UT3 Dragon's Den Level Design

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Robject09

New Member
Nov 4, 2009
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Download from:

UPKs
http://uploading.com/files/4bmb6357/DM-DragonsDen10-3_LOC_int.upk/,DM-DragonsDen10-3_LOC_int.upk
http://uploading.com/files/51ac34fe/DragDen.upk/,DragDen.upk

INI
http://uploading.com/files/786ee871/DM-DragonsDen10-3.ini/,DM-DragonsDen10-3.ini

MAP
http://uploading.com/files/3fd9a3bd/DM-DragonsDen10-3.ut3/,DM-DragonsDen10-3.ut3

Please note that this is my first level design that I intend to publish (and second ever time I’ve made a level) so it isn’t the same standard as many that I’ve seen but I’d appreciate any constructive input on what I’ve managed and what might be advisable for the future.

I plan to release a final design as soon as possible so I can state on my portfolio and CV that I have published my first level design. These are my greatest concerns with the level as it stands. Please let me know what your think...

My greatest concerns:
· The background volume is too quiet
· Some of the caves are lit much darker in the cooked package than they were when testing in the editor
· The overall scale of the map and length of some of the pathways
· The triggers causing the dragon’s attacks as well as the damage dealing physics volumes sometimes seem to move ahead of where the dragon is facing.

Name: DM-DragonsDen
Version: Beta
Player Count: 14+ (It’s a damn big map)

Description (the silly back-story I just made up on the spot):
After years of suffering landslides caused by unexplained eruptions from “The Mountain of Doom” a team of explorers was sent off to discover the cause. They came across a massive network of caves so high up from the ground that no one would ever have known they existed. Less than an hour after they arrived another quake took place and a great serpentine head emerged from a volatile pool in the network’s centre. Unable to die and unable to escape it’s icy prison the dragon that emerged in welcome was more than happy to wipe out all but one of the explorers, for no reason other than its own amusement.

This one survivor now makes a fortune from holding tournaments within the complex of caves. Whilst the dragon emerges to guard its new treasures – the powerups found at the centre.

Comments:
Designed to focus around the central Dome where an ice dragon guards the most powerful items. For help on layout and other key rooms please refer to my portfolio link.

· The dragon's head along with many of the static rock meshes were created by me, in 3ds Max.
· Level design by me, using the Unreal Tournament 3 Editor.
· All sounds, music, textures and further meshes have been used taken from existing packages within Unreal.


Portfolio
I have created a little portfolio documentation along with further screen shots on why I did what I did. Some of the text can be a bit of a pain to read as I've taken print screen of my word document but you should still get the gist.

Actual Portfolio: http://the-robject.daportfolio.com/gallery/378309
Word Document:
http://uploading.com/files/48a278d6/Dragons+Den+Portfolio.doc/,Dragons_Den_Portfolio.doc
 

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Robject09

New Member
Nov 4, 2009
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Sorry BloodyBoy, I'm kinda new to uploading my work and couldn't figure out how to show the correct link for the folder I stored all the files in. So I just ended up finding out the seperate links for each file.

Any thoughts on the issues I'm concerned about and any others would be much appreciated :)
 
inferyes

inferyes

Spaced In
Aug 16, 2009
504
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Robject09 said:
Sorry BloodyBoy, I'm kinda new to uploading my work and couldn't figure out how to show the correct link for the folder I stored all the files in. So I just ended up finding out the seperate links for each file.

Any thoughts on the issues I'm concerned about and any others would be much appreciated :)
Click to expand...

Select all the files.
Right Click
Send to Compressed Zip Folder
???
Profit

Or use www.rarlabs.com
 
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Odedge

Keeper of Tutorials
May 26, 2009
206
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www.odedge.com
I checked out the level and have some thoughts. Seeing how you are new to level design, maybe they can help you out in either this current map or future maps.

In my opinion, the level is BIG, way too big for a proper DM level. This level might be big for a WAR game?

I found myself running around too much looking for some one to kill, even with 20 players. When I did find someone, the game play was too simple because most of the areas are flat and open.

Adding some more obstacles could help as well as anything that allows the player to be up above other players. To me, z-axis fighting is essential in this type of game.

It's nice that you are making custom static meshes as this is a challenge in itself. The dragon was cool as well.

Ideally, all custom content should be added to the actual map file. This will help reduce the file size and the number of files people have to keep track of.

After checking your .upk file, it might not be worth it to try and move all of the assets over as it it would be a small project in itself.

For what it's worth... I think the level needs a redesign to make it more playable. I think even having just the main room with the dragon, but with more vertical paths could work fine. Sort of the like DM-Worm, but with a open center?

If you could make the whole cave in your modeling program, that would give you a lot more freedom than using BSP.

Ultimately, it's your vision and your map. I am looking at it more from a "marketing" point of view.

Good luck with the map and if you have any questions to what I said, let me know. :)
 
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Robject09

New Member
Nov 4, 2009
37
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YAAAAAY! Someone has played my level :)

I was indeed worried about the size of the map. In fact my three greatest concerns were…
- The music – which I think I’ve sorted now.
- The lighting – some of the areas I still think are a bit TOO dark.
- And the overall scale of the map.

I’ve drawn this project to a close now – simply because I’ve got a few things on my plate at the moment and it’d be nice, once I’ve got more free time again, to start a new project.

That said, I might do a Dragon’s Den MKII and create a similar layout but with just the cliff face and main dome sections and incorporate more Z-axis play between the two as well as creating some vertical traversal on:
1 – The two sides of the cliff face
2 – Around the edge of the dome
3 – On much larger versions ice mountains in the centre dome

I also agree with what you’ve said about the modelling of the whole dome. I made a little portfolio document on why I did what I did with the level – and using the BSP for the more complex terrain is one of the issues I’ve learnt from, as it created far too many texture and lighting errors.

Odedge said:
Good luck with the map and if you have any questions to what I said, let me know. :)
Click to expand...

The only question I really have is “How do I actually move all my assets?” I will try to do this in the future :) Is there a tutorial you could point me towards perhaps? – I’m still very new to the technical side of publishing a level…

Glad you liked the dragon at least ;) maybe I’ll make an even bigger one that pops it’s head up over the cliff face and scorches all those not behind rocks… (if I do make the MKII that is).

Thanks very much for all your feedback!


Robject
 
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Odedge

Keeper of Tutorials
May 26, 2009
206
0
0
www.odedge.com
I think it's a good idea to close the project down because the foundation poses a lot of problems (game play and technical).

BSP should be used for simple shapes (usually walls, floors, ceilings). While I didn't see any BSP errors ("hall of mirrors"), there were some collision issues. This can happen when you don't keep the BSP on the grid and/or it gets really complex.

To move the assets, you have to...

1. Select an asset in your extra .upk.
2. Right click and select either "rename" or "duplicate". Now that I think about it, if you rename them and use your map's name for the package name (or use the drop down menu), it should move itself over with no problems.

If you do this to all of the assets, their association with each other should remain intact. You could try it on a test file/upk? Or copy your existing one to another folder in case it get's screwed up.

If you select "duplicate" it will copy itself to the map file. But you have to "reinsert" the asset into the map, which is fairly easy to do, but you have to make sure all of the associations are correct.

The problem with duplicating is: lets say you have a custom texture, material, and mesh that go together.

You duplicate the material into your map file. Then you open up the static mesh editor and tell it to use the material that is now located in your map file (vs the .upk file). Now you are using a mesh that references your .upk file, a material that references your .upk file, but the material is still referencing the texture in the .upk file.

In this situation, the .upk file is still being referenced and still is required to run the map. When duplicating, you need to move over all of the required assets, re associate them with each other and make sure they are being used in the map.

Hopefully this makes sense.

If you are staring a new map and you are using custom assets, when you import them, just choose your map's name from the drop down menu. The thing you have to remember is that you must use the asset in your map before you save or build the map.

If you aren't using an asset, you may have it "flushed" out of the map because the editor thinks you don't need it anymore. So as long as you are using it some where in your map, you are fine.

When you rename your map, everything will stay in place and all you have to do is save the map and not the map and the .upk file.

The only exception to this "rule" is that if you are working on a mod (that will share the .upk files) or maybe making a big map pack that shares assets. Even with the second option, it still might be worth it to put everything in the map.

That being said (assuming you are still reading ;)), since you are new to map making and you will make mistakes (as well all do), I would start out with a small level (4-8 players). This way you can learn from your mistakes with out taking a long time to fix them.
 
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Robject09

New Member
Nov 4, 2009
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Cheers for the advice Odedge :)

When I start my next mod I'll try to remember to save my assets direct to the upk with my map's name so I can avoid all the transferring and re-association. :)

Thanks again for getting back to me!


Robject
 
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