So, what are you working on right now?

[Obsttorte]

With actual roofs it looks way better from a distance, but it makes portal'ing difficult.

You don't have to visportal roofs, as long as they shouldn't be accessable. You can use caulk sky and func_static roofs.

[Kvorning]

Interesting, though not quite sure what you mean. I've put caulk on surfaces not in the world (mostly for good order), I've mostly visportals to compartmentalize where the geometry is most narrow. But can I get the game to render func_statics behind sky, by moving the center of origin into the map, or something like that?

Edited May 12, 2013 by Kvorning

[Obsttorte]

There are basically two ways to create sky. One is sky_portal, the other one is caulk. When using caulk, you have to be sure that at least one surface in the rendered area is using the sky_portal texture (I usually do this by a hidden sky_portal textured cube).

 

Caulk does not render and cuts into other textures, but only if they are worldspawn. If you've converted them into func_statics, they will be rendered completely and not be cut off the caulk surface as it happens with the portal sky texture. To make sure this happens, you have to make sure that the func_static is reaching into the rendered area a bit.

 

Wait a sec and I'll post an example map.

[Obsttorte]

kvorning.map.txt

 

Here ya go. Some notes.

• delete the txt ending
  
• the skybox is a prefab that can be found under prefabs/nature/skyboxes
  

 

I hope that helps.

[Kvorning]

Awesome man, thanks! Gonna look at it a bit later, working on fixing a haunting design flaw

[Obsttorte]

You are welcome!

[Kvorning]

Now that is just cool as hell! Messed around with the settings, using the setup you linked, and gotten some good results. Thanks again, this'll help me get the map in the right direction faster

 

Edit: 3 new pictures: Slums are finally coming along nicely after a loooong evening+night. Still need some more detail work, but I'm pretty satisfied at this point with the walls.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Kvorning

[Moonbo]

Really exciting stuff being posted on this thread recently. I'm trying something a little bit different for the next part of my map...let me know if you guys think it works or if it just looks odd:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kvorning]

Cool concept, reminds me of the Dwermer caves from Skyrim

[Melan]

Now that's novel. I'd like to see this map.

[Moonbo]

@Kvorning, thanks, I actually forget now where I got the initial inspiration, I was flipping through the internet and I saw a picture of a ruined stone bridge and the idea stuck.

 

@Melan, hopefully soon! My aim is to get it into beta testing by the end of next month.

[Sir Taffsalot]

Awesome stuff Moonbo. Just a suggestion though. I think you should take some chuncks out of the bridge with the Clipper tool. Those breaks in the bridge look way too clean.

[Bikerdude]

Now that's novel. I'd like to see this map.

He has done a number of novel things in this mission, another thing Ive never seen before is triggered FuncPortals. As in when a player leave and area VP's manually closed, it took me a while to figure our during alpha testing..

[Springheel]

As in when a player leave and area VP's manually closed, it took me a while to figure our during alpha testing..

 

Doesn't everyone do that?

[Bikerdude]

Doesn't everyone do that?

He is using triggers rather than using distance check etc on the FPs themselfs.

[Capela]

I really like those kinda buildings, which is 'kinda' what I had in mind for the slummy parts of the 'Commons Quarter'. But I found along the way, that it was easier to give the illusion of roofs, rather than actually having them, so i pressed everything in tighter in narrow streets, build tall and compartmentalized it. With actual roofs it looks way better from a distance, but it makes portal'ing difficult.

 

Your awnings are awesome, and I definitely gonna need to do something like that, and hope I can get it back in your direction

Well thank you, i see your work and i hope i get in your direction..lol. Anyway i think this topic its realy important and interesting to see how people with the same tools can make so distinct work, with light, sounds, or architecture, that create such a special and unic environment.

 

@someTaff: I said in last post that i was beging to work in the center of this part of the map, and this topic is for me "So, what are you working on right now" and right now a first shot from what im working right now.

 

Edited:The windows are not correct i fixed but i just forget to dmap before i take this shot..damn.

 

Edited May 14, 2013 by Capela

[simplen00b]

let me know if you guys think it works or if it just looks odd:

I think it looks odd, and it works.

 

@Capela - love the moonlit ambience...

[Kvorning]

@Capela

That building there in the middle, made a huge difference, couldn't recognize it at first. Can't wait to see it with patches

 

What kinda light source are you using?

 

And yeah the map is getting there, as I'm actually getting lost several times, which should be a good sign, right

 

Btw. hopefully this tip will help you as it did me:

 

Compartmentalize and make modules(func_statics).

I've made some custom windows, entryways, doors and balconies, put them to named func_statics and then able to quickly copy those modules around and make flat walls look nicely extruded.

If you make the edges of the 'module' aligned with grid 8, it goes a lot faster too.

As it's a FS, it can get a bit unaligned on rotate, but easily re-adjustable, which you only need to do 3 times, as you just copy/paste on corresponding axis as the desired wall.

If you've compartmentalized sections of your town with stuff like some 'sexy archways', it's alot more convinent to make visportals and to focus getting sections tuned for performance vs looks.

Make sure you're really satisfied with your module before you copy it. I've had to correct a few regrets on my account of my own laziness:P

 

I'm sure some of this you're already doing, but never the less it's probably the method I've used the most, and rendered me the most satisfying results.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Kvorning

[Moonbo]

@sirTaffsalot, yeah you're right, it's just going to be a real pain for me to do that now though. The bridge pieces are massive func_statics that have been rotated, and to cut/extrude pieces out of a rotated brush is a nightmare...if you can think of a simple way though let me know :-).

 

@Bikerdude/Springheel, well the whole triggering func_portals thing is only because my bad map planning made it so that too many visportals were open at certain spots in that part of the map. So it's unique but kind of a cludgy workaround :-P. I'm more proud of the fact that everything in the map is done without scripts (outside of a script to remove an inventory item, since the func_itemremove is busted), but that's only because I can't code worth a damn.

 

@Capela, I really like the combination of that flaking plaster texture and the dark wood. Makes everything look really "slummy". The global lighting (is that a parallel light?) also makes for a great mood.

[Sir Taffsalot]

@ Moonbo:

• Rotate the func_static until it is straight
  
• Revert to world spawn
  
• Now click on the brush you want to take a chunk out of so that it's de-selected.
  
• With all other bridge pieces still selected turn it back in to a func_static.
  
• With the Clipper Tool take some chuncks out of the de-selected brush.
  
• Revert the func_static back in to worldspawn.
  
• With all bridge pieces still selected click on the brush (or brushes) that has had chuncks taken out of it.
  
• Turn all bridge pieces back in to a func_static.
  
• rotate back in to original place.
  

It shouldn't take more than a minute.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Sir Taffsalot

[Tels]

I'm more proud of the fact that everything in the map is done without scripts (outside of a script to remove an inventory item, since the func_itemremove is busted), but that's only because I can't code worth a damn.

 

Is that func_itemremove tracked? (Or already fixed?)

[Obsttorte]

@ Moonbo:

• Rotate the func_static until it is straight
  
• Revert to world spawn
  
• Now click on the brush you want to take a chunk out of so that it's de-selected.
  
• With all other bridge pieces still selected turn it back in to a func_static.
  
• With the Clipper Tool take some chuncks out of the de-selected brush.
  
• Revert the func_static back in to worldspawn.
  
• With all bridge pieces still selected click on the brush (or brushes) that has had chuncks taken out of it.
  
• Turn all bridge pieces back in to a func_static.
  
• rotate back in to original place.
  

It shouldn't take more than a minute.

You can work with the single parts of a func_static by selecting it and push tab. Don't know if you can clip it in that mode, you have to try out. What may be more easy is instead of cutting things out you could just add some. I mean the players won't take a tapeline to check that the bridge was broken *correct*

[Sir Taffsalot]

@ Capela: Your recent screenshots show a huge improvement in compairison to your early ones. If I could make a suggestion it would be to put some market stalls in your map to fill up the large space in between the buildings. Maybe some statues and fountains too although your screenshot looks like it might be that of a poor area so they might not fit. But some market stalls definately.

[Kvorning]

A little update on the map, just caus I'm a tease. Added custom entries to the houses, and custom windows. All have the option to be movers, so hope there's a few cat burglars around here

 

Same goes for the slums btw.

[Bikerdude]

A little update on the map, just caus I'm a tease. Added custom entries to the houses, and custom windows. All have the option to be movers, so hope there's a few cat burglars around here

This place is Im guessing the equivelent of Aldale then, being thats its so pretty and tidy etc :-)

 

But regarding the slums and this shot - http://imgur.com/a/Lj8UJ#5, what street texture is that as it looks awesome, like wet mud.