Hall Tests

Ego · February 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">id like a few suggestions</div> Before i make any map, I do a few things,

1: layout

2: Theme

3: hall tests <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

ill get some screnes soon, but what i do is i try and make a basic " hallway " with pillars and other such things, like lights in the hall, and what not.

anyways, real question is where do other people start? thats usually where i have the hardest time...starting..

ill make a square..hollow... ponder.. delte square... ponder...ponder... quit, play ns to get ideas off other maps <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

well show me the money

Ego

Heist · February 2003

I have the concept in my mind before I start. It makes things alot easier if you can visualioze it before you start. Draw out at least 50% of the map layout on paper before you start. This allows you to get a feel for view distances and what objects can and can't be seen. Then starting at one room, just expand from there doing the halls and other rooms as you get to them. Improve your original ideas that you have on paper each time ytou do a room. If you get stuck on a room, go to the other side of your constructed map and start working there. You can always come back to a room.

chubbysteve · February 2003

I get a plan. Then I say,... I'll start here. From here on in it's a total free style.

If you can think of a story for your map that affects the brushes (bitmaps room signs) then you are in luck. Other wise the best thing you can do is stick to a continuum (see mapping guidlines). Continuums might be whatever you choose them to be, but they should continue through out your map. Uhm.. this post isn't very well organised.

Basically - just map. You could even make an MS, make a hive and slot them into a section of hall ways and node rooms. It's eventirely up to you - just do the mapping <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

The_Real_Quasar · February 2003

My map (ns_espace) started off very peculiarly. The first room i made was a simple block, which i lit and left for ages. Then i tried to do a tanith style CC platform, except for the RR, but i couldn't quite get it right. So then i thought about making a hangar bay and setting the map on a ship. So i did. I still wasn't pleased so i decided to make it into the MS, then i realised i would need a ship, which i made. Then i built a room a little further off, and used a stupid little corridoor to link them. Then i started on a hive, improved the corridoor, made a second hive and increased eye-candy levels in the MS.
Currently working on finding this bloody leak that has been **** me off bad for ages <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'>

Cagey · February 2003

I'm pretty structured compared to the other people who have responded...

<ul>
<li>theme (can often dictate layout decisions (gameplay > theme, theme > 0, gameplay + theme > gameplay))
<li>general layout (# of rooms, major hallways drawn as interconnections between squares on paper -- ensure rooms each have logical reason to exist at this point to make the map strongly themed)
<li>architectural themes (largely based on room location names and theme locations)
<li>refined layout (outline rooms in CAD for exact shapes and spacing)
<li>build and playtest basic architecture with placeholder textures and lighting
<li>add secondary connections / tweak rooms as needed based on feedback
<li>texture and lighting themes (largely based on room location names)
<li>detail work (add infestation, furnishings, map entities, final entity scripting)
<li>another set of playtests
<li>final lighting and texturing pass
</ul>

I may skip back and forth between steps a little bit (I'm currently building one section and refining layout of another), but the general flow is always in the same order.

Ben128 · February 2003

I am a fairly new mapper to HL in general, let alone NS. I have done what most have also done. I originally layed out most of my map on paper. Then I went and began the basic building of it. No texturing, no refined architecture, just rooms connected to rooms. After I have finished mapping the entire map in its basic form, I intend to add the more complex structure design. I have written down all my ideas on papper as the come. I also worked out a very early theme, which will help alot with the atmosphere. A few ideas are soo good, or so puzzling, that I have to try them out in game. But right now, about 1/3 of my level is completed structure wise. So it will prove awesome, once I get that done. I can't wait to be textuing and adding triggers.

Also; the only triggers I am currently adding are the absolute most basic needed triggers.

Insane · February 2003

I don't have trouble starting, but I find finishing very hard.

Ego · February 2003

thanks guys, great tips.

i atually started one, it looks great! - the hive is hanging inside of a silo and looks perdy convincing. im trying to make it so rines dont have such an easy time spawn camping em <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>, thats usualy more of an issue than a stratagy.... like jetpacks in vents, still trying to work around that..very annoying heh.

sweet, thanks guys, i owe you all a dollar.

Ego

CrAcKbRoCk · February 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (XP-Cagey @ Feb 12 2003, 10:58 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> theme (can often dictate layout decisions (gameplay > theme, theme > 0, gameplay + theme > gameplay))  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
Lmao!

Maybe you should just make the entire level in notpad Cagey <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

Personally, I come up with the focus points of the level, then design the layout and work it over on paper so much I probably use up a small forest in the process. Then I'll do some test maps, style, lighting, entity set ups..etc..then block out the entire map, test, and flesh it out untill I almost make the engine explode..then playtest the hell out of it untill I'm ready to delete the map, and release.

ChromeAngel · February 2003

I start with a floorplan on paper, based around the placement of the MS and Hive rooms.

I then build that floor plan in worldcraft, with CC, hives and spawn points in a big skybox. I then test the travel times and siege ranges.

I then add walls and detail the most important interesting rooms, If I have a hallway style I like I'll make prefab hallway sections and use them at this step. Then I test it for lines of sight and r_speeds.

Then I add mre details and work on the lighting. At this stage I post screenshots and try to organise a small playtest to see how it actually plays.

Hall Tests

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