Well the writers are still on strike and I am currently unemployed as a result, hence the name, dm_striker. Probably the last in my symmetrical Industrial fantasy phase, going for some new stuff (for me anyways) more advanced displacement work, and hopefully some tricky entity usage. Been mapping alot these last few weeks, heres what I have.
Final version now available for download
Discussion
Posted by Yak_Fighter on
Mon Feb 18th 2008 at 2:02am
I don't know about this map. The hallways basically destroy the flow since main areas are all separated by long boring treks. Sure the connectivity seems fine but without good flow it is wasted effort. There didn't seem to be any performance issues that had to be masked with all the hallways so why not give main rooms more direct connections? If you don't want to move the main rooms perhaps you could replace them with rooms that offer more combat opportunities while still providing connectivity.
There's alot of crap to get stuck on throughout the map, especially near the water tower thing.
Detail seems very sparse, especially in the hallways. Obviously graphics aren't the most important thing in the world but a spartan level of detail isn't good either.
The ladders near the teleporters are hard to use and I seemed to get stuck on them unable to get off at the top more than on one occasion. Ladders really aren't good in dm maps, especially the s**tty hl2 ones, so I would encourage you to replace them with stairs/platforms where possible.
I'll check it out on the [FF] server. I'm trying to consider very low playercounts when testing maps these days, which probably explains why I complain about size even though it should indeed run well for 8+ players.
I just finished playing a round on the [FF] server with beta_2, and I have to tell you, there was roughly 8 to 12 players in the map at any given time, and it did'nt seem too big at all. The map will be in the [FF] rotation on both servers for the next week or so. I recommend that you go in and try it out. It seemed like a fun map with other players, (something you don't get to try out too often while creating the map). Got some good feedback as well.
Posted by reaper47 on
Sun Feb 10th 2008 at 10:09pm
As always, great improvements all around. Lighting, for example, seems near-perfect now. I won't comment on the funky walkway pit as you said you're going to change it anyway.
The only thing I still find a bit troubling is that the map feels a bit... big. I'm not really talking about map-size or player-count here. Some corridors feel just too long. Some rooms too big. Some paths redundant.
I first thought that some of the corridors just lack the final detail since this is a beta but the more I look at them the more I feel like it's the layout itself that's a bit empty at some places. Since this is strictly symmetrical, you have everything twice, after all.
IMO it wouldn't hurt to go and identify a few places that aren't essential and cut them. Or shorten them to make travel times between the key areas faster. I know it's hard but I think the layout would benefit from it.
Nice work, you have a good hold of lighting concepts here, very effective. Do you work in lighting on set? Architecture a logical evolution from your last one, effective in suspension of disbelief, with the exception of the rocket area.
-The elevator shaft seems odd in that you can't shoot the barrels within. I was able to light them by sending a nade between the elevator and the hall floor, but they dropped through the elevator floor before doing any damage,and then failed to respawn.
-You've done 2 things that I avoid by having multiple slams and trigger_hurt, but that's your call. I would at least consider moving one of the two packs that are so close together.
-The concrete-pipe model you've used for tunnels displays its lighting in a unique way, but I find them a little too slow and long in travel. Maybe go brush-based and bigger, or an expanded middle section?
-I see some nodraw through your conical displacement; if that's the engine, try a chunk of that same texture under it. If not, remember that the paint geometry tool works with increments as small as 0.10.
-The outside piping might use some of that truss_ modelwork to hold it up, it looks weak from a real world standpoint.
Good performance on a solo run here, I'll see you on the FF test bed!
This map has improved a lot since the last set of pictures. I think whatever you did between now and then, you still have to do that a bit more, and I think you need some (more) imperfections in your map, like some rubbish or planks of wood or some cracks. Some of the walls in the screen shots look really really plain, I think they need some love.
