[map] cs_nimrod

This is a a discussion topic for the map "cs_nimrod" by Agent Smith which can be found here

Map description:

Here's the work I've done on cs_iranian_embassy converted to the source engine, under the new title cs_nimrod.

I've tarted it up a fair bit more than the old version, as would be expected, and what I have so far created is accurate. Obviously the texturing is only temporary till I get my hands on the full SDK and all those HL2 textures, but it still gives a good idea of the progress so far.

When I figure out how to use the new modelling program the detailed ornaments that are currently brushes will be replaced by models.

Map screenshots:

Looks good.

Shouldn't there be a little more space on those balconies ? (So people can move around a bit on em)

Otherwise, looking good !

Looks good, only the pillars in screenies nr 3 area bit flat, you might want to make them round , itmight looks better that way, but maybe its just the angle the screenshot was taken from.

overal looks pretty neat.

Out of curiousity, is everything on that building solid? I'm trying to figure out if I still need to "func_wall" things to reduce polygon count.

I think the idea blue is that you make detail into models, not actually using the old method of func_wall anymore. Most of the brush work is solid, but I did make the hand railing on the balcony, the little pillar things in that, a func_wall. I think we'd have to ask Reno or Lep about that, they seem to be the resident experts on all things source.

Func_wall's are now obsolete in their use as performance tools, but still have uses as being able to switch textures and things by triggering them. The new entity to use for reducing face splitting (to reduce polycount) and stopping an object blocking vis (to decrease compile times) is the func_detail, which uses less memory than a func_wall by having absolutely no properties (ie. it is an entity purely for the sake of being an entity, not for having any functional use).

In the source engine it is encouraged to use props, as these are only held in memory once, and for every use in the map this data is referenced. On the other hand, if you build everything out of brushes, all this data is loaded in. Also, for reasons I don't know off hand, it is less expensive in terms of processing to render models than BSP stuff.

Thanks Reno, I figured it was something along those lines. It's a shame the new modelling program is so complex compared to Milkshape. It's going to make it difficult for people to make custom models as easily as before. I don't see why they couldn't introduce a smaller modelling program for small, low polygon stuff.

I'm sure that Milkshape will update to support HL2 - it might only be suited to low poly stuff but thats fine for props and the like. Alternatively there is gmax, which is far more like milkshape and softimage.

Iranian Embassy? Like the one in England? That'd be a great level, especially if CTs did the grenade thing on the balcony! The Embassy looks really nice, I shall be adding this to my clanserver's map rotation!