If any of the mapper folk here are able to do anything from whatever this thread ends up generating (even if it’s all etqw clones lmao) maybe we might end up seeing a community test map by beta :o. I know most of you are probably only used to working in the id sdk though.
Collective Alpha Community Map/Objective Designs
Hyperg
(Hyperg)
#42
If editing construction brushes in UnrealEd becomes too tedious (which it usually is), there is the route of doing fast sketches (there was a post around here with the floorplan editing tutorial in SketchUp), exporting them into t3d files which can be imported into UEd and used as construction brushes for a fast prototyping.
For those interested in venturing down this road, there is a plugin which exports the SketchUp scene to t3d, called HSKP2UNR (HSKP2UNR.rb is the file). You use it to save the sketch scene to t3d, import the t3d into UEd, convert the skteched geometry to a builder brush, then use the brush to construct the level bsp.
This is a tutorial explaining the data exchange process.
Pretty primitive stuff, but at least you can explore your idea in 3d.
Violator
(Violator)
#43
I did have a play with my (ignored, sob :() British Museum layout in editWorld - unrealEd is a lot more tedious for brushwork with that builder brush thing (I did do a few maps in UT2k3 in olden times and the new version doesn’t look too different). Its hard to prototype a map though when the engine isn’t available to test :). I also think its a bit early days as the gameplay mechanics are still being tweaked.
Overview (1st objective) - attackers take docs in central location
Green X = docs. 2nd obj transmit on 2nd floor in central library area. NB rooms are quite large so def aren’t right on top of docs.
Entrance
Hyperg
(Hyperg)
#44
True, but provided you nail the player box dimensions and the overall scale, you can pretty much get a better perspective on how your idea “feels” in 3d, even if it’s just to be explored into the default game environment that UDK comes with. And if the planets align and the idea is brilliant enough, that prototype should provide a good headstart just for proportions if not anything else (for full map development that is).
It is early indeed, and we should rly focus on brushing the maps currently in flux, but there’s nothing wrong with encouraging creative ppl to come up with new ideas. The bettter the knowhow and tool usage, the easier is for those ideas to be grasped by everyone.