UFO:Alien Invasion
Development => Mapping => Topic started by: Adjuchas on March 18, 2011, 02:46:23 pm
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Hi All,
I've layed down the basics for my first map idea and tested it a bit. The theme is a high-rise tower block terror mission, I'm trying to achieve a run-down feel with it. It'll be part of a small set (for variety) until I get to grips with the RMA stuff.
I reckon I'll have an alpha version (without lighting) compiled ready for testing by Sunday.. I wouldn't mind some feedback or suggestions.
Whats the best method for uploading this for testing?
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you can zip the map and attach it here if the zip file is not bigger than 1 mb. you can upload it to a filehoster and ask in the irc channel and we can host it for you
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Looking forward to it. There are also default lighting settings, so whether or not you specify sun/ambient values the compiler should create a lit BSP unless you deliberately tell it not to (compiling with the -nolighting option).
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As promised!
This is the complete size of the map, I still need to decorate and light it all etc... the plan was for it was to start on the roof and work down, but I didn't realise that models can't be tied to levels.. so the landing craft was visible on all levels (not sure if there's a way around that?).
Either way, at worst I'll move the start location to the roof of the adjacent building.
Let me know what you think.
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can you please also upload the map file? also which license will you release your map under? if you use existing prefabs you have to chose gpl2 or later.
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very cool idea - i like the layout
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last bunch of screenshots
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and can we technically drop a random aircraft on the roof?
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very cool map.
hm.. one thing i am thinking about right now it: maybe better this map is with less floors (or variable floors)? this will take ages. no problem the first time u get this map, but i think i would cry when i see it often in game =).
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Very nice Adjuchas! I like the concept and the execution. It looks like you've taken good care with the dimensions so the pathfinding can make sense of it.
I know it's just an alpha, but there are a few suggestions in screenshots, including how to set the levelflags for a model.
And please do share the .map file as sometimes there are some construction habits that can lead to problems down the road or other ways to optimise the map's performance.
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and can we technically drop a random aircraft on the roof?
Not at the moment although I believe vertical RMA is being worked on. And we can always go without dropships if necessary.
hm.. one thing i am thinking about right now it: maybe better this map is with less floors (or variable floors)? this will take ages. no problem the first time u get this map, but i think i would cry when i see it often in game =).
Only 8 floors are "walkable". The others are for aesthetics to make you feel like you are high up.
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Hi all,
Thanks for all the feed back, the .map file is attached on this one.
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can you please also upload the map file? also which license will you release your map under? if you use existing prefabs you have to chose gpl2 or later.
It'll be gpl2
very cool map.
hm.. one thing i am thinking about right now it: maybe better this map is with less floors (or variable floors)? this will take ages. no problem the first time u get this map, but i think i would cry when i see it often in game =).
This will be part of a set, I'm thinking two terror maps (this one and a second larger one that has a variable second building with full interior.) and a story/important objective building, like a government building.. not sure where I'm going with that yet, perhaps a civilian research building that the aliens want rid of?
On a side note, I'm aware that you can't get back up to level 2 from the level 1 stairs (already fixed in the latest version) and that the alien metal ramp can only take one person (again, fixed) so need to report those.
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Very nice Adjuchas! I like the concept and the execution. It looks like you've taken good care with the dimensions so the pathfinding can make sense of it.
I know it's just an alpha, but there are a few suggestions in screenshots, including how to set the levelflags for a model.
And please do share the .map file as sometimes there are some construction habits that can lead to problems down the road or other ways to optimise the map's performance.
Hi H-Hour, I'll have a go at modifying the landing craft.
One thing that's bothering me is that the floor textures I've used look a lot different on mine than on yours.. (see screenshot), are there updated texture paks?
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Yes, it's certainly possible. We are in a long-term, ongoing effort to replace all of our unlicensed assets (http://ufoai.ninex.info/licenses/textures/index.html), which are mainly map textures.
Are you on 2.3.x? Several textures have been changed since then.
Ideally, you would be set up on our repository (git) and could get the latest development files at any time. But it can be pretty difficult for someone who hasn't done it before (I required a lot of help).
That said, I think it is not a major concern. Updating textures at a later date will be easy if and when you feel it is necessary. I would say keep plugging away for the moment. If you're keen to get set up on the latest development version, hop on IRC and if someone is around who can help you they will do so.
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Hi H-Hour,
I'm using 2.3.1 with the city map spawn point fix and uforadient 1.5.
I can't get the latest version of radient to run under Win7 x64, I'm guessing theres more functionallity in there?
Incidentally, I still can't seem to tie models to levels, the level boxes untick immediately when I tick them... am I doing something silly?
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Thats crazy. 2.3 textures looks better than 2.4
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Adjuchas, I seem to remember a bug with some things like that in the past. I'm running UFORadiant on Win7 x64... Maybe mattn or someone can try and produce a new download for you tomorrow. I can compile, so maybe I can send you a new exe (does that work, mattn, or is there more to it?).
Bayo: not necessarily. It's a scaling issue because the new textures have a higher resolution. Once scaled down the new textures may look better (or not).
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Thats crazy. 2.3 textures looks better than 2.4
I wouldn't worry too much Bayo, now that I've finished the physical layout I've updated to 2.4, theres a lot better quality and variety of textures now so it's not going to be an issue replacing the old ones ;)
Adjuchas, I seem to remember a bug with some things like that in the past. I'm running UFORadiant on Win7 x64... Maybe mattn or someone can try and produce a new download for you tomorrow. I can compile, so maybe I can send you a new exe (does that work, mattn, or is there more to it?).
Bayo: not necessarily. It's a scaling issue because the new textures have a higher resolution. Once scaled down the new textures may look better (or not).
Cheers H-Hour, once I've finished making it look pretty I'll put some more screens up, then I just need to do the lighting... Do I remember you saying there were default settings other than full bright?
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Maybe mattn or someone can try and produce a new download for you tomorrow. I can compile, so maybe I can send you a new exe (does that work, mattn, or is there more to it?).
we have our nightly builds ;)
http://ufoai.ninex.info/snapshots/ resp. http://ufoai.ninex.info/snapshots/uforadiant-latest-win32.exe
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Do I remember you saying there were default settings other than full bright?
When you compile the map, there are default settings for the sun/ambient light, which can be overridden in the worldspawn entity (http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Mapping/Entities/Worldspawn) if desired.
But you will still need to put in localised lighting for indoors and to get a generally better atmosphere.
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Here's some screens of the the latest progress.
I'll attach the map file later on, after I've fixed a couple of things.
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Here's the map,
I've added in spawn points now and I'm trying to wrap my head around the RMA stuff so that I can change the landing craft (which will be next to where the player spawns are).
I need some advice though, the latest version is fairly laggy above level 2, should I hide surfaces on lower levels that can't be seen from higher levels? like, the interiors of floor 1 and 2 from floors 3 up?
I'm also having problems with lighting, I've added some lights now to get a feel for it but it still seems to compile in full bright.. it's worth mentioning that the compiler gives an error during the lighting phase (see screenshot).
Anyway, give it a try and let me know if there's anything that's no good or needs fixing! :)
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i think there is too much coridor on that building, cause the stairway should be on the center of one of the edge of the building, or on the corner.
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Nice work on the damaged walls. Maybe mattn can shed some light (haha) on that lighting error.
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Sandro is working on the texsize stuff already - the problem is that the texsize values for the lighting info are not yet initialized - please open a ticket for this bug.
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just had a look at your map. looks nice, and the player will really have to hurry to save the civilians.
And I can already imagine the aliens dropping down grenades from above.
Can you add some more furniture to the rooms? Maybe some drawers for storing clothes?
About dropships and crafts: I would actually recommend to not include any of them. Would the roof really support such aircraft and have a large enough space. I think it more likely that they simply dropped by rope from the hovering aircraft.
About RMA: That has it's own pitfalls, I'm not sure how the RMA assembly in z direction is progressing. So at the moment it might be simpler to have a separate map for each landed ufo.
tilli
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Thanks for all the input, I'll open a ticket for the bug.
Has anyone noticed that it's quite laggy viewing level 3 and above? Let me know if this is the case, I've been experimenting with some lag reduction methods.
I think I'm going to retexture some of the rooms, to avoid it getting too teletubby-esque (with the bright colours etc).
just had a look at your map. looks nice, and the player will really have to hurry to save the civilians.
And I can already imagine the aliens dropping down grenades from above.
Can you add some more furniture to the rooms? Maybe some drawers for storing clothes?
About dropships and crafts: I would actually recommend to not include any of them. Would the roof really support such aircraft and have a large enough space. I think it more likely that they simply dropped by rope from the hovering aircraft.
About RMA: That has it's own pitfalls, I'm not sure how the RMA assembly in z direction is progressing. So at the moment it might be simpler to have a separate map for each landed ufo.
tilli
I was thinking that the rooms looked a little bare myself, but I don't want to pile too much in there until I can deal with the performance issues.
As for the dropships, there is enough space for them as originally the firebird model was included. I'm going to leave them out this time and attach a ladder to the side of the small building to suggest that it's how the team reached the roof.
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keep in mind that you don't have to show most of the interior of the first and second level when you are viewing the third level. you can optimize the map a lot by deactivating the lower level brushes rendering
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What happened to that highrise building map ?