Command Map Style

(iwound) #1

I would like to know how people feel about this command map style, and any problems having it like this rather than the original format.
It’s accurate, but i think someone might be able to point out something I hav’nt thought about.


Thanx …

(Pytox) #2

I like that style, it is something different
btw: is ur map almost ready maybe?:slight_smile:

(kamikazee) #3

It’s certainly a rare/unique concept! Nice idea!
It’s not a true map, but it looks good. Maybe you could allso remove the cursor. The only bad thing might be that the positions of the spawn flags or the construction markers might not be really accurate due to tilting the view.

(iwound) #4

I suppose it could be considered an arial reconnaissance photograph taken with one of those new gadgets the COLOUR camera!
It was just a rough go too see how it looked, so cursor would be removed etc.
And I messed around with it until it was fairly accurate.

Yes It’s nearly ready.

(Massive) #5

It looks good M - my only question / test would be how does it play like when it’s in the small navigation window on the players screen, is it too busy to make out what’s happening or can you see where you are OK?

Massive

(]UBC[ McNite) #6

Interesting way to get a commandmap fast and easy. Maybe rework the terrain areas so the tiling of the terrain textures wont be that obvious? It could be a bit messy in small scales because there will be a lot of structure in the compass. On the other hand… rarely anybody uses the command map, so…

(iwound) #7

Ok good point Massive I’ll post a pic of that.
If its still ok i’ll try ]UBC[ McNite’s idea of scaling the terrain texture just for the command map to see how that looks and post 1 of that…cheers

Seems ok.

(Ifurita) #8

Personally, I think it works well. You’ll get a little bit of skew at the edges, but if you laid out a tracemap and used it to size the overhead, you should be fine. You’ll only run into problems if there are extensive interior sections where you need to show corridors. Suggestions, you could make it black and white and use the levelshots mask to make it look like a photo.

(codejockey13) #9

Yah I thought that would be a sweet way to make a command map … nice to see someone did it. Maybe smudge up your crosshair a little. Looks good!!!

(S14Y3R) #10

yeah, looks good man!

(iwound) #11

Heres the reult of scaling up the terrain textures just for the command map (and reverting back of course) as suggested by McNite

Double scale

And double again

I think the last one which is 4x the scale works well and removes tiling.

(]UBC[ McNite) #12

Yepp looks a lot better. Another detail might be the dark shadow. Maybe brighten the dark area up only a bit, so the contrast is not that strong.

The tiling effect is visible on buildings too, especially on concrete/stonefloor. Maybe edit the final picture with a blurrying brush in those areas too.

(carnage) #13

Yepp looks a lot better. Another detail might be the dark shadow. Maybe brighten the dark area up only a bit, so the contrast is not that strong.

The tiling effect is visible on buildings too, especially on concrete/stonefloor. Maybe edit the final picture with a blurrying brush in those areas too.

thoughts exactly

also good mappers will make there maps with borders that stop the players seeing out into the void of the map but still give the impresion that the world carries on over them without the players ever actualy seeing it

perhaps you could carry the terrain on just a bit more just for the comand map photo so in game its more belivable

(iwound) #14

Cheers for the suggestions. I tried B&W but it lookes unclear and untidy. Im glad no-ones against the style. Im totally crap with art proggys but I’ll do what i can. Increase the scale of some textures, fill out the borders and brighten up some areas. TY.

(S14Y3R) #15

definately the “and double again” :slight_smile:

(Schaffer) #16

I’ve seen another map that had this and I have experimented with the idea and found that it doesn’t work well for really large maps. Just something to be careful of. One thing I did experiment with was to do multiple shots for a large map to simulate multiple reconnaissance images that would be overlaid. I had also played around with doing this as black and white but you need to increase contrast to make the detail more distinct.

It can look reasonable if you are prepared to put some effort into it. Another idea that I had played with was to grab the tracemap and to run this through an application like TerraGen. Some effort is required there as well but it is possible to make it look reasonably good there as well. Similar effect but you don’t get the texturing detail but it doesn’t distort in the same way (although distortion is inevitable for this style).

(iwound) #17

One thing I did experiment with was to do multiple shots for a large map to simulate multiple reconnaissance images that would be overlaid

Thought of that, not tried it yet and also had a look at panning back a lot more when i take the screen shot, so it appears more that I’m looking directly down onto it.
The hard part is going to be too show corridoers and underground areas and make them blend in.

Im still finishing off the castle so I’ll leave it for then. Mean while its back too interior decorating…