DM Complex

I post this message in apprehension. This is due largely to my almost
unforgivable position of posting my first 'real' map on the Snarkpit
forums. I have spent many a time reading through the forums and
glancing through maps in quiet reverence.

With the introduction through, I'd like to present to you this map,
Dm_complex. It is somewhat unimpressive and uses basic brushes and
entities to achieve what can not be described by any means a
masterpiece, but I ask only for your opinons on the map itself, and how
you believe I could have improved it, as I am entirely sure there are
many ways.

I expected to have more to say, but it seems I do not. I thank you for
your time in reading this somewhat frivolous post, but hope only that
you give my map a fair chance in reviewing it.

Spare a thought for those of us without 1200x1000 or so screen resolutions... :razz:

Geeze, why are people always so afraid of Snarkpit? We don't bite... very hard. :smile:

It still suffers from a lot of beginner tendencies though. Lighting is
pretty monochrome and the whole thing is quite boxy. But it looks like
you have a good grasp of basics and you know your way around Hammer.
Try experimenting with different light colors and non-box-shaped
brushes.

Don't be so hard on yourself, we've all been at this stage at one point or another! (except Finger, who is truly a god) :biggrin:

This is based on the goldeneye map right? My only suggestion from the screens is that you have plenty of freedom to remake the map in your own image and give it it's own personality. Try to experiment and move beyond a direct translation, add some more details, some additional passageways where you feel would help the flow, that type of thing. You've got plenty of work that can still be done to make the map look nice.

Well, firstly, I apologise for the large screen size, I just thought it would be more efficient to see it all at once.

Secondly, thank you for the warm welcome. I would have to agree with
you Campaign on your point about the lighting and I feel it is one of
the surprisingly most difficult aspects of map making.

Yak_Fighter, I do believe you're referring to Goldeneye on the N64?
While I have heard many good things about this game, I have never
played it myself so that is not something I drew inspiration from. To
be entirely honest, I got the idea when playing around with a few
different brushes after watching "The Last Castle".

Anyway, thanks for the hasty replies. I'm sure you'll be pleased to
know that I'm indefatigably beginning work on another map, but with
more planning and a more experienced approach.

i can only see the top left pic and part of the top right, but from those i agree it looks a bit blocky. i agree that you should follow the advice from cj about experimenting with different shapes. the rectangular doorways could use trims etc... keep at it, dedication + a bit of talent will bring you far.

Please change the screenshot size before Orph sees it. Trust me, you'll save yourself a lashing.

Screenshots fixed.

In retrospect, these are probably not the best screenshots of the map,
as these were taken relatively early and before I had become bold
enough to do many of the things you claim I am not doing, but upon
further inspection you will find that I have.

Many of the walls and doorways have been clipped into a less than boxy
appearence, and many of the walls have broken parts and holes in them.

It's so plain and boring. Its like lockdown, just worse. Put more than a few hours into a map, man.

Mike, shut your god damn mouth.

This is a great start for a first map, however there are a lot of problems in it. For one, fix the lighting - it seems a tad dark in areas. Second, disable the shadows on all weapon pickups and item pickups, because they are casting shadows through the brushes. Next fix your debris. You are putting a lot of things inisde jail-cells (such as computer monitors, bottles, crates, etc.) that just don't make sense. Fix the glass texture upstairs, its WAY too stretched. What are the wires downstairs doing? Perhaps adding them to something believeable (such as the lamps on the roof) will make it look much more realistic.

Another thing, fix your stairs, because they are just blocks ascending at the moment. Make the 'Freedom' decals a slash instead of bullet holes (to make it look like someone carved it in with a knife or a shiv). Remove the posters in the jail-cells, they just don't make sense at all. Fix the top of the railing texture, again, its way too damn stretched. And last, whats the purpose of that vent downstairs? Seems to me like an easy way to kill anyone who is in there due to the fact that its small and leads no where.

Those are the bad things I found in this map, other than that it seems fun (tested it alone so I wouldn't know how good the layout is). I think its a great start for a first map, and Mike-o needs to shut his god damn mouth.

Yes, this does look good for a first map. Besides what the others said, I suggest changing the map's name since I think there already is a dm_complex on SnarkPit: http://www.snarkpit.com/maps.php?map=1575

There has been a lot of new members who think they can release a ,"Fun" map or a killbox/a map with no asthetic value. This is an artsy kinda site , Btw nice start off ^^ maybe after a while you may want to change textures. i dont want that texture set to be overdone ^^. otherwise good starting map = D. "i still havent released anything = P"

Also mike-O i saw how many "quality" maps you've made. Dont cut down others unless they are trying to do something really stupid "releasing a killbox or a fullbright map.
Overall it looks like a great start man

Personally, i am more offended by perins comment than mike-o. i have detected no such "event" as the snarkpit community universally saying a map sucks, rebuild it.

perin, if you are going to make such "all encompassing" statements, at least pick one thats more fitting and accurate. "snarkpit is by the large, honest and forthcoming in its desires to advance all levels of mappers to their own ability to achieve"

i am very disappointed no one else picked up on this slight.. it is extremely offensive.

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Blinn, the light fixtures look nice. You made the sprite effect nice. Perhaps you should add a tint of yellow to the sprite and the light colour to make it look more eerie. You should also add some bars instead of walls for the jail cells. Bars would make it look more like a jail complex. As for the floor, add some transitions in there from tile to concrete, then back to tile, etc.. Some more debris, such as tables, chairs, maybe combine equipment (all inactive) and maybe a lobby with desks would add to this map.

Good luck with the map, you're off to a good start.

You can be offended by my comment if you want, but it was directed to the people that come forward with that general attitude towards others works. I appologize that my words were a bit forward. I should have said a general comment on how rudely some people are commenting on maps lately. Snarkpit is a great place to show off work, receive critisism on work and give critisism. I figured it was just time to say something about how people aren't properly critisising.

At least you worded it better, the second time.
we do have some issues with the newer member list and their ill conceived replies, but its hardly indicative of the pit as a whole. you must remember, many of us old timers do not comment as often as we once did. for whatever reasons, most of us simply don't. the new people out number us in shear map replies of late.

and you are right, i can be offended, if i want to. your wording was not much better, than the people you are accusing. :/

Thank you all for your helpful comments.

I now realise the stupidity of not checking whether the name was already taken and I will change it if possible.

First things first: Perin, you are correct, it would have benifitted from a lobby but I was unsure of where to put it to be honest, I supposed in a section that's almost behind the stairs would have helped. I'll try to ensure that my maps are more fitting to their location in future. I've seen many people comment about the lighting colour, so it must be important to change it and so I will experiment with more varied colour in future.

Vash: The darkness of the lighting was somewhat intended as I attempted to make it atmospheric, but evidently failed. I was unsure as to what to do with my stairs. Unfortunately, due to insufficient planning they were somewhat of an afterthought, but I think they would do well to have some kind of posts beneath them, so I will try that in future. I was considering photoshopping my own 'freedom' decal out of slits in the wall with a knife to save on time taken to render, but was unsure as to how. I'll investigate further if I ever plan to do something similar. The glass was a bit of a problem because I tried every single glass texture in existence, and they all looked VERY odd, (different colours). Perhaps it's just my graphics card / settings, but that was the closest I could get to what I wanted. The ventilation shaft is somewhat of a camping spot, so that it would be dark enough that if anybody crouched there with the crossbow, they would be able to kill people as they spawned in the bottom of the map.

Parekeet: You're right about varying the textures, I should have tried to do that more.

Mike-O and Perin: I respect your views and if you feel that this map is not up to par, feel free to not play it.

Orpheous: Thanks for 'sticking up' for me.

I think that's pretty much everyone. I'll just see if I can rename the map. (I had originally gone with "DM_Revolt" but that was taken too. It seems I need a bit more originality.)

EDIT: Name changed to 'insurgence' which basically means 'rebellion' which is what happened.

Sucks to plain nothin exciting just like mike said just a wanna be lockdown