dm_finca_housewarming

This is a remake from SOF2. I spent a LOT of time on this map. Optimizing alone must have drained 60+ hours. Feel free to comment/critisise... This map was made for DM but I can make it for other games if anyone is interested...

Make sure you right click and save as to download...

All I can say now (until I catch my breath) is "Oh My!"

I may definitely have to download this one.

From the screens alone, this proves that 90* angles still work. :smile:

/me lets you know what I thought, later.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

It looks good so far...

I think it needs more detail such as window fittings (HL2 models from multiple maps) and the doorways etc.

Also the tree foliage stuff looks a bit thick. Might I suggest the thinner leaf coverage and that the trees have some brown leaves on them? The light environment and sky don't fit with each other either. The sky suggests a much bluer light. Try making a 3D skybox for it too.

I think Orphs comments may be a slight exaggeration to some degree also...

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Myrk-</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>
I think Orphs comments may be a slight exaggeration to some degree also...

</DIV></DIV>

Have I ever posted ought but what I think Master Myrk?

Maps catch my attention in weird ways sometimes. This one strikes my fancy.

/methinks, you exaggerate my intentions Sir. :wink:
Look at all my maps. All I have built solo are chock full of 90* angles. Coincidence? /methinks not.

[edit] I would like to add however. This map is hardly 99% complete. More like 70% :rolleyes:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

This is an excellently crafted source version of one of my favorite Soldier of fortune 2 multi-player maps. I commend you for your accuracy. I think, though, given the capabilities of the source engine you had some pixels to spare in a few areas, perhaps you could have embellished a bit and added some more eye candy, but otherwise it's spot on as far as I can remember.

Nice job.

I wanted to use a skybox with more color but all the tutorials I read said compile and look what side the sun is on, then place your env_sun and light_env on the side your sun is on. The only skybox I found with the sun on the side of the map I wanted it was the default. I never figured out if you can turn the sun's side or not but with that skybox, the sun was on the side it was placed in SOF2.
"70% done"? give some suggestions then pls... All I can think of for a v2 would be locked door sounds whitch I got to lazy to add and a more colorfull skybox if possable. I suppose I could add some more detail in cerian spots as well. but not 30% more...heh there are some visleafs under one side of the map that could use a little optimizing works still.

well yah, little things like maybe some ivy covered walls,or more plants and foliage maybe. Alittle water in the bottom of the pool would be cool. Some refuse or garbage strewn about, and maybe some furnishings or a few more physics props. Stuff like that. These are things that will add to the map but not take away from your re-creation of the sof2 map.

Personally, I think a night time version of this map would create some very interesting lighting opportunities.

Remember these are just thoughts and suggestions, not criticisms. I really do like the map.

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Quote from Nietzsche....God is dead
Quote from God....Nietzsche is dead

You might screw up your entities but, did you ever consider rotating the entire map to suit the skybox?

Just a thought.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Thanks juim for the comments I kinda oversought your post with my last reply, I feel I got the map pretty dead on to the original as well, every floor lip to every brushwork of detail. The hardst part was matching up one room comming from the back to the front, with the floor connecting to the middle rooms, the way it was designed in SOF2, this took me quite some time to get just right. Also I must be missing a step for optimizing water because I couldnt use water in th pool without the fps drasticly taking a crap on me. basicly lost 20 to 30 fps on my 7800 in the spot that was already at 65 fps, so thats why I left water out of the map.
Orpheus, I never tried this but thanks for the idea.

It can be done. The question is, can it be done successfully.

Virtices and entities hate rotating and often bork out.

So, if you have used vertex manip, and have active entities such as track trains, you might be in for a chore fixing the damage. In the end, it might be worth the skybox.

It might be worth, re-assigning the images in an existing skybox instead. Skybox images used to be assigned as top/down/left/right/front/back. You could just reassign them as you need.

good luck.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

If this proves useful, you can find the default sky angles and colors here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Sky_List

Also -- even though this is a direct port I think you could stand to
add some more details to the upper parts of the buildings. Since
you're not going to be running around the roofs, feel free to add
trims, support beams down the sides of buildings, antennas, cables
running between buildings, decals, and like myrk said window trims.

It looks like you did a good job porting the map, but maybe the port is too faithful. Don't be afraid to make it look more detailed.

snowforskate.. excellent job, i like the style and the flow on the map..We have had in our cycle on the freedom fighters server for some time...I also like the fact that you also made it indoors ,and outdoors..

I look forward to your next one..

Good to hear FF is enjoying the map.

I've acctualy been working quite a bit on improving this map latley. I think the size of the map was what kept the good flow. Tho I know the flow can be improved. I regrted placing 4 of the main weapons in the front courtyard. bow, mag, shotty, & ar2. **smacks forehead** Sometimes you would see everyone rush the courtyard as if there were no weapons to be picked up in the backyard. I also began to dislike the massive dead end. Other than that, I was happy with the flow but like I said I think it was the size of the map that kept the flow good. I should have a new version of this map to post in about a week. I will post it named with a _b for the snarkpit critiques. A week from then, I will finalize the map, being my first final. Then I plan to go back and final all my other maps. I've been workin on new maps as well but I would like to finish what I got here for now. Here are a list of things I've been doing to the map...

Improved: Optimization. (almost doubled framerates)
Improved: Skybox.
Improved: Texturing.
Improved: Lighting.

Added: 3d Skybox.
Added: New architecture.
Added: flying seagulls.
Added: Ambient sounds, locked doors, seagulls calling.
Added: Displacments and blends in planter boxes.
Added: Player clips on stairs and debree smoothing out player movement.
Added: A few new decals.
Added: Watter in the pool.
Added: Trim along the front buildings.
Added: More physics props.
Added: Handrails for pool.
Added: New hallway to remove the massive dead end.

Moved: Ammo boxes, orbs, etc. away from the weapons to incourage more movement & better flow.
Moved: 2 of the weapon placements to improve flow.

Removed: A few physics in a dark room no one was using.

Suggestions or comments to improve or change things are appreciated.

Sounds like you made a lot of changes...i look forward to seeing your changes it action... :razz:

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.x[FF]Assn.LoRdNiTrO x.

Regarding issues with the sky not facing the way you want, I believe that can be fixed simply by changing the angle of the sky camera in your sky box. So work out which side its on at the default angle, and rotate by 90 degree increments to get it where you want. However if you've already done the skybox content then you will also need to rotate that to match.

I think that will work, I seem to remember doing in that dod wip I posted a while back, though don't quote me on that :smile: .

Other than that the map is looking good, though I would suggest adding more detail to the buildings and other structures. Some static props, varied textures, basic brush work and displacements can do wonders for the unique-ness of a map. It would break up the relatively plain structures you have at the moment, and make the map more engaging. Now is an excellent time to do this, since your map is basically constructed you have an established fps to work off, making it easy to add detail while still maintaining a decent framerate. In the same vein the windows look out of place to me, maybe because they are for warehouses and I'm getting a villa type vibe from your buildings. Either way some varied windows and ones more appropriate to the general style of the buildings would go a long way.

So essentially I've just repeated everyone idiot.

Well done so far :smile: .

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Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'

Most of my work in the list of changes/fixes has been put into improving the texturing and adding new detail to add to the creation of the sof2 version of this map. I've decided it dosnt need to be exaclty the same, and would like to add more detail than whats there. The new hallways should improve the maps flow quite a bit. I got numerious complaints about the dead end even tho this is how it was in sof2. This new hallway will make 5 diffent ways to take from the front courtyard to the back.

Those windows were the closest thing I could find to match the windows from sof2. I think I will change the windows completly tho. Not sure atm what to use, but I will make sure to use frames around the windows this time for a little better looks.

I've changed the scale a bit in spots of the map, there were a few spots that the top buildings were just to big, and all the window fittings I used I stretched a little much, thier like the size of the player itself. I think I'm just going to have to rethink the windows all together. I'm trying to stick with just valve materials and textures with this map, tho I suppose I could add some custom stuff if needed.

The skybox is no longer an issue for it facing the way I want. I've actualy found a diffrent skybox to use that has the light comming in from the side I was looking for. Its got the color in it I was looking for as well. atm I am using sky_day03_06b ... BUT the problem is I doubt I'm gunna get the lighting right, my monitor sux and I'm used to hl2 on bright settings so I'm sure you guys should have a better perspective on the light settings to use to match this skybox. atm I'm using light_env: 255 255 255 100 env_sun: 253 243 80 any suggestions for how to get this just right would be appreciated.

I get some wierd reflection I dunno how to get rid of, Its relecting the buildings from inside the map on the watter in the 3d skybox. You don't see the problem untill your on the middle roof in the front courtyard and look up about 45 degreese, I belive this showed up after I placed a env_cubemap above the water in the 3d box and pointed it to the brush peice on the waters surface. later, I deleted the cubemap, I was still seeing the problem tho, so I'm not sure how to get rid of this. any thoughts are appreciated.

EDIT: removed double post.

Ok, the main problem is that the map needs better lighting. When I looked at the first image of the map, I thought that you did not even run VRAD, but I could barely see some shadows. You need more crisp lighting, so set up your light_environment better, use slightly yellowish light (SLIGHTLY) and use regular light mainly on the inside parts of your level.

Thank you to everyone who has commented on this map, I had my PC die on me when I was about finished with this map. The other day I finaly got it to boot and backed up my files, so now that I have the vmf again I will continue to work on this map and you should see a new version followed by a final, soon.

UnholyGemini, Thanks for your comment, I'll mess with the outdoor lighting a bit, this is something I wouldnt have even noticed, there is just something about lightin in newer games, I never realy payed much attention to how its "supposed" to look.

Well I finally got to finishing this. Feel free to criticize or comment

Finished finished? Maybe you could add some sand to that coast. Is there a way you could make the transition from water to sky a little smother? Looks good other wise. Good amount of detail.

no no, not finished. I just mean I finally finished V2, I still plan on releasing a final. and if there is a way to make the transition from from water to sky smoother I'm all ears, not sure how to go about making it look better tho.

I don't know what the system cost would be, but you could place some water in your 3d sky box and extend it further. I bet u would barely see the transition between the water and the sky water.