As with the old thread


To start the thread off, screenshots from two of my maps, ns_lucid and ns_attrition

You already know I love lucid...that last shot of Attrition looks great though. I can't quite make out the geometry of the ceiling in the distance, but I like to think that its curving downwards (don't care if it does or doesn't)

And here's the beginnings of co_up, my attempt at a predominantly vertical map.

These are some old pics of ns_selene, but the forums were down, so...

Sub bay that I've done for the new version of Altair.

it looks excellent, is this going to be in 3.2?

co_up + lighting

Barring some horrible unexpected disaster, yes.

Thats cool Mouse, not many people have the guts to put pink lighting in their map.

Maybe pink will be to Mouse, what purple is to me ^_^

Ahhh I can't resist...



Purple light courtesy of Comprox (without whom there would be NO PURPLE...anywhere. In the world.)

Bleh. I started this yesterday.

That ceiling texturing is really hurting that scene. (Plus the badly lit rt needs to be fixed).

Still working on co_minas...


Cargo door, where all the goods go.


The stuff comes from that big lift...


After being checked at shipping control/checkpoint of course... Or whatever i'll call this room.


Corridor from shipping checkpoint (lift top) to MS


Huhhh yeah, corridor from MS to cargo transfer (lift bottom)


Hive <-- maintenance --> shipping checkpoint (lift top)... I know it's dark, will fix, bring your flashlight for now


Shot from hive room --> maintenance. Messing around with a "func_waterized" infestation texture. Effect is quite good, even disgusting, but screenshots doesnt do any justice to it compared to when it's animated...

-Beep-

Ooooh woooow. This is just the reason I love this forum so much!

http://users.skynet.be/droggog/ns_mapping/02.jpg
The door texture in the corner would look better reflected.

Other than that I'm really liking what you guys have been cooking up while the forums have been down. Smex. smex. and more smex.

P.S. Why did we have to have anew thread

It's been a while since anyone posted in here...so here's a teaser shot of ns_machina. (okay so I mostly just wanted to show it off )

This is a shot of an area called 'Barren' - pretty much directly outside the marine start. It is a long winding corridor lined with computer consoles along one side. It is named Barren due to the obvious lack of personnel in a place where they should be plentiful (darn those kharaa!).

I arrived here so fast, you were still uploading the image so I had to refesh the page

Anyway. I really love those lights, but they would be even nicer if you are able to get a V shaped shadow in between them on the wall... This can be achieved with a null textured brush 8 grids (give or take) removed from the wall to cast a V shaped shadow on the wall, but don't forget to clipbrush it. At least I think null will block light and be invisible, I remember way back (2004-ish) I tried experimenting with null textures brushes to help the ancient hl1 engine to cast shadows...

Anyway, it would save you from using 1 runtime func-illusionary set to opaque/block light and it wouldn't render faces or break up the wall etc...

damnit how come my posts always turn out to be this long!!!

Thank Kouji, but honestly I'm happy with the lighting as it is. Those lights have already been designed so as to no let too much light fall out into the room, and having enough light to create a V shadow between them would basically mean undoing that and going back to the washed out look on the floor. I'm happier with the patchy effect that's already present...there will be other times for Vs.

I had considered having an extra light between the curved ones, so as to light up the texture inbetween somewhat....but honestly I'm scared of it being one distraction too many in a room I'm already very happy with, so I'm content to leave it how it is.

Don't know why - reminds me of mineshaft...

I like the lighting as it is.

Allright fair enuf, you shouldn't put a light in between it as you will then lose that nice dark spot for your friendly neighbourhood skulk. And as you said 1 to many distractions. Hope you do get some V's somewhere

One more thing: If this is going to be classic (larger maps) keep an eye on leaves, since walls like that will eat them up for breakfast. Like in Achio, I had to use yesterday and today to get my leaves down to a percentage to be able to put in the readyroom (without losing to much detail).

And now I have found a nice clipping error in one hallway to keep me from compiling the final version *raises fist in anger* (sry just venting frustration here )

Heh, I too am a fighting a losing battle with a clipping bug. It's like a bubble thats stuck in the algorithms...i can chase it but can't 'pop' it. Bleh.

As for my leaf count, they're actually not too bad (the level is about 90% finished). It's my clipnodes that I worry about...still a few areas that need detailing/redoing, and of course there's the readyroom...

Merkaba, that first screenshot you posted reminds me soooo much of a map I was making a couple years ago (ns_papillon). The lighting and architecture seems really similar. This of course means that I like it

Heh I was little bit messing with Source, but without all those NS kickass textures soon it felt little bit pointless, boring... dunno Anyway, I did this




Hmm attachements not working

From the screenshot I can see for about 90% after I manually downloaded it, nss_hulk20002.jpg. I quite like it even without "ns textures", you managed to create and NS atmosphere. The other screenshot is only visible for about 10%. You sure you fully uploaded the files?

Uhm, it's a WIP, but it seems like I'm getting the hang of it again... The r_speeds are a bit high, but that's because I like stairs with lights in the middle too much.

For a "wip" that damn nice, very nice lighting Mendasp, these stairlights look very nice indeed. Btw what are these elusive r_speeds we're talking about?

combat or classic?

Classic, but I don't think I'm going to finish this one... it's like about 30% done or so.

All your maps look fantastic, I see water, I see elevetion, I see structures, I see the potential for large, detailed and beautifull maps.
And ironicly thats the problem...
Most new NS maps consist of visuals and detail, but with every additional trinket gameplay takes a blow. You are all talented and have the ability to make fantastic looking maps, but over the years it seems that the things that made the most succesfull maps in NS, which are probably "ns_tanith" and "ns_veil" have been forgotten. As a player I ask you to keep these three Ss in mind: Simplicity, Size and Symetry.

Simplicity basicly means to avoid useless clutter, while a chair, table and a few monitors in the middle of a room may look nice, with some uneven floors to make it look like a battle ground and with huge rooms with elevators,ladders watery surfaces and such thrown in the mix all adding to the visuals these things make moving efficiently around the map a nightmare. You dont need hundreds of trinkets to make a map look nice.
There also isnt any need for complex vent systems that you can get lost in like on "ns_nancy" for example.

Size simply means that a map dosent have to be huge, infact it shouldent be.

And finnaly Symetry. The human mind loves symetry, and makes a map a lot easyer to take in.

These are the things I look for in a map as a player.

to sum up:
keep it simple, keep it small and keep it clean.

But make a map with competitive gameplay is alot harder than make beatifull map

Yep, perhaps we ns mappers have been going about it the wrong way arround. Maybe we should try mapping like this: First create a low poly map which is a lot easier to tweak for gameflow/play . Then dress it up in highpoly...

I don't however agree with


All the objects which might snag a player his movement, can be fixed with the use of clipbrushing. And sometimes you want to make players move arround stuff to create lockdown points. Or easier to defend by the marines/aliens.




Anyway to avoid discusion (which this thread isn't for) I'll comment on your latest screenshot Rendy.

I like the room as it is, but the red glow has a to big presence in this area. Might want to see if you can get some other light colors (or brighter white spotlights) arround the lower level or something.

As far as making balanced and enjoyable maps goes, I'd say NS is one of the more challenging games/mods to do it for. So in theory, if you know how to make a balanced ns_ map, you should find it easier to balance maps for other games/mods. Its a skill worth developing.

Please dont missunderstand, Im not saying that a map should be devoid of decoration, only that those decorations shouldent be a hinderance to efficient movment. There is nothing wrong with placing some obstacles as long as its used in moderation and there isnt anything that you can actually get wedged on.
Im mainly reffering here to uneven surfaces and little elements that stick out from walls floors or cealings, shapes with a more complicated design that have gaps like a table and chair combo.

And yes, I do belive Im a little off topic so Ill end it at that.

since around 75% of my posts are in this forum, I feel compelled to make a post. I havn't mapped in over a year though. and not for NS in probably two.. but who knows? Mayhaps the fire will be rekindled.

r_speeds are about 1000, but that's because I went a bit crazy with this room... not that it matters anyways, since I probably won't release the map.

Overall it's quite nice. But those computer pilars looks that they're standing there without purpose.

what are yout alking about ? those are obviously pillars . pillars dont need a purpose. they look cool and that is plenty. lol i like the screenshots you guys be postin

Looks good but I'd say the red floor breaks the theme a little.

heres one i made quite a while back

I remember that one, still looks great. You get any further with it?

every time i try to get back into mapping doesn't hold me.. awaiting tech release for ns2 though.

no i havent done any halflife mapping for a while been concentratin on source, my source maps are on my site ( in sig ) ill be sure to do an ns map when i can

Ah I remember that one Nay, based off an area from D3 if I remember correctly? Would be nice to see progress on that.

Mendasp finish that map. Look sleek and pretty.

I remember that beast! I used to think that was amazing.

Your map (room?) looks excellent, Mendasp. You should develop it more. (It would be a cool idea to have every room radically different too, but now I'm going off on a tangent)

I dug this out, I have the old source somewhere not much more than the area now. Thinking about continuing it not sure though.



And these are some old old pics of something I used to like. Source file no longer exists I'm afraid

Despite my mind screaming at me that my map is not worthy for this thread yet, I shall post a screenshot anyway, in hopes that you folks have some (friendly) criticism to offer.

Behold, the very first room/resnode/anything of my map.

K some tips on making it look sexier?

- Darken the overal lighting and use spotlights to create a shadow/bright look (removing the fully lit theme)
- Break up the flatness of the roof and perhaps the walls with some support beams
- Use some sexy lights on those steps of the resnode
- Use some other light colors then light yellow
- Keep an eye out for overusage of the wall lab textures. Some people will probably go like "OMG another veils/eclipse clone (not fair, but they do it anyway)"

This will make the scene look more interesting, and doesn't mean that it doesn't look good already though

[edit]
Thaldarin:

I like it alot, also have nothing to add which you could change... To quote Burt Gummer from Tremors 2

Following your advice with the lighting..

Took away some lights and put in light_spots in where they made sense. Mixed the colors around a bit with a red light over on the left side (off screen). It should also be noted that after capping this screenshot, I put in some additive textures on the monitors and on the light fixtures.

Click.

Too square, needs better textures.

In other words try to break areas up with different styles and brushwork, including the ceiling, no one like a flat ceiling.

btw i just took 2 better screenshots from the map as above, it is a newer version, u`ll notice a fair few differences