cathedral (wip) screens

(blushing_bride) #1

Im currently making a fairly big map based around an old gothic town. The screens were taken at max details with 8x8aa/af hence the low fps. I get above 100fps using my normal game playing config.

Anyway the first half is a simple battle through the cathedral, allies have to blow open a door to aquire the second spawn. Once they have it the rest of the map is roughly split into three sections. Axis spawn in one and allies another while the third is entirely underwater. There are two water pumps one near allied spawn one near axis spawn. If both are broken then water is at highest level. If one is fixed (either one) then the water goes to the half way level. This will open a passage to the room with the objective in. If the allies manage to have both water pumps fixed then the water drains to its lowest level allowing another entrance to the objective room. Assuming they get both pumps working getting the gold should be easy. There are three ways back to the drop off point. One is through axis spawn and the other two are through the tunnels. If the axis manage to blow up a water pump while the allies are still traversing the tunnels with the objective the allied player will likely drown. At the moment the pumps can be destroyed by either covert or engineer. The water will go up and down quickly hopefully drowning players trapped in the tunnels. Howevere if a pump is fixed the water will go away quick so all is not lost for someone trapped inside the tunnels. The maps about 2/3rds done so im hoping to have a beta in the next few weeks if im not too busy with real work.

(PH@TIE) #2

Looks stunning m8.

Hope ya don’t mind but I gave it a litlle public boost over at http://wolf.dehn.net

Very nice use of lighting / shadows inside. WoW!!

(G0-Gerbil) #3

Lovely interior, although the floor itself is a bit on the empty side, which is a shame given that’s where the first bit of action will take place.
I do like the alpha’ed windows on that second shot though - they really give it a boost in authenticity and detail :slight_smile:

(Ramoonus) #4

to be ownest: nice work, it looks nice

(blushing_bride) #5

the main body of the cathedral will have some stuff in it. There will be choir screens filling approx one half and i may shove in some wooden pews to make it look less empty. And there will be an alter under the crossing as well. So hopefully if will look more cluttered when it’s finished.

Gerbil im not sure what you mean by alpha’ed windows (there are no windows that is the openings in the cloisters) in the second shot. At the moment it’s made from brushwork but i’ll either be making it simpler or changing it to models. Although i get excellent frame rates the sheer amount of brushes here is causing other un-foreseen problems. I’ve spent more time deleting stuff in the last few days then i have making stuff.

ph@tie thanks for putting it on your site. If i get a chance ill register and reply. fps was my primery concern so im certain to get better fps then most SD maps (fingers crossed)

(G0-Gerbil) #6

Ah, I just assumed it’d be an alpha texture rather than brushwork - simply cos that’s how I’d do it to start with to keep life simple and fast.
It looks like the interior is a billion patches, other than the blatant exageration, is that how you’ve done it?

(PH@TIE) #7

Your Welcome m8.

The more ppl that know about it the better, as it means less ppl disconnecting coz they can’t be bothered to download it. From what I can see so far it will HAVE to go in the server map rotation.

Looking forward to its completion, and standing by to beta test if required.

(blushing_bride) #8

Most of the big stuff is patches. Most of the smaller arches such as in the windows are made from brushes to simplify things. This way where ever two arches sit next to each other i can make the middle set of brushes that connect them be one brush so that each arch shares brushes with it neighbour. Also most of these smaller arches are simplified arches. The cieling is made from brushes (imagine an upside down terrian) with patches forming the ribs. It’s not very effiecient but i can’t think of any other way to make a vaulted cieling with a good 3d feel to it.

It probably is a bit over complicated at the moment. So far i have 17000 brushes and entities (by the way there is alot more to the map that i have not lit yet so hence no screen shots of other bits). I think i can cut about a thousand or more from that but i still have to make a crypt and some underground tunnels so im aiming to make it roughly equal to goldrush in brush count terms.

ph@tie the file size is gonna be at least 20mb so i hope that wont put too many people off playing it. i would like to have a private test but im not sure how that would be possible so i reckon it’ll have to go up pcgamemods as i dont know anywhere else i can upload something so big. Anyway its still got a way to go a few weeks might be a couple of months depending on work

(G0-Gerbil) #9

File size isn’t usually an issue as long as it’s worth it :slight_smile:
As for complexity, well, that comes down to framerates for others really. It may not be 100% efficient, but if it runs fine, who cares? :slight_smile:
You might want to give it out privately to a few people first though - not to test the multiplayer online stuff, but simply to let others have a wander through spotting mistakes.
It can be invaluable, simply because as the map designer, it’s easy to overlook something because it’s always been like that, or you forgot to do something you kept telling yourself you’d do eventually etc.
Just choose a few people you trust not to release it, chuck loads of ‘THIS IS PRIVATE YOU FOOLS DONT POST IT ANYWHERE OR RUN A SERVER WITH IT OR ILL FIND WHERE YOU LIVE AND KILL YOUR PET TURTLE’. Or something similar, be creative :smiley:

(PH@TIE) #10

20mb is ok.

If ya need to (nearer the time). You can always zip the pk3 and I will upload it to our game server and ftp site for “private” download.

My e-mail address is on http://wolf.dehn.net

If I can help I will. :slight_smile:

(MadMaximus) #11

real nice brushwork.

(kevinski) #12

Just outta curiosity, what are the specs on your computer? I’m using a 1.7GHz P4, 64MB GeForce2 MX 400, 512MB SDRAM. I hope this map’ll run at full detail on my computer. crosses fingers

(blushing_bride) #13

the pc im building on is almost top spec. i aim to get similar fps as the official maps. At the moment the fps are better and thats before ive added any hint or run a full vis in compile. On radar i get fps from 50-100+. Using the same detail levels on my map i so far never get less then 100fps. I am aware that my machine is more powerful then most so my target is to never drop below 100fps that way it should be playable for even low spec users but they might need to turn down the details. Ive alreay spent two days deleting stuff so if the fps aren’t good im prepared to delete even more until i get the right balance.

(kevinski) #14

Well, it’s nice to know that you’re trying to optimize the map for people with lower-end computers. Thanks.

(CptnTriscuit) #15

Ha ha ha…you and I are on the same P.O.S. computer, I feel your pain! :drink:

(kevinski) #16

Are you on a Franken-Dell, too? My computer started as a Dell and crapped out. So, I basically bought a new case and motherboard (among other miscellaneous parts) and ‘made’ my current computer. I basically just used the drives and expansion cards from the Dell. God, I should’ve just purchased a freaking GeForce3 or something.

(G0-Gerbil) #17

GeForce2 MX 400

I used ot have one of them, so I feel the pain…
Anyway, fair play to BB for making the effort, just hope he doesn’t have to delete half his map :smiley:

(blushing_bride) #18

I used ot have one of them, so I feel the pain…
Anyway, fair play to BB for making the effort, just hope he doesn’t have to delete half his map

me too (bangs head agianst wall and curses people with rubbish PC’s)

(Detoeni) #19

that a very nice looking map.

(CptnTriscuit) #20

Im on a Dell Dimension 4300. Yeah, poor GeForce2 is not going to cut it for DooM3…Im planning some upgrades of course.