional screenshots? I can't seem to find it...
------Journal combinatorial services by TheGrimReafer-------
In the comments to my last journal post, I got asked why I bother writing such extensive documentation for "levels nobody gonna play more then 1 hour max?" I replied there, but felt my reply deserved a post of its own. So, uh, here 'tis:
Uh ... why?
For one thing it's DM, not SP, so I sorta hope people will play it more than once.
I write big documentation because every level I build - every HLDM level - has its own story. It's part of the process. Maybe people want to read the story, and maybe they don't. I write big documentation because it's what I do. When I'm not a level builder, I'm a writer. (Well, gamer, and reader, and general-time-waster, and watcher-of-DVDs, and writer. It's in there somewhere...)
Much of the time involved in FINISHING the documentation - 'cos, y'know, most of it is worthless waffle that nobody will read anyway - is getting the credits right, giving due and proper acknowledgement of all the textures I've used which were made by other people. Getting THAT right is important -- anything less would make me a lowly scumsucker who passed off other people's work as his own!
And sure, I'm sure there are people who think my writing four novels was a waste of time too.
shrug
As for why I continue to build levels for goldsource at all ... well, didn't think that would need to be explained on THIS site. But I build 'em for myself and my friends to play, and HL is one of the few games we can run without difficulty at work where we most often play. That's all. I choose to make them available here to give back something to the community from which I learned a trick or two over the years ... but that's a bonus. Certainly the half-dozen or so comments I get on each level are nice - the positive, and even the negative - and they teach me something too, but they hardly repay the months (even, in some cases, years) of work I put into each level. No, I build them for private use!
Since I'm also working on tweaking the SDK, this may well be the last level I release that will work (almost) properly without my PetesDM mod. OTOH, since I've pushed the engine about as far as it can be pushed, maybe it IS time to branch out, to find something else we can put on the machines at work. shrug
Edit:
For those who are interested, I've got two novels completed and two awaiting completion. They're self-published (partly because of legal reasons - by some definitions they're fanfic - and partly because I wrote them for much the same reasons I make my levels...) but that doesn't mean they're bad. Admittedly, I'm a little biassed, but I think most people here who know my mapping practices know that I wouldn't make it public if I didn't like the quality...
The two completed ones are available as PDFs at http://www.petesplace.id.au/array_wars/ (and at LULU, but not yet publicly searchable; if you're really keen let me know and I'll give you the link!) They're, basically, Star-Wars/Matrix parody crossover novels.
I'd love to hear what you all think!
Edit:
On a related topic, when uploading I notice it says "Upload your screenshot. You can add extra screenshots later." How exactly would I go about adding additional screenshots? I can't seem to find it...
------Journal combinatorial services by TheGrimReafer-------
In the comments to my last journal post, I got asked why I bother writing such extensive documentation for "levels nobody gonna play more then 1 hour max?" I replied there, but felt my reply deserved a post of its own. So, uh, here 'tis:
Uh ... why?
For one thing it's DM, not SP, so I sorta hope people will play it more than once.
I write big documentation because every level I build - every HLDM level - has its own story. It's part of the process. Maybe people want to read the story, and maybe they don't. I write big documentation because it's what I do. When I'm not a level builder, I'm a writer. (Well, gamer, and reader, and general-time-waster, and watcher-of-DVDs, and writer. It's in there somewhere...)
Much of the time involved in FINISHING the documentation - 'cos, y'know, most of it is worthless waffle that nobody will read anyway - is getting the credits right, giving due and proper acknowledgement of all the textures I've used which were made by other people. Getting THAT right is important -- anything less would make me a lowly scumsucker who passed off other people's work as his own!
And sure, I'm sure there are people who think my writing four novels was a waste of time too.
shrug
As for why I continue to build levels for goldsource at all ... well, didn't think that would need to be explained on THIS site. But I build 'em for myself and my friends to play, and HL is one of the few games we can run without difficulty at work where we most often play. That's all. I choose to make them available here to give back something to the community from which I learned a trick or two over the years ... but that's a bonus. Certainly the half-dozen or so comments I get on each level are nice - the positive, and even the negative - and they teach me something too, but they hardly repay the months (even, in some cases, years) of work I put into each level. No, I build them for private use!
Since I'm also working on tweaking the SDK, this may well be the last level I release that will work (almost) properly without my PetesDM mod. OTOH, since I've pushed the engine about as far as it can be pushed, maybe it IS time to branch out, to find something else we can put on the machines at work. shrug
Edit:
For those who are interested, I've got two novels completed and two awaiting completion. They're self-published (partly because of legal reasons - by some definitions they're fanfic - and partly because I wrote them for much the same reasons I make my levels...) but that doesn't mean they're bad. Admittedly, I'm a little biassed, but I think most people here who know my mapping practices know that I wouldn't make it public if I didn't like the quality...
The two completed ones are available as PDFs at http://www.petesplace.id.au/array_wars/ (and at LULU, but not yet publicly searchable; if you're really keen let me know and I'll give you the link!) They're, basically, Star-Wars/Matrix parody crossover novels.
Water splashes up the side of the ship, just didn't catch it in the screenshot, there's also thunder and lightning and the skybox will be changed.
Everything you see in this picture involving lighting isn't final, just progress.
Kudos to Huntey for making the badass textures for me.
And Happy Easter guys!
Almost there...
sigh
I have finished the documentation for my new Canyon: Redux level -- it took a bit of work to get the acknowledgements section right, to list all the people who created the textures I used, but it's finally done!
Meanwhile, I have been running the final compile of the level. For consistency, there were just a few minor details which needed tweaking, so I did that last night and started the compile. On my computer at work, with its 3Gb of RAM, the VIS portion of the full compile takes around 14 hours. On my laptop, with its meagre 1Gb - well, let's just say it probably won't be finished today. Neither of my desktop machines has more RAM than that either - although possibly it would compile a little faster on one of those...? Definitely time for a hardware upgrade, methinks!
If all else fails, I'll run the compile overnight at work -- but I won't be back there till Wednesday afternoon at the earliest!
Sometime in the next week, I'll be releasing the darn thing. Until then, I've got screenshots up on my Mapping Page if anybody wants to take a sneak peek...
sigh
I have finished the documentation for my new Canyon: Redux level -- it took a bit of work to get the acknowledgements section right, to list all the people who created the textures I used, but it's finally done!
Meanwhile, I have been running the final compile of the level. For consistency, there were just a few minor details which needed tweaking, so I did that last night and started the compile. On my computer at work, with its 3Gb of RAM, the VIS portion of the full compile takes around 14 hours. On my laptop, with its meagre 1Gb - well, let's just say it probably won't be finished today. Neither of my desktop machines has more RAM than that either - although possibly it would compile a little faster on one of those...? Definitely time for a hardware upgrade, methinks!
If all else fails, I'll run the compile overnight at work -- but I won't be back there till Wednesday afternoon at the earliest!
Sometime in the next week, I'll be releasing the darn thing. Until then, I've got screenshots up on my Mapping Page if anybody wants to take a sneak peek...
CamSpace, The ultimate experience in game controllers
Kiss your keyboard, mouse and
joystick goodbye, and start playing
games with your webcam!
CamSpace is Super Easy & Super Fun
I tried this software and it's really something new and very cool. I played a game much like pinball or something like that, using a marker. I then made a profile config for GRID ( you can make game profiles), and I should say, you can configure it for a lot of movements( it detects almost any kind of movement).
The result was literally a disaster( my webcam is under MP and it isn't that good ...). The car was driving by itself almost :))
You have to get used to stand with your hands in air with an object. The object must be something contrasting with the ambient light.
Download it from HERE and also type "CamSpace" on youtube to see what I'm talking about.
Try it out yourself, it's quite cool and it provides some minigames that are already configured, for a "warm-up" with the program
Kiss your keyboard, mouse and
joystick goodbye, and start playing
games with your webcam!
CamSpace is Super Easy & Super Fun
I tried this software and it's really something new and very cool. I played a game much like pinball or something like that, using a marker. I then made a profile config for GRID ( you can make game profiles), and I should say, you can configure it for a lot of movements( it detects almost any kind of movement).
The result was literally a disaster( my webcam is under MP and it isn't that good ...). The car was driving by itself almost :))
You have to get used to stand with your hands in air with an object. The object must be something contrasting with the ambient light.
Download it from HERE and also type "CamSpace" on youtube to see what I'm talking about.
Try it out yourself, it's quite cool and it provides some minigames that are already configured, for a "warm-up" with the program
We went to several open houses for daycare centers this morning.
There's this one that's very tough to get in. The application process is almost like getting into an university. My wife and I dressed up in our best business attire to the interview.
There's this one that's very tough to get in. The application process is almost like getting into an university. My wife and I dressed up in our best business attire to the interview.
New avatar. Epic Devin Townsend looking like a hunter pircture is epic. 
W00t much work over the past few months...
I have made 3 diff maps within 1 week...each very very diff than any other map...
My first, Stixsworld, was just a conversion of the Stixsworld 1 map that is available here with he source that was made for HLDM...got converted to Sven Coop as a horde map...
Stixsworld 2 is a map to demonstrate how awsum the new AI system in v4+ of Sven Coop is...
Stixsworld 3 is my own personal lounge map for Sven Coop...has nothing special to it...you just join and there are multiple rooms and in each room you can hit a button and you just hear a song start to play in the room...and you can party, hang, and do anything but violence in the server...well except for when majority wish to leave the map...
I have also found and rerelease sum map packs that many thought lost for Sven Coop...and I also helped to fix sum maps via ripent...and I released sum map packs of other's maps...
All shall be revealed...just visit the following url: http://wiki.stixsworld.com
---Stixsmaster
I have made 3 diff maps within 1 week...each very very diff than any other map...
My first, Stixsworld, was just a conversion of the Stixsworld 1 map that is available here with he source that was made for HLDM...got converted to Sven Coop as a horde map...
Stixsworld 2 is a map to demonstrate how awsum the new AI system in v4+ of Sven Coop is...
Stixsworld 3 is my own personal lounge map for Sven Coop...has nothing special to it...you just join and there are multiple rooms and in each room you can hit a button and you just hear a song start to play in the room...and you can party, hang, and do anything but violence in the server...well except for when majority wish to leave the map...
I have also found and rerelease sum map packs that many thought lost for Sven Coop...and I also helped to fix sum maps via ripent...and I released sum map packs of other's maps...
All shall be revealed...just visit the following url: http://wiki.stixsworld.com
---Stixsmaster
Wave 1
YouTube and Warner Music Group have really rubbed me the wrong way as of late. Muting an entire video because it contains 10 seconds of music is the most fucking ridiculous thing I have ever heard. OK, so an entire song I can understand even though my crappy GMOD music videos are still up. However my Santa's Revenge Review for Mod of the Month contained no more than 20 seconds of the track "12 Pains of Christmas," a god awful song by some god awful artist nobody had ever heard of yet WMG saw fit to mute it for this very reason. Never mind the fact that the rest of the video took a week or so to prepare and put together and that the artists were all credited accordingly.
If they had sent a message and told me, then I would have gladly downloaded the movie, altered the 20 seconds of footage and then uploaded it with a different track. But no, the vid was muted without my knowing and I no longer have the files to fix the issue. So, my Santa's revenge review is silent, making it overall pointless.
Warner Music can choke on a cock.
I have been working on a 3d environment, in 3dstudiomax. For a school assignment, we have to design a gameconcept and make a animation/trailer about it.
Here are a few tree's i made:
I think these could look pretty good in goldsrc.
Here are a few tree's i made:
Well, since Penguinboy mentioned new graphics for TWHL4 in his latest journal (and since I always find the need to prove I'm not an entirely lazy bastard), I'll show you some of the new goods.
First up, new avatars. The current default avatars have nothing to do with Half-Life, what's up with that? They'll still be available as "legacy avatars" in TWHL4 for those who like 'em, but will probably be hidden by default. These will be your new defaults:
And that's not all of them, more Goldsource oriented ones will come (think Blue-Shift/Opposing Force artwork, monsters, etc). They're 256x256, but they'll go down to whatever the max avatar size is in TWHL4.
The game icons for the Map Vault are also being redone to suit more varied themes and to include more games, and you'll finally have flashy new trophies for competitions and Map of the Month. I'll post those 'soon'.
General graphics like sticky notifications, the control panel icons and the header will all obviously get a touch-up too, when the newest design(s) roll around.
First up, new avatars. The current default avatars have nothing to do with Half-Life, what's up with that? They'll still be available as "legacy avatars" in TWHL4 for those who like 'em, but will probably be hidden by default. These will be your new defaults:
The game icons for the Map Vault are also being redone to suit more varied themes and to include more games, and you'll finally have flashy new trophies for competitions and Map of the Month. I'll post those 'soon'.
General graphics like sticky notifications, the control panel icons and the header will all obviously get a touch-up too, when the newest design(s) roll around.
One should always playtest a level for a week or two before releasing it into the wild, don't you think?
In fact, if I hadn't taken so long to write up the documentation for my latest level (still unfinished, by the way - the documentation, that is) I would have probably released it ten days ago. Fortunately I didn't, because in the course of playing it I've found a few textures which need fixing - and one particular escape route which needed a redesign...
The new plan is that Canyon: Redux will be released sometime over the Easter weekend...
In fact, if I hadn't taken so long to write up the documentation for my latest level (still unfinished, by the way - the documentation, that is) I would have probably released it ten days ago. Fortunately I didn't, because in the course of playing it I've found a few textures which need fixing - and one particular escape route which needed a redesign...
The new plan is that Canyon: Redux will be released sometime over the Easter weekend...
Just got the Decay PC port... Man is it frustarating. I'm on the fourth/fifth level, and I got plowed down by controllers. On the map before that, I got stuck on the minecart puzzle, then killed by vorts. Then, Rosenburg got stuck on the stairs.
Oh, well. As soon as I get a new computer, a friend and I will play REAL co-op. In the meantime... I look forward to using the Rosenberg and Keller models in mods...
Oh, well. As soon as I get a new computer, a friend and I will play REAL co-op. In the meantime... I look forward to using the Rosenberg and Keller models in mods...
Today was indeed slightly strange. LOTS of snow fell yesterday, a lot of it. This morning all the snow had totally frozen. I should've brushed my car off yesterday while the snow was still soft.
Today my windshield and rear-window were both totally covered in snow. Go figure I had packed my ice scraper in the net in my trunk and that my trunk was completely frozen shut. Rear-seat pass-through was useless being that it was in the net, not until about 10 minutes of defroster run-time did the ice/snow become mobile. They were about 2 inch thick sheets of packed in ice. =X
In all my attempts to get snow off the trunk so I could get to my scraper, I managed to get a lovely abrasion along my finger that wouldn't stop bleeding. Still hurts like shit too, I actually had to put a band-aid on it so I could finally leave.
Even better, I get to school and I started getting millions of comments along the lines of "Oh, I didn't know your ear was pierced." Christ are these people blind. How does no one notice nice shiny stainless steel? >_>
Anyway, this was more or less a venting journal. Feel free to share your pitiful sorrows too.
Today my windshield and rear-window were both totally covered in snow. Go figure I had packed my ice scraper in the net in my trunk and that my trunk was completely frozen shut. Rear-seat pass-through was useless being that it was in the net, not until about 10 minutes of defroster run-time did the ice/snow become mobile. They were about 2 inch thick sheets of packed in ice. =X
In all my attempts to get snow off the trunk so I could get to my scraper, I managed to get a lovely abrasion along my finger that wouldn't stop bleeding. Still hurts like shit too, I actually had to put a band-aid on it so I could finally leave.
Even better, I get to school and I started getting millions of comments along the lines of "Oh, I didn't know your ear was pierced." Christ are these people blind. How does no one notice nice shiny stainless steel? >_>
Anyway, this was more or less a venting journal. Feel free to share your pitiful sorrows too.
Just got my new project car yesterday, this 1988 Ford Escort GT that cost me $400 plus a $200 tow. My last project car was too ambitious/ridiculous (which reflects on all my previous mapping projects), and ended up having to be towed away for scrap.
It's got a bad knocking noise (probably piston slap), which will probably require a total engine rebuild or just a new bottom end. Good thing I'm in auto shop.