Starting A New Map
Once_Only
Join Date: 2004-05-15 Member: 28700Members
Join Date: 2004-05-15 Member: 28700Members
<div class="IPBDescription">ns_circulation</div> This is my first ever NS (classic) map based around the idea of an 'air recycling plant'
This is the 'main vent' hive, and is a work in progress. Currently the highest r-speed is 305 and thats looking from one end of the hive down the corridor.
Criticise me as much as you can, its my first map and I could use some ideas and tips.
This is the 'main vent' hive, and is a work in progress. Currently the highest r-speed is 305 and thats looking from one end of the hive down the corridor.
Criticise me as much as you can, its my first map and I could use some ideas and tips.
Comments
I'm gonna say the lighting is pretty bland, although I can't really comment on how to improve it - I'm a complete noob at mapping <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Overuse of the same texture, possibly, on the walls/ceiling/structure stuff, although it looks good considering.
I personally don't like that crate there, doesnt really fit in with the room imo
Nice <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Now wait for someone who can map to tell you how to actually improve it, rather than just complain <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
but mapping more gives practic
try using bit diffrent wall textures
and making rooms less "blocky"
maybe giving the walls bit more detail
and chaning lights
personaly i luv the green+blue light combo, but it might feel a bit dark fore some ppl
1) Work on your lighting. It's one of the trickiest map elements to do correctly, so start now to make sure your lighting ability progresses with the rest of your mapping. Specifically try to find interesting and realistic ways to implement colored lights.
2) Get some more brushes in there. Maybe not specifically that, but there's little need for you to have four flat walls in just about any room. Even little things like support columns, computer banks, air ducts, whatever, just find something you can do to spice things up. You can make walls that are relatively flat and have them be interesting. There are sections of eclipse/veil/caged/other official maps that have "flat" sections that are interesting. I say this meaning that the walls are not themselves angled, but things like pipes and support beams break up any monotony that you would have seen there.
Basically my advice is to work on those two things. Concentrate on the rooms you have before you start on anything else, stretch yourself as much as possible there before you move on. Try to find articles on r-speed reduction and design ideas. If you're planning on working out an alien hive look into vertex manipulation, it's something that you almost always see done for infestation nowadays. Most of all just try and make something that looks believable, while also being interesting, beautiful, and playable. Lot of work in all that, but it's worth the effort.
Happy Mapping.
1) In that first pic you have minimal infestation except for on the floor. It just doesn't look overly balanced. If this room's r_speeds are as you say, only 300 or so, maybe add some more brushes to accentuate the infestation. Possibly some angled brushes near the corners of the walls just to round things out a bit so it doesn't look so square (as if the aliens have gooped it up).. (refer to my attached pic - figure 1)..I know it looks simple but it can be effective..
Also maybe use some overlays of the alien texture. Use a func_wall or func_illusionary with a { alien texture to provide a bit more depth to the infestation...
2) The lighting does look a bit bland but generally when you take screenshots it does that, so I'm not really gonna complain until I see it in game..however those lights, that are double sided, look...whats the word...wrong..architecturally they don't make much sense... Maybe flesh them out a bit more (refer to figure 2)
3) Where the hive is situated kind of looks strange. I'm a little confused as to what the structure is or how the hive got there. Was there something else there and the hive grew and broke the existing structure? Or is that the way it originally was? The texture, either way, doesn't look quite right. It doesn't seem to fit or look right at all. You may need to look at making a new texture for that or getting someone to make it for you...
If it is the case, that there was something else there and it has been broken/smashed/moved or whatever..you have enough wpoly's to justify a bit more detail..I really don't know what you were going for so this might be a bit presumptious to offer design suggestions like this.. but in my mind it looks like that the hive is in some sort of pipe (?) - perhaps hollow the bottom section out a bit and the top section a bit? or if it isn't a pipe but a bit of machinery or something, perhaps add a few bits of remnant parts hanging from the top, so it doesn't look so smooth... All these suggestions are based on the idea that it is in fact something broken.. I may be wrong... If I'm wrong, you are definately gonna need to find a better texture because it doesn't fit to the shape you have made..
1) I've used the angled brush at the top and bottom of the walls.
2) Using a { texture I've overlayed the walls with another level of alien goop to add to the effect. The texture I've used is from the ns.wad - it has the blue 0 0 255 color but it doesn't have a { in front. So I extract the textures with wally and added the { then put it into my own wad. You can rename the { in the ns.wad or it might make problems for other maps.
The room is fairly infested which may not be the look you are going for - so be inspired by only that which will help your map <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Of interesting note - the top two shots are lit by a couple of light entities and the bottom two are lit by 4 light_spots, and 5 tex lights..you can obviously see the difference in effect - LIGHTING IS IMPORTANT!
The crate is there as a line of sight issue, without the crate, you can shoot the hive from the back of the corridor, since I dont really want to put a door there, but since its a vent, I can understand that it would seem out of place.
I'll give more updates later tonight hopefully.
Also the textures of the crate fit in very well too, but aren't you over-using that dome_ wall texture a bit too much..? :/
Looking Good!
I've decided the hive was way too small to be a 'main' vent, so to give it a better look, i've really enlarged it, and im in the process of completley redesigning it.
(the textures will be aligned dont worry. The third picture had the gamma bumped way up in PS)
<span style='color:red'>plan your map on piece of paper. take your time!</span>
<span style='color:blue'>next scan it, or make a copy of it on photoshop or any other line producing program! (mspaint not a good choice)</span>
<span style='color:purple'>Next create your map</span>
I already planned it extensivley, but my original hive idea was just too small for an ns map IMHO.
Also, the floor is going to be a bit further down, is there a way I can block any lights from affecting it to give a bottomless pit feel?
Here is the last update on this hve for the moment.
The highest r_speed was about 750, and that was at the back left corner, because the game renders the stuff in the corridor outside the hive as well (since there is a sort of LOS to it)
This shot is the corridor, looking at the door.
I already planned it extensivley, but my original hive idea was just too small for an ns map IMHO.
Also, the floor is going to be a bit further down, is there a way I can block any lights from affecting it to give a bottomless pit feel? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Any texture that is completely black (ie 0 0 0 or #000000) will not reflect any light, it'll just be black.
Except the outdoor bits...But they where slow and had really heavy fog!
<img src='http://digado.com/Sci_fi_photos/phase_3a.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
belnded with this
<img src='http://www.3dtotal.com/team/Tutorials/sci_fi_city/01.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
So its red cloudy sky mixed with futuristic industrial city.
^^_
If anyone has Unreal tournament (the 1999 version) some of the skybox textures in that look really good.
I'll have enw shots as soon as possible! [watch this space]
The light on the floor sparks ocasionally.