Complex (Alpha)

[Tekspdy]

To start off, this is the first -serious- project I've started. I've made maps far into the past for CSS, but nothing big and heavily time consuming. I had to re-learn Hammer from scratch for this project because I forgot pretty much everything. This project started in L4D1 so there are quite a few map errors atm.

I wanted to get feedback for what you see so far. All I can say is, everything is alpha, and subject to change. Either way though, feedback on what is available would be good.

Notes:
Interior areas need a lot of work, I spent more time outside than inside.
Interior wall textures are not final
The map is very small atm, new areas need to be added but I work decently fast when motivated

I don't have any up to date screenshots, but I just took a video. It's 720p, so hd+fullscreen will look really good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDF5moVsMEs

(Sorry, I know screenshots help the post, eek)

Anyways, let me know what you think, also comments on the general layout of the map is welcome. (Too twisty, too much elevation, w/e)

Thanks!

EDIT: If you're a decent mapper, and want a project to help on, I need a lot of rooms made/props placed in areas. (You will notice in the video doorways are blocked etc)

[Phott]

It has potential, I don't think I really have anything to crit at this stage, so far looks good.

[Tekspdy]

I'm debating removing the plane. Left 4 Dead is a bit far-fetched as it is, but the plane is a bit over the top, dunno.

Anyways, the theme (which isn't too understandable atm) is that the complex area was a holdout from the zombies. I will make it more apparent with vehicles pushing the barricaded fences at the ends in such a manner that makes it look like it tells more of a story.

[Phott]

I'm debating removing the plane. Left 4 Dead is a bit far-fetched as it is, but the plane is a bit over the top, dunno.

Anyways, the theme (which isn't too understandable atm) is that the complex area was a holdout from the zombies. I will make it more apparent with vehicles pushing the barricaded fences at the ends in such a manner that makes it look like it tells more of a story.

That is a bit out of the place, I thought it had the purpose of explaining how you got there. But really, it would've torn down a lot more than just a wall.

[Mr-Jigsaw]

May I suggest removing one of the ladders on the roof and replacing it with a short stair? This would help in varying things up a bit, as well as leveling the playing field in versus(even though they are short ladders, the sheer number of them gives the infected plenty of easy charger kill spots).

[Smurftyours]

Chargers paradise! Plane needs to gtfo or cause way more damage to the building. And the hallways at the bottom of the first building are to plain. Fix the error sandbags. I saw a few places where the light maps could use better resolution. The building ladders are cool but do the animations look funky? I would consider more sings of zombies.

Other then those items, ITS LOOKING HAWT!

[Tekspdy]

Ok, so todays checklist:

1. Remove Plane, correct rooms that are broken due to plane
2. Edit rooftop to be less of a easy-charger-kill zone (Map was started for L4D1 remember )
3. I really like the car that crashed into the roof. If I can find a way to incorporate a parking garage behind the building to make it plausible I will.

Yes, the hallways are very plain now, but that will stay untill all the rooms on the interior are done/broken/debri'd up. Right now it's a bit wonky considering I spent oodles of time on the outside, and little on the inside areas.

As for the 'resolution' of the lights, which I assume you mean in the hallways, I would LOVE to know how to fix that. Even with my map compiled at the highest of compile settings it still looks exactly the same. Like I said, I'm new to mapping, so help in the lighting department would be great. You may also notice theres some brush 'lines' on the panels in the hallways (the panels that have the lights above them), I don't know why but some of them show lines, even changing the smooth groups to match doesnt correct it, not sure why it's doing that.

Also, I have no intention of releasing this map as a finished product untill myself/the community (I guess you guys are my community) feels its ready. Many mappers I know release maps and such the way they want it etc, but I really like community feedback and ideas, and would like the map to interest more people than just people with my own likes.

Once heavier progress hits I'll be throwing up some BSP's for you guys to test out, as videos hardly tell it all and I know I cannot find all the bugs/glitches all by myself with such a dense map.

[Zipfinator]

For the blocky lighting, decrease the lightmaps on those surfaces.

For the choppy lighting, use smoothing groups on the faces that it occurs between.

[Tekspdy]

Do you mean, the more lights on a single brush face causes low resolution?

EDIT: Moved pictures and questions to the help area.

[Gradius]

No, lightMAPs. Select it with the material tool and you'll see an option to change the scale of the lightmap for that face (smaller scale = higher resolution).

[Tekspdy]

No, lightMAPs. Select it with the material tool and you'll see an option to change the scale of the lightmap for that face (smaller scale = higher resolution).

Yeah that's what got me. I had already tried changing the lightmaps and I didn't see a difference. It was the 3D Modeler in me telling me to increase not decrease. However coming back and seeing smaller scale made me fix it, thanks for the help.

I've done quite a lot, worked literally all day on the map, I'm hoping by the weekend I'll have a nice update.

Things done so far:

*Plane gone
*Car-in-roof gone
*Some inside texture updates/finished hallways
*Added props/decals inside
*Created a broken hole in the side of the building for an alternate entrance/exit to the 2nd floor of the building
*Replaced door-frame decals with Dark Carnival 3d door-frame (Slight size issues but not too noticeable, I may just make a 3d model to import to correct this, dunno)
*Started work on the warehouse

On a side note, some issues with func_ladder entities. If for any reason I rotate the brush even the slightest, the entity stops working as a ladder. Could use a hint on how to make that work, I'm only needing a slight angle, nothing dramatic.

I will take a new video by the weekend hopefully (In 720p of course so you can see the good details). I'd like to get a working/almost finished beta out by the end of the month for balance testing etc.