Need your comment for my map

[huey_yeng]

Here the screenshot of my map.

Screenshot (http://www.freewebs.com/picturebits/screenshot.htm)

It's still a WIP map. I need your comment about the map. I'm planning to do a machinima with the map. I think the texture used on the building is not really great so if anybody got a good building texture, please tell me where to find it. Sorry for the bad english.

One more thing, the screenshot haven't been GIS lighting yet. I will GIS it after listening to your comments.

[wiktorus pro]

well first render the map
2 some textures should be corrected
for example
this pic
The textures on the building should be be the same
you should use some other tree prefabs
this prefabs are looking like onion http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mryuck.gif
correct some textures and render the map and it will be ok http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
BTW how long are you mapping because if you are a newbie like me http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif than you are a good mapper http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[huey_yeng]

Thanks for the comment. I will follow exactly what you said. I use different texture on the side of the building because I wanted to make it look realistic (You know building should not be covered with windows all round the building, except that the black building at the back is texture using CTRL-T http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif).

As for the onion looking prefab, can you suggest me any good looking shrub or tree? The prefabs I used is from RMD. maybe I will do it completely from scratch.

Right now I'm burning the midnight oil. Gotta catch some sleep. Expect the final render within 24 Hrs.

One more thing, I am a complete newbie. I learn through trial and error. Not to forget the ever helpful forums and all the tutorial available about MP2 modding. Actually i didn't want to post many stupid n00b questions http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif in this forum because I did not want to be labelled as a n00b who ask many questions and didn't done his homework before looking for help.

[Sayantan]

huey_yeng said:
You know building should not be covered with windows all round the building



Yeah right. But did you ever notice a building having 2 different types of bricks on 2 different sides of it? I hope you understand what I mean. Also in case you want so much customization in textures, you should make your own custom textures so its exactly what you want(at least with same types of bricks).


huey_yeng said:
As for the onion looking prefab, can you suggest me any good looking shrub or tree?



Try playing any good war-based game and notice carefully how the shrubs and bushes have been made in there. (At least study it for technical knowledge)


huey_yeng said:
i didn't want to post many stupid n00b questions http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif in this forum because I did not want to be labelled as a n00b who ask many questions and didn't done his homework before looking for help.



I personally really liked your this very attitude http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif. Keep this thing going and you'll get loads of people out here to help you out.

[Sayantan]

See the non-linearity in the windows of that building. Try making it so it stays on the same line.

[wiktorus pro]

I saw that thing too but I was to lazy to say about that http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mryuck.gif
BTW some building textures you should make bigger

[HP]

First of all dude, dont take me worng but Its lame to show such WIP pics like that, at least in my very humble opinion!
I can judge by the screenshots that almost none apart from the very basic and main geometry is yours! Too many RMD prefabs, I wont blame you, everyone starts like that, at least I did! You should learn to evaluate and see other peoples maps, see and try to imagine "how they did that" and try to do the same, practise your skills in mapping in MaxEd, make your own geometry, make your own prefabs!
ANother very imporant topic, dont ever be lazy, and RTFM! Read all the RMD toturials, even the MP1 toturials, they have a great usefull prefabs there, i specialy advice the boolean toturials! Good look for your maps buddy!

[huey_yeng]

Thanks HP for your very humble opinion. Indeed a newbie like me rely too much on ready made prefabs too speed up my level creation. i have downloaded a lot of level to see the quality of the design and try to learn something from it.

Secondly, i made the building geometry on my own, right from the scratch. It might looks simple and not detail like a real life building hence your comment which is very helpful to me. The map is getting a bit too large and MaxEd2 crash many times whenever I edit the level.

I have rendered the map many times to see the lighting results. Maybe I will upload the final screenshot later.

Before I leave, I got a problem with my very own created shrub prefab (thanks Sayantan for kicking my lazy mind for relying too much on ready made prefabs). Whenever I GIS the level, the shrub seems to be not lighted. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif i have checked the properties and I never tick the "exclude from lighting" box. Anybody can help me?

Shrub pic (http://www.freewebs.com/picturebits/shrub.htm)

[Sayantan]

huey_yeng said:
Before I leave, I got a problem with my very own created shrub prefab (thanks Sayantan for kicking my lazy mind for relying too much on ready made prefabs). Whenever I GIS the level, the shrub seems to be not lighted. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif i have checked the properties and I never tick the "exclude from lighting" box. Anybody can help me?

Shrub pic (http://www.freewebs.com/picturebits/shrub.htm)



Do us a favour by posting the print-screen image of what the property window of that shrub look like. (Basically to show what option you have checked and what you haven't) Just trying to help.

[huey_yeng]

Here's the property screen.

[huey_yeng]

Another property window.

[huey_yeng]

Some final render screenshot. If you want anything to be added to the level, please tell me and I will consider putting in the best idea.

Screenshot link (http://www.freewebs.com/picturebits/gisrender.htm)

Give comment on the final render. Anybody got any tutorial on creating a good looking shrub? I saw in one of Froz screenshot that have a nice looking tree. Maybe I need to learn more about alpha channel......

[MentalSentinel]

Looking pretty nice for a n00b's map http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
I dunno any usefull critism to say atm though. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Ghast]

I guess it all depends on how realistic you want to be with those bushes. Big map = low fps?

I am wondering if the DMW_Frontyard_Manor.lv2 bushes (turnips?) can be combined with a second mesh that has some alpha texturing to disguise the problems with either approach?

(The x based current shrubs/turnip shape previous shrubs?)

If I was doing this I would make a rooftop green house and use frosted greeny glass overall with maybe a peek into interior but no entry, then portal it off from big level?

[wiktorus pro]

I have one question to you
with the builngs you checked in properties
,,exclude from lighting" ??

[Enragiated]

Hey bud, interested in making some rambo/robocop type maps? hahaha



Yea, about the being lazy part, i've been playing too much HL2 lately, i'll get back to my mod ASAP though.

[HP]

These new shots are Ok, good quality comparing whith the previous ones! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Keep the good work, you work fast and well!
looking foward to some more! :P

[Sayantan]

Wow man. Its looking better hour after hour. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Your map has some kinda movie feel in it which is a good thing. But again that place with those prefab dump is looking stupid as well as meaningless. Try using your creativity to improve that place so it looks natural.
About the bushes and shrubs ....... yes you are nearly there but still not there http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. Do just a bit of RnD on that and trust me .... You'll surelly be there. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[huey_yeng]

Thanks for all the reply. Right now I am doing a cutscene on the map and later make it into a machinima video. Is there a program that can record the scene and save it as a video file on the HDD? I heard there's a program that can do it. If I not mistaken it is called FRAPS. heard it from PC Gamer.

Another problem, anybody can help me out on the weird but true transparent looking leaves??? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif ( Highlighted in red border)

[Uisor]

Yes, it's Fraps. Version 2 is the latest (that I know of), but it's also the first which must be payed of.

The alpha problem, which alpha did you used? Alpha Blend or Compare? Because compare causes problems by making any content behind them invisible.

[huey_yeng]

Thanks uisor for your answer. I used alpha compare for the leaves texture and that explains the invinsible looking leaves. Changed the setting to alpha blend and re-render the whole level again. Thanks again.

[HP]

You didnt need to rerender the map again dude, that polygon already had a lightlayer on it, and changing the texture and/or its settings it wont affect the polygons lightlayer

[huey_yeng]

actually the shrub i made its a prefab. By changing the texture properties, MaxED warns me that I will lose all the light layer information if I edit the prefab. So the only way to have the light layer back its to rerender it.

[HP]

Oh, yeah! Indeed, I hate that in the prefabs! Oo