emp_kingunderthemountain

Discussion in 'Mapping' started by Chris0132', Sep 13, 2007.

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  1. Chris0132'

    Chris0132' Developer

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    Ok, so this is a map I've been working on for a few days, mainly to try and get the FPS to an acceptable level, which is kinda hard what with it being an outdoor map with a bloody great river running through the middle. If it turns out to be a problem in empires then I'll just use either cheap water or I'll replace it with something else.

    The basic premise is that it's a large map with a few different terrain types to fight over. A city, a desert, a river, and an underground base. It's located within brenodi territory, which lends me the storyline.

    The Brenodi have been working on a project codenamed "King Under the Mountain". their work on the project so far has been carried out at a high security facility in the desert. The goal of the project is to generate massive quantities of resources in otherwise barren terrain, thus allowing the brenodi far more flexibility in their deployment. The desert and it's enclosed base and small city are to be the proving ground for this new technology. Unfortunately for the Brenodi, the Northern Faction have found out about the project and have decided they they want it for themselves, if they cannot capture the facility, they can at least deny the Brenodi it's advantages.

    The game is basically going to be desert on both sides, with a river connecting the mountain and city and also restricting access through the centre of the map, creating three choke points.

    Access across the river can be gained by circumnavigating it on either side, either by going through the mountain base, or through the city. Or by crossing the wide, central bridge. The base will probably only take small vehicles, the city would support larger ones, but the largest vehicles will be best moved across the bridge.

    Which route you choose will be important in deciding the combat you're likely to encounter, the mountain base is likely to contain mostly infantry, but will have no standing garrison due to the tight quarters and lack of building space. It will have to be reinforced from either entrance. It will contain a large resource cache in the main room, which will give the infantry some incentive to capture it, holding the whole base will generate more resources than the city or the barren desert. The city will be classic urban warfare, with the main square being large enough to house a barracks or larger structure, but certainly not large enough for a whole base. That said however, spreading the base throughout the city may be a feasible option. The main bridge will be a perilously open area, with much opportunity for both the city and the mountain side to snipe at the exposed flanks of the combatants. It does however present the least potential for concealed ambushes, and is a direct route to the bases.

    I took some screens of my current progress, I've been doing one half of the map to start with, once I get that done I'll replicate it on the other side. Symmetry may be cliche but I rather like it, and you hopefully won't notice it on foot.

    The design might change also, there's a couple of bits I'm not too happy about, but we'll see.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Niarbeht

    Niarbeht Member

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    I am strangely reminded of a Tribes map which, I believe was called "King under the hill" or some such.

    But maybe I've just gone insane.

    Nonetheless...

    Good luck with this!
     
  3. dumpster_fox

    dumpster_fox Member

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    I really like the entrance to the underground part. Get rid of the massive amount of rocks trimming the cliffs (those are going to eat frames like nobody's business), and maybe plop a cargo container in one of those giant concrete open areas.
     
  4. Dubee

    Dubee Grapehead

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    yeah man its looking good.. cant wait to try the finished product
     
  5. Silk

    Silk Mapper

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    Yeah it looks very nice!

    Maybe one thing ... try to use as many empires textures/models. We've al grown tired of hl2's standard textures.
     
  6. Broccoli

    Broccoli Member

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    I love the look of the mountain, but those rock props are a little over-used :)
     
  7. TheAllmightyMighty

    TheAllmightyMighty Member

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    nice map overall but it needs less rock probs (or at least make them more irregular...looks kinda unnatural) and more crates bushes and basicly a bit more eye candy and a few small rocks in the desrt area (only for looks)
     
  8. Chris0132'

    Chris0132' Developer

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    I know it needs detailing, the rocks don't actually affect the framerate, disabling them only adds about 10 fps.

    I could cut down on them but frankly I think it looks worse if you take them out.

    I haven't looked at the empires textures or models, if I find some to my liking I may add them.
     
  9. KILLX

    KILLX Banned

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    looking great, i cannot wait to play this. need anyone to beta test with?

    P.S. PICK ME!
     
  10. Chris0132'

    Chris0132' Developer

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    I don't really see the point of beta testing.

    I can test for any sort of mapping error myself. Design improvements are best decided upon after lots of public testing, which is usually called a release.

    After setting up an empires config and reviewing the available materials and models, I have changed a large number of textures. Empires actually has some very good materials available and this may allow me to use bare cliff faces rather than covering them with rocks. The mobile trees are also an interesting addition and have allowed me to develop some natural areas within the city.

    I also have an interesting possible use for the engineer constructables, this will however require further investigation.
     
  11. picard131

    picard131 Member

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    ...I came. One of the most gorgeous Empires maps I've ever seen in my life.

    EDIT: Yeah, I say take out those rocks though. You should definitely put some constructable goodies in there too, maybe some big concrete/steel walls to keep the NF from getting in like the wood ones for NF on Escort. I'd like to see what you could come up with, I love the constructables like no other.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2007
  12. arklansman

    arklansman Member

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    Those rocks just look...weird.

    Everything thing else looks nice though.

    Oh except the name. That hurts my fingers. :P
     
  13. Chris0132'

    Chris0132' Developer

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    Constructable wise I'm actually producing a bit of a paradox, the construction produces nothing in the way of actual material, and shortly after leads to a significant reduction in material.

    I might add some constructable bridges in addition to the main one.

    I have taken out most of the rocks because the empires cliffs are actually quite nice. I'll be putting some back in but they'll be a bit more sparse and shouldn't look as artificial.

    Oh and I might just call the map emp_kutm for sake of typing.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2007
  14. KILLX

    KILLX Banned

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    or a new name. king under the mountain suggests that the map is based on the mountain, when it is only a part of the map. plus it sounds cliche
     
  15. Evan

    Evan League Commissioner

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    "king under the mountain" suggests its on the mountain? :p
     
  16. Chris0132'

    Chris0132' Developer

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    So does every other name, or they're even more unoriginal. emp_deserted, emp_rivercity, emp_bigassdesertwithsmallcitystateandmountainwhichhappenstocontainsecretbase.

    Anyway, I got the constructables working, you can now demolish parts of the city to make room for building base structures, and there are also a number of fortifications you can build to restrict tank access and provide cover.

    Here's the sort of town hall, it's a fully accessable building that sits in the centre of the city and is only accessable by light vehicles and infantry.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  17. Broccoli

    Broccoli Member

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    Sweetness. Loving the Brenodi logo on the floor.
     
  18. Chris0132'

    Chris0132' Developer

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    Yeah I like that as well, I thought that the logo was simple enough to recreate in brushes, and I needed a centrepiece for a square or courtyard, so I used it.

    As a question though, the tree models are really sucking up the FPS, I'm having to use the single trees because the clusters are too big to fit in the planters, and I'm also having to make them prop_dynamic for the animations, is this normal?
     
  19. Jcw87

    Jcw87 Member

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    prop_statics are just that... static meshes. If it animates, it's not static :p. So yeah, I would say it's normal, Solokiller would probably agree.
     
  20. Mr. Weedy

    Mr. Weedy I will report bugs on the bug tracker

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    I would like to see insides of the hangars which you can see in the second picture. :)

    But looking good indeed. More details in front of those hangars and I think it would be nice.

    Edit: I got an idea.

    Why not turn most of the map into water?

    AND build your own brush based boats there on which you can then carry out your tanks and stuff. They would be destroyable as all the other vehicles are too but they would respawn after a while. Also there would be a big island in the middle of the map. At least I got that picture at the flat sand texture from the second last picture.

    If you don't how to do brush based vehicles, ask JJ45 to do them for you. He has made at least a tank with interior and it works. Also he has made all kinds of brush based weapons.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2007
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