Original Posts Link is updated with the newest version of the grey box remake. Old version is removed. Or Download Here: <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar</a>
Just about finished the grey box. Could do with some feed back as it's easier to rework an area in this early stage. in particular where some vents or tunnels should be as i'd like more.
All Tech Points and Res Locations are powered Commander View in good working order. General layout complete,
Still to do. re working Center of map Hive 1 needs another exit point. trying to include center of map. A few ceilings in some locations Outdoor areas enclosed with collision geometry. A bigger ready room. A mini map.
Known issues. Hive 1 some times doesn't start with a completed power node. ???? Some corridors have no power. as they have no location entities.
Vladimir Van VodkaSexy BeastJoin Date: 2010-07-30Member: 73364Members, Reinforced - Shadow
what are your plans on creating light sources if it's in a natural pseudo-outdoor environment? will you be placing light posts connected to power-cords? underground electric pipes? outposts or portable generators scattered throughout the level?
or will the level be perpetually lit by daytime?
personally I hope you end up making it nighttime, and find creative ways to add light sources so aliens can cause mayhem in darkness.
Light Source was planning on dusk theme. Low light enough to see in the outdoor areas with rock features casting dark shadows.
Was planning the generators with the vertical power nodes with 4 spot lights around them, like the original map. They casted some great realtime shadows. Honestly lighting is something I'll do last as it's very time consuming.
Starting Postions I originally planned a static marine spawn but if the timings are even, no reason not to have random. Hive locations will defintly be random if marine spawns static.
I'm also wondering if another tech point is needed ? Hive 2 a middle Hive like cross roads from summit, Develop the left side of hive 2 into a 5th tech point?
Light Source was planning on dusk theme. Low light enough to see in the outdoor areas with rock features casting dark shadows.
Was planning the generators with the vertical power nodes with 4 spot lights around them, like the original map. They casted some great realtime shadows. Honestly lighting is something I'll do last as it's very time consuming.
Starting Postions I originally planned a static marine spawn but if the timings are even, no reason not to have random. Hive locations will defintly be random if marine spawns static.
I'm also wondering if another tech point is needed ? Hive 2 a middle Hive like cross roads from summit, Develop the left side of hive 2 into a 5th tech point?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Looks really cool :) Guess this will be the first "outdoor" map haha
Vladimir Van VodkaSexy BeastJoin Date: 2010-07-30Member: 73364Members, Reinforced - Shadow
edited January 2012
now I'm really excited for this map, outdoor environments are always awesome.
for the "dusk" lighting, I hope you really pronounce it, making the alien sun clearly visible in the distance, and casting large and clearly defined shadows at extreme angles amongst the ominous orange glow.
Download here <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar</a>
Added an overview. Middle of map reworked. Added 2 basic textures too walls and floor. Added turtle skybox for aesthetics. Lowered lighting intensity. Tweaked some geometry to look like rock faces. Enlarged basic ready room with 32 player starts. Enclosed map with death trigger floor and walls and added a collision ceiling. Added Static Marine Start, Random Alien Starts.
So this grey box is ready for some basic testing. Link: <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar</a>
Any feed back would be great.
There is still so much to do but I'd like to get it out there, So if there is something I've over looked that you happen to spot I can fix it now while its still basic. let me know what you think ? Any major concerns ? If an area could be developed better ? needs more of etc etc
Known issues.
not all paths have power. The planned open areas are still open. there is no cover ( it's coming)
twilitebluebug stalkerJoin Date: 2003-02-04Member: 13116Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
edited February 2012
Wow! This map is Massive! It's as big as a small zone in WoW.
To make your map, you'll need to a lot of occlusion geometry. Almost the entire map worth of terrain is visible from everywhere.
It makes me sad what such a grand map won't be playable in normal NS2 mode, because of its sheer size and balance problems. With this much unrestricted space, Lerks would dominate the map before Marines get a chance to unlock Jetpacks.
I do like your map for testing Lerk flight very much. :D
Yes the size is something I'm constantly at odds with. But rescaling the map is very easy at this stage.
I just recently scaled it up by 20% as it's smaller size felt great, but then I thought about once I place props it would feel cramped in corridors. like in mine shaft as an onos. As it's a blank canvas so to speak, once props and more cover are added a lot the wide corridors and open spaces will naturally shrink.
- The left part from marine start feels very unconnected. - Right part looks great, with the different heights and paths. - Keep static spawn for marines, it's gonna be really hard to balance otherwise.
- You should definitively get a second, or even a third material in addition to rock, uniformity makes everything look the same and thus hard to navigate, and it doesn't look very good. Maybe some marine start could be a bit different from the rest. I would love a very sharp and geometric kind of rock just build from geometry mixed with the round one from the game.
- You could create some "arcade" zone for the marines, where they can climb up some part of the map using small ledges and jumps, could be really fun (there is already some parts like that).
- Light: Dusk sounds good, but make it bright and colorful, I'm really tired of the dark grey maps, bright maps seems always to be more popular for some reason. Something like Vladimir posted would be awesome.
- Performances : I got a lot of fps now, but the map is quiet empty. If you keep a modest style on props and other eye candies it should be playable even with the big open spaces.
- Openness: Ceiling is really low for lerks, I would like a completely open map, but it might be a bit bad for performances... I don't know how so fix that, but it feels a bit weird now.
So I've taken an hour to develop the left side of marine spawn a with a few of your suggestions. Connectivity - added ramp to the upper res node. Lighting - More bright with dusk theme. Especially for the outdoor areas. Tunnels and closed corridors will be darkish. Materials - A few props to break up uniformity.
Just remember the map essentially a grey box with 2 textures, A floor and wall texture. more textures will be added to break up the uniformity as will props but there are so few for the outdoor theme I have in mind.
I'll try to think of a few other areas to develop arcade zones. I like them too. I plan to make Marine start look marine controlled. It's a bare rock room at moment but that will come in time. I don't feel the ceilings low for lerks. You just can't fly over the map for shortcuts. The ceiling is there to force you around the pathways and keep draw distances.
Comments
Old version is removed.
Or Download Here: <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar</a>
Just about finished the grey box. Could do with some feed back as it's easier to rework an area in this early stage. in particular where some vents or tunnels should be as i'd like more.
All Tech Points and Res Locations are powered
Commander View in good working order.
General layout complete,
Still to do.
re working Center of map
Hive 1 needs another exit point. trying to include center of map.
A few ceilings in some locations
Outdoor areas enclosed with collision geometry.
A bigger ready room.
A mini map.
Known issues.
Hive 1 some times doesn't start with a completed power node. ????
Some corridors have no power. as they have no location entities.
or will the level be perpetually lit by daytime?
personally I hope you end up making it nighttime, and find creative ways to add light sources so aliens can cause mayhem in darkness.
What we should look at now is starting position (random or fixed?), res nodes, traveling times and stuff like that. A screen from the top :
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/YuutX.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<a href="http://postimage.org/" target="_blank">upload images</a>
Light Source was planning on dusk theme. Low light enough to see in the outdoor areas with rock features casting dark shadows.
Was planning the generators with the vertical power nodes with 4 spot lights around them, like the original map. They casted some great realtime shadows. Honestly lighting is something I'll do last as it's very time consuming.
Starting Postions I originally planned a static marine spawn but if the timings are even, no reason not to have random. Hive locations will defintly be random if marine spawns static.
I'm also wondering if another tech point is needed ?
Hive 2 a middle Hive like cross roads from summit, Develop the left side of hive 2 into a 5th tech point?
<a href="http://postimage.org/" target="_blank">upload images</a>
Light Source was planning on dusk theme. Low light enough to see in the outdoor areas with rock features casting dark shadows.
Was planning the generators with the vertical power nodes with 4 spot lights around them, like the original map. They casted some great realtime shadows. Honestly lighting is something I'll do last as it's very time consuming.
Starting Postions I originally planned a static marine spawn but if the timings are even, no reason not to have random. Hive locations will defintly be random if marine spawns static.
I'm also wondering if another tech point is needed ?
Hive 2 a middle Hive like cross roads from summit, Develop the left side of hive 2 into a 5th tech point?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Looks really cool :)
Guess this will be the first "outdoor" map haha
for the "dusk" lighting, I hope you really pronounce it, making the alien sun clearly visible in the distance, and casting large and clearly defined shadows at extreme angles amongst the ominous orange glow.
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2008/10/18/sunrise-on-gliese_1.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
It would make an amazing contrast between dark and light.
Download here
<a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar</a>
Added an overview.
Middle of map reworked.
Added 2 basic textures too walls and floor.
Added turtle skybox for aesthetics.
Lowered lighting intensity.
Tweaked some geometry to look like rock faces.
Enlarged basic ready room with 32 player starts.
Enclosed map with death trigger floor and walls and added a collision ceiling.
Added Static Marine Start, Random Alien Starts.
Link: <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32942522/ns2.rar</a>
Any feed back would be great.
There is still so much to do but I'd like to get it out there, So if there is something I've over looked that you happen to spot I can fix it now while its still basic.
let me know what you think ?
Any major concerns ?
If an area could be developed better ?
needs more of etc etc
Known issues.
not all paths have power.
The planned open areas are still open.
there is no cover ( it's coming)
Screenshots
<a href="http://postimage.org/image/co7tug95t/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/co7tug95t/2012_02_07_00001.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/59ii22na9/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/59ii22na9/2012_02_07_00002.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/4y11pb6u9/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/4y11pb6u9/2012_02_07_00003.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/z441hu34x/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/z441hu34x/2012_02_07_00004.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
<a href="http://postimage.org/image/kyy8g0u3l/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/kyy8g0u3l/2012_02_07_00005.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/5ri8vo28x/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/5ri8vo28x/2012_02_07_00006.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/fdbtbytep/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/fdbtbytep/2012_02_07_00007.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/4f0jts4td/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/4f0jts4td/2012_02_07_00008.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
<a href="http://postimage.org/image/q2pi4857l/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s8.postimage.org/q2pi4857l/2012_02_07_00009.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
To make your map, you'll need to a lot of occlusion geometry. Almost the entire map worth of terrain is visible from everywhere.
It makes me sad what such a grand map won't be playable in normal NS2 mode, because of its sheer size and balance problems. With this much unrestricted space, Lerks would dominate the map before Marines get a chance to unlock Jetpacks.
I do like your map for testing Lerk flight very much. :D
I just recently scaled it up by 20% as it's smaller size felt great, but then I thought about once I place props it would feel cramped in corridors. like in mine shaft as an onos. As it's a blank canvas so to speak, once props and more cover are added a lot the wide corridors and open spaces will naturally shrink.
- The left part from marine start feels very unconnected.
- Right part looks great, with the different heights and paths.
- Keep static spawn for marines, it's gonna be really hard to balance otherwise.
- You should definitively get a second, or even a third material in addition to rock,
uniformity makes everything look the same and thus hard to navigate, and it doesn't look
very good. Maybe some marine start could be a bit different from the rest. I would love a
very sharp and geometric kind of rock just build from geometry mixed with the round one from the game.
- You could create some "arcade" zone for the marines, where they can climb up some part
of the map using small ledges and jumps, could be really fun (there is already some parts like that).
- Light: Dusk sounds good, but make it bright and colorful, I'm really tired
of the dark grey maps, bright maps seems always to be more popular for some reason. Something like
Vladimir posted would be awesome.
- Performances : I got a lot of fps now, but the map is quiet empty. If you keep a modest style on props
and other eye candies it should be playable even with the big open spaces.
- Openness: Ceiling is really low for lerks, I would like a completely open map, but it might be a bit
bad for performances... I don't know how so fix that, but it feels a bit weird now.
So I've taken an hour to develop the left side of marine spawn a with a few of your suggestions.
Connectivity - added ramp to the upper res node.
Lighting - More bright with dusk theme. Especially for the outdoor areas. Tunnels and closed corridors will be darkish.
Materials - A few props to break up uniformity.
<a href="http://postimage.org/image/z5w2wpdhz/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s15.postimage.org/z5w2wpdhz/2012_02_10_00001.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/5f8yaxsif/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s15.postimage.org/5f8yaxsif/2012_02_10_00002.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
Just remember the map essentially a grey box with 2 textures, A floor and wall texture. more textures will be added to break up the uniformity as will props but there are so few for the outdoor theme I have in mind.
I'll try to think of a few other areas to develop arcade zones. I like them too.
I plan to make Marine start look marine controlled. It's a bare rock room at moment but that will come in time.
I don't feel the ceilings low for lerks. You just can't fly over the map for shortcuts. The ceiling is there to force you around the pathways and keep draw distances.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/UtIzF.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/POgJI.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<a href="http://postimage.org/image/b8a3hai3v/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s17.postimage.org/b8a3hai3v/2012_02_17_00010.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/egekuc4dn/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s17.postimage.org/egekuc4dn/2012_02_17_00011.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/a8jsll2y3/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s17.postimage.org/a8jsll2y3/2012_02_17_00012.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a> <a href="http://postimage.org/image/48w1hxi5n/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s17.postimage.org/48w1hxi5n/2012_02_17_00013.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>