Map17: Dune City

[cybdmn]

As promised in the texture thread, here are two screenshots. Note, that this map is in an early status. This is just a quick view, for you to imagine what i have in mind with this map.

[Cage]

Off to a good start!

Looks like I need to do the palace texture set ASAP

[cybdmn]

Oh, thats not really the start. The window section of that map was my first idea, and is unchanged since then. In the map before, you could see a wasteland only, and the map progresses in the opposite direction.

What i really need is more variety in the city textures. In nearly all games, even in those with more advanced engines, like Duke Nukem 3D, the lack of variety in city-style textures made them a little bland.
Later i will need some detail stuff, like signs and stuff like the middle textures in my window section. And, as i mentiuoned before, two or three different palm tree sprites would be nice.

I will try to make some textures by myself, hope i get some nice stuff done.

[Xaser]

Not bad thus far! Lighting's a bit static thus far, but the city is shaping up nicely. Good to see you're back on it.

Regarding the texture variety, there's a lot you can do with mixing and matching what's there that will go a long way toward stretching out the available textures and giving each building its own charm. I tried to do something along those lines in the new MAP06, so maybe it's worth a reference if it helps what you're looking for.

[cybdmn]

Yes, lights are dull at the moment. But that will be improved, at the moment i am still in the making of the basic layout for this map. Thanks for your suggestions.

[cybdmn]

Phew, lighting is a lot of work for a city map like this. I have added a massive amount of sectors. This goes beyond vanilla compatibility, visplane overflow at mapstart.

[Xaser]

Oh yeah -- 2.0 is (intentionally or not) spitting in the face of the visplane limit. I'd be scared to actually attempt to count how many there are in MAP06 now. It takes about 30 seconds for ZenNode to build nodes for it, and that's on my rather-beefy CPU (Intel Core i7-2600K). So don't let limits stop you.

Good to hear, by the way! Always interested in seeing it if you're willing to show it off, too.

[cybdmn]

It was late yesterday when i stopped drawing and pushing lindefs around. I will post updated screenshots soon.

[cybdmn]

Light on.

[Xaser]

The shadows look nice, though upon closer inspection, the buildings are a bit 'off' at the moment since some of them are actually a bit too 'perfect' looking in geometry (esp. the sandstone buildings) -- some worn corners and roughened edges could give 'em more character, but that sort of detailing can come later, I suppose. Just musing about things in advance. ;P

I'm more concerned about the gold building immediately in front of the player -- I'm not sure that texture suits being applied to a simple box-shaped building, since it looks more regal and palace-y than the surrounding shantytown.

Still, keep this up.

[cybdmn]

Oh, textures are not set in stone, i used them on a temporary basis, to have more variety for the moment. And, the point from where i made the screenshot isn't reachable without noclip, from the gameplay perspective it looks different. And i am not finished with the lights, maybe i tune the contrast later, i will see, for such dune stuff, light/shadows need hard contrasts, i am unsure, if the contrast is high enough.

The basic layout isn't finished too, at the moment i am working on the next section, which is behind the mountains on the left.

However, it is fun to do mapping, and see how my ideas develops.

[Xaser]

Hmm, maybe I should stop nitpicking an alpha so bad, then. Just sharing a bit of random thoughtness, I guess.

[Cage]

Thanks for the initative, cybdmn! I'll clean this one up to standards You (and other mappers) can post up mock-up textures or reference pictures too if you have request for something similar

[cybdmn]

Xaser, it is okay to say what you think. This way we can provide better maps.

Cage, we have to thank you!

[Xaser]

Hmm, second time lately I've been surfing around and ran into a big ol' Hacxy inspirational photo:


I saw this and immediately thought of this map.