Ns_atrium

Pfhreak · March 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">Shots, comments, and development</div> Here they come... the first few shots of what I've been working on: ns_atrium.

These shots are taken from the hallway right outside of the Marine spawn. (Hence, they are well lit. The lighting will change closer to the Kharaa.)

This is the only area I've textured and detailed at all, and this is my first attempt at a map (except for the obligitory map of my house.... but that's a different story.)

Thanks to everyone who helped me get into the mapping groove. (And to the makers of NS of course.)

Without any further ado, I give you:

<b><u><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>LAST UPDATED: 03/05/03 </span></u></b>

Pfhreak · March 2003

An unskilled forumite who didn't notice that it cleared the attachment field after you clicked preview:

Pfhreak · March 2003

A hallway:

Pfhreak · March 2003

Those of you who are really astute will have noticed the vents running along the side of the hallway, here's a shot from within them:

I'm debating whether or not I should make the grating shoot through able. If so, would I make them illusary and make a clip brush there? (Then skulks couldn't walk on the part that is grating.... Comments?)

Vyvn · March 2003

The first shot looks kind of drab and colorless. I would suggest a lot more variation in general, both in your lighting, texture usage, and brushwork. Either shorten the hallway or make the walls a lot less even and symetrical--throw in some side rooms with computers and stuff.

I would suggest making the vent walls solid, in that you can't shoot through them. That way you can use them for gathering information, but not for, say, a Fade to camp in and acid rocket everyone who walks by.

Revenant · March 2003

I agree with Vyvn. But fades can acid rocket/bile bomb short distances through walls anyway.

Also you see the supports on those walls? Add them in, either poking out or beveled in. They always make an area look better when it needs a bit of spicing up.

Pfhreak · March 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Also you see the supports on those walls? Add them in, either poking out or beveled in. They always make an area look better when it needs a bit of spicing up.</td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>

Good idea. I'll do that. Like I said, this is my first map attempt, and the first area I've textured/detailed at all. Perhaps some variation in the lighting is in order? I'll play with the colors, and brightness. (It feels a little over bright.)

Revenant · March 2003

Oh and all those lights on the ceiling aren't good for contrast. Break them up a little - Make the area more atmospheric

Pfhreak · March 2003

I took your advice to heart, and tried a few things out (many of which didn't work at all.) I played with the lights, and the colors. Changed a few subtle things. Added some geometry along the walls, as well as some pipes (which have more detail where they connect to the ceiling or floor down their route.) I added a knocked over crate and some building supplies to the end of the hallway (I am standing on them in this pic.)

Am I heading in the right direction here? I think it's looking quite a bit better. (And it wouldn't without your feedback.) I'm trying to create a standard I can strive for with the rest of the map. (I mean, if everything isn't as interesting as the HALLWAYS... well, that'd be boring.)

BigD · March 2003

That looks really good. Big improvement from the first shot.

Those yellow pipes contrast well. Differences in lighting break it up a bit.

masterswordman · March 2003

Still it needs to be a bit more darker to fit with the NS scheem.

Bigwig · March 2003

I have to disagree on the pipes, I think the yellow looks ugly. Maybe you could make them a darker colour? The hallway also suffers a little from being too bland... maybe a window, door, control panel, or lighting fixture on the wall would help? Just something to break up the repetitiveness.
Other than that it looks good. Keep it up.

amckern · March 2003

2 bright - try to use "-" tex liights all the way down with 20 bright point lights, or tone your lights.rad files brightness down

scioskulk · March 2003

Yeah, the second attempt on that hallway looks considerably better. Architecture looks a-okay. But the lighting needs more improvement. Here's what I would do with the lighting. Use texture lighting only for the following.

Make that line of lights running down the center just a trim of some sort, not lights. Then, every so often down the hallway place a texture light. Three are four are all that seems needed. Make sure they are spread far enough (or are dim enough) to allow a gradual fading of the light between one another and hence, contrast. In the vent running down the side place small red texture lights (of the sort you can find in most NS map vents).

Yoko_Onos · March 2003

Not bad

auto354 · March 2003

Overall what do you think the advantages and disadvantages will be for both teams?

BigD · March 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Make that line of lights running down the center just a trim of some sort, not lights. Then, every so often down the hallway place a texture light. </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>

That would be a good idea rather than continuous string of lights. Since this is the marine start area, being this bright I don't think will hurt it.

What needs maybe object on the right hand side that has some contrasting colours (not yellow or blue because those are done already). A red vertical pipe maybe? Or door? a panel? a window? Just to break it up. The left wall looks good to me. Good luck!

Pfhreak · March 2003

I think a big fat red pipe is exactly what that needs. I'll give it a try. (I might litter a few boxes around too...)

In other news, I am almost done with the first draft of a texture free, detail free version of my map. (I mean detail FREE, as in nothing but big box rooms. I'll rebuild them and refit them once I finish my layout.)

The map is turning out to be quite big, and it has a large amount of vertical play. (More than I've seen in many maps. It's similar to Bast in it's vertical range.)

Pfhreak · March 2003

Oh yeah, and one more thing.

Everyone who is offering critisism and help. You officially rule.

Big time.

Pfhreak

Pfhreak · March 2003

Here's the overview. I need to add some vents and another passageway for the marines. But I figured you guys could help me spot potential problems in the map before they become large ones. I can think of several hallways that need to be reworked, I wonder if you'll think the same about them.

Also, the rooms here are square. They won't be in the final cut, this was just for layout purposes. Also, if you think there should be a weldable, notify me.

The vent in the lower left empties out into the circular room, but is not shown on this overview. (I'm having trouble with it showing everything on the minimap it builds. Some rooms that are entirely below a certain height are not rendered.)

Sephiroth2k · March 2003

yeah you definitly need to work on lighting, but the architecture is definitly nice..

tbZBeAst · March 2003

I'd suggest uplighting from the floor between each buttress, rather than top down lighting, I think it would make it far more atmospheric.

Pfhreak · March 2003

Turns out not all the hallways got rendered there. There should be more access to the upper right hive, I don't know why they aren't there...