Dm_valley

After the "new" betarelease, progress has slammed into a halt.

The creaton of a 3D-sky went really fast and painless, until i compiled and checked out the result...

It seemes like the 3D-sky isnt affected by the "far Z clip plane" or
"max viewable distance" which makes the map look extremely uggly over
far distances. I really dont know what to do.. If you have any
suggestions then id be happy to hear them.



At short distance



At long distances.

For more info:

http://www.snarkpit.net/forums.php?forum=6&topic=5185&6

Some images in this post have been automatically down-sized, click on them to view the full sized versions:

Some images in this post have been automatically down-sized, click on them to view the full sized versions:

Some images in this post have been automatically down-sized, click on them to view the full sized versions:

Some images in this post have been automatically down-sized, click on them to view the full sized versions:

I havent given you an update for about a week now since i have had alot
of work to do in school, but now I'm back again with a new beta.

I had lots of feedback at interlopers about the 3D-sky and that I
should remove the skyskrapers and create surrounding mountains instead
to create a more valley-like feeling, which I have done.

This beta contains a few new enviromental features:



A big fortress at the end of the broken bridge.



A pic of the added mountains.



another pic of the added mountains.



Added a combinefortress looking building aswell, just for show =P.

Download the Beta here:

http://www.home.no/misterbister/maps/Dm_valley.rar

The map seemes to perform a bit better with the newest catalyst drivers 5.6 aswell (it is almost noticable! =P).

Im thinking about making the surrounding mountains a bit higher to
create a more claustrophobic feal, right now im not sure if that is
necessary.

In addition to this small update on the progress I just wanted to say that im not dead... At least not yet.. :rolleyes:

Thanks alot for all the feedback, you all have helped me more than you know.

Now for the goodies.

First of all, the "final beta" will be released in late july, and that
will be the last chance for you guys to make me change all the bad
parts. The final version will probably be released somewhere in mid
August.

I have also added a few nice things.

First of all, the missing rubble beneath the bridge. Although as it is
right now, the rubble kinda eats up all the perfomance, but im working
on it..



Secondly, i have added some missing visual features inside the big fortress:





Finally ive added some scanners and seagulls at the map to give it some
movement. Right now theyre just flying around ignoring everything and
behaves kinda strange. But i think that theese little fellows gives the
map more life.

The map doesn't look like those last 3 screens though :razz:

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-[Better to be Honest than Kind]-

Might be cool to make one or two high spires/peaks around the edge. At
the moment, the screenshots make it look like the cliff border (while
very well done it seems) is fairly even in terms of height. A bit of
variety wouldn't hurt - get some high spots up there.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

? quote:The map doesn't look like those last 3 screens though :razz:

Thats maybe because that post is about 21 days old.. =D

Might be cool to make one or two high spires/peaks around the edge. At
the moment, the screenshots make it look like the cliff border (while
very well done it seems) is fairly even in terms of height. A bit of
variety wouldn't hurt - get some high spots up there.

Yup youre right, ive been thinking about the very same thing.

Its been a while but now i'm back and here is the "final beta".

If you have'nt given me any feedback before, now is the time!

This beta contains quite a few changes but since I made most of them some weeks ago, and since my memory suck,

I cant really remember exactly whats new..

Anyway, the things that I'm sure has been updated since the last time is:

Added Basic Teleporter effects as well as sounds.

Made lots of vis optimizing.

Added the combine rifle at two spots in the map

Added ambient sounds.

Removed the seagulls and seekers.

Added lots of cubemaps.

Changed the fog so that it is greyish everywhere instead of orange.

Optimized textures on the mountaints here and there.

Removed a bug at the jetty which forced the player to jump across an invisible barrier to be able to cross it.

I have also filled the old image archive with fresh meat and deleted all the old pics.

Have a look:

http://www.home.no/misterbister/Bilder/Dm_halo/WIP/

Here's pics at the new teleporter effects:







Download the final beta here:

http://www.home.no/misterbister/maps/Dm_valley.rar

As I said before, if you have'nt given me any feedback before, please do it now, before it's too late...

Looking good, hope you put in them cubemaps I told ya to?

---

-[Better to be Honest than Kind]-

You are such a cubemap junky myrk :biggrin:

---

[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

Looking good, hope you put in them cubemaps I told ya to?

Yup.

this looks (once again) not like a map i want to play :sad:

At least give reasons if you are gonna critise mate - simply saying
something without an explanation isn't going to help anybody.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

Hench said:
this looks (once again) not like a map i want to play :sad:

I have seen this name on a person on another forum. He was very negative. I suggest that if you are not him that you not repeat his mistakes.

As for this map, it also seems to suffer the huge out of proportion scales. I hope that when I make my first map that I do not do the same.

I like the mood the map incites, keep that part and lose the grand scale.

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

What out of proportion scales? It isn't as if there's a doorway with a door that's three times the size it should be.

I think this map would be well suited for rocket use, because of the large open area. It looks fun for a team setting or massive DM.

Why do you not like grandiose structures? (You made a similar comment in the other thread ... which didn't fit either)

---

Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I prefer smaller 1 on 1 maps I guess. Besides, are you telling me you have never noticed that almost all new mappers make huge areas? I find it difficult to believe that every single one of them dreamed of making a map suited for the RPG.

Now, I can only judge by the pictures, but I feel like an ant in a cathedral looking at each screen shot. Tell me your hypothesis on how each mapper dreams of owning a map with an RPG rocket launcher, and then I will define my reason for saying "Grand Scales"

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

I prefer smaller 1 on 1 maps I guess. Besides, are you telling
me you have never noticed that almost all new mappers make huge areas?
I find it difficult to believe that every single one of them dreamed of
making a map suited for the RPG.
Now, I can only judge by the pictures, but I feel like an ant in a
cathedral looking at each screen shot. Tell me your hypothesis on how
each mapper dreams of owning a map with an RPG rocket launcher, and
then I will define my reason for saying "Grand Scales"

It seems like your only argument is that the map is big, and because of that, it's bad.

From my point of view, that seems like a very narrow minded opinion...

Let me ask you two simple questions.

First of all, have you ever played the map?

Secondly, have you ever used the rocket launcher?

Let me tell you my point of view.

In order to blow s**t up at maximum efficiency, you need large outdoor areas.

As far as the scales go, it's all default, since you can't change the models scale.

I have had lots of betatesters trying out the gameplay and nobody has ever said that the map was too big.

Also, are you suggesting that i'm a newbie just because i'm making a big map?

I'm quite offended.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting MisterBister</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>

Also, are you suggesting that i'm a newbie just because i'm making a big map?
I'm quite offended.
</DIV></DIV>

Are you suggesting that since I think the scale is to big that I am incapable of knowing it is so? I find that equally as insulting. However I can live with that assessment since I have neither played this map nor built one of my own.

If I am not permitted to comment on the screens alone, so be it.

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

MisterBister said:
Also, are you suggesting that i'm a newbie just because i'm making a big map?
I'm quite offended.

Are you suggesting that since I think the scale is to big that I am incapable of knowing it is so?

Yes.

MisterBister said:
Yes.

Is this a general Snarkpit consensus, or just your vaulted knowledge on the topic?

I may not know, as you claim, but I have the right to NOT KNOW, and you are taking that away from me.

That goes beyond mapping, and I feel it best if I stear clear of your maps from now on. You obviously feel my opinion valueless.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. (sarcasm at its finest)

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

I've played the map quite a few times, and my opinion (don't know if it means anything to anyone lol) is that its a good map, which had some problems and issues which hopefully have been fixed in this new version. Cubemaps being one of them- gotta love them cubemaps!

---

-[Better to be Honest than Kind]-

I also agree, this is a good map, and good job to you. My
suggestion is prehapes you could release this map for the HL2CTF mod.
www.hl2ctf.com

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Dark_Kilauea
DVS Administration
http://www.dvstudio-production.com/

I also agree, this is a good map, and good job to you. My
suggestion is prehapes you could release this map for the HL2CTF mod.
www.hl2ctf.com

Yeah, that was a great idea, i had never thought of it before. I think ill do that.

Yay for the effects, not yet played this but it looks good!

The map looks good, I like it. I would make the walls thinner in the rebel base though, as they seem rather thick. Also, I have not downloaded the map yet, but is the long-diatance-fog issue worked out yet?

---

http://maze5.net

The map looks good, I like it. I would make the walls thinner in
the rebel base though, as they seem rather thick. Also, I have not
downloaded the map yet, but is the long-diatance-fog issue worked out
yet?

No, there is simply too much detail in the level to remove the "max viewable distance" and the fog.

Just got done playing this map with my brothers and it is a ton of fun.

A few things though

-It would be nice if there was some more detail on the combine walls (btw i understand if this is note possible due to the already large size of the map and fps problems, though the 3 computers we ran it on with ranging specs handled it fine)

-Put ladder textures on the thumpers so you can climb up the ladders built into the model

-more rocket ammo in additional places would be nice, and maybe an additional spot for the assault rifle.

Just got done playing this map with my brothers and it is a ton of fun.
A few things though

-It would be nice if there was some more
detail on the combine walls (btw i understand if this is note possible
due to the already large size of the map and fps problems, though the 3
computers we ran it on with ranging specs handled it fine)

-Put ladder textures on the thumpers so you can climb up the ladders built into the model

-more rocket ammo in additional places would be nice, and maybe an additional spot for the assault rifle.

Sorry, but i dont think I dare to add more detail to the map =/.

You can actually climb up the thumpers, although i have had a plain
hell making it work propely. Right now you need to jump or duck in
order to climb up on them.

I will fix that until the final beta.

During gametests at leveldesign-LAN I desided not to add any ammo to avoid camping on the bridge etc.

Besides, you probably wont survive that long anyway :wink: .

Thanks alot for the feedback though.

Just got done playing this map with my brothers and it is a ton of fun.
A few things though

-It would be nice if there was some more
detail on the combine walls (btw i understand if this is note possible
due to the already large size of the map and fps problems, though the 3
computers we ran it on with ranging specs handled it fine)

-Put ladder textures on the thumpers so you can climb up the ladders built into the model

-more rocket ammo in additional places would be nice, and maybe an additional spot for the assault rifle.

Sorry, but i dont think I dare to add more detail to the map =/.

You can actually climb up the thumpers, although i have had a plain
hell making it work propely. Right now you need to jump or duck in
order to climb up on them.

I will fix that until the final beta.

During gametests at leveldesign-LAN I desided not to add any ammo to avoid camping on the bridge etc.

Besides, you probably wont survive that long anyway :wink: .

Thanks alot for the feedback though.

no problem, i figured that might be the case with the walls

the thing with the ammo though is you could put it in spots where people probobally won't survive long, this will make the map more playable for smaller games, and since they would be in vulnerable spots, it wouldn't effect larger games to much. Like out in the middile somewhere, in the pond maybe, places where in a larger game you just don't have the luxury of going/

no problem, i figured that might be the case with the walls

the
thing with the ammo though is you could put it in spots where people
probobally won't survive long, this will make the map more playable for
smaller games, and since they would be in vulnerable spots, it wouldn't
effect larger games to much. Like out in the middile somewhere, in the
pond maybe, places where in a larger game you just don't have the
luxury of going/

Hmm.. Yeah that might be something. Ill think about that.

You know, as groovy as this map is(and kudos to you for such an accomplishment), I won't be able to run it at the Diner as the framerates are horrible in the main areas. I run a P4 3.4 LGA775 Chipset w/1 gig of fast ram and a GEforce 6800gt graphics card and am recieving around 25 to 30 FPS in the main areas with wider views(note: thats only with me in there). As good as the source engine is I think this map is a bit much performance wise for the average computer.

<span class="mainmenu">Finally, after 6 months, Dm_valley leaves the beta stage and is now finnished.

The list of changes is the following:

Added a button at the door in the end of the corridor of the big combine fortress.

I have removed all the barrels in the pond to increase performance.

Removed a barely visible mountain to increase performance.

Made the walls of the red building in the rebel camp thinner.

Smoothed some terrain.

Added paths and a little yard at the rebel base.

Removed the hanging combine soldier in the watertower to increase performance.

Changed the values of the "water_lod_control" to start the trainsnition to cheap water after 1000 units to increase performance.

Fixed some sloppy burshwork.

Removed the buggy combine car at the bridge.

Fixed the ladder issue. The ladders at the thumpers should now be climbable without problem.

Increased the draw distance of the furniture in the red building of the rebel camp.

I have spent lots of time listening to everyones opinions and changing
the map in a way so that everyone would like it, and thats probably why
it has taken so much time.

When I sat down a few days ago to write the "thanks to" list, I got
a bit of a shock when I realized that over 50 persons have been
involved somehow in this project. It really feels great that so many
find this map interesting and worth a comment.

I know I havent given any other project very much attention, but
since so many from snarkpit gave me so much great feedback, I have
decided to stay around for a while and try to repay what you gave me.

Below is the thanks to list, however the personal comments has been
removed since that would take way to much space.

The
full "thanks to" list can be found in the readme which is in the RAR file
containing the map.

My mom and dad, My girlfriend Karin, Satchmo, Frissi, Habboi,
BlisTer, Orpheus, Myrk-, Addicted to Morphine ,Spartan, Hugh,
MoneyShot, ReNo, Crono, Dark_Kilauea, Pureferret, mazemaster,
CrazySteve, Underdog, dragonfliet, Grim Reaper, wiggle987, IZaNaGI,
seppe, Dead-Inside, Spas12, Vash., Blink, habboi, YokaI, vasko, Yoshi,
cur_sed, Athlete{UK}, mabufo, Lonedog, Xlator, Wolf/Sky, Olleman,
Coldblooded, Westberg, Lingon geisha, Bladebitch, Alucard, NotueRn,
Kobi the leopard, Fenix, Twiggy , Teddybear, Ace, RatFace, Namron,
Toor-, Skunken, Ank4, Frank_Desembler, Synthetiq, Clawfinger, Klasse,
Skumtomten, Surfer, XPerience, Nilesh and Juim

Additional thanks to:

The Snarkpit community, The Leveldesign community, The Interlopers community, The Halflife.nu community, The Valve company.

Download the map:

http://www.home.no/misterbister/maps/dm_valley.rar

Dont forget to read the readme!</span>

Gameplay is smooth, the layout is well thought out, and overall the level is very pleasing to the eye.

Furthermore it offers unique gameplay with the limited weapon selection, and rocket launchers.

A must have if your computer can handle it.

Looks Sweet.
Submit it too http://csm2.net/

Nice looking map. good overall layout and just something different i guess. very nice work.