ns2_Dagon

deathshroud · January 2013

Still early on this map, im only 5 days into it. The screens show my first Tech point location which is Machine Room, its roughly 2 thirds finished. Most of the complex stuff is out of the way on this room. This will likely become either marine start or 1 of 2 possible starting locations for the 2 teams. Wasnt going to show it yet but since im uploading screens to show some other people i thought it would be a good time to upload them here. Some textures will be misaligned its still very wip. I like to build each a room at a time fully. I find that when i grey box a map it usually changes completely when i start adding in props and getting ideas so i just proceed 1 room at a time fully. I still have 2 exits to finish and the resource point. Then i will move on to eastern halls. They should be done much quicker since they shouldnt be quite so complex geometry wise.

<img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/ku44h.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2n0kh9e.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/2m3gwtx.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://oi45.tinypic.com/2wqcz6p.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Tig · January 2013

It's a good start, but can I make a suggestion?

Cool, I'd suggest you greybox the entire layout first. Propping and lighting is the most fun part of the creative process for sure, but you won't be able to make sweeping balance changes quickly and efficiently once all the props are in there.

It's a pitfall I fell into and I'm sure I'm not alone. Greybox everything, throw in basic lights, all your nodes and tech points, location entities, game entities, and your occlusion geometry and then upload your map for testing. Then from that point forward, you have a working playable map. If it's all good and balanced and the community is happy with it, then go back and prop and light and add sounds and work on a unifying artistic theme.

It's a great start however, keep up the good work, and keep working on it, mapping is certainly a grind.

edit: post a picture of your intended layout too. people like to see where a certain room lives and where its headed :)

deathshroud · January 2013

never works out for me, the greybox style its impossible to gain inspiration and ideas for rooms without thinking props and whats possible with them, you build a room and it ends up not working with any props or your stunted for ideas on geometry. This tends to work better for me. When im building a level and each room is being purpose built from the start, a lot less back tracking. Think i have played enough ns to take a gamble on what works and what doesnt, my only concern with this room is its abit to open meaning easy to defend so im working on ways to counter this, probably with multiple vent access.

I originally grey boxed this room and 3 others but scrapped them all after this room altered compeltely from the original greybox whilst i was constructing it.

Tig · January 2013

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (deathshroud @ Jan 9 2013, 04:02 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2058541"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>never works out for me, the greybox style its impossible to gain inspiration and ideas for rooms without thinking props and whats possible with them, you build a room and it ends up not working with any props or your stunted for ideas on geometry. This tends to work better for me. When im building a level and each room is being purpose built from the start, a lot less back tracking. Think i have played enough ns to take a gamble on what works and what doesnt, my only concern with this room is its abit to open meaning easy to defend so im working on ways to counter this, probably with multiple vent access.

I originally grey boxed this room and 3 others but scrapped them all after this room altered compeltely from the original greybox whilst i was constructing it.</div>

k boss

alibi · January 2013

Nothing wrong with building a room or two for your own pleasure before you greybox the lot. Just be open to change. :)

deathshroud · January 2013

yea i will probably construct each tech point fully then greybox the corridor sections, see how it plays

Howser · January 2013

I'll second what Tig said. Building detailed area's will only lead to heartache or a dead end, unfortunately it seems to be one of those lessons you have to learn for yourself. Perhaps making your areas with a HL1/gold source level of detail might be a better approach. With basic textures and simple geometry you'll be able to test the visuals and gameplay what you want without so much time investment. I always found the more time I've spent on an area the more attached I get to it and I become reluctant to remove problems because of the level of investment in the work, not to mention time wasted. That room sure does look nice though!

deathshroud · January 2013

<img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/20a9t2e.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/1pv3i8.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Been stumped with my map, considering how i should do the exit from this room. i knew i wanted to use 2 archways but i just couldnt put the rest of it together.

In the end this is what i came up with.

<img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/2n9j7zd.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

also finished the power node.

i plan to finish all 4 tech points before grey boxing the level together, then testing and finally ifnishing off the corridor sections.

Rudy.cz · January 2013

Looks promising. Just one note, try to experiment little bit more with lighting. I would suggest to choose secondary color to that primary blue-green. Unfortunatelly it is quite dificult to choose one to complement this one: blue - hmm too similar; orange - doesnt go together; white - too bland; yellow ? ... hmm though one

The red one as tertiary for higlightng details is looking interesting as it is already.

deathshroud · January 2013

well its all from 1 room, cant really mix up the lighting to much in 1 room or it starts looking odd. But i tried quite a few different colours and a lot of them just dont fit the theme, like purple etc just dont work least not for a machine style room.

i started work on another tech point as well which will be either alien start or 1 of the 2 possible start lcoations for the teams. called test chamber. Im hoping to experiemnt a little more with the lgihting in that room.

deathshroud · January 2013

<img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/2edaae9.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/2dtrfjq.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

been working on the res node for machine room, very close to finishing this room now :)

Flaterectomy · January 2013

Forget the Babbler King. You built the MAC King. :O

deathshroud · January 2013

yea lol i wanted some sort of robot to look like it repairs whatever usually goes on a resource node when marines arent called in to deal with skulks
ended up looking like a giant mac.

deathshroud · January 2013

<img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2u6gwso.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/dlly5g.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2uoq2rb.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/2rc7wjm.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />

this room is pretty much laid out now, still abit more work to finish it up but its looking nice imo

deathshroud · January 2013

<img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/25iq6hv.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

started work on the second tech point which will be Test Chamber

deathshroud · January 2013

im thinking ahead on the layout that i want for my map and im drawn to the idea of 4 tech points and 1 double res location, the starting tech points at opposite ends of the map with the 2 remaining techpoints roughly in the middle (slightly closer to marine start to compensate marines slower speed) the 2 techpoints would be quite close to each other separated by a few corridors, the 1 closest to marine start would be more suited to marines with 2 entrances and catwalks to watch for skulks and the 1 closer to the aliens start would have multiple vent access and plenty of cover. the double res would be on the left side of the map but an equal distance from both starting techpoints.

Is this a possibly good idea? or is it only going to result in disaster?

Smaug · January 2013

Yeah, I would say that is a safe layout to go with, and if you feel like it, you can try to add a little more complexity if you feel like it. It's pretty much the set up I'm using for my map!

I also have to ask, what level Dagon are you expecting this map to be?!

Screens look nice, I wish I had your eye for making cool things out of the already existing models and textures!

deathshroud · January 2013

after looking at what i had previously made and what i have recently made i have decided to scrap dagon and instead use some of the assets on my new map cradle so ns2_dagon is no more but ns2_cradle will be overall much better i think.

ns2_Dagon

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