Something A Mapper Should Know

Wintergreen · December 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">not related to NS...</div> I was wondering if anyone has ever taken all of the maps from Half Life, Opposing Force, and Blue Shift, and modeled them out so as to make a gargantuan 2D floor plan showing everyone just what Black Mesa really looks like, in its entirety. I'd imagine the floor plan would have to cover several stories. Even if they just did it for half life, I think it'd be pretty cool--do things really fit together as well as they seem to?

Anyway, if someone could point me to this (if it exists) I'd love to see it. Thanks.

MeanMrMustard · December 2003

Thats would be some hesky task.
What pleasure could you get out of studying plans to a made up building?
Plus the continuity..there would be huge gaps and parts that couldent be drawn out..due to..well...them being unmapped.
Sorry to spoil the dream.

Moconnor · December 2003

that would be kinda cool,
but i never heard of it been done before.

BlackPanther · December 2003

A worthy idea.. although having played HL SP 17 times over... i can tell you right now it wouldn't work.. things would be overlapping all over the place:p

prsearle · December 2003

I actually started doing this a year or so ago. It didn't get very far - I mapped out most of surface tension and the opposing force levels that crossed it. One of the major problems is that while each map is (usually) correctly positioned with it's connecting maps, after two or three levle transitions you start to loop back without changing level. Particularly troublesome were the "On a rail" chapter (specifically where you go through the second rocket silo - it goes over/through a level you went through previously), and the transition immediately after the helicopter in the introduction train ride (which goes around some corners and then comes out through the cliff). Some other problems are that some of the levels were created long before others were even thought of. The cliff level in particular; the transitions place the cliff halfway through the connecting levels. The surface levels from HL/OPFOR are <a href='http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pr.searle/forums/ns/notes-opfor-surface.JPG' target='_blank'>here</a>. Sorry for the poor jpeg compression, but the bmp was 12Mb.

ProStyle · December 2003

I'm not sure I understand. Of course certain points of different maps overlap - it's all built on the same grid and viewed through the same overview. Why can't you just string them along in the sequential chain and make notes of backtracks/loop arounds? (edit - just like psearle did)

KungFuDiscoMonkey · December 2003

prsearle: That's pretty darn awsome. You must have been really bored one day <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>. I thought of doing that myself. Connecting all the HL levels together and seing how big the BMRF really was. Then I tried it with a few levels and gave up because I realized how big it was going to get. It would still be awsome for someone to do but it might be interesting trying to find a host for that 100mb image file <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'> .

Edit: I know! We can start the Map Black Mesa Project!.

[/End Sarcasm] lol.

Wintergreen · December 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (prsearle @ Dec 18 2003, 07:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I actually started doing this a year or so ago. It didn't get very far - I mapped out most of surface tension and the opposing force levels that crossed it. One of the major problems is that while each map is (usually) correctly positioned with it's connecting maps, after two or three levle transitions you start to loop back without changing level. Particularly troublesome were the "On a rail" chapter (specifically where you go through the second rocket silo - it goes over/through a level you went through previously), and the transition immediately after the helicopter in the introduction train ride (which goes around some corners and then comes out through the cliff). Some other problems are that some of the levels were created long before others were even thought of. The cliff level in particular; the transitions place the cliff halfway through the connecting levels. The surface levels from HL/OPFOR are <a href='http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pr.searle/forums/ns/notes-opfor-surface.JPG' target='_blank'>here</a>. Sorry for the poor jpeg compression, but the bmp was 12Mb.  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
Heh, that's pretty nice work, it's too bad it didn't work out. Maybe they have some secret master map, deep within the Valve offices, of what the whole thing is REALLY supposed to look like...

WHY COULDN'T THE HACKERS HAVE TAKEN THAT!?!?!?

Reese · December 2003

lol, I could see this coming out as a new idea for hl2 maps.... see how many hl1 maps you can fit into one hl2 map file.

Lt_Gravity · December 2003

I really dont see any point in creating this giant overview, exept you are bored <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>
the hl level layout is overlapping al the times. the introduction is the best sample. watch the directions carefully: you will notice that the track bends THROUGH" areas you just passed. of course its a problem of different maps connected with the levelload. but I think its disappointing. I try to bring the realism to its limits in my maps. this takes hours, shure but at the end there will be only few mistakes, even if you would search for it. pipes lead from one area to another, even if they disappear in one wall the will show up correctly on the other side. some mappers create architecture that looks wrong.

sample:
<img src='http://mitglied.lycos.de/centercross/caged1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

the pipes should continue or at least ascent and touch the ceiling. not to mention that in the passage to shipping tunnels rt there is no space for the pipes. so what are these pipes good for?
luckyly there arent too much of these mistakes in ns but I think only one will destroy the atmosphere of a map completely.

Tequila · December 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Lt.Gravity @ Dec 19 2003, 05:07 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I really dont see any point in creating this giant overview, exept you are bored <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>
the hl level layout is overlapping al the times. the introduction is the best sample. watch the directions carefully: you will notice that the track bends THROUGH" areas you just passed. of course its a problem of different maps connected with the levelload. but I think its disappointing. I try to bring the realism to its limits in my maps. this takes hours, shure but at the end there will be only few mistakes, even if you would search for it. pipes lead from one area to another, even if they disappear in one wall the will show up correctly on the other side. some mappers create architecture that looks wrong.

sample:
*IMAGE*

the pipes should continue or at least ascent and touch the ceiling. not to mention that in the passage to shipping tunnels rt there is no space for the pipes. so what are these pipes good for?
luckyly there arent too much of these mistakes in ns but I think only one will destroy the atmosphere of a map completely. </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
I can't agree. You shouldn't get caught up in the insignificant details that matter not; it's an overall attractive style, sublime lighting and smooth gameplay that make a good map.

Something A Mapper Should Know

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