random crap? I didn't think it was random. anyhow, rc2 is out, with a minor twist in the map. literally. delete the previous versions before loading this please. Just in case a previous version is messing with the minimap. http://www.sendspace.com/file/40xe6a
I played this map yesterday. It was probably one of the biggest open maps I've ever played. One problem we found was the ref in a5 being uncappable. The bases could use a bit of a redesign with maybe some ammo boxes on the ramparts and the lighting could use some love.
The refs worked on my listen server, so whatever the issue was (probably not high enough) I've changed the displacements in many areas and adjusted the heights of the res nodes, so it is probably fixed. map brightness was doubled, and the angle of the sun was increased to be at about a 60 degree when looking east. that kills most of the shadows that annoyed people, and also helps with the brightness in those areas, as the low ambient brightness made shadows rather dark.
it's 1400 units shorter than dust storm (1 barracks) it's 720 units shorter than cyclopean (half a barracks). It's really not that big, and compared to dust storm, it's not really as open as it seems. in all honesty, it just seems larger because there is no 3d skybox. also, the map edges right up against they skybox.
alright, I'll change the minimap to that bright thing bslap. -_-'' I thought I changed all the trees to orex. I might have forgotten about the tree clumps I put in near the middle south. I'll get that stuff changed. The next release will probably be a while out. Done some light work on smoothing out the hill tops and changing the alpha color of the underwater parts of the map. will be looking at adding more clumps of just plain grass for looks. maybe some more bushes around the center.
If you redo the minimap you could add grid-coordinates too. The map is fun to play now, especially with the new vehicle handling. It has come a long way from the dark field and two bases concept of the first versions.
grid co ordinates are automatically placed on top of a minimap. all that is needed is for the minimap to be 1024x1024 in size and for the hammer grid co ordinates for the top left and bottom right corners of the map to be accurate. also, it was never dark on my computer >_> alright, I need help with two things for the next release of this map. 1) 3d skybox. When I started this map, I didn't know better when it comes to the size of the displacements and such for the terran. As such, they don't reduce down properly. That being said, the 3d skybox, in order to line up properly, would need to have the entire map copied and pasted at 1/16 scale around 8 times. 8 maps x 124 displacements per map = 992 displacements. That being said, my computer can't handle that amount of displacements. So, I need someone to give me a hand with the 3d skybox. Preferably someone who has mapped for the empires community before. 2) As my computer can't handle the displacements, it obviously could never compile this with a full compile, and probably would never finish in 1000 years an HDR compile. I need a volunteer to give up their computer for up to possibly a week to compile this on full compile for a proper release once everything is a tad more smoothed out for vehicle driving. The next release will make the map relatively complete. Possibly it would be wonderful to get this onto the networked compile for vvis, cause that takes the longest. As i've never been able to complete a full compile (current one is a "fast" compile), this would be a first for this map. I've been given a lot of positive feedback so far about the tank combat on this map. thank you very much for that feed back, as tank combat was the focus of this project. More maps such as this and cyclopean are needed (maps with hills and bumps). other than that, some more work is to be done, but expect a more or less complete version of the map soon.
purely from an RTS mapper, and just from looking at the minimap. you should outline all of the edges where the terrain meets water with some alternate texture. the grass running down into the water looks amature. the tropic vendetta minimap, whether intentionally or just coincidentally, has managed this. I know this is difficult in source though, because of the way that you can only have one blend per texture.
all the water on tropic vendetta minimap is photoshopped in, and yes we have 2 different blends on the beach and the inner island, for metal to do this with just his rivers he would have to remake most all his terrain by hand, simply he would have to stretch (via vertex editor) edges of displacements so that they meet along the shore of the rivers, then subdivide his displacments to get rid of the texture stretching. From there its just making another VMT with grass and whatever texture he would want the river made out of blend. drop that texture on the river displacements and start painting.
I dont understand why you would need to duplicate your map 8 times on scaleing to work. I could probably get a 3dskybox working in short order its relatively simple when you break it down. Also VVIS is what dominates most of your compile time, turning on HDR will increase compile time from something like 25 to 40 min or something of the like. I dont think your compile time will take all that much time, I cap out on tropic at 10 hours and my computer is a piece of shit, I bet Shandy could do a full tropic compile in 5 or 6 hours. Although I guess I dont know exactly whats lying around your map either.
tropic is basically a huge displacement in a box... dont talk about compile times when you compile an empty box... when its filled with architecture and you cant func_detail large parts of it we will talk again thank heavens me and my mapping buddies all have great compiling computers and can do it in steps or connected together... i would say i could run it on my computers as trials, see how it goes
....shit talking just for that huh? well fuck ass since the orange box conversion we now have access to func_viscluster which eliminates the greatest compile problem for empires which is the enormous overview area needed for commanders to be able to scroll out and arty to shoot up, removing 75% of the vis leafs that you KNOW can see each other from having to calculate that they can, reducing the compile area to just sections that have visblocking brushes. Plus delta is a displacement map as well, it should correlate. I dont know why your trying to be a dick, I wasnt trying to be a dick. I dono but that just really pissed me off. this isnt my first time mapping and we didnt even have func_detail when I mapped back in the day before anyway. well lets just throw in the latest project anyway. OH MY GAWDZ WALLS AND BUILDINGSZ AND SHIT. EDIT: your comment doesnt even make sense actually, if you have large architecture you DONT want to make it a func_detail you WANT it to block vis, what increases the compile time ISNT big architecture it is having small shit that DOESNT really block vis not func_detail and cutting up your visleafs into multiple smaller visleafs which increases the amount of calculations required, only make things func_detail when they do not block vis or block it effectively. So if you have a wall made all of wierd angles and projections you might want to make the whole thing a func_detail and fill the inside with a simple nodraw block that stops vis on one plane.
i wasn't trying to be a dick at all ; _ ; NOW I FEEL SERIOUSLY BAD PLZ FORGIVE ME... ... btw i was not talking about large architecture, i was talking about filled with architecture (as in, a city map or a building internals, your city map looks rather bald to be honest...) large architecture, 99% func_detail (the outer walls and floors aren't) filled with architecture, if i would remove func_details you would see a box room with 4-5 models and a square hole as doorway
well if you make it all func_detail like that it shouldnt make your compile time excessive, it will add too mainly just RAD and in the scheme of things RAD compile is rather short. the city portion of that screenshot hasnt even started yet, this is just like 2 days of work put into this thing, the buildings are just placeholders. Im not even going to use giant city buildings I've decided. only part ive done any amount of work on is the canals. This is why I generally dont even show anything so pre-alpha just bring unneeded criticism for unfinished things. But I simply posted this to make a point, not all the maps I work on are displacement heightmaps. But for empires displacement maps are great cause you need big open areas that dont look like a box you build on top of.
