DM-treecity

[bobtheking]

This is my first map, dm-treecity. It is three big treehouses connected by suspension bridges in the middle. there is every pickup possible in the level. the architecture is pretty bland, but they are treehouses. the lighting sucks, because i couldn't imagine anything other than torches in a treehouse, blue lamps didn't fit in. The bots are ok, they even get the redeemer, which they have to make a big jump to, it is hanging between the three trees. there are a lot of teleporters, and it can get confusing.

The level

post back here what you think of the level
by the way, ignore that damn trial stamp on the screenshot

 

[DialAJunk]

Looks intimidating.
You know you have more choices than blue lights and torches right?
Imagine metal patches on the trees (insinuating a future setting) and spotlights off the sides. I could see a lower tier catching you if you fall in the center area and breaks in the bridges, forcing you to jump.

I haven't even tried it yet, but I will

 

[Evil_Cope]

similar to a map i plan to make. (see sig) and it looks very nice from the shot.


ill d/l it.

 

[Claw]

Does look kinda interesting, and I like the dark lighting. The architecture could more organic though.

 

[bobtheking]

iwas planning some more stuff, but the poly count was getting a little high when you stand on the bottom decks of the trees, so i didn't want to put more stuff in. I didn't really try to think about more lighting stuff, but maybe i will add more light types. also, whoever said put holes in the bridges, when you are outside, the shock rifle will almost always knock people off, so i didn't want to make more ways for people to fall off the bridges. when you are on the bridges, half the people in the level can shoot you from other bridges or the windows. Also, dialajunk, i said blue lights because i was implying that other lights wouldn't really fit in because anything electrical would seem stupid in a tree house.

 

[bobtheking]

how do i get it reviewed?

 

[fragswill]

Heh, you don't need hypersnap to take screenies in UT. Just press f9.

 

[bobtheking]

thanks, where do the pics go?

 

[oosyxxx]

Unreal Tournament/System. Unique looking map for UT (if architecturally simplistic), reminds me of Donkey Kong Country and the Star Wars scenes with ewoks, but I don't see how it could possibly play well. Neat if you prove me wrong, though.

 

[bobtheking]

i have a PIII 450/256 MB ram/Voodoo3 3000 16 mb system and i run the game everything cranked up high and at 1024x768x16 and it runs very fast, slows on the bottom decks of the bridges though. If you Ctrl+Alt+Del all but Explorer and Systray, it runs MUCH faster, i also cranked up CacheSizeMegs in unrealTournament.ini.

Neat if you prove me wrong, though.

Does this mean you downloaded the level?

 

[DialAJunk]

Originally posted by bobtheking
Also, dialajunk, i said blue lights because i was implying that other lights wouldn't really fit in because anything electrical would seem stupid in a tree house.

Oh. But the "tree" houses look "built" anyway. Couldn't they have some electrical wiring in them? hehe. I don't know. It was just an idea.

But anyway... I am now finally downloading the map, just to get the true feel of it.

Be sure to keep improving on it, though.

 

[bobtheking]

Ok, maybe I will add some other lights in it, like a big spotlight on one tree to light up the whole outdoor area, that would be cool.

I am also planning a CTF-Tree(ladeda) where there are two trees on each end of a few long bridges. There would be one from each tree to each other tree, so one from in between each bases' trees, and two or three in between each base. That would be very high poly though, I wasn't sure about it for that reason. I wouldn't be able to make the trees very detailed. I could use less sphere extrapolation in each tree's leaves or something.

By the way, if i see a level with this setup, i will kill them!!!! my idea!!!!! mine!!!!!!!!! no one elses!!!!!!!!

and thanx for downloading it DialaJunk

 

[DialAJunk]

Yo
I'm still trying to find time to play it though. I got final projects due for college this coming up week, and, of course, I'm sweatin' it for I am behind schedule a bit. arrgghh.

 

[faderide]

Just played your map.
Don't have many ideas on improving it ...I'm only on my second map myself, but I saw a couple of things you could change.
The lighting in the rooms needs better sourcing. The rooms seem too bright for just one torch. The torch looks volumetric and has double sheet look to it. Also they're touching the ceiling...which isnt good in a wood treehouse(lol)
Saw a couple mis-aligned textures mainly near some stairs.
I would also alter the sound a little. The wood creaking sounds are good, but they're playing constantly. Would be better if you would occasionally hear them instead of constantly......like maybe when crossing some of the bridges.
Wouldn't hurt to throw in a few more textures. I know you want
to stay with the "build treehouse look", but you could still add some different textues and keep with the theme.
Maybe a variety of different colored wood textures in combination
with some wood trim in some areas.
...Just a few ideas from a fellow newbie

All in all decent first map..just needs a little more work.
Keep on mappin!

 

[bobtheking]

One time I realigned the stairs because each stair is it's own surface, and I rebuilt it once and it reset and it was a pin in the ass to fix, so i decided not to. But the rest of the tpis are good, thanks.

I like the adding trim idea, but I don't know how to have two textures on one surface, and if so, will it add more polys? if it will, I will only add it in indoor areas because the polycount is too high.

 

[faderide]

The two textures to one surface question? Probably better explained by someone other than me....but Ill try.
You can only apply one texture to a single surface. But then you
can create another thin brush above it-with a thickness of 1, and any width and depth you want the trim to be. You could then add he thin brush right above or next to the other "as trim" non-noticable to the eye.
If if gives some graphical oddities then move the "trim brush" 1 grid unit away from the surface your applying it to..it still shouldnt
be noticable.
You could also make the same thin trim brush and subtract it from the brush you applying it to. (watching the grid to make sure its flush). When your moving your trim brush , if you have problems
aligning flush to other surfaces, you can right click on the red builder brush-go to advanced properties and under "snap to grid select false" which will allow you precise alignment.
I'm not sure which method is best or if there are better methods but these work.
They would add to the polys and nodes I believe(dont know how much) but if your already pushing the limit in these areas I would
just limit it to the indoor areas.....like you suggested.
I also ran into troubles with nodes and polys on my first map
due to having "too much" in a viewable area.
If we all had 2ghz processors and Geforece 10's we could just
create what we wanted to, but.........were forced to compromise
our design to the playability sometimes.
Good luck.

 

[bobtheking]

with a thickness of 1

thickness of one or a sheet? I would think that a sheet would avoid the bsp trouble.

 

[Lord Dill]

DON"T USE THINKNESS OF 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I use a thinkness of 16 usually for my trim. It just makes it easier to work with, moving things on the 1 or 2 grid is pain in the back side. I'll try to explain a little trim

say you want to add trim to your wall, say on the bottom of the wall touching the floor. Make a cube (hieght will matter on the texture you want to use and how high you want it) make the thinkness 16 and width however long the wall is. move the brush flush with the wall and floor and add. This way will add 1 poly per trim you add. but you'll need 4 brushes to surround a square room.

another way, break up your subracted rooms by stacking subractions on top of eacherother. say you have the dimentions of your room, only subtract 16 high. then move the brush up 16 and vertex edit it to a hieght of 160. you can now put a different texture on the lower subraction you could break up the room into many layers but watch the polys

 

[bobtheking]

I am not sure about this trim thing, the polycount will get too high, and it sounds like bsp hole hell. maybe I will make an improved version with your suggestions

 

[Lord Dill]

Originally posted by bobtheking
I am not sure about this trim thing, the polycount will get too high, and it sounds like bsp hole hell.

Well all the best maps are trimmed to hell and i don't see bsp holes that often