Mapping excitement

(organon) #1

Anyone really pumped about being able to map for qw?
I know I am. Was’t like that since q3 came out.
Although I guess there will e a steep learning curve going from q3 mapping a few years ago straight to qw mapping … I still can’t wait to get a map out as soon as possible.
I have a great (I’m biased in this of course) idea for a 3 map campaign, and since we don’t know much about the maps/campaigns included in the game, I have the ridiculous fear, that there might be a map in there that is basically the same as the ones I want to do. Unlikely and stupid … but well.

And finishing a 3 map campaign will take a few months too I guess.

(Turbo123) #2

Well i have mapped in only one game (Delta Force:Black Hawk Down) & i had people come to my server requesting my maps. & in DF:BHD there weren’t campaigns or anything so im so excited to actually do a map that has missions. :banana: :banana: :banana:

(organon) #3

Oh, I have mapped in more games. But the most in q3. Also the only fps I mapped for.
Combat Mission maps were great fun too (and far more compatible in time requirements with my other obligations).
Or Starcraft.
Both allowed you to make campaigns. But well.

(SKaREO) #4

I’ve made a few Counter-Strike maps for the Half-Life mod. I’m very interested in creating maps for Quake Wars, that would be awesome.

(Sir. Darth_Master) #5

A 3 map campaing would take quite some time yes. At splash damage they even spend months on one map :shock:

(organon) #6

At least we will have somewhat finished stable tools and game then. So less variables to deal with. That should help. The splash-damage guys have to deal with a moving target.

(SCi-Fi) #7

Ive done allot of Q3 maps, so looking forward to gettin a hold of this
megatexture tool. Gonna be fun to see how it works in makin our
lives allot easier!!

Also doin the missions and objectives, been doin allot of thinking on that
side.

Also has everyone seen the map editor for Crysis, i have to say my
mouth is watering hehehe…
part 1 http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=17757&type=mov
part 2 http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=17763&type=mov

(SKaREO) #8

Megatexture is going to be very handy, might be tough to pick-up on at first, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Good point! There will be a lot to consider when making objectives for the different classes and teams. A lot of testing and fine-tuning will be required to get the right balance I bet.

Sounds like mapping will be just as fun as playing the game itself. :slight_smile:

(organon) #9

Also knowing, that sd have a dedicated server (farm?) to compile the Megatextures bugs me a little bit. I hope this is possible on the scale of a normal dual or quad core processor.

(kamikazee) #10

Well, you model it, UV map it and start working in the editor if I read the articles correctly.

Also knowing, that sd have a dedicated server (farm?) to compile the Megatextures bugs me a little bit. I hope this is possible on the scale of a normal dual or quad core processor.[/quote]There is a difference here - during production time, it pays back to save hours wasted for a compile. If you’d then spread the load, one MT could be produced after another.

Wils said it’s possible to compile it on a regular PC, it will just take longer.

(zig-zag) #11

One thing I’ve been wondering is how much of the levels are brushwork vs models. In doom3 alot of doorways, desks, and other things were model iirc.
Basically, is the detailing mostly models now or can it still be brushwork?

(FRIJJ) #12

I map for BF2 and a BF2 mod team and if i am thinking right it should be done by a heightmap. You can use terragen or i would think Photoshop to create a hieghtmap which would then translate into your terrain. The mega texture would be an automated painting tool where you feed in different squares of texture, it will then read your hieghtmap and then create the mega texture based on height, gradient etc… (this is my own speculation but i am hoping they have cracked it this way).

The rest of the babies are all models created in 3dsmax/maya and then improted in game.

What i am interested in is to see if you can tunnel in this editor, as that would be great to make an massive undergrond GDF stronghold, with bottle necks of intense infantry fighting, flanking.

As you can see my creative juices are already flowing with ideas :wink:

Just thinking about what mod teams will be taking up the challenge on this game.

(ayatollah) #13

The Mega Texture is exactly what it says on the tin. It is one massive texture which you design each and every pixel of it. You do not “feed in different squares of testure”. If you wanted to do that, you do it the old fashioned way with brushes and alpha-blending.

(kamikazee) #14

The MT does not work with a heightmap. It needs to be a model, (.ase, .lwo, .obj or .surf) UV mapped and everything resulting in more control over the terrain mesh.
Of course, there are tools which can convert a heightmap to a model so you can still take the Terragen step.

As the terrain uses a model, you can easily leave out polygons where you want your tunnel to be.

(iwound) #15

terragen will output a mesh directly.

(organon) #16

Tunneling is possible. Just think of the tunnel action in the official trailers.

(CH4NDL3R) #17

Yeah, we can leave “holes” in the terrain mesh so we can build underground tunnels with regular brushwork or specific models.

(M8DNanite) #18

I saw somewhere posted by SD that the tunnel in that map is model.

(Wils) #19

It is, but it didnt have to be. As noted above, brushwork is also fine.

(Danyboy) #20

er - IIRC Delta Force mapping envolved placing markers onto a flat terrain. BSP mapping is a whole different story, you have to create brushes in a 3D space.

You should probably grab Q3 and Radiant to get some practice in mapping as they’re very different experinces.