SCHÖNA [ALPHA 4]

[CZghost]

So Alpha 4 is up to date. Take screenshots and make annotations to better describe what do you mean.
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/My%20maps/czq3tourney1/a4_ingame/shot0001.jpg[/lvlshot]
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/My%20maps/czq3tourney1/a4_ingame/shot0002.jpg[/lvlshot]
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/My%20maps/czq3tourney1/a4_ingame/shot0003.jpg[/lvlshot]
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/My%20maps/czq3tourney1/a4_ingame/shot0004.jpg[/lvlshot]

The new outside area (with gray fog) should have more items, I feel. But now I don't know which. This area will become some external area and the fog of death won't be included in visuals state (or will be unreachable). There will be a skybox in outside. So, any ideas on how to make this one better? Meaning layout, item placement, newly optimising for bots and visuals?

I am now asking also for visuals, if I should stay with default q3 textures (with more details, of course) or find any suitable textures from some gaming sites or general texture sites? Evil-lair's texturesets would be used for tech part of the theme and Sock's nature texturesets for the natural cavement theme. Maybe some decals by Tabun and few easter eggs from CGtextures. Do you have better idea?

To conclude the theme of the map: it will be cobination of natural cavement with high-tech futuristic theme. Next Alpha would be textured with this new theme...

[Martinus]

I like the new area, the new place for the MH, and the teamed power ups, but those teleports aren't a good choice (or not like this how you used them)!
There's a lot of item you placed, but I didn't see any holdable... (I think, adding holdables or more power ups, or a lightning gun, can solve your item problem. If I were you, I would choose a holdable.)
In my opinion, you should use custom textures (like CGTextures, or any custom textures).
Try to add MORE of your own ideas / plans to your map for the next release.
Cavement with high-tech sounds good, do you have any other ideas / plans too?

Keep it up, I think, it will be good map when it's done!

[CZghost]

Maybe try to swapping the destination of the GL teleport to the MH area and delete the teleport in the new area. You see it, I completely forgot about holdables Will try both holdables and LG, will see if it shall work well...

From the time this map started I didn't have an idea on how it would look like further with visuals. I do not know how, but I suddenly had an idea of some futuristic base hidden somewhere in natural cavements. Maybe I saw a movie or what, I really do not know where I become to have that idea I named the map temporarily Schöna (a synonyme for "nice" and a name of a small town in Saxony (Germany), last I've been in Dresden on a trip and we rode by rail through this town I decided to give this name for a map Maybe the name will stay

I definitely include some easter eggs, I am fan of easter eggs There should be some computers, like they're in most of tech maps. There might be also some secrets, too. Anyway, the main theme will be the announced one. Thank you for your interest, I really appreciate that

[Eraser]

I like the 2nd screenshot, but it's a little open. Maybe add some high colums to give a bit of cover against railguns:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/af2ytv450pjmk ... t.jpg?dl=0

[CZghost]

As I said, the new open area will be enclosed and the fog of death will be unreachable or will be completely removed. And next release will be designed with custom textures and possibly with some custom models. Even now there are some pieces of design (let's name e.g. the grate above MH pit). I might choose some main textures of themes the map will use and post it here to decide. And I need to choose a decent skybox for the map surrounding...

I'm becoming to repeat myself, but I have to say again: The theme will be a futuristic high-tech features mixed within natural cavements. My inspiration goes from Rota's map themes (Marilyn the named one), I'd just use another texture scheme and make the theme more likely a facility being rushed and abandoned very quickly (so it should use more some rusty colors and more of green). I gave this release already a name, just to prepare the theme a bit. First I will modify the layout a bit, then I can start searching for some texturesets...

The map name in the log-in screen does not display the accent ö in the title Schöna for the reason that Q3 does not support accents... And next release will include bot support to make the map playable on Single player and it will include an arena file to make it loadable via Skirmish menu...

[Eraser]

As I said, the new open area will be enclosed and the fog of death will be unreachable or will be completely removed.

Really? I actually like it this way. Just needs a bit more cover so you don't get railed immediately after entering that area.

[CZghost]

I wanted to make it as some sidewalk, I just made it this way until I find any way to design it in the manner I originally wanted. Anyway I already need to tweak the layout. I tought about the sidewalk behind the wall connecting with the new passageway inside the massive structure and a staircase leading from the bottom door right next to the sidewalk. It will be wide enough to make quick movement possible.

This is a simple scheme of how it would actualy look like:

[CZghost]

So I ported it to 3D in Radiant (do you recognise the big window?) - Now I need to enclose it, add some items, compile last untextured version (for mine) and try to run it. Then I can start designing visuals

I downloaded a collection of hundreds of skyboxes from LvLworld and found a nice skybox from Hipshot, Grimmnight:

That made me thinking of making the map likely in night

[CZghost]

So the modified layout plays good, starting with designing visuals First I need to find good textures to use. I am thinking of Sock's industrial pack combined with Evil Lair's packs for the high-tech part of the theme and Sock's terrain and nature packs for the natural part of the theme. I might modify some contents to get some rusty looks on the metal textures and will need to make some models. I am going to use the Hipshot's Grimmnight skybox and see how it would deal with the theme itself

[AndyW]

Nice CZghost!
Socks Set is a good choice! The more i play around with it the more fun i have.

[Eraser]

CZghost, I hope we've kept you motivated enough to finish this thing.

[CZghost]

Thank you for suggestion, Andy

Eraser, be sure I am gonna to finish it whatever long it should take. But I finish it.

[CZghost]

Just started retexture Will need to plan out details: vents, girder supports, grate floors, railings, wooden crates, etc.

Textures are set to 0.125 resolution both wide and high on the brush surfaces, which makes these textures the same size like the original one, but higher quality. This is only one shot from editor processing the retexturing and detailing map construction, next will be WIP screnshots from ingame - visible will be parts that have new design. I will try out Hipshot's Grimm Night skybox to see how it works out, possibly I will need to rotate entire map to get it working properly.

[dONKEY]

You have a lot of repeating texture there. TBH, I never go below .25 texture scale, there seems (to me at least) no visible difference between .25 and .125 in terms of image clarity.
Anyways, just for your planing, you might want to think about breaking up those repeating textures. Either and detail trims, decals or structural details,
Also, whilst it's in my mind, don't forget you need to reduce the texture scaling on angled brushes to avoid texture stretching. It's a small detail most inexperienced mappers miss.

[CZghost]

dONKEY, I set up texture scale based in the original resolution. Sock's Industrial Pack is made to high-res textures, that have the biggest size 1024 pixels. This requires a lot smaller scale. I played with 0.25 but it seemed just still too large. 0.125 looks fine for me. There will be always mipmaps that decrease the texture quality as more as more far you are. The angled brushes might be replaced with rockwalls, as I said this is gonna be placed in some kind of caves. I just need to plan out the details the map should have. Maybe a small sketch on paper could help. This is gonna be a long run full of designing and tweaking. I think complete redesign and detailing is the hardest part of the level design. And I need inspiration, too. This might me searching for photo resources, search for photos from caves to see what the natural shapes are alike and search for photos from industrial sphere to see what some abandoned industrial building looks like.

I should avoid angled brushes as much as possible. I won't use 45 degree brushes that are likely to stretch the texture most. Instead I'd choose some smoother variant (patches are good)...

[PaN61]

Is this map still "in the freeze" or have you been doing some ninja updates over the past 4 months?

[CZghost]

Still in freeze, I actualy planned continue doing something during Christmas...

[Gustavo6046]

Make some alt side rooms also, where small bonuses can be found. It stiffs exploration for first-timers and gameplay for the big time gamers.

[MKJ]

Holy shit, this looks miles above what you've started in the past.
Keep going CZghost

[CZghost]

Texturing and modelling map continues, gameplay changed to Deathmatch (map will be available as czq3dm1). Name “Schöna” stays. Here are some editor screenshots of ongoing design progress:




This progress will be a long long way around, but no longer than redesigning my own websites

I decided to rework all walls, so I deleted them, will build them completely from scratch based on the ground layout, which stays the same. All the progress is dedicated to building rough layout design now, small details (like decals and small touches) will be added later.

Just small answer to question that's not spoken yet but probably would be spoken later: The caulk aroud the angled sidewalk concrete walls are supposed to be metal trim around (with nails holding it around the walls). I'll probably change the t-junctions to lightfixtured (providing some enlightment to the area). I'll probably change most of the space into cavement interior, with most of the walls being natural cavement rocky walls, with some industrial supporting walls.

[seremtan]

is this just a rough version of this map? it looks a bit lacking in detail

[CZghost]

It's just rough modelling, more details are waiting to be added. As you can see, most of walls are missing now, it's just floors and ceilings that make up the layout a bit. As I stated before, walls will be made mostly from cavement rocky surface. And for the industrial supporting walls, it might be made of girder plates.

Actually, I have so little time. I have to learn English now and do homework, so I can't continue right now. It seems that I stay in Prague some time before Summer semester for a half-time job, so I couldn't do any further changes to map simply for that reason I won't have access to computer where I have my map in progress. It's a never-ending fortune wheel, where I have to watch every possibility and can't get distracted even for a while. Sorry, but it will get longer than I ever expected Maybe I'll get into it in Summer after the Summer semester, so I could finally move on...

[CZghost]

I've made another changes to my map. I finished the courtyard surrounding perimeter walls detailing complete with texturing and clipping and started redesigning Red Armor ledge with a dropdown hole in grate (see screnshots).

This is perimeter (with clipping invisible):



I decided to put up something there to indicate where the clipping occurs. It works as a detail (it's also made up from detail brushes) and may look like some kind of girder or fence. I may add also grate to that (or actually add a fence texture + shader to the pk3) and make it look more like the fence is actually clipping the wall out. Shall I?

This is the RA ledge (stairs removed, will be completely reworked here):



Small detail under the hole (there are actually small pieces of broken metal support added later, not shown here):


And to actually show that the courtyard walls are properly clipped, this is screenshot from topview showing entire courtyard:


I'm going back to Prague this Sunday, preparing for Summer semester, so I'll again be unable to continue with the map design. Actually, I have so little time to work on the map, but you definitely see I'm trying to continue as much as possible. Even small steps count...

[CZghost]

Okay, I've sealed the map from void with caulk hull (vis blocking structure behind rocky surfaces) and added more details to the map an prepared for rocky cavement modelling. I might contact Sock for help on how to properly texture and blend rocky walls with vines (which will be credited in readme). I consider downloading also Evil Lair's texturesets for this map to make some detail high-tech surfaces (jumppads, launchramp, sfx) and make flicker englightment texture as a decal where needed. Also I have to rename textures directories to reflect new gametype. This is current progress:

Caulk hull for vis blocking behind rocky cavement surface:


Megahealth pit enlarged and lowered a bit (will be cavement designed, too):


Reconstruction of outside wall (now caulked):


Deathfog pit enlarged and prepared for another cavement surface model:


Railgun on top of entire facility prepared for enclosion by cave:


Small details on railings alongside with bridge sidewalk newly created at Red Armor:


Detail on broken railing fell under Red Armor:


Railing details were added also in outside of the map:


Grates on bridge sidewalks and catwalks were given support:


There will be doors with areaportal to enclose all the areas in order to prevent huge r_speeds being generated. There will be also clusterportals where door will be missing (or made broken and opened). Also, some hinting to the large area (with the fireplace) will be included. But that will be after all the major details are done.

I'm going to Prague tomorrow, so I won't be able to continue mapping at least until next week. I'm going to make next changes next week, so stay tuned. Actually, I'll see whenever I'll be able to continue mapping or have to do homeworks instead.

[CZghost]

I just received an email from Dropbox:

Hi Marek,

This is a reminder that your Public folder links will become inactive on March 15. On that date, your Public folder will become a standard Dropbox folder, and your files will remain safe in your account. If you want to share those files again, you’ll need to use shared links instead.

The Public folder was the first sharing method we introduced, and since then, we’ve built more sophisticated ways for you to share securely and work together with your team. In addition to shared links, we have a number of sharing options designed to make collaboration easier and give you more control.

We understand these sharing methods are not a direct replacement for the Public folder in some cases—we apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. For more information on transitioning from the Public folder to shared links, visit our Help Center.

- The Dropbox Team

That simply means links from earlier releases and tests will be broken and won't work anymore. I'll try to fix as much as possible links here in this thread to actually point to my websites FTP pictures sharing folder, but I can't actually fix all my images I've ever shared via Dropbox simply because it would exceed my websites FTP size limit too quickly So be prepared many pictures of mine ever shared (testing pictures for beta releases of your maps) will disappear from these sites soon, showing only error image or not showing at all.