Forum posts

We have areas bordering 7000wpoly in The Core. It runs perfectly on everything I've played it on including my ex's budget laptop, so I'm really not overly concerned. I wouldn't feel comfortable going much higher than that, though.

Why must all the lights be switchable? Dynamic light styles in GS are notoriously poor. They don't blend as well, cause the 'too many lights on face' error and ultimately are very difficult to refine.

On a more general note, what your map lacks is contrast. What makes your reference imagery so good is the powerful contrast created by very deliberate lighting & tone choice.

I recommend using light_spot for all your key or focus lighting (detail highlights and gameplay focal points) and sparingly use texlights for the ambient light. In many circumstances, it really works well to choose two contrasting colours for these (e.g. use tungsten lamps [~3000K] for your ambient lighting and have harsh highlights using daylight-balanced fluorescents [~5600K])Also, make sure you're not compiling with too many bounces. Using Vluzacn's tools, you can achieve an excellent middle-ground between light bleeding and too-harsh contrast with between 3 and 6 bounces.

TL;DR:
Create contrast in tone, colour & brightness.

Nee Naw Nee Naw Nee Naw it's the Fun Police! Nee Naw Nee Naw Nee Naw

Very cool building! If there's one positive aspect of religion - it's sure inspired some creative architecture over the years!

Just a quickie from a windy trip to a loch today:

Just thinking aloud:

Do you reckon it'd be feasible to have a brush primitive that works in the same way as the Text Primitive, but for path information from vector graphics? Would allow for logos and such to be very quickly created in brushwork.

Ultimate heist crewFrom left to right:
Mike, Archie, Ant, Urby

Doc, try a "please" instead of "you may"

However, RTSL is for singleplayer releases only.

Just keep it simple and use the func_train method.

path_corner at the bottom, path_corner at the top - both with their next stop targets set to each other.
func_train the crusher itself and give it a starting speed. Sorted.

As always, Tet, my reaction to your work is fair and balanced.

Clickity!

I just threw up at your screenshot, Tetsuo. You disgust me.

SnC Crew ft. Urby, Archie, Mike, Digi and Ant

Very good, if a bit dark. In photography there's more room for overexposing some things.

- Discostu, Page 23, this thread.

#2 is slightly overexposed for my likes

- Discostu, Page 26, this thread.



Haha, I like that you said the last one sucks since it's probably the one I'll actually be using for the promotional shot. The lighting is perfect for placing her in one of The Core's environments.

Did a quick shoot to show off the new Core tees. There was a community competition to win one on the moddb page recently, so I thought getting an image to accompany the news post announcing the winner would be prudent.
Don't judge too harshly, done literally 20 mins before rushing out to our regular pub quiz and I only had one reflector.

[srsly]

CSG and BSP run before VIS and RAD, Alberto, so the BSP is generated whether there's a leak or not. It's still playable without the VIS and RAD passes.

Some NPCs have squad behaviour. I can't remember all of them, but I know that Human Grunts, Alien Slaves and Houndeyes definitely all use it.

Basically you give, say, 4 human grunts a squad name of "alpha". Any members of Alpha squad will report to the other members of the squad if they see the player, alerting them all.

Super cool and mostly unknown behaviour of houndeyes is their shockwaves actually grow more powerful depending on how many of their squadmates are nearby. The power of the shockwave is shown by its deeper colour and increased damage output.
Also, in an unalerted squad, houndeyes will fall asleep, leaving one on guard. If alone, houndeyes will stay alert.

There's all sorts of cool AI behaviour most people don't know about in HL. You'd be amazed how clever cockroaches are

You're doing great things with RTSL, Phillip. Fantastic work, mate.

This question is in the Goldsource forum category, Lt. Citrus. Leaks will always cause fullbright maps in GS.
You're thinking of Source, where leaked maps will still allow direct lighting.

The question is pretty clear, though. He's just asking how to make the texture emit light and Jeff has already answered perfectly.

Great moon shot! I like the bulb as well - looks quite old styleee

Urby isn't in right now, please leave a beep after the message.

That was fantastic. I'll leave a proper review on Run Think Shoot Live when I get a moment.

Edit:
And done

"My mom is off picking up a trophy that I won."
"That's not true, she's right here."

Haha, points for the speed of that zinger.

I'm personally all about Strider's idea in the comments of Urby's map.

Does this strike anyone else as a good idea for a mini-compo? As in, someone builds a little series of super basic rooms, each with a distinct idea, and people have to re-imagine the map while maintaining those ideas, maybe tying them all together with a unique theme? So long as you enter the room and go "oh this is the flooded room" or "this is the office area", I imagine it could be pretty open to interpretation and varied world themes.

Implying the first part wasn't serious, but yes, worms for daaaays! (or a more appropriate amount of time)

simmer doon, sexual lobster

TJB's graphics settings:

the time is set in stone so well you have to be late 2 hours.

Nope. I won't be able to make it. I'd only catch the end if it was a 9pm start.
I don't understand why it's set in stone, but I'm gonna have to remove my prize from the pot. Not gonna pay for something I can't even play.

^
I like him!

Didn't mean to sound so bitchy, rufee, sorry! I know this is coming out of nowhere!

Can we maybe just delay it by an hour this time (9PM GMT)? I was really gutted I missed the last one, and that way I'd get to join in at the end. Plus it means Aussies don't need to wake up at 6am and Tawnos can have a life!

I did repeatedly tell Urby that the time was unsuitable for the Aussies, plus I'll be out 'til around 10pm like last time.

8pm GMT really only suits Eastern Europe for gaming. Central Europe will still be enjoying Saturday activities, America will still be at work & Aussies will still be in bed.

Haha, that's so cool. Looking forward to the updates.

My first city of Rogan Prime is coming along nicely, although there are some serious traffic flow issues.Edit:

She grows, she grows!

Wow, that's beautiful!

Would you guys be up for monthly photography themed 'competitions'?
Maybe with a small prize, but mostly just a theme to explore and promote more shooting!

I'm enjoying it more than I've enjoyed any Sim City game since 3000.
Cities XXL is prettier, but the systems are much more robust in this.

Also, I don't know if you've placed a dam yet, Muzzeh, but there's dynamic flowing water! It's all physics-enabled and that actually determines how much power the dam produces. RIFLNEAT!

POST MORE PHOTOS. Get out there and shoot!

I mean, yeah, of course... But if you could ask them on ModDB you'd be doing us a real favour as the mod's rank is determined by user activity in the form of unique page views and comments.

Fantastic list; fantastic reasoning.
I love Stalkyard, it really holds a special place in my heart. Excellent #1 contender.

Thinking about my list over the course of my shift at work today

If you want to win a Core t-shirt, here's how.

WELLP, that was short-lived. It's never too late to make a list for a previous category, though, so keep them coming if you get inspired.

New one:
Top 5 Official Game Levels/Maps

Be it for the challenge they pose or the visuals that leave you drooling, what are your top five maps? For this category, these should be official or expansion maps only - no mods.

Great list. I did consider Alyx for my #1 spot, but decided to just pick my favourite Valve character for that slot rather than populate my entire list with them. Eli, Alyx and G-man would probably be my 2, 3 and 4, with Glados still in the lead. Thought I'd give some other games a chance.

Mega congrats, guys. You all deserve it!

Once again I'm going to try to avoid using picks that other people have already made. Vaas, especially, would be a high contender for my #1 spot if Urby hadn't picked him.

5. Three Dog - Fallout 3

One of the first quests in Fallout 3 is restoring this man's golden voice to the airwaves and from that moment on he accompanies you through thick and thin, playing a delectable variety of classic pre-war tunes and cracking wise about your progress through the game.
It's Galaxy News Radio and it's your only comfort as you traverse the pitch-black wastes in the middle of the night. Wait, did you just hear something? Nervously turns off radio

"Thrrreeee Dooooggg! That's me, kids. Comin' to you taped from my fortified bunker in the middle of a D.C. hellhole. Ain't life grand?"

4. Sheogorath the Daedric Prince of Madness - The Elder Scrolls Series

He's so happy to see you and genuinely hopes you have a wonderful day. But also the air is hitting his arm a bit oddly and he's convinced you can totally tell which is freaking him out. Plus the cheese this morning was on the wrong plate and you KNOW he can't just let that slide so if it's all the same to you, he's going to teleport you and a cashew nut 5000ft in the air and see which hits the ground first. Oh, look, a worm! CATCH IT!

"I once dug a pit and filled it with clouds....or was it clowns.... it doesn't matter, it didn't slow him down. But it really began to smell! Must have been clowns. Clouds don't smell, they taste of butter. And tears."

3. Garrus - Mass Effect Series

Garrus is the most solidly sound guy ever. He's the best friend you wish you had; someone you can knock back a few beers with and just talk about whatever's on your mind. He respects you and your choices even when he disagrees with them, yet he's never afraid to tell you what he really thinks. He's to Shep what Barney is to Gordon. Catch him later and he'll buy you a beer.
Also he's a fucking badass with a sniper rifle.
Garrus can date your sister.

"If this thing goes sideways and we end up on the other side, meet me at the bar. I'm buying."

2. The Joker - Arkham Series

Certainly not exclusive to the Arkham games, but I'm picking this particular incarnation because, with the possible exception of Heath Ledger's, he simply is the best Joker. Voiced in Asylum and City by Mark Hamill who voiced the character for years in the animated series, The Joker is one of the most unpredictable and therefore terrifying baddies in fiction. Vaas is just The Joker without the sense of theatre.
While his appearances in the first two games are sublime, I have to make specific mention of his harrowing story arc in Origins. It's the weakest of the Arkham games, but you get a new take on the Joker's first ever encounter with both Harleen and Batman. These are seen from his perspective, retrospectively as he recounts his past to Dr. Quinnzel. Haunting visions and disorientating gameplay reveal a side of the Joker never really explored before and it's deeply, deeply impactful.

"You of all people should know, there's nothing so cruel as memory.... the pointy biting little thunderbolts, unwanted party crashers, SCREAMERS through your synapses.. inescapable, unrelenting.... not at all friendly. You can't even escape into MADNESS!"

1. Glados - Portal Series

How can she not be everybody's favourite? She's the most perfect villain ever created. She's Shodan with a sense of impeccable comic timing and you are her play thing. It's pointless to list all the characteristics that make Glados the obvious #1 choice because there are simply too many. She's brilliant. Portal wouldn't even be noteworthy without her. Imagine if it was just the puzzles.

"He's not just a regular moron. He's the product of the greatest minds of a generation working together with the express purpose of building the dumbest moron who ever lived. And you just put him in charge of the entire facility. [clap clap] Good, that's still working."

All the really good Source mappers are in a kinda weird place right now. Interlopers, notably, where there were once 10 map showcases a day is now lucky to have one map posted a week.

The current tools are so broken and everyone has kinda put their attention towards the Source2 beta tools released with Dota. It will make a resurgence when Valve release a game on it.

In terms of Source in its current state, pretty much only CSGO is being mapped for on a large scale, mostly due to the very successful Steam Workshop - but that'd be useless for a collab like this.

For the moment, and I say this with gritted teeth, Source simply isn't the best option.

Lmao stop putting the word 'official' in front of the SnC server. Haha, it's always open to you guys!

Recommend rephrasing that, Urby. It currently implies that at some point you've been right.

Returns was pretty good, and Dragonall was fantastic. If you like X-Com style combat, genuinely difficult moral choices and crazy cyberpunk-meets-fantasy worlds, you should definitely give 'em a shot.

That's my jam, right there. That's my marmalade. Will buy, thanks for the recommendation.

Look at the image!
In the example texture I made (a circular steel door) you can see I used polar coordinates to align the scratches with the shape of the door.

The scratches of the original photo (leftmost of my image) are all horizontal. The Polar Coordinates version of the photo (middle of my image) bends all the scratches in a circle. You then apply that to your circular texture - in this case a door - and it looks like the detailing and scratches follow the shape of the texture. (rightmost of my image)

Can anyone else help me here? I can't figure out how to make this clearer.

What don't you get, DiscoStu?