My map 30% done, Whats your opnion of it as of now!!

[Lazy_Moron]

I been asking questions lately relating the Hammer, so I decided to put some screenshots up, showing off my map. Its probably about 30% done.

The screenshots are here: Look done a couple posts below to get the links.

I know the textures are horrible, I just threw them on so the walls stick out and what not. Same with the lighting, I put some lighting in so I can see the walls, and where I am walking, and so on.

Im just looking for some opnions on what I can do, how to improve it and what would add more play value, and most importantly would it be a good map when it gets done.

Im basing the map off my school(I know its been done before).

Oh yeah this is my first map I have ever done, so please dont be flat out rude. If you dont like it, just say, "I do not like your map" not something like, "You suck, you should give up your hopes in creating a new map" and etc.

 

[Lazy_Moron]

Well how do I host the pics now.

 

[AntiAnto]

The link is down for me.

 

[Z3r0_Skull]

click on "Go Advanced" and then "Manage Attachments" and then upload your pics.

 

[Lazy_Moron]

Ok hang on, Im loading them to photobucket.

 

[Lazy_Moron]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/mabritoj/de_school0002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/mabritoj/de_school0003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/mabritoj/de_school0004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/mabritoj/de_school0005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/mabritoj/de_school0006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/mabritoj/de_school0007.jpg

Oh yeah I plan on making it a hostage rescue, so dont let the de_school confuse you.

 

[Ames]

First things first, mess with the lighting. Change the brightness, don't stick with the same old 200. It's just not natural.

Other things:

-Add props
-Definately align the textures
-Learn about the clip tool if you haven't

Other people will give you more hints.

 

[Z3r0_Skull]

looks alright for what you have. In the hallways add some kind crates or somthing people can hide behind. and add some props to give it a better look. How long hve you been workiong on this.

 

[Lazy_Moron]

About a month, but with school and all, I work on it for about 2 hours total during the weekdays and about 4 hours total during the weekends. Yeah I know, It would be a sniper fest if i didnt do anything to the halls. Im trying to finish the basic outlline for the map as of now, meaning add all the walls, celings, doors, windows, etc. After that ill work on obsticles, and textures, then finally the lighting.

 

[Z3r0_Skull]

one more thing, add a 3d skybox and put some buildings in it. So when you look outside it isnt just sky.

 

[Lazy_Moron]

3D skybox check, anything else. So do you guys think it has potential when its finally done(who knows when that be).

 

[Z3r0_Skull]

yeah I think it does.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

I don't often play Counter strike, but that map seems to be quite open considering the type of gameplay in CS.

 

[Creep]

Doesn't feel proprotionate to the height of your character, I'd suggest scaling it down a bit..

 

[eddie500]

hmmm don't take this wrong way but why do ppl keep showing 30% done maps, surly 60 / 70% done is better, also i think your map is way to open by the looks of things.

 

[DjBourgeoisie]

No offense but it doesnt look good at all. I know you are new at mapping, so stick with it, you wont make nice maps overnight, nobody does. Hell it took me years to get to the level I am at, but if you wanna get better you should just keep practicing and eventually it will pay off. Read all the tutorials you can, they will really advance your skills faster than trying to learn everything on your own. I didnt release my first map until I had been mapping for 3 years, I just didnt wanna put anything out that was really awful.

 

[Dario D.]

No offense but it doesnt look good at all.

That's what maps look like in the earliest phases.

Lazy_Moron, remember to use player-world scaling properly. In other words, counters and tables should come up to your waist, walls and construction should be alot smaller, and you should have the feeling that you are "big" as you walk around - about 6 feet tall.

Or else you'll feel like a 1 foot tall midget running around with a gun on wide-open floors.

I know, it takes time to get used to making things like that, without just making a full-blown mansion in 5 minutes without any attention to detail or player-world scale, but one of the most important advances of HL2 and CS:Source, remember, is how realistic it is, because of the fact that everything around you is scaled perfectly down to realistic size... If you don't shrink the world around you (or use the measurement textures to help, or the player_start entity for measurement) your map will be one giant soccer field... which is a *nightmare* to decorate.

Not only is it easier to decorate smaller areas, but it's also alot better looking.

What's there though looks good for this phase of construction... but if you don't shrink it wayyy down soon, you're going to run into the nightmare of trying to decorate those giant rooms.

ALL of the Valve meshes are tiny and realistic size, and it would take about 30 pipe meshes to run down the hall ceiling, where it should only take about 8.

Anyway, keep up the good work, and learn well from your surroundings and the existing CS and HL2DM maps on "what's good" as far as scale, lighting, and decorating.

The default HL2DM maps in particular have very good lighting and decorating examples.

The CS:S maps have good examples of how to make small maps that feel "large".

The HL2 SinglePlayer maps are a gold-mine of inspiration for making it all look good, and how to make a map that actually feels like a real place.

 

[Pennington]

It is way too big. Other than that, good work. I mean, for it being thirty percent done of course, and you being a fairly new mapper (me too, i'm not criticising, i've only made like two complete maps ).

I've been wanting to make a map of my school too, but I'm waiting until i can find some way to get the architectual designs, cuz I want it to be perfect scale. Wish i coudl get them in cad form or something and somehow port them over, then just worry about the texturing and decoration I just want it to be exact, cuz i think it'd be a fun map. I think i'd do it as a mp map with just the school itself (most of the doors barricaded, there's nothing interesting immediately around my school) then a sp map with like everything for a ways around (there's a firetower within like a quarter mile of my school that would make a perfect place to stage a last stand against a horde of oncoming zombies as you await your buddies coming in on the helicopter, and there's a wood path that cross country uses that would allow for some type of fun wood stalking to sneak up on the school and objective). But then again, a project like that would take... a while