Wes has the spaceeport right now... THough he's talking about turning THAT over to me as well. Everything else is pretty much fair game.

OK, I turned myself into a liar. I SAID I'd try to have the det cells ready last night. Obviously, that didn't happen. Heck, I didn't even OPEN Radient.

My Lame Excuse : I spent seven hours stripping wax from a deck at work yesterday, and I was extreamly pissed about it. (Also, my feet were killing me) When I got home, I decided as how I'd rather be taking a hot bath to relieve my poor footsies.

So, no mapping. I'll TRY to get it tonight though.

I caught a break, ,ladies and gentlemen! Work was canceelled to day, as the snow was just TOO heavy. Yup - I GOT A SNOW DAY! WOO HOO!

So, naturally, I got to work on the Detention Ceter, and am pleased to report it is fully ready to service your criminal needs! Screenshots and a area summary are, ,as always, avaliable on the Commenor RPG site (http://www.ramapping.moonfruit.com).

Enjoy the pics, and, as always, comments are welcome.

Aru-Wen is apparently almost done with the full layout of the Power Center, so I expect to see that section done soon. My own next area will be the hotel, ,which I HOPE will not take as long as this last one did. We'll see.

Fantastic work, and the map is 25% done! YA!

Looks good, Shad. Very nice. I've really only got to do the control room (which won't be that big), then finalize the textures and lighting, and the Reactor will be set.

I was thinking of taking on the Museum next, if it's ok. :)

SOunbds like a plan. I was thinking that what we could REALLY use there are some MD3 versions of some of the player models - Vader, Palpatine, and the like. THose would make some great display pieces... not sure if we can do that though...

I think there's a way to place models into maps as .md3s, but it seems to be slipping my mind right now. I know there's a way to do it - maybe someone will enlighten us.

BTW, I finally got my signature image! Woohoo! :D

Keep us posted on that, , Aru.

In other news, this SNOW DAY has continued to go great! I have the entire lobby for the hotel mapped out, including a KICKIN' Chandelier. It was a pain, but it'll look GREAT in the game, ,I'm sure. I hope to bust out this section the rest of the way tommorrow, or by Monday night, latest. We'll see.

Well, at close of work today, I did have the hotel area fully mapped out. It's a tad bit larger than the previous areas (i wonder why). While I dont have it completed just yet, ,I do have some new screenie up on the site showcasing the lobby, and the many, many, many custom textures I did for it. *whew*.

Enjoy.

A little bright, but I like the layout of the lobby, Shad. The wood texture irks me a bit, though. Can't put my finger on it, but it doesn't look quite natural.

I'll agree with you, Aru. It looks too..... artificial. It's all bright, shiny, and brand-spanking-new-and-polished looking. Wood almost never looks like that. Also, I think the individual pieces are a tad too wide.

I think you hit the nail on the head, Wes.

When I find something I'm comfortable using on those banisters, I'll use it... right now, that wood is the best I have. Any suiggestions would be nicee... :)

Thanks for the donation, BTW, Aru.

Sounds good, Shad. Maybe just lighten up the wood texture a bit, and pass it thru a filter to add some grain-type effect?

I like the glowy name. ;) Told ya it wouldn't take long if I helped you out. :D

Actually, ,I talked with Fuzzy, ,and we're gonna trry a slightly reddish/brown marble with the shine shader effect. In addition, ,I'm changing a few layouts in the hotel, but only to have the rooms come off the balcony, instead of by way of a lift, as I'd originally planned.

And I'm still reworking the lighting too... at least the chandelier looks good. :)

Ok, Aru. Start the donations :D

I think I'll downgrade to 1.2.10 again then get some serious mapping going...

I donate a bunch of points all at once, Wes. I don't do it in increments. :)

And why downgrade? 1.2.11 is better? Or is it just a "Why do today that which I can put off until tomorrow" type of thing? ;)

Because 1.2.11 gets insane slowdown :(

That's strange. :confused:

Oh well, I guess go with what works.

Obviously, I need to stop giving time estimates. Once again, I said I'd havean area done by a date, , and I didn't. *shrug* Well, at least it's ALMOST done. All that remains for the hotel area is lighting and a few doors.

The wood texture shown in the current screenies was replaced with a brown/red stone. It works MUCH better now.

Hopefully tonight (keeping in mind the first paragraph) I'll have it done.

Hotel is complete, and screenshots are up.

Aru-Wen is closing in on completion of the Power Center, and has signed on to work the Museum (in case you missed it...).

Wes has done some small work on the Spaceport, but it's slow-going for him right now.

Kal_El is still considering areas, and he may or may not have to time to begin assisting on this project. I'm not going to count on it, though, but if you see him, be nice to him and puch him in the right direction! :)

Looking good, Shad. I like the new texture much better. I'm just finishing up the control room, then I have to finalize the lighting. Should be done by Friday at the latest.

I've started sketching out my ideas for the Museum, but I need to talk with you about it whenever you get a chance.

I'm usually on at least one every day, Aru. Normally on toward evening (6PM + EST).

In other news, I've decided to handle the arena area next. I have a few ideas for it, and it should be slammed out rather quickly. Fuzzy had it mostly laid out, but he did it just a TAD on the small side, and not quite as "glitzy" as I'd thought in my head.

But, as an overview :

Rectangular arena area, using a "natural" terrain motif. Plans include a small water area (puddle/stream), a small bridge, and, if an idea that I have pans out, ,the combatants will appear (from thier perspective) to be on a floating duel platform, when, in fact, they are surrounded by glass and spectators. I'm going to try to make the spectatotr area kind of plush, but not nearly so as the Hotel turned into.

That's the GENERAL plan, and I really hope it turns out well. I'll probobly start it tommorrow after work. Provided that work doesnt wear me out like they have the past couple of days.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Shadriss
if an idea that I have pans out, ,the combatants will appear (from thier perspective) to be on a floating duel platform, when, in fact, they are surrounded by glass and spectators.[QUOTE]

camera portal? walls textured with glass on one side and a "flaoting platform" sky on the inside?

Close, Wedge. Basically, the glass will be done as a one-way, but the interior will be skyshader textured. I'm not sure if this will work, but MAN it will be cool if it does... and if the FPS doesnt get shot to hell. :) I'm a BIG proponent of FPS... as DOTF2 thread followers will recall.

OK, I just made a quick test map for that idea, and it doesnt work. Too bad... Oh well... I guess I'll have to find another way to simulate it... maybe just paste the images of a skyshader onto those panels... wouldn't have QUITE the same effect, but...

Ideas? Comments?

How come it doesn't work, Shad? Brush type issues?

The problem is that if you apply a sky shader to a surface you can see the sky at the place of the surface but it is drawn behind everything. If there is something behind that surface then it will be visible.

I mean if you make a room, and a smaller room in it, and you put a sky shader on the smaller room's walls on the inside, then you will see the bigger room, since the sky will be drawn behind everything else, so behind the outer room's walls.

You CAN'T use skies to hide anything behind them. The only way to make this if you put everything beyond the distancecull value.

Shadriss, what if you make your inner arena walls and ceiling with a shader that simulates fog? Of course a real fog brush is not good because it would be visible for the spectators also. Actually that would be the only thing they see. :)

Wedge's question about using camera portals gives an other idea: why not? You only need 5 of them. And in this case you could make a separate room far from everything else and use real sky shaders for it. And a brush in the spectator room with 5 portal surfaces to display the cameras' picture. It would seem as the duelers are in that box for the audience. Maybe. :) I'm afraid that the displays will not make it looking real.

The big question is was anybody ever succesful in creating camera portals in MP?

Originally posted by Leslie Judge
The big question is was anybody ever succesful in creating camera portals in MP?

Not to my knowledge, but I wouldn't let that stop me from trying. :D

I think Wedge's idea with the camera portals has real merit, but like Leslie, I wonder how good it would look.

Okay, here's a more fleshed-out idea about the cameras, see what you think:

Use only one camera. Place it at the top of the arena, looking down at the combatants. Then, when you make the spectator area, build it as slightly elevated platforms above a glass floor that is ostensibly the cieling of the arena, but really just displays the camera view. Then put the physical arena room really far away from the rest of the map, put your floating-platform sky on it, set a distancecull value, and use teleports to get the players in and out of the arena.

Or you could just make the spectator room look like a movie theater and put the camera view on the big screen. :)

[Hey, I thought going from "wampa" to "jawa" was a demotion, but "jawa" to "gungan"?!]

I like the "looking down into the arena" idea. I think that could work.

Wedge, what's the code for implementing distancecull values? I've never messed around with it myself.

There is a default value for distancecull, but I don't know what it is. Anyway, you can specify it in game units. So you only need to know what is the longest distance in your map, and set it a little bigger. :)

I'mnot going to mess with Camera portals... If I can't do the skyshader version of this, I'll just put something else on the inside glass. Remember - this is just one area of a bunch... I dont want to get too fancy here and not be able to make another cool idea later. And really... I dont think looking at the battle with a CAMERA would be that good... would defeat the purpose of the area, to my mind.

I'll proboly just put the IMAGES from the skyshader on the inside... *shrug* Won't look as pretty, but it WILL produce the effect I want. A simulated out-door enviroment.

That's your call, Shad... but the sky textures when not applied as the sky shader don't light properly and look pretty fake. Didn't Leslie have an idea about using fog instead?

In other news, I've finished the layout of the control room for The Reactor. I still have to light and do a couple other various things, but I should be finished with the whole thing tonight.

Here's the partially lit control room:
http://members.aol.com/firstborn1981/powerstation005.jpg)

Originally posted by Shadriss
I'll proboly just put the IMAGES from the skyshader on the inside... *shrug* Won't look as pretty, but it WILL produce the effect I want. A simulated out-door enviroment.

Try putting the skyshader images on the inside of a cylinder, maybe?

OK, Status time.

I have the arena fullylaid out nowe, ,and partly textured. ANother two days, I think, to get it all done. My solution for the wall/glass area was to make them one-way glass (as expected) and then make it appear as part of a wall from the inside. The cieling area will still be a skyshader.

Aru-Wen says that he'll have the Power Center as soon as he finishes the control room lighting. Essentially, it's done. He's already got some firm plans for the Museum, which is gonna mke it an ART museum instead of the Political History one we had originaly envisioned. We just couldn't get the char models converted over, and theother idea we had would be too complex for this map. For it's own SEPERATE map, maybe... but not as a part of this one.

Still no word from Wes on the spaceport, and Fuzzy continues to work on the General Store.

Small addendum to Shadriss' post : I have actually finished the Reactor, and will be moving along to the Museum. All I've got to figure out now is which paintings to use... :)

It's done. Didn't take too long, as I had an EXCELLENT basis to work from. (THanks Fuzzy... it helped a GREAT deal!) Screenshots and such are up on the site.

Still waiting for Aru to get on-line and send me the Power Center so I can get screenies ofthat up as well... Hopefully he'll be able to send it tommorrow.

Next project for myself is the Library, which will be faintly EP2 "Jedi Archive"-ish in design. Go figure...

Also, the Museum, as I mentioned before was changed to an Art Museum... it's new name : Sir Robin's Museum of the Fine Arts. (He was the ONLY knight who had his minstrel with him, after all...)

THat's it for now - enjoy the new shots.

Chalk up another completed area. The Library is now complete, and screenshots are now avaliable on the site. Oncec again, for those who are too lazy to scroll around in the thread, the address is http://ramapping.moonfruit.com)

Still havent gotten the Power Center from Aru-Wen, but when I have, I'll get screenshots up, along with his designer's notes and what not. (Hint hint, Aru!)

Not sure what's going on with Wes and the spaceport... I haven't gotten a report on that for almost two weeks. If I dont get any progress soon, I may take over that section myself to get it done. As we are now over half done with this thing, I'm trying to keep the momentum going.

Hey! I've been in Arizona or swamped with school the past week and a half, so lay off ;)

I'll try to do some more work but I'm not sure if I like the way it's coming out.

EDIT: Except for the lobby, I don't, and that's why I passed it to Aru-Wen.

Well, I have the SPaceport in hand now, and should begin mapping it soon. Wes has his own projects to see to, so he'll not be with us on this one, I guess.

I got the Power Center from Aru-wen, and as soon as it's done compiling, I'll get some screenshots and update the site. He's moving on to the Museum now, and has plans for one section to have old renisance art, including a vaulted cieling textured with the Sistene Chapel artwork. :)

No more news as yet... keep posted (so to speak)

Originally posted by Shadriss
Well, I have the SPaceport in hand now, and should begin mapping it soon. Wes has his own projects to see to, so he'll not be with us on this one, I guess.

Whoah there! Who said I don't want to beta test? :D

And just in case you didn't guess, I do

are u guys using area portals, detailed brush, hints, and vis friendly mapping ?

im asking this because most of map labled RPG
have horible fps, if not unplayable

plz keep in mind the vis :)

Originally posted by Code
are u guys using area portals, detailed brush, hints, and vis friendly mapping ?

im asking this because most of map labled RPG
have horible fps, if not unplayable

plz keep in mind the vis :)

Of course. We're not some hicks that just stepped off the bus in the big city.

Most RPG maps (no offense to any of the creators of them) have sucked. Royally. I don't think anyone on this project would want yet another craptastic RPG map, so we're constructing it as we would any other map - professionally.

If we do our job correctly, this map should be fun to play for the non-RPers as well. There'll be lots of interesting stuff to look at.

yay,

<--- seen to much huge skybox areas lol

THe individual areas all have great FPS to this point - the only true worry I have for FPS is when we connect them all together.

Since it's been brought up, I've got two ideas on this.

Option A : The Ancient (And Ugly) Huge Skybox Area Method. It's a FPS hog. It's a Compile nightmare. I's been done MANY times before.

Option B : I'm thinking I may want to make this a "underground" City (IE the London Underground). THis would allow me to connect it all using passages (still good sized of course) which would allow me to control FPS to a much greater degree. Obviously, it would preclude the need for a skybox (good thing) and there would aslo obviously be some larger areas (plazas) where it has an open air FEEL.

You can tell MY preferance, but the map, like most, is for the players. Nows the time to think it out and get back to me... we aren't TOO far from getting to that point.

Screenshots will be up for the Power Center in the next hour or so... the compile for the Center was a long one (I think I use WAY to many good options...) but it's done. Enjoy!

I say that we make it mostly underground, but perhaps with a 'skylight' of some kind (perhaps in that courtyard area or the hangar, Shad?).

Otherwise it'd be a real pain to light realistically, IMO.

I like that idea, Aru :D

EDIT: Code, I'm assuming you're the one doing the RPG mod?

OK, small hitch.

THe Power Center isn't compiling correctly for me. At least, that's what I'm ASSUMING is going on. I upgrgaded to GTK1.2.12 (just released) just prior to compiling it, so I'm gonn downgrade and try it again.

THe only thing I can see the problem being is a string of about 50 or so "Longest Curve : xxx xxx" merssages during the BSP portion of the compile. I've never seen that before, and neither has anyone I've talked to. ANyone with information on that one, get with me.

So, obviously, screenshots will be slightly delayed.

Aru - We'll go with that idea... both the plazas and the Spacecport will have a skybox... I think I'll just use my trusty Naboo skybox... it's got pretty clouds. :)

Any against?

Nah, I'm all for the Naboo skybox.

I had to uninstall all versions of GtK because 1.2.12 wouldn't open, :mad: then reinstall and update to 1.2.11.

It compiled fine for me with 1.2.11, Shad. I'm going back to that, because it appears they didn't change that much between 1.2.11 and 1.2.12 anyway. I've never even heard about that error, but with as many problems as I've had with 1.2.12 today, I'd say it's the software and not my fault.

Hey, it's a good excuse. ;)