Thanks to all your feedback I was able to finish the next update quickly. So here it is: Alpha2a.

Changes include a new vent that leads to the upper parts, some prop and texture detailing as well as small layout tweaks. I'll upload some pictures soon, so far only the 3 profile pics.

Changes include:

• many minor texture and geometry changes
• fixed: elevator should work much better now
• fixed: suitcharger works again
• added: ventshaft to the upper area
• added: some small changes to the upper parts for easier movement
• added: a few props and light fixtures (a lot to be done, still)
• added: nocull shaders for transparent metal textures

Have fun and happy holidays! :smile:

Im not such a big HL2 player but so far what ive seen the map looks great! I can see you are trying very hard!

PS: I pmed u about some download hosting for the map.

I just wanted to thank you for all the feedback. It helped me to get alpha 3 done way faster than I could have hoped. In fact a new version is compiled and finished, I hope to release it tomorrow or Friday! And it's looking more and more like a beta :smile:

Some light fixtures+spotlight effects are in (still not many). I re-textured some parts, also adding $nocull shaders for transparent metal-textures. Then there's another way up, a ventilator shaft that leads to the upper area (one of the many ideas resulting from having a quick run through the map with Gwil). Some fixes here, some tweaks there.

I hope to get the release out some time before a possible playtest on Friday :wink: Let's see.

Cables sounds good. I was going to add some anyway as they are supposed to hold some spotlights later.

I was also going to say the trusses looked weird in some of the places
you have put them (I remember there were two of them very close
together somewhere).

Since they don't really have any architectural function, you could
place some sort of signs in them or make them serve as a structure for
guiding cables etc.

I blame it on the map being still an alpha... but the argument's running old. Should be replaced within the next versions.

For me, what stuck out the most was all of the trusses crossing from wall to wall. Such as the one at the top of your last pic. They look wired and stick out like a sore thumb. To me at least. I don't know if your trying to save system resources but if you turn them into a hollow box and texture all 8 sides, they look 10 times better. see what i mean.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/8520/trusspe0.jpg
I walked through it today and it looked good. It needs some tweaking but the hdr gives a nice effect. I'd like to see how it plays. should be interesting.

I like architectural details like this a lot. Very cool to know. I'll change the stairs.

The other things are helpful, too. Thanks, Kasperg!

Keep it coming!

I took a walk around alpha2.

Lighting has been greatly improved indeed, and as Captain P mentioned, there are several new cool spots and vistas.

Some of the narrow passages you have opened for the sake of gameflow still need some tweaking but I'm sure you'll get to that.

I know there are less dead ends now, but for me the map doesn't have a
clear set of paths I can choose from. I know there are a lot of ways to
play DM, but I usually do some sort of loop around the whole level. I
find it much more difficult with this map, but that's just a personal
opinion :smile:

The top floor (with the metal columns) still feels too big and
undefined. Could you transform it into some sort of office or
conference area? some textures and props would be enough, I think.

The city image below the map is a cool addition and enhances the
feeling of "huge" you get with this map. However, the light doesn't
match with the level's light_enviroment. Maybe you could replace it
with some satellite image of an industrial city (if the city is lit
because it is completely underground, forget this comment).

I had some visual issues while looking up at this spot >> http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5267/3006aja9.jpg

As you can see, there's a part of building that dissapears. Those walls
might also need some vent shafts like the ones you have further down
that area.

The electrical utility pole you have in the main area doesn't belong in
such a city, but you can keep it there if you want to :biggrin: Visually
it works.

The following is just a suggestion you can ignore if you wish to. As an
architecture student, the stairs you make look weird to me. I mean the ones
where you can see the steps underneath. If your stairs are made with
concrete structures, the steps would be built on top of a structure
such as this one [url]http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/9981/3006bei3.jpg [/url] You could
also change them to a metal structure in which the steps would be
thinner etc.

Anyway, not many people will worry about such things! :wink:

Great map so far. I have to say it again: It would be so cool watching combine troops rappeling down those shafts... :smile:

I don't have static IP I think. Searching the name must be what works best. I should have it running within the next 10 minutes. See if you can find it. ...