Post Your Map Source Here!
kow
Join Date: 2003-06-19 Member: 17524Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2003-06-19 Member: 17524Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">.rmf, .map, etc.</div> I find that the best way to learn mapping skills and techniques is lots of practice, and of course seeing how others do it. However, you can only learn so much from tutorial maps, and they're almost non existant in the NS mapping scene.
In this thread you post the source to your map, in the format of your choice (.rmf preffered, most people use VHE). Include the lights.rad if you're using texture lights, and any other info you'd like to post. Hopefully we can get a nice amount of sources, and hopefully something from the pros. Feel free to post old unreleased stuff, incomplete maps, and WIP maps.
The purpose of this thread is to collectively build mapping resources so that people can learn. I'll assume I'm not the only one that's seen something in a map and wondered "how'd they do that?!". By posting map sources, a lot of techniques can be learned by others who are viewing brush placement, texture allignment, and entity useage.
Please, do not blatantly rip off other peoples work. If you do outright copy and paste other peoples work, expect that the mapping community will probably never take your work seriously again.
I guess that's all. Let's see your work!
Here are some of mine:
NS_Train - my current mapping project. the marines get word of kharaa infestation in the lab terminal of the underground research facility. All exits have been blocked off by infestation, the only way in is the subway...
<a href='http://www.sapinski.com/ns/ns_train.zip' target='_blank'>http://www.sapinski.com/ns/ns_train.zip</a>
co_map1 - an older CO map I was working on. I started adding some random crap because DXO wanted a flaytona map, but I didn't finish it.
<a href='http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowmap1.zip' target='_blank'>http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowmap1.zip</a>
co_funmap1 - a fun map concept I was toying with. the MS is covered with little lifts that shoot you up to the hive for a few seconds. not finished.
<a href='http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowfunmap1.zip' target='_blank'>http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowfunmap1.zip</a>
In this thread you post the source to your map, in the format of your choice (.rmf preffered, most people use VHE). Include the lights.rad if you're using texture lights, and any other info you'd like to post. Hopefully we can get a nice amount of sources, and hopefully something from the pros. Feel free to post old unreleased stuff, incomplete maps, and WIP maps.
The purpose of this thread is to collectively build mapping resources so that people can learn. I'll assume I'm not the only one that's seen something in a map and wondered "how'd they do that?!". By posting map sources, a lot of techniques can be learned by others who are viewing brush placement, texture allignment, and entity useage.
Please, do not blatantly rip off other peoples work. If you do outright copy and paste other peoples work, expect that the mapping community will probably never take your work seriously again.
I guess that's all. Let's see your work!
Here are some of mine:
NS_Train - my current mapping project. the marines get word of kharaa infestation in the lab terminal of the underground research facility. All exits have been blocked off by infestation, the only way in is the subway...
<a href='http://www.sapinski.com/ns/ns_train.zip' target='_blank'>http://www.sapinski.com/ns/ns_train.zip</a>
co_map1 - an older CO map I was working on. I started adding some random crap because DXO wanted a flaytona map, but I didn't finish it.
<a href='http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowmap1.zip' target='_blank'>http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowmap1.zip</a>
co_funmap1 - a fun map concept I was toying with. the MS is covered with little lifts that shoot you up to the hive for a few seconds. not finished.
<a href='http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowfunmap1.zip' target='_blank'>http://www.sapinski.com/ns/co_kowfunmap1.zip</a>
Comments
A) Most mappers are very jealous of their content. The majority of us want to keep our work our work, and would not like to see something we made ripped wholesale from a donation.
B) Having map sources openly available would encourage people just ripping off content and not actually learning. Especially things like vertex mapped infestation and particle systems seem prone to this to me. Basically anything that is tedious to do to begin with. Problem is that those are the more difficult things to learn how to make when mapping. Essentially i'm saying that if we post this a majority of people will download it, harvest whatever they don't know how / are too lazy to build, and go on with the rest of their map.
I'm not trying to discourage the creation of additional mapping resources. I just want you to keep in mind that you may get very little in the way of assistance, and that those things which are contributed may just be stolen without really helping anyone besides people who don't want to learn how to make things for themselves.
As to your tutorial comments: There are plenty of half life mapping tutorials. Too many for them to be a scarcity. There are also a significant number of NS specific tutorials. In addition there are irc channels such as #mapcore and #nsmapping where you can find people that will help you. Not to mention the fact that there is a mapping help and troublshooting subforum specifically made for people to ask for assistance. I guess i'm just saying that, in my opinion, the need you are attempting to fill has already been filled.
now if u said, we shud make a little room with interesting brushwork that might be more plausable, but entire maps?
the exact same thing came to mind when i saw this post
Nz-Nexus also stole from an open-source map, i believe.
And this is actually not a very stupid idea, but not a smart one either..
So if anyone choose to post sources, post something that you don't want to see again. Then you won't be so much **** off if anyone actually says that's it's their own work.
Lol Tequila, U have some r0x0r compilers or what. Co Nova consists only from 2 triangles, 1 box and 64 sided sphere ? <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Lol Tequila, U have some r0x0r compilers or what. Co Nova consists only from 2 triangles, 1 box and 64 sided sphere ? <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, my compiler works some real magic to turn that into what you see in-game.
mm... gg I'm a stupid newbie! XD
But seriously... anyone with ANY honor won't take a halfway done map and try to finish it as their own... for if they have half a brain they'd notice the change from elite to nub in no time!
But you cannot ignore the fact that there actually are people with no honor at all and with less than half a brain. Even if it's just 1 person in 1000 who's gonna rip your map off, it would definately discourage me from posting my map source. When I first saw this topic I thought this was a joke. Sorry, but it's a really bad idea.
1)People pour all their energy into their maps and spend a long time getting it just right.
2)**** off, why should people say ohhh ok heres the source when some low life will rip off the map.
Showing your rmfs to your friends when you need help or they want your help thats fine cos you trust them.But posting your source on a public forum thats just idiotic.
If you want to help new people to mapping then use like zipped editor shots or just use the huge amount of example rmf and map files. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::tsa::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tsa.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tsa.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Posting whole sources for the general public will not really help newbies to learn mapping that much, it will most likely promote ripping other peoples stuff off. Just look at our local Mr. "I didn't decompile that map and put that corridor 1:1 into my map. made it all by miyself. really!"...
Helping on specific parts of a map, no problem - making a whole project (wich we know can takes months or ever over a year!) available for download to everyone, no thx sir. Just my 2 cents anyway...
/Hyper
If you need to learn... well...
1.- Read tutorials
2.- Practice
3.- Ask
I haven't asked any mapping specific questions while I was learning, I guess using search engines and some common sense helps, if I could do that... why can't other people do the same thing?
This is the problem. Every time I map I seek to make something different, something I can definetly say is my own. Still, wether you think it or not, you got these <b>influences</b> from other maps. I shouldn't say this is a problem cause that usually isn't, but it's somehow keeping me from being creative.
I think that some people can really benefit from open sources. That is if one wants to learn mapping (not copy/paste and so on). Myself, I don't find them useful because I always get so confused from what I see. I see whole lots of entities, but don't know how they work or how they are targetted to each other. I see some very complex, yet amazing looking brushes, but don't know how they were made. "How did he do it, what technicue did that guy use?"
edit: Now that I've though this out... making example maps, which are meant to show newbies how things are done should be encouraged. I now agree with others, that it's not good to take influences from other mappers' rmf files. I think I've now made my opinion clear. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
and I bet NS could have a flay-moded perma ban for all servers for lowlives like that <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
on the other hand ill decompile some maps (im not proud of it) and make my own version of it (usually fix stupid bugs the author left behind, or because they lost the source) of course i give full credit to the author (if i can find the author.)
some decompiles
1. ns_siege909 (author lost source) map made - ns_siege911_rc1
2. freefall4 (misc bugs with info_tfgoal and spawn) map made - freefall4b
3. ns_square_wall (bad hulls for ns 3) map made - ns_square_wall3 (i lost the new one lol)
4. mg386_osp2 (TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE GEOMETRY!) map made - none
authors
1. stark
2. vercon systems
3. squaresoftknight
4. some people in the uk (part of a series)
i never give out source for it though and im again not proud of what i do, but i learn how to accomplish certain effects with ents.
Noone wants your sources.
<a href='http://esuna.thezazi.net/mapping/ns_deus.rar' target='_blank'>ns_deus.rar</a> (656kb)
Contains the wad which has been edited with rude words and immature drawings of penises, purely to make sure nobody steals them. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Also, this is by far not a complete map, a few parts of ns_deus ended up in co_dawn, take a look in the map for the bridged corridor, that's the original for co_dawn's hive.
Anyway, it probably won't compile either, it's over the tex limit.
Oh yeah, if i find anyone uses this for a map, i will personally come to your house and break your legs.