UT2kX Released: WPImap Campus Tour

[gtjuggler2]

WPImap Campus Tour v1.1

Authors: Alex Schwartz + Elisabeth Beinke

Visit http://wpimap.com for more info.

Downloads / Media

Mod Download - http://wpimap.com/index.php?section=downloads2
Video Download (QT) - http://wpimap.com/downloads/download.pl?file=vid_high

Mod Info

So, this isn't the kind of mod you see here on Beyondunreal every day. This project was done at WPI (http://wpi.edu) as our junior year project for our major, Interactive Media and Game Development. Myself (Alex Schwartz) and my teammate, Beth Beinke, created this UT2004 mod, which features our college campus in Unreal. In addition to the software, we also created a full-size public kiosk/arcade machine to house the mod and made it work with a full arcade-style joystick setup. We only had a few months to work on it, and couldn't dedicate our full time, as we took other courses concurrently. Also the team consisted of only 2 people! Now that the download is out, students around the world can view the campus without visiting Massachusetts. This mod would not have been possible without Rachel Cordone (AngelMapper). See WPImap.com for full credits.

About

The WPIMap Tour by Alex Schwartz and Elisabeth Beinke. The project, which has been fully sponsored and condoned by WPI Admissions, allows prospective students and current students alike to interact with the campus in 3D. In a slight shift from the original Halo map, this use of the WPImap is for informational and exploratory purposes. This tour allows the player to navigate around the 3d environment in real time, viewing all of the buildings and campus landmarks in photorealistic detail. Outside of the virtual Bartlett Center, players will notice a Segway human transport vehicle. Upon entering the vehicle, a full tour of campus begins, complete with a virtual tour guide and a scripted path through all of the academic and residential buildings on campus. Visit WPImap.com for more details.

Change Log

v1.1
-WPImap standalone mod created
-Boynton hall collision error fixed
-Founders hall door UV fixed
-Various tree placement tweaked
-Campus Center sign fixed
-Campus Center back side UV error fixed
-Salisbury sidewalk vertex tweak

v1.0
-Initial release

Installation Instructions

1.) Drag the WPImap folder into C:/UT2004 (or if you installed UT elsewhere, put it in that UT2004 folder.

2.) Open UT2004 normally.

3.) Go to the Community section, and pick User Mods. WPImap should show up. Click it and hit activate.

How To Play

The controls are as follows:

WASD Controls the player's movements
Mouse Controls the player's view
'\' Key aka Backslash Resets the level
Space Jump

Screenshots - Dialup Beware!

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Aerial1.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.enu87.com/newpics/kiosk_2.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.enu87.com/newpics/kiosk_1.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.enu87.com/newpics/loadingscreen_render.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Aerial2.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Boynton.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/CDC.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Daniels.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Founders.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Fountain.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/FreemanPlaza.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Higgins.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Inside.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Kiosk.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Menu.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Salisbury.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Segway.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://wpimap.com/screenshots2/Tour.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

 

[Angel_Mapper]

Woot, congrats on getting this released!

 

[Phopojijo]

Who thinks this'll be on Fox news if someone mods-in Deathmatch?

 

[gtjuggler2]

I would actually love to get publicity from Fox News. I'm sure they would claim I'm a terrorist or something. Cmon Jack Thompson, I'm waiting.

 

[Lethargy]

Release a standalone DM version.

 

[gtjuggler2]

Actually the plan is to make a DM version and have a big lan next year with the incoming freshmen. Gotta put those computer labs to good use some how!

 

[Lethargy]

Actually the plan is to make a DM version and have a big lan next year with the incoming freshmen. Gotta put those computer labs to good use some how!

Awesome, I always thought it would be cool to play a DM map that includes one's actual location.

 

[Phopojijo]

Awesome, I always thought it would be cool to play a DM map that includes one's actual location.

Depends on where you live

I would actually love to get publicity from Fox News. I'm sure they would claim I'm a terrorist or something. Cmon Jack Thompson, I'm waiting.

He's been disbarred in his home state...

 

[Mr. UglyPants]

I would actually love to get publicity from Fox News. I'm sure they would claim I'm a terrorist or something. Cmon Jack Thompson, I'm waiting.

Yeah, just wait for it.

 

[ebeinke]

So if anyone has any comments after seeing the mod, critiques and positive reviews are always welcome

 

[hal]

Hey, that's a really cool idea!

 

[_Zd_3s_]

It's a really nice idea. Haven't played it yet, but *please* put "do lighting" on top of your to-do list... It gives the image quality (which isn't bad in terms of design and textures) such a major boost. Right now it looks like one of those Virtual Reality labs from the mid-nineties.

 

[gtjuggler2]

I agree and believe lighting is the weakest thing at the moment.

Does UE3 fix the per-vertex static mesh lighting problem?

 

[Nereid]

Yeah, UE3 can light everything per-pixel, so everything is lit more consistently.

 

[gtjuggler2]

No i mean I had problems with large buildings that had simple 2 triangle sides, and there would be a huge light triangle and a huge dark triangle, because it was only lighting each triangle uniformly..? So i had to tesellate some things to get rid of harsh edges..

 

[shoptroll]

Hey! WPI Alum here wanting to say awesome work

I recall talking with people in the Game Development Club (I was Librarian from '02-'04 I think and I founded the Parchment development team which may or may not still exist) during the early years about doing a campus map but we never went any where with it. I know one guy did the interior of the campus center I think the year I graduated from the undergrad program. I know someone had made a Counter-strike map of Riley Hall a few years before I got to campus as well.

Even so, I think there was a formal project proposal like this floating around the Interactive Media & Game Design group I think soon after the major was created. Great to see this happen finally

I haven't gotten a chance to look around it yet, but the geometry looks very accurate. Impressive.

Only complaint (and this is highly nitpicky for a student project) is the textures. While the architecture looks great, the textures make things look very Second Lifeish to me. Are there any plans to clean up the textures so everything doesn't look so bright and shiny?

Are there any plans to eventually update this for Unreal Engine 3 once hardware capable of running it can be purchased without exceeding the budget on video card alone?

EDIT: If you guys are planning on running this at the annual freshman event, let me know. I'll gladly drop by and run a UT2004 server for you if you need one Provided this is a weekend event.

 

[gtjuggler2]

Yeah I agree with that, like for example the grass is notably oversaturated and bright green. Any other particulars? The brick was toned down and we ended up with 3 different brick textures that are used on different buildings.

We're planning on running an event during NSO that is a UT2004 LAN on the WPImap with the freshmen. You're welcome to hang out/play it/help!

 

[ebeinke]

time

Like most endeavors there is always more to be added. With only having a limited time span to complete this in, we barely completed it. That's why we hope next year new people will come and make things look even better. (aka; grunge everything down and make it look more realistic instead of perfect, lol) It's kind of ironic that you have to make something perfect before you start destroying it.