[PORTAL] WIP - Opinions needed.

[sebmeikle]

I am working on a series of test chambers while I continue to learn using Hammer. I would like your opinion of my work so far. I'm not sure how long I am going to make this yet, but I plan to make a good hour or so of game play.









As titled, this map is WIP. The lighting is not final at all and is messed up in some places but I'm concentrating on other things before fixing this.

[Unstoppable Florence]

The ceilings are too dark. That's not your fault, but they do look very ugly. Fix that by placing some lights set to have a constant falloff. The corridor is nice, but a little too empty, and the lighting on the walls has too sharp a change. Again, add a couple of constant lights to even it out a little.

Otherwise, it looks pretty good, but gameplay will be your big test.

[F0xHunter]

Pic 1 and 3 reminds me of Black Mesa

Texture variation on the test chamber walls.

Read these:
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... etal_walls
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... on_hallway
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... And_Detail

[Major Banter]

a constant falloff

This is better than the light_spots I know you're using.

[Unstoppable Florence]

a constant falloff

This is better than the light_spots I know you're using.

Do you mean in his maps or mine?

[Zipfinator]

Pictures 1 and 3 don't fit with Portal's architecture at all and I don't like it at all.

[Chopium]

Also, those supports up top would be there, but not visible in the hallway. The entire faculty was made of facade walls and floors over intricate support systems.

[sebmeikle]

Ok, I'm taking in all your comments.

I'm not sure how to setup constant fall off in lighting? The constant on my lights is set to "0". I've read tutorials on lighting and they say that light_spots are better then using the light entity, which one do you recommended I use?

I'll take the advice on detailing the walls, that is something I planned on doing.

As for the corridor. What part's don't fit in with Portal architecture? It may seem obvious but the corridor is not part of a Test Chamber.

I've made a few changes to the corridor:





That sign above the door is temporary, I'm just testing it. What would you name a room where the portal gun is kept? It's basically a security vault in that room.

[cypher543]

It needs to be something ridiculously verbose, like "Secure ASHPD Containment Chamber" or whatever.

[jgoodroad]

ceiling is a bit bland, maybe ad some vents? or pipes...or wires

[Chopium]

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... wall_light

[jgoodroad]

...this is a non chamber section. But that is a very important lighting aspect.

(do they have those lights in the other parts of the facility?)

[sebmeikle]

I like the idea of the wall lights. I will change the corridor to this style to see what it looks like.

The room title "Secure ASHPD Containment Chamber" is pretty neat. May use that one!

I am using those style lights in the test chambers, but I noticed when playing the official Portal maps they don't use ceiling lights. I didn't notice that before.

[jgoodroad]

you could change them to *floresect light models, (there's a tut around her somewhere) that would help the ceiling too.