Am I Too Late For Ns Mapping?
res0nation
Join Date: 2004-11-01 Member: 32583Members
Join Date: 2004-11-01 Member: 32583Members
I've dabbled in hl mapping since the first release of sven coop, but it was mostly out of curiousity. Now I've decided to embark on a great adventure, the creation of an ns_ map. I'm doing a LOT of thought and have been researching how the official maps of NS have evolved, I want to make as few mistakes as possible in regards to layout and balance. I believe I'm reaching some kind of functional philosophy.
Well I could go on and on: here's my real concern. It seems like I've missed the boat with this mod as my map will probably take me 8 - 12 months to complete. I don't want to put in 5 months of work and decide to jump ship, so in all of your honest opinions, should I start with HL1 or abandon the engine completely and do as much as I can with Source with the information we have on NS:S currently. There's also the possibility that NS:S could be cancelled or something, what do you guys think?
Well I could go on and on: here's my real concern. It seems like I've missed the boat with this mod as my map will probably take me 8 - 12 months to complete. I don't want to put in 5 months of work and decide to jump ship, so in all of your honest opinions, should I start with HL1 or abandon the engine completely and do as much as I can with Source with the information we have on NS:S currently. There's also the possibility that NS:S could be cancelled or something, what do you guys think?
Comments
In short, go for it!
its the experience that makes you a good mapper, not the amount of tutorials you read about the topic <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Just make it as if it were a map for NS, but use the source engine. I'm personally worried about maps being ready for the NS:Source release, because people are going to be expecting a huge graphical upgrade, and these things take a long time.
I've started several maps but my attention to detail combined with my inordinate ammount of self-critism then to leave me unable to finish my maps. I worry about textures too much and don't get building on the geometry. I'd really love to make the best NS map anyone has ever seen but am getting this self-critism induced mapper's-block and can't get finished.
Any suggestions?
I can imagine roughly what I want, something with a crossfire or that one multilevel area in ns_hera (the place with the catwalks and next to cargo) in that I want to be able to build a multilevel jungle where you can literally be attacked from almost every angle. I would like to see some classic HL texture usage maybe like a ruined city on the surface, or an ancient temple on a rainforest planet. But these are nothing but delusions of grandure because I can't get the first step of designing the map's overall shap and initial geometry. I'm a master of detailing an tweaking but I can't seem to get though the initial design. I had this problem with ns_lerk which was supposed to be strongly arial combat map but had issues with having too much distance in view (slows down fps atrociously) and worrying about the map limit restraints. I wish I could create my natural jungle map. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I've started several maps but my attention to detail combined with my inordinate ammount of self-critism then to leave me unable to finish my maps. I worry about textures too much and don't get building on the geometry. I'd really love to make the best NS map anyone has ever seen but am getting this self-critism induced mapper's-block and can't get finished.
Any suggestions?
I can imagine roughly what I want, something with a crossfire or that one multilevel area in ns_hera (the place with the catwalks and next to cargo) in that I want to be able to build a multilevel jungle where you can literally be attacked from almost every angle. I would like to see some classic HL texture usage maybe like a ruined city on the surface, or an ancient temple on a rainforest planet. But these are nothing but delusions of grandure because I can't get the first step of designing the map's overall shap and initial geometry. I'm a master of detailing an tweaking but I can't seem to get though the initial design. I had this problem with ns_lerk which was supposed to be strongly arial combat map but had issues with having too much distance in view (slows down fps atrociously) and worrying about the map limit restraints. I wish I could create my natural jungle map. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'd map it for source and see if you can get it right there... I seriously doubt your ever going to find an effective way to do that on the HL engine.
Understatement of the millenia. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
(ill try to start mapping myself soon, but i think ill head straight for a source map)
(ill try to start mapping myself soon, but i think ill head straight for a source map) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
If you use the NS wads the textures won't be in high res weather you want them to be or not. Hopefully more texture ports get done at somepoint though.
ok there seems to be a little bit of misunderstanding ;-)
i meant that i would have to create every single texture if i was going to do a source map
ok there seems to be a little bit of misunderstanding ;-)
i meant that i would have to create every single texture if i was going to do a source map <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!
I just want to see all the sexy textures TBH.
ok there seems to be a little bit of misunderstanding ;-)
i meant that i would have to create every single texture if i was going to do a source map <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!
I just want to see all the sexy textures TBH. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Im guess viper aims to "create a full set of custom textures for your first map."
thats what I had in mind anyway. if you do all the texture work yourself you do also have two advantages:
1: your map is NOT bound to a mod once its finished. using x-textures in y-mod is not a good idea, you knwo <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
2: your map is NOT bound to an engine. no matter if you create your map for hl1, hl2, unreal etc. you will "just" have to resize textures, convert the maps 3D data and retexture it.
custom textures doesnt care for copyrights <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->