So, what are you working on right now?

[Melan]

It's called "Cleighmoor", and starts out with you trying to retrieve your sword.

 

http://s180.photobuc...n01/Cleighmoor/

 

Cool! ...did I spy Brother Page giving a stern lecture to Initiate JC over the ghost-projector?

 

Also, nice job on the grille with the webs on it. A small detail, but it really gives that scene something.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Melan

[Fidcal]

Not much to critique really! I'm really look forward to the future. I think in a few months and over the following year we'll be seeing some great FMs like this one.

 

Ho hum! back to work. Maybe I'll post a screenie myself before long. I've managed to get decent framerates in the city section using visportal distance triggers and I have a fairly big open area which is surprisingly good on fps. The first fix of all the open areas is done. Next is the internal of the tudor mansion. This already has a layout of moveable plain walls and one room about done. This actually dates back three years and is the first true FM I started, even before Den. Yesterday I went through an old TV recording I kept of the internals of a tudor mansion and made about 6 pages of notes and sketches for inspiration.

[STiFU]

Critiques welcome. After all, this is my first TDM map.

Well, that architect responsible for the layout of those deadly stairs on picture 4 sure is going to get sued eventually, because somebody broke his ankle. But in all seriousness, this seems rather unrealistic to me. Nobody would build stairs that are doomed to hurt people.

[AluminumHaste]

Well, that architect responsible for the layout of those deadly stairs on picture 4 sure is going to get sued eventually, because somebody broke his ankle. But in all seriousness, this seems rather unrealistic to me. Nobody would build stairs that are doomed to hurt people.

 

Just needs a fence on the last step before the huge drop, and it would look alright.

[Komag]

I think the stairs need a redesign, but I like the area a lot

[ungoliant]

preliminary shots of my vert contest entry. If anyone has any suggestions about how to deal with the water discolorations (its black further out to sea), please tell me. Also keep in mind, this same shore will be visible from at least 2500 units straight up. this is the only reason I haven't solved the issue yet. If the player stays flat on the ground, its pretty easy.

 

Tide in

 

Tide out

Edited June 21, 2010 by ungoliant

[aidakeeley]

I think the water looks fine (darker where deeper?) and the tidal effect is excellent; but if you could give us a couple of shots from way up where you say it's a problem maybe it'll become more evident?

[ungoliant]

meh, Aida, I've decided I'm going to go for the gusto on this one, to learn how to mess with material files and skyboxes, and come up with some sort of semi-reflective dark colored water with a texture similar to textures/water_source/sea_water_01.

 

If i can get it semi-reflective and not 100%, then I'll be able to put in the an underwater sea wave effect (looks awesome standing still) that rolls up on shore, similar to ANOOTT, except a long, thin patch that stands vertical instead of flat, and works as func_pendulum that will end up teleporting back to its original position before swinging backward. or something..... i dunno, but it'll be a bitch to time it with the func_bobbing water that moves up and down.

 

Also, I have found by messing with Fidcal's ocean_test map, that you can make awesome simulated moonlight glare on (textured) water simply by putting a bright light above the surface. combine with a low hanging moon and semi-reflective surface...... its gonna be pimp, if i can ever figure this stuff out.

[aidakeeley]

I've decided I'm going to go for the gusto on this one, to learn how to mess with material files and skyboxes

 

 

That all sounds promising and I'm of course happy to hear you so enthusiastic and ambitious... just don't forget this is a contest with a deadline.

 

Maybe, and I do hate to say this in a way, you can plan on making a 'directors cut' (or even, boldly, a 'GOTC-SE' {Game Of The Contest - Special Edition}) follow-up/v2... because I, once again selfish as always, would hate to see you compromise the rest of the mission or miss the deadline (or even worse! hold up the deadline!) because you got tangentialized(?) into this area.

 

Anyway, like I said, so far... very impressive!

[ungoliant]

LMAO i need to mix chasing vodka with beer and TDM mapping more often. I just came up with the most successful off-the-wall solution ever. Paint the bottom of the sky box with my chosen water texture. paint the water in my FM as portal_sky. Perfect synchronization and blending all the way to the horizon, even if my ocean entity is only 15 feet long, and even from 10000 feet in the air. LOL :laugh:

 

Props to Fid and the contest designers for keeping the restrictions of the vert contest, as I never would have needed to create this technique otherwise. yay creative solutions!!

 

Now on to particle effects.... need some giant waves crashing and spraying on those rocks. Then I shall post a teaser video of the epicness of the bottom floor of my vert contest entry, and it shall rival Bikerdudes cave video. It will be good.

 

edit: the ambient ocean sound is mostly set up already, but i plan to include some looping gull cries and distant echoing buoy clangs (after i learn how to create sound shaders).

 

Additionally, if i can fanagle it, 2 more half-cylinder moving wave patches with textures identical to (but not) the skybox that translate backwards at the speed it moves forwards (so it doesn't look dumb) to help justify the giant ocean spray and make the tide more believable. First patch will be a bobber similar to the whole ocean entity (which is now very small thanks to the skybox technique) that comes up and down, second patch will move forward towards the coast directly from that position (supposed to look like a single wave rising and then moving inland), and then teleport back to the origin after hitting the shore, and repeating the process.

Edited June 22, 2010 by ungoliant

[ungoliant]

hmmmmmmm, also, as long as I'm learning how to edit material shaders, I might even edit my beach texture's "wet" areas with a new specular.

[ungoliant]

success!! well, almost. Its still got some underlying issues I need to sort out, but I think its still post-worthy.

Enjoy

 

[Fidcal]

That is inspired. Water texture in a skybox. That is thinking out of the box. Well, in the box actually.

[Bikerdude]

Ive just done 2x 8hr streches on my contest map, so here are some screenies.. don't worry Im still working on my other maps too

 

Edited June 23, 2010 by Bikerdude

[Diego]

Looks really good! Specially like the first one

 

lol The third screen reminds me of the training mission of the T1

[aidakeeley]

Feckin gojus.

[nbohr1more]

@ungoliant:

 

Great effect (now that my workplace filter let the pic through I can see it )

 

@Bikerdude:

 

Looks terrific... You must be sick of compliments by now!

[Bikerdude]

lol, I only wish I was good as the likes of Siptip or DrK..

[demagogue]

I hope they'll make a Darkmod FM someday too.

That first screenshot is cool.

Something M.C. Escher-esque about it, don't you think?

[Komag]

I too love that first shot, really really cool stuff!

[Springheel]

Ive just done 2x 8hr streches on my contest map

 

Jealous.

[Baal]

Bikderdude really is a fast builder. And it looks great, too. I have to iterate over and over something before it turns into something I like...

[Bikerdude]

I'm out of work atm Springs, hence I can waste massive amounts of time at the computer that said I spent 2 hrs scouring the web for inspiration and would you believe I got the idea from a doodle someone did -

 

http://www.digital-e...s/buildings.htm

 

Bikderdude really is a fast builder. I have to iterate over and over something before it turns into something I like...

Thanks Baal, how do you mean iterate..?

 

That first screenshot is cool. Something M.C. Escher-esque about it, don't you think?

How so..? my main issue atm is trying too choose the right textures - as useal TDM is still too 'sterile'

Edited June 24, 2010 by Bikerdude

[Baal]

Thanks Baal, how do you mean iterate..?

After I build something I inspect it in game and then change/rebuild (scale, layout, textures etc.) what I don't like. It starts with very basic brushes and gets more detailed along the way. And it usually takes a lot of repeats before I'm satisfied with the results.

[demagogue]

How so..? my main issue atm is trying too choose the right textures - as useal TDM is still too 'sterile'

 

Stacked pillared or inlaid archways are a common Escher motif, even more so if it's a three-level stack, not just two-level (maybe not that he does it more, but often enough and you see it other places less).