Graphics Features Urban Map Pack

EnlightenedOne · Post by **EnlightenedOne** » 27 Feb 2007, 14:29

Hi everyone im working on developing an urban map pack. I have some pics to show you but dont know how to upload them onto here, also I have a problem with my current buildings as people with machines that can handle opaque textures just get these MASSIVE shadows everywhere cast by invisible buildings.

Could anybody clarify what causes this transluency and if theres someone out there who believes they could convert one of my buildings from being invisible to visible and could guide me through what their doing I would be more than able to complete my map pack easily and dust it off at the end of everything.

Im a tad rookie at modeling for spring due to the difficutly with texturing im getting the hang of it very slowly and have been learning to map so i can build this map pack. I trail off, I will continue to work on trying to make my buildings visible for the world ingame but untill that time im buggered in terms of making urban maps

I have hosted an image below!!! thanks for your feedback ive cleaned this up abit now :)

MR.D · Post by **MR.D** » 27 Feb 2007, 15:48

learn how to use commas, and paragraphs so we can read that.

Goolash_ · Post by **Goolash_** » 27 Feb 2007, 15:52

Don't know how to help you with the buildings but as for uploading an image - just use imageshack or some other similar site to host your pics.

Argh · Post by **Argh** » 27 Feb 2007, 17:59

Send me one of the models / skins, preferably in .S3O, .3DS or .OBJ format, and I will be happy to take a look. My email is listed on my website.

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 27 Feb 2007, 18:13

http://www.imageshack.us

a lot of us use it.

EnlightenedOne · Post by **EnlightenedOne** » 27 Feb 2007, 22:04

I hope this works guys, im looking for Argh's email in the meantime, thanks for so much feedback! :)

The map looks a tad rubish but dont worry its a work in progress ill have more intresting heightwise maps in the map pack aswell but i dont want to give away the entire game pack :) Thanks to fileshack also.... This map is one for large games 4v4 3v3 type ones probably 5v5 aswell theres 3 bridges one submerged and to prevent everybody porcing theres alot of metal to gain from swimming and some geos are close to the bridges, its fairly plain at the moment but ive only been working on it for alittle while sorting out roads etc some models you cant even see the texture of there so dont think their all ugly, it looks queit barren on a second glance of mine i realise alot of the buildings and models cant be viewed from such a distance away from the map :p

EnlightenedOne · Post by **EnlightenedOne** » 27 Feb 2007, 22:06

Oh yeah has anyone got requests for maps theyd like fully converted from TA to be included in the map pack? or any sort of layouts for maps theyd like me to check out or anything?

LordMatt · Post by **LordMatt** » 28 Feb 2007, 00:45

oo a urban map!

EnlightenedOne · Post by **EnlightenedOne** » 28 Feb 2007, 02:22

I forgot to mention this map is a 16x16 incase anybodys intrested out there! no suggestions?.. then I better use my own!
thanks to forboding angel for his comments ill take them all into consideration and see how stuff goes :)

Dragon45 · Post by **Dragon45** » 28 Feb 2007, 04:51

Please make a smaller urban map first and cram it with lots of detail and gameplay. 16x16 maps are not as fun as smaller 10x10 rapid paced games tbh, imho :)

Neddie · Post by **Neddie** » 28 Feb 2007, 05:31

Just make a bunch of maps. Seriously.

EnlightenedOne · Post by **EnlightenedOne** » 28 Feb 2007, 12:21

Well this being my urban map pack there will be a decent number of maps in varying size, ill look for better techniques to make the level look prettier and im sure with a smaller size greater detail can be clearly be aimed for :)

Im aiming on working on the feel of the maps 100% and quality is a bg factor along with balancing to prevent plane haulers from winning by flying around sucking up all the metal I have afew counters for that already such as in bigger maps reduce the amount of metal in buildings etc..

I was worried this would be a dead spark by now so im happy I got so much feedback keep in touch with this forum for more updates on the work in progress and such the more you throw in ideas the more you get out!

Strategia · Post by **Strategia** » 28 Feb 2007, 12:27

You need to make sure that the buildings don't have too little metal; otherwise, they'll all be gone within minutes.

Goolash_ · Post by **Goolash_** » 28 Feb 2007, 13:54

EnlightenedOne wrote:bg factor along with balancing to prevent plane haulers from winning by flying around sucking up all the metal I have afew counters for that already such as in bigger maps reduce the amount of metal in buildings etc..

Just add energy content to your features so that they will take some time to reclaim, this will make reclaiming just a bonus and not the main strategy for the game, Plus - if your features have energy content in them the speed of the reclaiming is dependent on the construction power of the reclaiming unit and con planes are weaker then other cons.

Just my 2 cents...

pintle · Post by **pintle** » 28 Feb 2007, 16:59

There was an OTA map which was largely urban with a few parks in it. The only mex spots were in the parks but there were loads of features to reclaim, made a very interesting game.

When considering putting an energy value in reclaimable features, please remember that some mods do not use gradual reclaiming. In BA you start getting metal as soon as you start reclaiming stuff, whereas in XTA you need to reclaim the whole thing before you get any metal. I have found that a couple of FA's maps drastically alter stratergy because it becomes so necessary to get farks/necros up to reclaim the bigger features. Not necessarily a detriment to the map, but I have found it a little frustrating at times.

I know people will complain about air con reclaim rush, but it is counterable without figher spam (tho that is prolly the best way to do it) by octopussing with aa units and raiding the air player's (comparitively underdevolped/defended) base.

Keep up the good work EO :)

EnlightenedOne · Post by **EnlightenedOne** » 28 Feb 2007, 19:59

I like the energy idea the most actually it definetely sounds like a plan! i still have no feedback from argh after attempting to send him an email, il lpm him now actually to speed things up alittle

FLOZi · Post by **FLOZi** » 28 Feb 2007, 21:51

A few issues:

1. Feature placement code is horrendously inefficient, so a map with lots of nice urban features (no matter how efficient they are in terms of model and texture) will be slow unless they are combined into single features...

2. Having large numbers of features combined into one monolithic feature to overcome point 1 will be *BAD* in regards collision detection and possibly viewing (though I think there was some tag that was eventually added to overcome the latter)

Argh · Post by **Argh** » 01 Mar 2007, 00:28

I've already responded to your email... sorry, but "fast" with me is 24 hours after I've received the files- I am pretty busy...

EnlightenedOne · Post by **EnlightenedOne** » 01 Mar 2007, 21:21

sorry Argh no sort of offence was meant at all!

DemO · Post by **DemO** » 02 Mar 2007, 02:10

Yay a mapping thread without flame wars.

Spring RTS Engine

Graphics Features Urban Map Pack

Graphics Features Urban Map Pack

Test of showing of map

More Input!

This is a decent sized one

Maps

Re: Maps