[map] cs_dream_home

This is a a discussion topic for the map "cs_dream_home" by timech187 which can be found here

Map description:

This is my second attempt at a map. It isn't perfect, but I like to think it has some potential. I drew my dream home a long time ago in high school drafting class.

It's a pentagon shaped house with a pentagon shaped pool in the center. There is an opening for the pool to be filled with natural salt or fresh water, depending on where you like to think the house is near.

Across the water is a small island with docks, boats and an old bunker. This is where the terrorists begin. They want to destroy my dream home.

Please stop them.

Let me know what you think, where my mistakes are and what I might could do to improve this map.

One thing, I do understand that my water in my map is different than my skybox...I would REALLY love to know how to fix that situation.

...and, I compiled on "fast" so I could get it to work with me on time to upload. I will be submitting a better version soon.

Thanks
Timech
Screenshots coming soon!

Map screenshots:

I dunno if you have kept up with the forums, but i have had no time to play HL2 yet. (son still has PC tied up with his game)

if i can, i will dload the map and see what i can come up with.
no promises.

I keep up with the forums quite a bit :). I simply don't keep up with each user and whether their computer is working.

I not only read these forums, but I read Interlopers and HalfLife2.net everyday, trying to learn. I just need folks to give me substantial suggestions on how to improve my mapping skills.

I do agree, there is very little if anything in my map that says, "This is the New Source Engine". No qualms there. Hell, it's my second map lol!

However, I do hope that someone that actually downloaded the map and runs through it can give some useful information, instead of just going off of the images I uploaded.

Thanks for the critique anyway :). Hope you get your comp back soon!

Timech

THe out side area loosk sweet alothoh the lighting is f**ked. Using hl2 props liek a combine apc is a bit stupid i think thogh. It dose have alot of potential tho just keep workign at it.

I believe in mixing both worlds. The regular APC gets just a little too redundant if you ask me, hence the combine apc, buggy and airboat models. Heck, if I could just find a couple of vehicles that aren't destroyed in just the CS models, I would have used them.

Unfortunately, in my world, most of the vehicles have their wheels intact :).

As for the lighting, what do you think is wrong with it? What can I do to fix it? I thought it was looking okay, but maybe it's because I rendered it on "fast" like my original post stated?

Timech

Looks more like a warehouse than a dream house :P Think of how you would like it to look then do it. Think about the outside look, do you want nice sash windows or just little ones, and plants. As I said it gives no appearance of it being a house.

Also you might wanna cool off the comments a bit- your commenting after everybody elses. If you leave it a bit you'll get comments- this is comments, not a forum :P

Are you using light enviroment for the outdoors. It looks liek you are using invididualy lights or maybee its just the angle you have them set to. The airboat looks ok but the combine apc is out of place

I agree with Myrk-: it looks a bit like a dream warehouse. Houses aren't so sparsely decorated in most cases.

First off, thanks for the replies :). I do agree it is sparsely decorated, but only excuse is it was incomplete. I was working on getting my main base plan set, then slowy but surely adding in details.

I have stopped working on this map simply because I have been learning new and better ways to map...hence, making some of what I have done, obsolete. I started work on another map and poof, I learned more major tips at mapping since then.

Soooo, I am on my third real map....another CS map, but this time a cave type area.

Anyway, I do appreciate your comments. However, as to the commenting after each person and that I shouldn't do that. Well, that's just silly. I feel that each person deserves a response and I was excited about mapping, so I was excited about seeing what people had to say.

It's a courtesy thing I guess.

Anyway, thanks again!

Timech

Nice work =)