Don't You Just Hate Testing The Lighting.

Heist

OK guys this is just a convenience issue. What order to you build things in and how do you test out all the lighting. Personally I started by building, texturing and the lighting 2 rooms. I then start just building the rest of them map. The problem is now it's hard to constantly check up as I try and light the darned place. It just takes forever each time I want to change something. I was wondering if anyone built the rooms and lit them by themselves in a seperate test map.
Can anyone just shed light on your methods. Thanks

BiTMAP

my big problem is just compiles period becuase of the complexity of my map, Yes I'm currently only compiling one room, because i need to test my rooms particle system

scioskulk

<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>I use the cordon to compile and test small portions of my map.</span>

Director

i start with one spawn point, and work my way from there, following one path to the end, the filling in the holes. as for building. I build and texture at the same time, because as im making the map, i have an exact 3D rendering in my head (i can only start the physical mapping stage once i can play the entire map in my head). Lighting is done one room at a time and is kinda done during the textureing/building process. So you can say i so all three stages at once.

as for testing, i test the map as it evolves. When i complete a room, i test it (not just the room, but the rest of the built map as well.) i dont do that whole one room at a time, one rmf for each room and paste it all into one in the end kinda thing.

BiTMAP

i'm just like you director, must the old school way or something ? :shrug:

ChromeAngel

I build the entire floorplan first, in a big skybox, then test that to make sure my travelling times are correct. Then I add the vertical walls and ceilings, then test that to check for lines of sight and the initial r_speeds. Then I add some details, all the player starts, hives, CC, Resource nodes and some basic lighting. Then I test it again to r_speeds and to get the feel of the lighting. Then I continue adding detail , tweeking the lights and compiling until i'm sick of the sight of it.

If I am detailing a specific area I will use the cordon to only compile that, however when I'm happy with the area I will do a full compile and see how this has effected r_speeds in other areas.

This way you know your gameflow is going to be right from the first compile. You know your lines of sight are right from your second compile onwards. You can see how many planes, faces, entities, vertexes and othe resources you are using as you go. By keeping an eye on your resource usage you can ensure that you won't run out before the map is finished and have to go back an cannibalise finished areas.

Director

i must have a gut instinct about these things cuz ive never had to redo any part of my map due to the fact that its too long, big, wide, small, short, etc. The only reason ive ever had to go back and change a room is because i dont like the way it looks.

evoLvingeviL

Re: Compiling the whole fricking map just to test one room...

ERM, Hello! Has anyone heard of the 'run with visible objects only' compile option in VHE? It only compiles the stuff that isn't hidden using a VisGroup! Just select all the chunks of your level you don't wanna bother compiling, hide them, seal off any holes leading to the void, stick in a spawn entity, and away you go! Compile using that NEAT option, and you can test lighting in seconds! Woo!

Also, when you're done, just make the hidden part visible, and then click the Edit button in the VisGroup bar and remove the VisGroup (unless you plan to use it again, otherwise it'll be more convenient to get rid of it like that.)

Re: My mappin' methods:

I usually map a room at a time (sometimes I leave it as just a blank box and move on and add detail later, though.) With the map I'm currently working on, I do the brushwork and architecture first and worry about textures later. I just use a generic texture on all brushes and then create and apply the textures later. I'm in a bit of a pickle with texturing this map... I can't seem to make the textures look good. Also, I'll be a lot of work if I want different texture motifs for different parts of the map. Oh well.

I have the ideas for architecture and lighting all worked out ahead of time... the lighting should be PART of the architecture, it looks WAY more realistic that way... otherwise lights are just boxes on the roof (and word out to all the n00bs, don't EVER put in a light without an obvious source). For those that are just sticking with the NS wad, it is best to texture while you go, so that your brushes work with the existing textures. Since I'm making a lot of my own textures with my map (still nameless, I called it ns_nuclear in a thread a while back, btw) the textures will have conform to the architecture. Although making textures for maps is a dirty **obscenity** with VHE. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->

DjArcas

Use the cordon lots, use 'save visible objects' lots and EVERY night before you go to bed, do a full compile (-extra rad, -full vis) ready to run around in in the morning.