Forum posts

-Sewer Section(cancelled)

So, was it because it added a second layer(making the map too big) or because it's just impractical?

I agree with Collapse. A lot of guys bitch about the necessity of running a game above 60fps, which is just an expensive pretention.
I play a lot of intense-graphics games below 40FPS and I only start to bitch about it if it goes below 25FPS.

Too bad nobody cared to make this funny joke concentrating on real numbers.

The lowest temperature on Earth ever recorded was at Vostok Station at the South Pole, -89.2 °C (-128.6 °F).

[EDIT] Archie, I'm pretty sure that all over the world people plant gardens even below 50F(10C). I know we do around here...

That's so odd. I felt like playing RLC2 too these days...
Is it particularly boring and raining for a couple of days where you live?
Maybe it's the weather.

Your game interest shifts as oddly as mine. I never expected you to play that game. I love it, but only in specific periods when some interest sparks into me again. Right now I'm not in the mood of OpenTTD. It is a time consuming game.

Let me just start off with these youtube channels:

I solved the problems. I verified the integrity of the gcf. of portal2 and sdk. There were corrupted files.

I just watched "The Pursuit of Happyness". I was in tears by the end of the movie.

does a bear shit in the woods?:)

[edit] Archie, you too?
I'd want to say I'm not surprised, but I am bit surprised.

Do you actually smoke CT?

Just had the patience of watching "My Dinner with Andre".

Well, I just tried it. The editor is beautiful and simple, but it seems like it's sort of beta stage. At least, in my case... I tried compiling the map and it gave me an error(did not give details, how odd!(for a mapper)). It said I should send an error file to their email address.

ALT+F4, I'm super tired.
Good night!

Green leaves explosion by Carstic Productions, on Flickr

[EDIT 08 May]

Train line by Carstic Productions, on Flickr

It's strange, but I thought this photo could be altered a bit:

Ellie Goulding - Lights (Bassnectar Remix)

That song must be the most exploited song by remixers in the world.

Thanks for that Daubster. I'm surprised nobody manifested his interest in films on TWHL for such a long time...

Anyway, I was going to post that I just watched We need to talk about Kevin.
I don't usually watch horrors, but films like these represent my horror genre. It's just a deep psychological interaction with my disgust for the darkest corners of the human mind.

I don't remember, but wasn't there a clip texture specially designed for bullets?

And why should somebody do this when you can simply use a transparent texture on a brush or func_detail wall?

Oh my. This confirms my opinion about it being awesome. Although our eyes are attracted to this tool, I want to draw your attention to the fact that once this tool is released, custom maps for Portal 2 will start to look more and more standardized, and if one is an avid player, that person will gradually get bored of custom maps.

The center of the map is the only problem area left, with some areas dropping briefly as low as low 50 in fps. Some of the outer corners of the map will drop mid forties, but i don't expect heavy combat in the majority of these places.

CT, I think these values are really ok. What specs are you running this map on? I am aware that a lot of people still have wooden pcs, but then a lot of people also have powerful pcs here on TWHL. And something that's above 40fps is really... playable.

So, any news?

You missed the Valve employee handbook then, huh?
It doesn't work like that.

I read it. I expressed my opinion in complete acknowledgement of how Valve works.

I can see though this as a future implementation of HL3, a more in-game editing approach like the Crysis Sandbox.

Now THAT is something I would be interested in. You could get the architecture down in hammer, compile. Then in-game, you could add your props, enemies, decals and other entities (kinda like GMod)... Man, I'm hoping they do add that now

Well, actually in Crysis Sandbox you just push a button and it's instant game. I don't know how to really describe the interface. Maximum awesomness.

I don't understand how that tool could be a gate to the Hammer editor if it's going to make a puzzle designer's life easier. Using the same logic we can say that GMOD can be a gate to Hammer because it allows fun playing with entities, which is simply not the case imo.

I didn't need any program to use before using Hammer. And I think it's the same situation for all of us.

That doesn't mean that I think this tool isn't awesome. This is surely awesome. But we find yet again what is Valve spending their efforts on instead of HL3(also Richochet 2). I can see though this as a future implementation of HL3, a more in-game editing approach like the Crysis Sandbox.

Sent you a link. I don't know how other members would feel about this... I mean, the tunnel is huge. Most of it would have to remain as simple scenery and somehow establish a shorter path.

Blitzkrieg, can you do a decal with the Steam logo which says "THE VAPOURIZED DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE VIDEO GAMING DEVICE"? This one is by Scotch. That'd be awesome :D.

Also, excuse me for noticing SO LATE, but what's this thread doing in the General Discussion category?

A POV sequel would be very cool, and definitely hasn't been done before.

It has been done before, but on GoldSrc. Imo POV mods have been exploited a lot and it's not an interesting premise anymore. We need to be more original, and try to exploit later parts of the HL2 story. One option would be to expand the EP2 story somehow, or possibly make a continuation of it- of course we don't have to map the Borealis, something along the way could happen and change the entire course of the story.

lets set up queue

This is going to be more sensible than the simple queue we used on the CSS map. We'd actually need a "virtual office", if I can call it so. This basically implies software for easy file access, easy discussion, brainstorming and mod development. SVN has been proposed, and it's a good idea. It's as easy as dropbox right? I mean, just drop&drag files in the folder and it will automatically updated on the other end right? I propose that everybody makes a folder of his own, that anybody can access, and then we have a general folder for resources and the mod.

Anyway, a major problem is that some members won't be able to be as active as others. I myself won't be able to effectively participate until August, when I'm finished with my exams and I'll have 2 months of holidays. Until then I can only have a couple of looks and probably help a bit, but just a bit.

[EDIT] We also need a special way of keeping track of the story, plans and details of the mod.

We don't have to rush this.

Your map looks amazing noSick. Really creative use of textures and I really enjoy the lighting, it seems from the screenshots that even though your map is quite "colored" by the lights, it's a good combination.
The last screenshot almost reminds me of Quake or a game of that sort, probably because of the sky :).

It's not really related to this thread, but it is recent:

Possible explanation for HL3 delay. Well, at least the title says that... I didn't find much explanation.

What's the link with this thread you say? Well, in that short handbook Valve tells employees that when work spans on a lot of extra hours, something is probably going very wrong. I'm going to quote one of the comments(Dogapult):

Hmm well at least with Episode 3 the point was they were short in both length and development cycle. If you can't finish what amounts to a couple hours of game in a couple years you're just plain doing it wrong. There really isn't much need to change and change and change something like that (sure you might want to, but its supposed to be short anyway). HL3 of course would be a bigger project so I could see it taking awhile, would be sort of silly to not mention it's existence, look at Blizzard and their "when it's done we don't care how long you wait" attitude, which while it took them long enough on Diablo 3 it's not a bad way to do things in my opinion.

I mean, what the fuck is up with Valve. It's like they're stuck on number 2. Their obsession with number 2 must have some meaning. Their only exception will be CS:GO, and since HL2 was released after CSS, I suppose HL3 will get a release after CS:GO. But that is again speculation.

I spent a couple of seconds trying to figure out what was actually wrong.

I then noticed the pink dick.

But seriously, I see you're designing some awesome decals!

For me 'summer' starts in August. Until then, exams that will decide my fate

This is completely off-topic, but I want to add that Stacy is disgusting.
[EDIT]Nevermind, this discussion is not appropriate :P.

This book weirdly planted a thought in my head:
What if we, TWHL.info, as an unique community, start a big community project? We just proved to ourselves that we can work out together quite well with the current CSS team mapping project( team mapping projects that were mostly criticized in the past for not being worth the time).
Speaking of this project, we have persons perfectly capable of being leaders(in the sense that was explained in the book). See Captain Terror for example, he's always enthusiastic about team stuff, and can manage with calm the projects.
Archie and Urby are currently working on a big HL mod, after which they'll probably shift their attention to Source. They already have some experience with working on a big mod, and they both aren't shy of hiding their face(they have their own vlogs). So they could actually represent some kind of a "relations with the public" department if our mod/game ever becomes something big.
We even have people like Skals and Hotdog who are actually pursuing a game designer career, so we'd benefit from their expertise really well!
Members like Rimrook who are extraordinarily creative mean a big push forward for a project like this.
We even have guys like DiscoStu, or Collapse or ... whoever posts in the "Post your photos" thread that could provide us with reference photos.

I'd like to give examples and praise everybody from here, but I honestly can't, my sincere apologies. Perhaps other members can help me giving out more examples if they feel alright doing so :).
As for me... if this project ever does happen(and possibly when I'm not in exam periods), I'd like to take part of the project too. Yes, I am aware of my modest skills and what I'm capable of, but as we saw in this CSS team mapping project, every member, talented or not, had their contribution.

Plus, such a project would bring us together in an even more intimate relationship, that of colleagues.

I read most of it. My feelings are exactly what srry describes.

*Giving this a quick read

I made some changes as well, "shrinking" Cstriker's stairs to a ladder/fire escape, and added a window+ledge, so you can enter the TTH building from that same platform.

Nice work! That obviously looks more natural.

To Tetsu0: I've put some prop_static barrels in the sniping attic, but it seems for some reason that they won't show up in-game. Please replace these models with some that are functional, at your own taste.

Ever since I started mapping I set myself an objective: that I would try to make every map as interactive as possible. I began to be extremely bored of maps where all you could do is walk and can't interact with the medium. While I haven't really achieved this, I did try.
Remember my cubicle? It's a map that has no logic(see lava at the bottom, space skybox and bubbles floating around), but makes use of ridiculous amounts of entities.

I'd like a fun compo where we could build different interactive partsmachinery. And it's not got to be exactly this: it can be a little scenario, or even a map set to music with controls...
Since I'm mapping exclusively for Source now(I don't see the sense of using GoldSource: it's both badly optimized, old, and with limited possibilities), I'd be expected to deliver complex physics machineries, but I'm not that advanced :D.
Plus, I'm not even guaranteeing I'll participate: exams are approaching.

[EDIT]

I like the idea of the bizarro, trippy thing

Or this^. I think everyone of us is good at making something random that makes us question the sanity of the mapper :P.

Thanks, that fixes the HDR crash.

Would only take a couple of hours

Yes :P.
[EDIT] I actually wonder if there's quick solution, like cutting the tunnel in half. In the length, I mean.

I know what you said, I just don't have time for that anymore :(. That would mean I should actually redo the whole area, it's hard to scale down without getting errors.

Oh... well, this thread is big isn't it?

[EDIT3]

After a few chats with Archie, I decided that even though I spent a lot of time retouching, adding detail and retexturing a tunnel that I showed in the WIP thread a few months ago, I will not include it. I actually included it and made the first connection to the T base, but VVIS compile time skyrocketed. I deleted it afterwards. That hurt.

The tunnel system basically added a 2nd layer to the map.

Without the tunnelWith the tunnelAlso, here are screenshots from the tunnel(of course, members would have optimized and made additions to the existing layout and content of the tunnel): link to steamcloud(seems I can't get a valid .jpg link out of the steam cloud screenshots :).

I'm now uploading it to CT.
Copy from the readme file:

[quote]* added sniping post for terroris in the "attic" of the hallway bridge connecting the 2 building near the T spawn

• worked my ass out on a project I understimated(basically took more than half of the mapping process). It was a sewer system basically adding a 2nd layer to the map. Scraped it. That hurt
• added an exit from the hostage office. stairs look kind of ridiculous, might need some polishing
• added misc prop details and brushes
• added more decals[/quote]

I am still happy though that I took part in this project.

Rise and shine! 6 hours of sleep => I need MAH COFFEH
Opening Hammer now...
Btw, in EP2 when I build the cubemaps the map automatically restarts, but this does not happen in CSS. And it seems like there's no update to the cubemaps after I do this :/

[EDIT] I want to add something. I suggest that we add the following parameters to vrad at the final compile:

-staticproppolys
-textureshadows
-staticproplighting

There's an article on nodraw.net that illustrates what these commands do to make lighting more realistic.

Make sure players can't get out onto the roof or see onto the top of the adjacent buildings from there - it's all nodraw'd.

They can't go on the roof, and they also can't see the nodraw parts.
I will continue to map tomorrow. Beeeeeeeeeeeed....

Added a sniping post! (the roof is basically an "attic" now)The textures don't look very good in combination with the roof, but that can be addressed later. I should shift my attention to the CT base now.
Gonna go to bed.

The compile tools surely give out a lot of ignorable errors...

Facepalm.

I am sure. The vmf name is team_mapping_016.
For some odd reason those things I'm talking about are inserted in the 3D skybox.

Well, here I go. I will start in... a couple of minutes, this download is so slow.

It is 22:30 GMT+3 here, so I will have to deliver by this time tomorrow.

[EDIT] Uhm, there seems to be missing a large portion of the map. I think I received the wrong vmf. We'll reset my delivery time when I get the correct vmf I hope :D.

I'm trying something...

Before adding the trees at the top of the cliffs, and light_environment has "-60" pitch.After adding the trees at the top of the cliffs and adding a few props along the river bank. The light_environment is slightly brighter, less orange, and pitch is "-75".Do you guys know where I can find some good tree models for source? I feel like I'm limited with the pine trees and dead trees.

[EDIT] I actually found some tree models here, but they're more suited for those type of maps where you mostly walk near the trees, better suited for orchards...
I also need to somehow create the impression that there's a forest on the high grounds(at the top of the cliffs) and there are some textures provided by Valve, but they're unrealistic in the lighting conditions I am providing. Plus, they're pretty close to my view and I can tell it's very artificial...

For some reason the HDR compile crashes, I can only compile LDR...

Describes my feelings entirely.

Urby&Archie, is The Core based on the original Goldsrc engine, or are you going to upgrade to something like this?

Wait, you're right Soup, it's the strange knife. Either way, it's not something special.
Blitz, rape or not, this was not fair. Anyway, I don't want to make it look like I'm whining here, it was my decision and I was expecting this, I just can't believe how unfair it is.
Also, I am not skals :P.