A Sneek peek at my competition map: DM_Depot

brisck1

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Hi guys,
I've been working my ass off on this map for quite a while now and think it's finally at the stage where I can begin to start posting some WIP images for your viewing pleasure and to get some feedback as I feel ive become a little isolated working on it all alone and feel I should be a bit more public.

Anyway, this DM map is influenced by many things from HL2 and the HL2:Raising the bar guide.

I loved some of the trainstation levels and the whole european industrial feel within these levels of HL2 and also loved some of the concept artwork from the cut 'Depot' and 'Wasteland' chapters of the game and so began creating my level with these influences in mind as well as studying other real life european-industrial imagery

So far I have the level build at about 90% and basic lighting and prop placement. Im at the stage where Im taking images of the level and enhancing and tweaking them in photoshop to help me realise what light FX/fog/colour ambience I will use in the level.

Here are some of those images. Please note that they do not yet represent fully what it will look like in-game but im hoping by next week I will be close tot he quality here!


Will post more as I progress!
 
Unenhanced
dm_depotbak20012un.jpg


This is how my current lighting scheme is, its pretty dark and I want to improve it to look more like the above images
 
Hows the frame rate? With 20 citizen models on screen?

looks very nice by the way.
 
Looks very good. Im gonna have to step up the quality of my map now. :p

One tiny critique. There are some "nodraw" parts visible.
 
Just reducing the darkness of the shadows by several percent and adding the HL2 'glow' effect to the sky should be enough to make the in-game look like the edit shots.

So far, this is one of the best maps I've seen.
Why do all the good ones have to be WIP? :p
 
im geting 70-100fps right now, but unfortunately havent been able to playtest it with any other players.I allow player to join when im testing but people tend to disconnect before joining the game.

No worries Satch, its still not complete ;)
 
Well if you wait 12 days they won't be any longer :)

Map layout and feel looks nice, hope you can get the lighting sorted ;)
 
brisck1 said:
No worries Satch, its still not complete ;)

Yeah, thats what i figured. Didn't want you forget about it though. :p

mechagodzilla said:
adding the HL2 'glow' effect to the sky should be enough to make the in-game look like the edit shots

How would someone go about getting that effect though?
 
I know its WIP... i think there should be quite a few random trash lying around because when i play HL2:DM, i ALWAYS use physics, gives me huge pride when i beat someone with a tyre when they are noob-cannon'in the rocket launcher :D
 
satch919 said:
Yeah, thats what i figured. Didn't want you forget about it though. :p



How would someone go about getting that effect though?
Im just getting to grips with this, its an entity called Env sun
 
Awesome can't wait to play it, you might be getting $5000 richer soon

On the last enhanced picture, i can see you have gone lazy with the stairs, :upstare:
 
YOU, dear sir, are one of the mapmaker gods.

That map is gorgeous and even better in the "cinematic" screenshots, gotta love photoshop (or any other image editing program). Good luckkkk...with your journeys....I mean competiton...thingy...
 
Amazing amazing amazing... there are some decent DM maps out there.. and their gameplay is awesome, but you eventually get bored because there is a lack of stuff to look at.. I don't think your map will fall to the same dissapointment.. I can't wait to play it!! If you ever need someone to test it with you.. I would be more than happy to.. and I can even bring in some friends... none of us are in any way entering this mapping contest.. and the only person in my group of friends who has some experience with mapping is myself, and that consists of part of the Hammer tutorial that came with the SDK.. i'm still working on getting a single room built lolol :D

Anyway... great job... excellent example of HL2's full potential.. keep up the great work =)

--Jimbro
 
add alot of stuff that you can trow around.

Does the map have something special btw? some sort of thing that can change the way you have to move trough the map? maby some combine razortrains that rattle trough the station so you can get run over if you dont watch out.
 
This is looking very professional. Good Job.


Cheers,
bbyybb.
 
Thanks for all the comments guys, dont worry about any nodraw areas its noted and on my fix list :)

EVIL said:
add alot of stuff that you can trow around.

Does the map have something special btw? some sort of thing that can change the way you have to move trough the map? maby some combine razortrains that rattle trough the station so you can get run over if you dont watch out.

In the process of adding props now. You are right on the trains roaring through th station actually. Im trying to design the map in a way that makes you want to rush down the railroad tracks and get to some sort of reward if you make without being crushed.

The trains you see on the upper tracks move and are deadly! :)
 
Omfg dude, this is an awesome map! And to top it all off you complimented me, which after seeing this, means you're a really nice guy. lol, I aspire to one day be your equal!

P.S. I hope you win.
 
Screens look great. Looks like it'll have a cool atmosphere. Do you plan to put it up for download somewhere when it's finished and sent to valve?
 
Damn, the map i entered is called dm_depot to, rofl, oh well great looking map, good luck. :D
 
brisck1 said:
In the process of adding props now. You are right on the trains roaring through th station actually. Im trying to design the map in a way that makes you want to rush down the railroad tracks and get to some sort of reward if you make without being crushed.

Put the RPG or the pulse rifle orbs up there, since they are the most powerful weapons in the game. People should have to work to get 'em. :p
 
Thanks guys, more screenshots coming later tonight. Yeah I want to playtest the map before I send it to Valve really and so I'll be releasing a beta tomorrow night if someone can host the file please let me know.

HDR whereart thou indeed. I wish they'd spill the beans on how they do this in source as it is in the code. In the meantime im trying to fake some HDR FX using point_spotlights and dust mottes or whatever they are called. It seems to be working quite well so far but is limited as to where I can use the effect. Right now it looks best inside the old factory with light spilling in throught the windows as seen in the above shots.

Only effect im trying to figure out now is a fog that goes vertically instead of horizonally (up into the sky) in a similar fashion where you can see the citadel rising up into the atmosphere.

Anyway Cant wait to get beta testing soon so I can get some performance/gameplay feedback! :)
 
Looking pretty nice, with the added lighting, could look very nice..

Good job, gl.
 
Updated Shots

Hi guys just thought I'd post some more updated screen shots. Ive been mainly finishing off the geometry for the level today. Added a few little places to hide from sniping and squashed alot of bugs. Still not happy with the lighting and seem a bit too 'saturated' and a little too dark the moment. Note that these shots were not modified and have just been resized.

dm_depot_test0003.jpg


dm_depot_test0004-copy.jpg


dm_depot_test0005.jpg


dm_depot_test0006.jpg


dm_depot_test0007.jpg


dm_depot_test0008.jpg


dm_depot_test0009.jpg


dm_depot_test0010.jpg


dm_depot_test0011.jpg


Beta testing will start tomorrow hopefully so I hope you help me out there!

Cheers and goodnight!
 
Wow, looks great... does anyone happen to know when the competition maps are being released to the public?
 
As before, awesome screnshots! I can't help you with the hosting part, but I'd be more than happy to help you test.
 
Whatever technique you used to light the combine structure should be applied to the rest of the map, because it's damn perfect.

brisck1 said:

Like here, for example. The shack is quite dark, but the combine thing is spot-on with a good mix of darkness and visibility. It really looks like there's ambient light hitting it, but since that light's not affecting the other buildings' shadows, they look odd.

The second screenshot is now my desktop. :p
 
I'm seeing so many people trying to do fancy screenshots, and then not bothering to remove the HUD or view weapon.

cl_drawhud 0 - removes HUD
impulse 200 - removes view weapon

But yeah, if I stop being pedantic, it looks fantastic.
 
wow...just wow.. :O
this map is by the best i have seen so far :)

anyway good luck in the contest, u certainly deserve props for this piece of work :thumbs:
 
Great map. It shows that I need to add a little more detail to my own. :)
 
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