[glorious praise]
Your the man, Wedge!
[/glorius praise]
Likewise. Mastery of the patch. :thumbs1: (various forms of praise)
About starcraft:ghost, you could still learn about the Zerg and Protoss from that. Even though it's a console game.
So Starcraft: Enhanced is a patch. JK2 1.02, 1.03, and 1.04 are patches, but they are constantly debated over which is best.
Ah, Aru, so dependable... ;)
Now I guess I better get back to mapping, huh? (PS- SPRING BREAK! LOTS OF FREE TIME!)
More curves. :P As a matter of fact, I'm wondering how the gameplay flow will work in this map, it's alot of winding (glass) corridors with no hinting allowed. :\
Hmm...what do you mean, Legion? Frame rates, or the actual winding layout?
If it's the former, I think I have the problem solved. I've been able to block off several sections of corridors with hint/areaportal brushes, and surround most of the corridors with separate struct brushes, so each corridor/room is its own leaf node, or something along those lines. I've had some pretty good results with r_showtris 1 in SP tests, though there's one room that it likes to draw even when I'm on the other side of a closed door with a portal in it, and I can't figure out why...
I mean actual gameplay, gunfire, range of weapons, usefulness of bunny hopping/raging, advantages of rocket over repeater or repeater over rockets, or do you plan to have this saber only? (I just got back today from Thailand, sorry if I seem slow.)
Edit: Looks very promising though. Exceptional work being done here for sure. :]
Hmmm again. Good points there. I haven't tried this setup at all in a combat situation, but I definitely agree that it will result in a totally different style of play. Some of the tubes curve vertically quite a bit, too, and the few sharp bends will counteract rockets, etc. It's much more suited to saber/gun fights than long-range battles (in fact, I'm considering simply not including the rocket launcher...but I'll decide that for a fact when the time comes).
Usually, the tubes go pretty much straight without any sharp 90-degree bends, although most of them curve gently. There are also several rooms that, while still a bit constricted (especially in height), are fairly open. You might have some interesting ranged battles there. Also, explosives might be all the more deadly in Tal Erulanei simply because there aren't a lot of open areas...but then again, there are a lot of different ways to go from point A to point B. I'll see what happens! :)
[Edit: PS--Thailand! Cool!]
Some updates...here you can see one of the two major corridors. I would put up images of the central open space (dueling area, heart of the a'Tal, whatever the heck it is, the only real big room in the map) but I'm having some mysterious trouble with a HOM on an areaportal-brush in a door. Huh. Anyways, without further ado...
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0152.jpg)
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0153.jpg)
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0151.jpg)
A little reminder: there will always be more screenshots on my site than I will post here.
Very cool looking! Freaky, almost. Looks like something out of a sci-fi movie... should be a ton of fun to play.
Looks really great wedge :thumbsup:
I'm maybe the only system shock 2 fan around here, so maybe its just me cowering in fear everytime I see these screenshots!
This is some of the most innovative use of architecture yet methinks, and absolutely no one can say "is that JK?" :D Great use of the Q3 engine all round. Looks really special :)
"Special," yeah, I guess that's a word for it...
Another, better reason to cower in fear...kids, DONT try this at home:
http://wso.williams.edu:8000/~jshoer/images/screenshots/talEdit.jpg)
Looks like conceptual art man.
If that was a piece of conceptual art it would be called something like...."Contemplating Light" or "Nature of Another" or "An apple made of nothing". Could even be the cover for a RadioHead album....
I use black with white lines, hmmm, white with black lines looks quite good.
Originally posted by Kengo
If that was a piece of conceptual art it would be called something like...."Contemplating Light" or "Nature of Another" or "An apple made of nothing".
Uh...way too deep for me, dude. I just look at it and think, "This is a mess. I'm only half done. I wonder when I'll get a migraine?" But it's all worth it cause it looks sweet in-game. IMHO. :cool:
http://wso.williams.edu:8000/~jshoer/images/screenshots/talEdit.jpg)
That does look like a mess in 2D view, but incredible in game.
Excellent job. It looks really organic. From the screenshots, it looks like it would already be great for release.
*Mails Tylenol, Advil, Bayer and Excedrin to Wedge*
*thinks*
*mails Midol too, just in case*
:D
I haven't made a final compile worthy of screenshots in a while, but I have a few pieces of news...mainly that I'm adding in some new details to old areas and the central arena is still evolving...looks different than that last screenshot...and I'm pushing ahead with a bunch of architecture, trying to get all the interior tunnels done before I go ahead and flood the thing with details. One other thing worthy of note, I said somewhere on page 1 of this topic that I might make a TerraGen tutorial cause a couple people asked how I made my sky for this map, and I actually did make said tutorial. It's on my site, you can link directly to it at
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/terragen.htm).
And now off I go to work on the thing some more...dum dee dum...
I've read the tutorial. Very good job. :)
One comment: at the end you just mention the using of q3map_sun, but I think it would be better if you would show how to convert the TerraGen sun parameters to match with the game in the shader.
For test renders a value of 1 for the skylight iterations also a good idea (IMHO :)). Much less compile time.
And a warning at q3map_skylight would be also good: it works with q3map2 only.
Originally posted by Leslie Judge
One comment: at the end you just mention the using of q3map_sun, but I think it would be better if you would show how to convert the TerraGen sun parameters to match with the game in the shader.
Erm...to tell the truth, I don't really know myself. :) I've always just played around with it till it seemed right...but if I ever find out how to convert it, I'll put it in there.
Originally posted by wedge2211
Some updates...here you can see one of the two major corridors. I would put up images of the central open space (dueling area, heart of the a'Tal, whatever the heck it is, the only real big room in the map) but I'm having some mysterious trouble with a HOM on an areaportal-brush in a door. Huh. Anyways, without further ado...
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0152.jpg)
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0153.jpg)
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0151.jpg)
A little reminder: there will always be more screenshots on my site than I will post here.
:bounce3:
Make me an amphistaff model and I will dub thee Deity of jk2 editting :P
Originally posted by wedge2211
Erm...to tell the truth, I don't really know myself. :) I've always just played around with it till it seemed right...but if I ever find out how to convert it, I'll put it in there.
OK, here... a helping hand :)
In terragen the 0 degree is towards the top of the screen and increments clockwise. In Radiant (and ingame of course) the 0 degree is towards the right side of the scrren and increments counter-clockwise.
So:
Terragen 0° = Radiant 90°
Terragen 45° = Radiant 45°
Terragen 90° = Radiant 0° (360°)
Terragen 135° = Radiant 315°
Terragen 180° = Radiant 270°
Terragen 225° = Radiant 225°
Terragen 270° = Radiant 180°
Terragen 315° = Radiant 135°
The elevation of the sun is the same in both programs.
I REALLY wish that patches were VIS blocking...
I finished ALL the interior layout 'cept for the side pod. Now I'm just going around surrouding all the tunnels with caulk brushes so that it splits into leaf nodes and has decent FPS. But man, trying to approximate the shape of a twisty tunnel with just the edge and clip tools is difficult...
Kengo, better run for cover again!
Well, pnut, I'd better be a deity cause I'm taking the vertex tool to hell and back. :cool: This isn't a yammosk in the middle, but it might be something vongish:
http://wso.williams.edu:8000/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0168.jpg)
(I'm still working on the dangly things. They're lamps or something.)
http://wso.williams.edu:8000/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0165.jpg)
:drool1:
Nice double helixes. How many of these textures are custom? It looks like almost all of them.
I hope you don't get any stubborn errors like AKPiggot got on Party Crasher. It seems likely with all those patches:(. Do you have the exact count?
So far, it's curvy, detailed, and still looks very organic. :thumbs1:
Can you post a z axis(overhead) map of what it is now?
If not, how big is it so far?
Originally posted by master_thomas
:drool1:
Nice double helixes. How many of these textures are custom? It looks like almost all of them.
Thanks. THe far helix is actually kinda messed up, but it looks all gnarled, which is just as cool. There are three standard JKII textures/shaders in there. colors/yellow, yavin/greenblock and yavin/water1. Not including things like caulk and hint.
I hope you don't get any stubborn errors like AKPiggot got on Party Crasher. It seems likely with all those patches:(. Do you have the exact count?
Yeah, I hope not...I think the only problem I might run into is FPS. I think the map averages 50-60 overall. I don't know how to get a patch count out of Radiant, suffice it to say that most of the level goes away when I hit Ctrl+P. ;)
Can you post a z axis(overhead) map of what it is now?
If not, how big is it so far?
Um...I could, but it would be pretty useless. I haven't increased the map's dimensions, only added stuff inside it. The overhead map just looks like the original one I posted, only with LOTS more patches inside the various pods. LOTS more patches. Like, the thing is so full of lines, it's just a black smear. You wouldn't be able to see anything within the mess. I can't, and I built the goddam thing. :D LOTS of lines. All over the place. *shudder*
Architecture 100% complete. What remains: light entities galore, details, and powerups.
That's where the region tool becomes almost necessary. To find the count, I think, filter patches, invert selection, unfilter patches. I think the patches count on the brush count and the selected brushes aren't.
thomas: By that method, 1,113. :eek:
So...um, I finished all the architecture...and put the powerups/spawn points in their approximate final positions...and gave it a prelimenary bot route. I wanted to see what the gameplay is like (I still have to add various details to the map before it will be in any final state whatsoever). Anyways, the gameplay was pretty cool overall, it was interesting to play a game where you only have to take a few steps down a corridor to escape your enemy (unless he has the flechette grenade launcher or the repeater, they kinda rule the map). However...I have one major problem. What's wrong with this picture:
http://wso.williams.edu/~jshoer/images/screenshots/shot0170.jpg)
That was in a game with 7 bots and me spectating. I tried a couple other games, and found that the map held a half-decent frame rate in a 3-4 player game, MAXIMUM 5-6 players. Not too bad, as it is a small map, but I suspect the engine is drawing a lot more crap than necessary. I'll be working on FPS optimization quite a bit, any suggestions are welcome.
What about total, including the hint, caulk, skybox, etc?
5 fps? :freakout:
Ouch. Think about playing that online on a server where your ping would average 140(I have some like that). <shudders>.
Break the map up as well as you can. Lower visibility.
One step ahead of you, I'm gonna run another test compile in minutes.
Still looking great, I love the lighting next to fett's head.
Good Luck fixing the FPS.
Put me on the list of people who want to beta test it.
Put me up their with Altus_Thrawn, or I recommend(although I'm still new to mapping and haven't released a completed project yet) open beta. It's much easier. Maybe, when you're ready, put the beta version up for download and open a beta testing thread, or starting a server with this on and enabling auto-download.
I'm putting "The Attack on Yavin" up for open beta at my site. Beta build 2 is coming out soon, of course, I shouldn't advertise on your thread. Why don't you do that too? You don't have communicate through e-mail as much, plus, lots more points with a beta testing thread;).
At least fps is improving. 52 with 6 players. That's pretty good. How many with 7 now? Is their a leap in lag or does the rate of increase grow after 6? Good look with framerate optimization.
The 38 FPS reading is with 8 players, 7 bots and me spectating, although I did see it hit 40's a couple times, maybe 50's in that area. (Actually, that area is a "trouble spot," it's not representative of the rest of the level.) I have a couple other things to try out to boost frame rates. I don't know if they'll affect that area in particular, but there should *crosses fingers* be some general improvement.
No beta decisions have been made on this map yet.
Looks like you'll get the framerates up enough. :)
Okey-dokey, I'm going through this map trying to add details, but...man, all those curves! Does anyone out there know of any sites where I might find organic-looking models to put in this map?
Dead Vong laying on the ground...DO IT WEDGE...YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!!
Let's get to the basics. Plants. Everyone knows plants are organic. Otherwise, look for fungi, and it seems to fit. Plus, if you want to build it out of brushes, a 'shroom's all curves;). Dead Vong, well, that would make sense, but remember: Lost, advanced society. Not the location for recent mass slaughter(unless you want that in your ffa storyline).
So, the fps is still improving. Good.
Originally posted by master_thomas
Let's get to the basics. Plants. Everyone knows plants are organic.
Plants are organic? REally? ...FIND ME SOME! I'd put them in if I had some good ones, the yavin ones are too leafy and ferny.
Dead Vong, well, that would make sense, but remember: Lost, advanced society. Not the location for recent mass slaughter(unless you want that in your ffa storyline).
Yeah, I know the story I made up for my map. :)
Originally posted by pnut_master
Dead Vong laying on the ground...DO IT WEDGE...YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!!
Wanna find me some dead vong models? ;) Unfortunately, even if there are some, I don't think they would fit very well with the theme. This map is far too "nice" for vong! :D
Hey Wedge,
Sorry I haven’t uploaded that music yet. I've been kinda out of it for a little while. I'm still planning on doing it and I'll let you know when I do.
What kind of "details" are you thinking of adding? Just my humble opinion, but I think too many models could detract from the organic peaceful value.
Great work so far. I don’t mind playing with 5 fps (j/k I know you’ve probably already fixed it.)
That's okay, I think the Myst music is working very nicely. But sure, upload stuff, I'll consider it.
"Details" would be the helices, those green "light-pods," ridges and bumps, etc. I'm playing with hanging fern and grass models upside-down from the tunnels to see what that looks like. I'm trying to keep the theme uppermost in mind as I do this (makes detailing really tough...I can barely use brushes!)
The Vong thing was a joke, I'm waiting for jk3 and Kotor until I start bashing people to begin huge NJO TC Mods :P
I'll try finding some good organic models, maybe some of my modeller friends can whip up some cheap ones for you...
I think wedge already got his resources for plant/organic models now. ; )
Yeah, I got a few already. Variety always helps though, if any of you see anything else that might work in this setting, please let me know!
whoa, dude, that looks awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D cant wait to download it! very nice, ive never seen anything like it!
That's 'cause there is nothing like it!;)
I'd just like to take this time to announce that I'm planning a complete from-scratch overhaul of the map that will delay release by about 7 months....
No, just kidding. Seriously, I just want to reassure all y'all (why am I from Massachusetts and saying that? No idea) that I am indeed working on this, just haven't updated in a while. I'm back at school now, and the project will speed up once I finish this English paper and computer science midterm...blearg...
I'm back at school now, and the project will speed up once I finish this English paper and computer science midterm...blearg...
Glad I'm not in College. (I will be in four years. Wow, I'm younger than over 90% of my fellow forum goers.)
y'all (why am I from Massachusetts and saying that? No idea)
'cause
Don't worry Wedge, I'm starting to use more slang too.
Uh oh. Pop-up coming. Every day for the last two weeks, pop-ups have caused my browser to crash. Dang advertisements. DO YOU THINK WE GIVE A ****? MOST OF US CLOSE THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN LOAD YOU *****ES!!!
Okay, as I calm down and reduce my profanity (fewer asterisks for a better tomorrow! lol) , I will say, "Man, I wish we had more vacation time."
Any luck with the fps? Not that it will bother me too much (I never seem to have fps problems. I guess I'm lucky)
I'm back at school now, and the project will speed up once I finish this English paper and computer science midterm...blearg...
I feel your pain.
So, how's school going? Get anything done? How's fps (I've been trying to improve fps in my levels and have not been having any luck with area portals.