My first map DM-Examination

[}TCP{ZzCaT]

After tinkering around with Battlefield for a bit, I decided I wanted to learn more about the editor. I decided to make a map. In fact it's a remake of dm- examination (why start simple said the noob ). I've added a few screenies. Let me know what you think.

dm-examination Download

[Kobra]

yea, some parts remind me to examination
looks good ^^

[SLAPHEAD]

Looks good!

[}TCP{aLICe]

Looks very good


BTW: Could someone (Carnage? ) change my rank to }TCP{lost-in-U1

[Taz]

Yeah, not bad at all looks even better the one in u1

[}TCP{ZzCaT]

Yeah, not bad at all looks even better the one in u1

Oowww thanks for the compliment but I would have to disagree... Krull is a master and the original has so much detail put into it that it would probably cost me several weeks to even get close.

I can use 'static meshes' (prefab doors etc.) where Krull carefully carved everything out of the environment by hand. Even a simple wall consists of multiple brushes and textures. I just slapped one texture onto the whole thing. The lighting, placement of items, map flow, you name it, really is outstanding in the original map. My feeble attempt could not come close.

Nevertheless it's a way of keeping the old game alive. Take the best Unreal 1 maps and convert them to UT2004.

ZZ

[}TCP{ZzCaT]

Anyway here's a link to it if you want to look at the map yourself:

http://www.rzwiers.demon.nl/maps/dm-examination.zip

Please note: It's a BETA version, I need to fix some little things like a few textures and pickups. Any comments are welcome.

ZZ

[}TCP{Wolf]

for a first try.. nice

[}TCP{Snowbird]

For ur first map.... very well done. Since u said it was a beta version, I will not go into detail. Just a few things that I learned that I could have done better. My first map for Uk4 was sinfonia. It came out real nice, for a unreal map. But it was built for unreal, and not uk4. It was small. Too small. Now I have decided, if I do another one, I am going to build it 1.5 times the size of the original. Are you using any tuterals? If you look in www.3dbuzz.com , they have alot of VTM's (video training module), and they really get into detail and help allot. Good luck with the editor, and have fun with it. I find I have more fun designing than playing. If you need any help, ask me and if I do not know the answer, I will find one for you. Also look under the mods section in the forum. I have placed some texture packages there for the texture editor found on the homepage. And more to come. Frank

[}TCP{ZzCaT]

For ur first map.... very well done. Since u said it was a beta version, I will not go into detail.

Oh but please do. I posted this here so people could comment on it. I will most probably not release this map anyway, it is a learning project.

As for the size, good point. I noticed that too. I kept the original's size at a 100% scale. This is probably too small for UT2004.

Nevertheless, it would be nice to introduce the original Unreal maps that we enjoyed for so many years to the UT2004 community don't you agree??

I will follow your link later today when I'm at home.

ZZ

[}TCP{Snowbird]

OK. YOU ASKED FOR IT.

Just kidding. I will give you a little more detail. Out of everything that I have learned, Lighting is one of the things that will make and break a map. I know the one that I had posted had little light, but like u said, it was beta. Lighting always comes last, because if you have a very special, greatly built, wonderful staic mesh, or a certain part of the map that you really like, and then do not light it.... well u get my point. I have been through a few light tuterals, and have found that this part of the building could realy do just that, make or break. Not that you really did anything wrong, you actually did a very good job on everything. Just some things to point out. Check out your doorways. The insides are blue lights. Put lights on every light image on that mesh. Turn down the radius and makke the light blue. I would not put corinas in your map. It is bright enough. Another light thing. Where you need light, put a light source. VERRRRY important. Also too much light makes the textures fade out.

I am not sure about the sun in the sky box. (that is in my next message) put the sun in the level. As long as you have a sky boy, and your walls are "fake" you will have sun. Keep your sky box biggggggggg. Sky boxes are the second most important thing in a level. A blurry skybox shows that the designer did not take the time to think about what he (or she) was doing before they did it.

DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THIS AS INSULTING. You are a beginer, and I WANT TO HELP. There are alot of sites that have tut'S and there r good ones and not so good ones. The best you can do is look at those and look at the levels that you like. Ask me any time you want about the ed. I am also still converting over from the old one, and maybe your question can help me 2.

Good luck. Frank

[}TCP{Snowbird]

Sorry man. I did not mean to scare you with that last message.

I guess I am the only one that has time right now to write in the forum. Being sick has its advantages.

cough.......cough!!!!

Cheers....Prost!!!

[}TCP{ZzCaT]

Don't you worry, I'm not easily offended

You tips are very welcome. I just don't get the sunlight part. I read that you're supposed to put the sun in a skybox if you want it to work at all.

I made my skybox 1024 x 1024 x 1024 which should be enough ???
What size would you make them??

Could you also have a look at the bot paths. I suspect they aren't working right. TIA.


ZZ

[}TCP{Snowbird]

The sun should be in the level, as long as you have one or more walls marked as (Fakebackdrop) it will shine through that/those walls. I am not sure if the sun in the skybox will effect the level any....not sure, I think that it would only effect the static meshes, moountains and terrain in the skybox.

I was going to look up a great skybox tut for you and got sidetracked yesterday. Ii will see if I can look it up today.

I will try those botpaths now and edit this later.

OK first off, skip what I said about the sun. It looks like it works fine in the skybox and I see no reason (right now) not to leave it there. I was taught to put it in the level. SIGH!!!!


Your bot paths are almost alright. Almost. On your lifts you need to put lift exits and a lift center. I can explain if you would like. Your paths are ok on the flat levels. When you come to a set of stairs or a drop off that you want the bots to use, then get the pathnode alittle closer to the edges so that the next pathnode can "see" it. On the stairs where the hidden room is...hmmmm. I put a pathnode next to the stairs in front of the hidden room, and one on the stairs close to the edge. It would still not recognize the path between the 2. But ther is a solution. You have to "force" the paths. I have a few screenies that will show this.

Good luck and keep me updated how it is coming out.

I will get my act together someday and put my Sinfonia on here. Frank

[}TCP{ZzCaT]

Well the bots don't know about the redeemer but that was by design

You know how some people just follow the bots to see where they get the goodies I figured it would be more fun to let the players find out for themselves where the thing is

Anyway I started working on the lighting and I must say that the effects are cool. When I'm finished I'll repost the map. I even put in a few torches (I know you don't like them but I think they'll fit here).

Anyway in my opinion if the lighting is finished and the bot paths are all done then we could start thinking about releasing this map. But before I'd like to play it on our server to see if it's any fun to play.

ZZ