The Snarkpit
login register search
Say hi to our newest member, rdyhryh!
Home Maps Articles Downloads Forums Links

Titanic by Wild Card

Map Rating

  • 0
  • unrated

Map Download

Map Info

Map Description

This is a complete recreation of the RMS Titanic.

This project will be broken into several phases:

Phase 1 (December 23 2011 to March 24 2012)
- Basic structure based on blueprints by Bruce Beveridge
- Texturing for clarity
- Basic modelling of staircases
- Basic level optimization

Phase 2a (March 24 2012 to April 24 2012)
- Level splitting per deck with transitions
- Phase 2a abandoned in favour of optimization to the architecture

Phase 2b (April 24 2012 to present)
- Level optimization
- Architecture optimization
- Completion of re-texturing
- Details to Boat Deck including modelling external fittings

Phase 3 (unknown to unknown)
- Addition of rooms (cabins, lavs, storage, etc)
- Basic proper texturing
- Review of ship's structure
- Advanced level optimization (full VVIS compile?)

Phase 4 (unknown to unknown)
- Basic roofing/ceiling detail
- Doorways and doors
- Windows
- Funnel structure

Phase 5 (unknown to unknown)
- Modelling of rails
- Modelling of posts and supports
- Modelling of bridge and wheelhouse telegraphs and wheels
- Modelling of funnel accessories
- Modelling of lifeboats

Phase 6 (unknown to unknown)
- Basic lighting
- Skymap

The following details have been deliberately modified from the blue prints due to game limitations:

- Crew spiral staircases at the bow from D Deck to the Tank top due to player collision hull. The staircase has been made bigger.

The following links are for Youtube videos of the progress:

Video 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXf0MZwGQds

Video 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4Z9mdRj3Yo&context=C4091e83ADvjVQa1PpcFN85OhX63C1Ifzxjqyfg7ZqBrHgULYCdEs=

Video 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHMj6Py6JkU&context=C4bb6491ADvjVQa1PpcFN85OhX63C1IXdOvzRH_9nulYU5mkYJ9Lo=

Video 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maAJhYHY83g&context=C44160a7ADvjVQa1PpcFN85OhX63C1IaBPRceeZ6NaP7ksfc8Xn2I=

Discussion

Posted by Orpheus on Thu Mar 29th 2012 at 11:52pm
To retain the vertical feel, you're gonna chop it up "up/down" right? Surely not horizontally.
Posted by Wild Card on Thu Mar 29th 2012 at 11:17pm
[Author]
The responses I've gotten from VDC have mostly been unanimous, so I'm going to continue working on splitting the levels. Im finishing up the Boat Deck now, going through a full compile.

I plan on having the following levels:
  • Boat Deck
  • A Deck
  • B Deck
  • C Deck
  • D Deck
  • E Deck
  • F Deck and G Deck
  • Orlop Deck and Tank Top
I think I should be pretty safe that way.

The upper decks will be the more difficult ones to make, especially the Boat Deck, A Deck, and B Deck, as each can see a lot of each other, along with the Forecastle and Poop Decks, although those will only be accessible on the B Deck level.

Its a bit of a pain.. but at least this is progress :)
Posted by Wild Card on Mon Mar 26th 2012 at 12:51am
[Author]
Posted this on VDC: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2617039

But looks like the answer there is (surprise surprise) to split the level..
Posted by Orpheus on Sun Mar 25th 2012 at 3:42pm
What other sites have you posted this on?
I am sure there are solutions, you just need the right people looking AND commenting. Right now, the vast majority of Snarkpit users look and little else.
Posted by Wild Card on Sun Mar 25th 2012 at 1:48pm
[Author]
I've tried turning a lot more into models with no effect, still getting the error. I've reduced the brush count by around 1000 or so and faces by a lot more.

I propper'ed the following:
  • all funnels
  • dome over aft grand staircase
  • dome over fore grand staircase
  • mainmast
  • foremast
  • railings at fore grand staircase at boat deck
I dont quite like modelling though as the models dont end up being the same dimensions as the original brushes. For instance, the funnels are 582w 305l 992h, however the model ends up being 582.5w 305.5l 992.5h which is a tad annoying as for some of the models, such as the railings, they dont fit perfectly like brushes did.

In any case, the error is still there. If I block out parts of the map, I can get the error to disappear, and then I get a Tjunction error: Too many t-junctions to fix up! (3048 prims, max 32768 :: 65541 indices, max 65536) which as best I can tell is caused by too many func_detail brushes touching world brushes.

Im well below the engine limits as far as I can tell... Now at 7707 brushes and 46799 faces.

I was able to get a normal compile (fast VVIS) but I had to block out all decks bellow D Deck (D, E, F, G, Orlop, Tank Top). Not exactly a solution.

[edit]
On a slightly positive note, I was able to get a full compile (full VVIS and full VRAD) with allow the decks bellow D blocked out, and FPS never dropped bellow 300 except for at the extreme ends of the maps where they flirted with 299. Not sure if thats accurate or not.. I couldnt get mat_wireframe 1 to work though.
Posted by Wild Card on Sat Mar 24th 2012 at 11:55pm
[Author]
That is very true. I spent maybe two hours or so working the Boat Deck and it is a bit of an annoyance to split the map..

But I need to fix that error..
Posted by Orpheus on Sat Mar 24th 2012 at 11:19pm
I'd still look into optimization. There are some tuts here. Think of it this way. Some of the maps in HL2 were HUGE. They had way more detail than you currently have. If they can do it, so can you. WAY MORE THAN YOU.

I am betting you would be better served reading some tuts instead of figuring out where would be the best place to chop the map into bits without ruining the goal of your project.
Posted by Wild Card on Sat Mar 24th 2012 at 11:12pm
[Author]
Yea. I didnt do much. But the error Im getting seems to have only as solution to remove detail from the map. And given that none of the actual rooms are built yet, nor are any of the details put in (ceilings, railings, lighting, furniture, etc). I know I'll have to split it
Posted by Orpheus on Sat Mar 24th 2012 at 10:23pm
Keep an unbroken version. I bet there are gobs of optimization you are unaware of.
Hell, you prolly haven't even tried the displacements yet.
Posted by Wild Card on Sat Mar 24th 2012 at 3:13pm
[Author]
Well, its time to start planning the splitting of the map into multiple maps. We'll see how this goes.

[edit]
Started the split working on the Boat Deck first. And will continue top-down. I will be splitting each deck into a separate level as best as possible I think.

With that, I've listed phase 1 as complete, and I've changed the scope of phase 2 to be simply the level splitting and basic optimization which will allow (hopefully) for full compiles of each.