I agree with you guys when you say it's lame to rely on models for detail, brushwork I find much more impressive.
That said here's a pic of a version of my model abuse, the engine for the ship map. It consists of 48 models crammed inside eachother and a few brushes. There's even some skybox models in there. Probably could've been brushwork but I got caught up in trying to emulate the way it functions; fuel lines, starter, exhaust, lifters etc. Lots of them are faded quite near and collision disabled but still probably more performance-damaging than brushwork.
Another map I was appreciating recently is dm_tobor, there's some serious abuse goin' on there. Looks great though because the author approached it so creatively.
I don't think it's the fact that people expect you to have a model for everything, instead, people just expect detail. If you feel inclined to go and make it out of brushes, then be my guest. I like brush built things, It means the mapper spent a really long time on this map and this shows. I value it as much as a custom prop I might find in a map.
-Yea, I abuse my models a bit, but more so than just not using a pipe's real length, I mean, I like using models for a different application other than their intended purpose. For example, I used the Combine short shields (the ones placed on roads that you can duck behind that see-through with a cool refraction shader) for some kind of radiation capsulizer; I placed them in a large circle upside-down, and they looked pretty cool. It totally changed their purpose, and you don't notice it right-off when you look at ‘em.
I think if you want to save yourself some time, you're gonna have to get creative with the models available to you. valve had a whole team of people creating 1000s of models for over four years, and they only select a few to use in the actual games they spit out. So, because we don't have those resources, I imagine just about everyone here has abused their models in some way.
Maps look a mess from the outside with all of those models poking out. On a different note, one thing I find a problem with H.L. 2 mapping is the way they have props for everything. In H.L.1 if there was something which I wanted I would simply build it out of brushes. In H.L.2 they expect you to have props for the detail which is really holding back my true mapping skills.
Posted by Le Chief on
Sat Dec 13th 2008 at 11:39am
I think in the Source engine, it pays off to focus on your brush geometry, it doesn't really look good if your relaying on props for the detail in your map and it really does show.
As for abusing models, I sure do :P! I always have various pipe models sticking outside my level, as long as the models origin is inside the level, you won't get a leak. And ofcourse, at times I just mindlessly shift drag drum and crate models around my level.. I consider that a form of abuse.
