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Seasons Contest Entry : Winter Harvest by Shadowhide


Shadowhide

  

42 members have voted

  1. 1. Seasonal Theme

    • No Season
    • Barely Defined
      0
    • Season is Clear
    • Season is Captured Well
    • Near Perfect
  2. 2. Gameplay: Enjoyment. Fun duration. Smooth flow, ect. Versus Bugs. Frustration, Boredom, framelag?

  3. 3. Aesthetics: Visual pleasure, lighting, visual style. Audio, use mood. Storytelling and consistency?



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I'm glad somebody like it

 

@people who didn't like it,thanks for critic and fair votes

 

@flood :

 

If you will flesh out the story details the player will become emotionally connected to that and the people/AI's so that the objectives, world and playthrough will be much more immersed.

 

sorry,but I will not do anymore updates or another missions.Story of this fm - is everything I can think of.I know,this is my first attempt to create playable mission,but it fail.Look at another people first missions... Return to the City is very good example what talented mapper can do even in first mission.I always want to create classic Thief mission with blackjack and guards,but I can't,can't create good Thief style architecture,even can't create a good story.

 

so thanks for playing this and sorry for wasting your time

 

 

Proceed with caution!

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Shadowhide, I have yet to play your FM, so I can't say anything about any bugs or other flaws, but still I think that you are giving up way too easily. The best advice was already given in another thread: Ask for help! You can bet on anyone helping you with stuff you have trouble with. There's an expert for everything here in the forum. Some are good with writing a story, some are talented architects, others write astonishing scripts... You should have noticed that most folks here were ready to forgive your overly critical comments, so don't hesitate to ask around if anyone want to help you.

My Eigenvalue is bigger than your Eigenvalue.

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Shadowhide, I have yet to play your FM, so I can't say anything about any bugs or other flaws, but still I think that you are giving up way too easily. The best advice was already given in another thread: Ask for help! You can bet on anyone helping you with stuff you have trouble with. There's an expert for everything here in the forum. Some are good with writing a story, some are talented architects, others write astonishing scripts... You should have noticed that most folks here were ready to forgive your overly critical comments, so don't hesitate to ask around if anyone want to help you.

 

Every mapper can do everything himself (except beta testing and voice recording or mappers who unite into small team to build good quality missions )

 

 

 

Proceed with caution!

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You managed to release a mission. There are not that many who have done that. So don't give up. And don't compare your first map with something like "Return to the city". That was NOT a mission done by beginners. Melan and Bikerude have built a lot before that. Which is what you need to gain experience with the engine and editor.

I think "Winter harvest" was just a little to ambitious. :)

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what Baal and others said :-)

 

For you next map I suggest a small city mission like Melan did with Fauchard street, Melan's secret is that he has a keep eye for architecture, that coupled with his awesome textures (which btw we can all use now) produce good looking maps. Also he knows how to tell a story unlike myself, so put that all togerth and you have a nice mission to play. Figure out where your strengths are and dont be afraid to ask for help on stuff etc.

 

if you haven't done so already, I suggest you start a thread in the editors section something like "Shadowhide's questions thread" etc. Also if you like, I would be happy to have a look at your map in DR and up[date some of the architecture, like I did for Return to the city.

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For you next map I suggest a small city mission like Melan did with Fauchard street, Melan's secret is that he has a keep eye for architecture, that coupled with his awesome textures (which btw we can all use now) produce good looking maps. Also he knows how to tell a story unlike myself, so put that all togerth and you have a nice mission to play. Figure out where your strengths are and dont be afraid to ask for help on stuff etc.

 

city mission is impossible for me with my imagination (maybe I can write some story,but I can't imagine the "my own" city)

 

 

Proceed with caution!

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Do a Google image search for "tudor architecture", for example, and try to replicate something from that. Don't start with a whole city but a single street or backalley. They're basically just corridors with a skyportal ceiling.

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@SH, Melan's walk through on how he made Fauchard street tell's pretty much what you need to know.

 

1. doom likes tunnel's and tubes for best performance (and I should follow my own advise here...lol)

2. a simple city street like the one in Fauchard is essentially just a tunnel with high walls.

3. decorate theses walls with doors, windows, balconies, pipes, etc..

 

Doing the above means the mission will perform well, will keep most players happy. When I get some spare time I will have a look at your map and just spruce up the building etc, and then pm the link so you can see what a difference better looking buildings make etc.

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@flood :

sorry,but I will not do anymore updates or another missions.Story of this fm - is everything I can think of.I know,this is my first attempt to create playable mission,but it fail.Look at another people first missions... Return to the City is very good example what talented mapper can do even in first mission.

No first release is expected to be a "Magus Opus". You put very ambitious stuff in your very first FM.... and see, votes aren't that dishearting so far, are they? Even "Rome wasn't build in one day" :)

 

Melan is an excellent mapper who did build long years in dromed before changing to DR. And even he did not really succeed with RttC (version 1) with a performance far from good because of an also too much ambitious frist TDM map . And know what?? Even advanced mappers need and ask for help sometimes. And even an excellent, intelligent FM author like Melan did not hestiate when Biker offered his help ... and together they rebuild the very excellent polished Version 2 merging the strengths of Melans architecture & story with Bikers skill doing great visual details and performance optimizing ;)

 

Just remember: Mapping isn't about competition! It's about you having fun creating and mapping!! Even consulting with others is sometimes fun... And if a few people have some good hours playing what you've build and give positive feedback that's of course great. It needs time (and some FM releases) to get that experienced to be able to build very ambitious works. Just notice how Sotha and Biker get better and better with every new release! Even people like Purah and Yandros didn't build their master works in their first map! ( And no, don't even try to compare with Saturnine :D )

 

So don't be easily dishearted....!

 

Just listen to the many experienced people around when the say: Start small! show some respect for other peoples efforts. And ask (politly) for advice is needed.

 

Bugs can be fixed.

Intro easily changed for good.

Story and people's background is in your head. It just need to be fleshed out in some readables like mentioned.

... add to that a little polishing in architecture and gameplay here and there ...

together with a proper beta test ...

 

... and your FM will doing well :)

"To rush is without doubt the most important enemy of joy" ~ Thieves Saying

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You're right that some mappers can do it all. But not everyone.

 

I have a good start on a fairly large city mission, and an almost complete medium mansion I want to plug into it. But I had to get someone elses help on storyline help.

I can think of basics and refine them with help, but am not a storyteller by any means and that's obvious in all my TF2 maps too. They always got rated decent for terrain, but poor for story.

 

Cities can be tough, but look at the inspiration thread, there are tons of photos/link. I found it easiest to pick on building I like, then just try to mock that up. Get the basic shape, find another building, mock it up. After awhile you'll just have a feel for it.

 

I always think the number one mistake people make is trying to get too detailed in cities. Old cities need to be crammed together and that works perfectly for this engine. Make hallways, no need to be able to go between or around every building. better to go through one here and there to get to another street or courtyard.

Dark is the sway that mows like a harvest

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For sure don't give up. I may be one of the most outspoken Shadowhide critics but you managed something I haven't; released a mission and on time at that.

Congratulations and I am looking forward to playing it, I promise I'll be fair and please stick around. :)

I always assumed I'd taste like boot leather.

 

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Shadowhide, dude...

 

This was an excellent mission. Very ambitious and it paid off well. Impressive.

 

All that needs to be done are some (I'm sort of guessing here) scripting fixes. I was able to figure out what to do without any outside help despite some of the small and large lack of or missed narration in the way the mission flowed...

 

Just needs to have a revised briefing -- only slightly to emphasize and clarify the 'Friendlies' situation. And use Sotha's read-at-your-own-pace briefing mechanic.

 

Also needs to have the spirit script adjusted so that people must be in earshot of the spirit for it to trigger. I missed this, though I saw him, and was till able to figure out what to do, but it shouldn't have been triggered out of earshot anyway.

 

And most importantly need to script it so that you cannot leave without the crown. This I missed and was screwed (I ended up climbing up to the fallen roof attic as did KOMAG, (and thoroughly searching many other places; btw something up in the attic and something in the lake would be nice) in search of the "something valuable".

 

IMO, even if you just fix that last one it'll be one of the most impressive Thief 1st missions I can recall. And I've played them all!

 

Very nice mission. Please take the advise given here (+mo' beta = mo' betta) and continue.

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I tried this a lot times

And are the results really that bad? Or are you just to critical? ;)

In my experience, often small changes can make something look good (choice, alignment, scale of textures, lighting etc.).

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This is a very good mission if you ask me. Besides having little sense of direction I had no problems with playing this mission. And most of the problems mentioned here can be solved with more beta testing and tweaking really. It's not that this is a bad mission, not at all. Keep up the good work Shadowhide!

 

ps. If you think a city mission is too hard what about an indoor mission?

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@Shadowhide - my post in this thread was pretty critical, but that's not going to stop me from saying - don't quit! I did finally finish the mission, and there is a lot of great stuff in there, especially for a first timer. A little beta testing would have gone a long way here, and maybe a couple of small gameplay decisions here and there could have made this mission awesome.

 

There's no way though that you should just give up on editing. It's just wrong to think that way after receiving some criticism on your first mission - think how much smoother things will do the next time around. Stick with it bud, I think you'll find it's worth it.

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SH I managed to play your mission! I didn't finish it but it was an interesting thing to watch. Here is my review of everything untill the moment of my overcompulsive knock out of a guy in prison that wanted a book(and after that an error when quiting the mission to load last save) :

 

1. I had perfect performance throughout the whole game. That's a plus.

2. I liked the fact that people actually were talkin to me and not running away screaming for help. Another plus.

3. I liked the fact that the scenery was changing. Plus.

4. The corridors and library looked very nice. Plus.

5. Forest seemed to me a little empty... Just trees and location, trees and location, trees and location. The places except the house you're starting from looked also a little empty. Minus.

6. Bugs - I got stuck on this pagan thing on the graveyard. That's another minus.

7. Story telling a little hard to understand at some points. Minus.

8. The Wind sound! God it was so annoying at the beginning! Minus.

 

Now in my country when you take a big exam in humanities and at the end there is a composition to write, "the estimation key"(something for examiner to follow when checkin an exam) has something called "special values of the composition". It gives a few extra points when a composition show something special, special knowledge, interesting examples and so on. I am giving you now these extra points for originality. It was different then other FMs. I am willing to finish the mission and see more of your creations.

 

You said earlier: "... Thanks for playin and sorry to waste your time." I didn't feel like wasting my time. That's all about that.

 

 

From my personal experience I can tell you that you should always treat your first work with a lot of credit. I hope your imagination didn't stop workin after that one. Really hope to see more of you in the FM list. Good luck.

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Looks good Biker :)

 

Though, I believe you made the same mistake I did and mistook this for the Seasons Contest thread :D ...

 

Here:

 

http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/12282-seasons-contest/

Edited by nbohr1more

Please visit TDM's IndieDB site and help promote the mod:

 

http://www.indiedb.com/mods/the-dark-mod

 

(Yeah, shameless promotion... but traffic is traffic folks...)

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so thanks for playing this and sorry for wasting your time

You're wrong. It was definitely extraordinary mission. Don't need to play oppressed. You have skills, and just need to polish your next one. :)

(yeah I believe you already started to your next one! lol)

 

@biker

 

I should say I'm amazed with details. However, that marble texture just kills details of the arch in shadows. Imo, details look better with light textures. Howewer, for the color harmony you probably don't have many choices. Wait a minute! I see there is a custom statue wow amazing dude! In fact I was wondering how did you do those archs already. Hmm we are waiting an explanation right here. :D

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A little update for you lot as I'm getting close the beta testing my contest mission etc..

 

here is a little wip shot

 

it remind T2 fm called Cathedral of damned

 

 

yeah I believe you already started to your next one! lol

 

no,I can't think of anything except fucking forests

 

 

look at my old unfinished T2 maps...

 

:wacko:

 

dump003.jpg

 

when123456789.jpg

 

2007062519350.png

 

:wacko::wacko::wacko:

 

this is my fucking imagiantion

 

 

Proceed with caution!

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no,I can't think of anything except fucking forests

Heh, you might say you can't see the wood for the trees. wink.gif

 

If you want to do something that isn't set in a forest, give me a theme (city / warehouse / mansion etc) and I'll see if I can come up with a plot that you can work with.

 

 

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