Secret Connections

Pic #1: Using that smoke sprite is horrible in every sense of the word, the fire will look much better without it. Lower the height on those gratings and put a generic non-grating texture on the side. GENERIC015Q is a nice generic dark one, I think.

Pic #2: Again, get rid of the smoke.

Pic #3: Very bland, the ceiling light's the only nice touch. The rest is either prefabs or flat. Try to do something to spice up the floor.

Overall: Needs a fair bit of work but it's not too shabby so yeah, keep fighting the good fight and all that.

Thank you Hugh for your comment, It was very usefull and that smoke sprite was terrible now that I think about it, so are the screen shots, It looks so much better in game, and since Im limited 3 screenies, its hard to capture every aspect of the map. I just added more to it now and the compile stopped responding (stupid computer) and so I have to start all over on the compile, once done, I will take better screens and put them up. Thanks again.

Chances are you're using Hammer to compile by that statement, learn how to use a batch compiler and you won't have that issue...(You can also look in the process viewer and see that in fact the compile processes are actually still running, it's just that there's no response from Hammer itself, although it'd respond as soon as it finishes.)

Too...urm, half-lifey. Get some custom textures, like the poke646.wad. The best so far.

NIce idea, I like the design

The main reason I like this is because it has the original Half-Life materials and appearance to it. Not too many people do maps like these anymore. Great use of the lighting in #1. Picture #2 looks nice, but dark. However, I like dark maps... just look at the majority of my maps, hehe. Picture #3 looks really cool in the background. I like the tower-like object in the middle there. Overall, it's a good looking map. You've got fair architecture and lighting, and you've got some small details in there.

The only suggestion I have is to make your walls, celings only a tad more interesting. You've already accomplished that with vents and pipes, but perhaps make the actual wall with a more unique design instead of having them being flat. Maybe wall beams or something similar?

I'm blabbing on too much... nice work.

Its in its very early stage of developement, and the textures will be replaced. I need to compile a team before all this can happen, What do you think so far. Story is still to come.

anyone?

I want to hear more about this mod. It just looks like another Black Mesa to me.

Some nice architecture on show, but, as you realise, the textures are
bringing it down a bit. You seem to be focusing your detail in the
ceiling and supplementary features, so it might be nice to spend a bit
more time adding detail to your floor and wall structures. Not much
else to say really, keep it up :smile:

Why thank you, but as I said, The textures are changing, I do not have decent custom textures, thats why im looking for a Texture artist.. and also as I said this is in its VERY early stage of construction.. I still don't have a full story yet. I've had some help here before and I used those persons advice, and I want to thank them. I will include them in the credits.

Cheers

Well, there's only three screens. From what I see of them, they look nice :smile: But can you show us more? Or are you trying to keep the mod hush hush for now?

Here is an incomplete section of the story.
Secret Connections-
The story starts as you were knocked out by an unknown force and were placed in a mysterious complex. You have no idea what has happened. but you have vague memories that you can't quiet make out. You find a note in your left pocket and it says something about meeting up with your co-worker, Dan Hives. Your name is Mike Slopes and you are supposedly a co-worker at Atlantic Pipe Machinery Co. Atleast thats what is on top of the letter. As you have no idea what you are doing in this strange complex, You realise it doesnt look anything like the company described on the note. You must figure out where you are.

You start out in what appears as the office part of the complex where something has gone terribly wrong with the engineers working in the Facilities.. Some have survived. Including you. and others are out to get you. You will need to find out what the government has done and what Secrets are beheld in this complex. The number one objective is to rendezvous with your friend that has been mysteriously teleported. He has the pass to get out of the facility, without that pass, you both die! Although his location is unknown, you will be clued in on his whereabouts either it be by blood tracks.... or worse, body parts! Anything can happen and you must escape at all costs. Your friends, and peers are at risk of an unknown....... Stay tuned for more information, as things heat up in this terrifying adventure through hells maze. Coming Summer 2005.

Argh, stories.

Pic #1: Focus the red lighting a little more, it's pretty intense right now and covering a large area, and I don't even see what fixture that much light's coming from.

Pic #2: Looks fairly basic, and though the ceiling looks nice, it also looks fairly out of the way.

Pic #3: Focus the white lighting a tad more so it's not as spread out, the tower looks nice.

Story sounds pretty creepy :O I like it.

Sorry but story is a huge cliche. I suggest coming up with a new story

Haha, I love your new sig Ballblue :biggrin:

Thank you :biggrin:

The story stays... Sorry

also notice this...

Incomplete Story Line-
Secret Connections-
The story starts....

So it means its not the final story...

Yeah - there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the screenshots
overall, but there's several niggles to attend to. It's mainly
texturing/detail issues, here's what I think:







Generally, looking good - be a bit more adventurous with the
walls/ceilings - add pillars, supports/trims, and height variations -
detailing like pipes, vents, fans, respectively.

On the shot with the tower be a little more adventurous again - out of
reach/locked doors - mark out floors/pathways, and definately resize
the blast door - it looks too stretched to be "secure" :smile:

Other than that, lose those "emerg_light" prefabs - you have made your
own light fittings in some shots which look good - do it across the
board! also, considering have one or two main sources of light and
making the rest ambient or accentual lighting. a lot of the shots seem
awful dark considering how many lights (and how big those lights are)
are dotted around.

good luck with it, looks like a good start :smile: hope this is of some use!

edit: and yeah, the texturing is a bit iffy - more so because of the
blurred/low res nature of the default HL textures. Check out the Half
Life Editing forum for a useful links post, plenty of free textures out
there calling for you to use them! :smile:

Thanks alot Gwill, I just got off of work and I will put your help into use.. All these comments are really helping and I very much appreciate it. and About the textures, I wasnt going to keep them for the realease, Im working on making my own. But I havent got it all done enough to use yet.

Again thanks for the help. Cheers :smile: