(RX)CTF-Alexa

[Acid.OMG]

I am making maps of ppl I know from ut. I think that everyone who is dedicated to RB deserves a map so that they can always be remembered.

So here is Alexa's

http://www.filefront.com/16651341/CTF-Alexa.zip













http://www.filefront.com/16651341/CTF-Alexa.zip

[Creavion]

No offence, but under your opened threads, these one is rather useless. No screenshot, not even any detail to tell about the map. Open a new one until you have something interesting.

edit:
Oops, you missplaced the map link... no wonder that I did not see it.

Ok... are you seriously interested to learn something about level design. I dont think that this "harsh" question can be avoided. In case you are interested, you should get help. But before I write screeds I wait for your reply.

[Acid.OMG]

fixed.

I used funny screenshots because the people I made it for have that sense of humor. I do need to learn more but for my community allot of maps don't need that much detail. You have to remember these are Rocket X maps thats why the halls are pretty much empty.

[Creavion]

Well, thats kinda true, that it is sometimes even bad if maps are overdetailed. But a certain amount/level/density of architecture is at least for me a MUST-HAVE. Ask Ferali about that, he is also making RX levels.

[Acid.OMG]

the architecture is my weakpoint. That an textures. It is hard for me to make textures high quality.

And I don't know how to make movers. I think I made water once but thats another thing is water.

[Feralidragon]

Well, thats kinda true, that it is sometimes even bad if maps are overdetailed. But a certain amount/level/density of architecture is at least for me a MUST-HAVE.

Indeed. Some maps have too much detail, which either: 1) Causes brain damage or eye cancer, 2) Distracts the player from actually playing and seeing the map around instead (this happenned to me last week a lot while we picked up some quality maps to play on the servers on the map vote).

Ask Ferali about that, he is also making RX levels.

No, I am not making those anymore. But I made some, and to be honest everytime I tried to make a "fun" map, I failed and ended up adding too much detail here, or lighting there, or something coded by me that shouldn't be there. So next time I map a thing, it will be for Single Player only lol.
But actually, there was only 1 map that was really close to success, with enough detail in it ("enough", not "high"):
http://feralidragon.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... eased.html

The map was really really simple to make, it doesn't have much detail at all, it has bot support and it's capable to run any CTF or Siege match with any mod or no mods. It's not high quality (of course lol), and as far as I remember I didn't take more than 1 week to do it. Yet, I personally think it looks decently: not that good, but not that bad either.

Also there is the SLV CMMP2 here:
http://www.ut-slv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=247&t=4626

Each and every single one of those maps are a lot more detailed than the one shown above, and they are more complex and much better, yet they are for SLV only and most of them play really really nice (no lag and lots of fun to say the truth).

My advice: download the simple map above to learn how to make movers, build some bot support and see how you can make something decently without adding much detail, and download the SLV mappack to go further and see the lighting, movers and architecture to improve your own.

And I will repeat what I already said once: it's true that RX maps are plain and fun, but fact is: they don't need to be plain, and the HOF mapping contest winner proved that (you are registered there, so check out the best maps of that contest, there's a version of Zen really good looking, yet old-school and somewhat a bit atmospheric, yet with really good ideas, layout, bot support and fun.

[Myth]

This old debate again...

It's getting old now, I just don't care anymore.
I play on the Internets and I play what I get.

Believe me that there are much worse things than a redeemer in a cube.

[--=PsyXandeR=--]

You know, I really like your effort but the fact is - your map looks like a cheap sl*t who is ugly, uninteresting and, well, cheap. In reality, you want your map to be like an expensive porn-actress who is hot and interesting ( the rest you can imagine ). Porn-stars get paid quite a lot, prostitutes aren't. Now go give this sl*t a total makeover.

( hope you understood this analogy. Believe me or not, this is rather true. )

[Creavion]

You know, I really like your effort but the fact is - your map looks like a cheap sl*t who is ugly, uninteresting and, well, cheap. In reality, you want your map to be like an expensive porn-actress who is hot and interesting ( the rest you can imagine ). Porn-stars get paid quite a lot, prostitutes aren't. Now go give this sl*t a total makeover.

( hope you understood this analogy. Believe me or not, this is rather true. )

Actually I can not believe you really posted that...

[Feralidragon]

You know those guys that say they know how to do stuff, yet they have no proof whatsoever of that level of quality and even prove to everyone else that he can't do anything pratically?
Mostly when they say they know how to do "advanced architecture and lighting", yet they don't know to do a simple mover or place a single node properlly?

This is one of those guys.
Don't feed him anymore

[Acid.OMG]

xxx how dare you. I ma not a nub

lol I never said I coudl do advanced architecture and all I said was I know how to light a map and it was never brought up but I do use path nodes, I mean as far as lgihting tutorials, how much more can there be to learn? please describe.

[editor Dave]

When you know how to make godd lighting then why don't you show it in your next map? Use fog for mine shafts or broken pipes, use flickering for some lights, etc...
One thing you should consider is from where the light comes. You always need light sources otherwise it is either illogical or ugly. When you place a simple lamp with light actors with several radii and a corona in a room you'll wonder why this looks so good. Believe me: Just adding enough light sources and lighting them up properly lets your map shine (at least a bit).

[Feralidragon]

xxx how dare you. I ma not a nub

lol I never said I coudl do advanced architecture and all I said was I know how to light a map and it was never brought up but I do use path nodes, I mean as far as lgihting tutorials, how much more can there be to learn? please describe.

Sorry there. I think I was too harsh in my statements. I didn't really mean it like that.
I know you didn't mentioned "advanced architecture" or "path nodes", I was being ironic there, let me explain what I meant with some more words.

The thing is, I have seen your work so far, and being able to make proper lighting and not knowing how to make a simple mover is like saying that you can make a whole delicious meal, but that you don't know how to fry an egg. It's contradictory.

And there are lots and lots of mappers in RX that have absolutelly all their work admired by the community, no exceptions. I mean, if you know how to make 2 cubes, place some lights around, place 2 flags, playerstarts and a couple of weapons and pickups, voilá, you are a great mapper in the RX community.
And then mappers start to think they are great, and that know a lot about a subject, but because no one there has a better knowledge or skill on that exact subject.
I never EVER saw anyone's maps properlly criticized in the RX community, with exception of the HOF mapping contest (which I was also a judge).

And if you come here and present a ton of maps of that level of quality, people that are actually used to decent maps at least will obviouslly criticize them and give you a heads up on tutorials.

Besides, you say that you know how to properlly light up a map when none of your maps show that "knowledge" or "skill". For instance, I talk for myself when I say that I know to light up map and I know how high quality maps are built, yet I have no practise or skill to do one, and I think the same might be happenning to you.

You think you know how to do great maps, and I do not doubt it entirelly (since you do mapping for quite some time now), but saying that you know how to lit up a map properlly is a bit too much considering that lighting up a map properlly is more difficult than making good architecture (not "stable", "good", a stable architecture is actually the most difficult thing to achieve in a map) or make a simple mover or connecting triggers around.

Just one advice: instead of making tons of maps that will most likelly be never played in the servers and will be forgotten shortly, take more time to do a better single map (2 weeks at least) with original ideas, good architecture and lighting, and for RX, and if it also gets a good gameplay, your map might get actually played by many people and remembered as a great map on contrast with other RX maps.

Not only you will be able to present something decent, as you will prove and enhance your lighting skills. Here just like in any game or development environment, you do not show, it didn't happenned.

And believe me, some time ago (2 years perhaps), I was quite at the same status as you regarding mapping, and I thought I knew how to lit up a map, but I couldn't be more wrong when I actually tried to do something "decent", yet here it was crap, in the RX community it was one of the best maps ever, but no one plays it, isn't that ironic?

But well, the point is: learn from tutorials and actually maps of great quality, and aplly that knowledge in a single map, and keeping the gameplay, try to make something with good looks.

And when I said above "don't feed him", it was just because you keep telling that you know how to lit up a map when you clearlly don't know or don't want to show.

[Acid.OMG]

thats good info and all. but you still didnt tell me what there is to learn exactly? I can't seem to imagine it to be more difficult than making a mover. which I still have yet to bother learning and up until this last tutorial I had no clue on how to cut and vertex edit brushes.

[Creavion]

thats good info and all. but you still didnt tell me what there is to learn exactly?

Everything. Simple as that. Your levels are .. sry but after that long discussion I can not say on any other way. Architecture poorer as poor. Layout poor. Lighting poor, everything is poor. Its like I said. Your levels look like you have only one week of experience with level design at all. And I dont care if you say you could do it better. Then don`t talk, do it! Good Lord!