[CS:S] cs_suppression

[k1no]

Hi I've been working on this map for quite some time now. I've never really made any serious maps(mostly just gg, dm, zm, etc) but this time I thought I'd give it a try. Let me know what you think.

Office area:


Different angle


Corridor:


More office:


Stairs:


*NOTE* Lab area still needs a lot more work.

Lab:


T-Spawn:


Ladder down stairs:


Outside:


More Outside:

[Hollow]

It's alright for a first real effort, but you have to seriously work on your lighting and geometry work. it's all very muted and blocky. Get creative with props, and reference photos (it helps so much) I've not really seen offices like that in real life.

picture 5 with the stairs is a big offender of bad design. The stairs are too steep, no real railings etc.
And the T-spawn with the forklift, its a very open bland area, not really sure whats going on in there.

Try and use more varied ways of lighting areas-the projection of the source (underfloor lighting, spotlight, lamps, panels)

[k1no]

It's alright for a first real effort, but you have to seriously work on your lighting and geometry work. it's all very muted and blocky. Get creative with props, and reference photos (it helps so much) I've not really seen offices like that in real life.

picture 5 with the stairs is a big offender of bad design. The stairs are too steep, no real railings etc.
And the T-spawn with the forklift, its a very open bland area, not really sure whats going on in there.

Try and use more varied ways of lighting areas-the projection of the source (underfloor lighting, spotlight, lamps, panels)

I'll admit, I'm terrible with lighting. but I purposely haven't added any props yet because I'm still finishing up the layout. The lab area(t-spawn etc) need a complete overhaul. The only part I feel is ALMOST complete (by almost I mean still needs way more fine-detailing) is the office area.

[Hollow]

The Office area looks best atm yeah. But it still could be vastly improved. For example, the corners of the desks could be a 90 degree curve, make pillars and do the same, have nice curved edges. It helps to break up the room aswell.

Also a good trick with giving an office extra detail is making a 'false' ceiling. I.E, have panel frames below the actual ceiling {its fine if you need to raise the real ceiling up by 32 units or so) and then have pipes and cables above the panels, wires hanging down etc.

With lighting, try to stay away from totally white lights. It usually ends up looking pretty nasty due to the way the source hits the walls. Even in the bright office areas, you can give the lights a slightly blue hue. Also adding sprites, or env_lightglows always makes it look prettier.

for example:



Lowering the brightness can also soften the overall look of lights, making things feel calmer.
Look into Constant-Linear-Quadratic theory (their in the light settings)

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

Its basically an explanation of how fast light falls off from the source.
If you use it correctly, you can take advantage of interesting lighting techniques like mood lighting

[k1no]

The Office area looks best atm yeah. But it still could be vastly improved. For example, the corners of the desks could be a 90 degree curve, make pillars and do the same, have nice curved edges. It helps to break up the room aswell.

Also a good trick with giving an office extra detail is making a 'false' ceiling. I.E, have panel frames below the actual ceiling {its fine if you need to raise the real ceiling up by 32 units or so) and then have pipes and cables above the panels, wires hanging down etc.

With lighting, try to stay away from totally white lights. It usually ends up looking pretty nasty due to the way the source hits the walls. Even in the bright office areas, you can give the lights a slightly blue hue. Also adding sprites, or env_lightglows always makes it look prettier.

for example:



Lowering the brightness can also soften the overall look of lights, making things feel calmer.
Look into Constant-Linear-Quadratic theory (their in the light settings)

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

Its basically an explanation of how fast light falls off from the source.
If you use it correctly, you can take advantage of interesting lighting techniques like mood lighting

Hmm interesting. Thanks I'll defiantly check that out.

[Ark11]

Looks great for a first map, in the picture of the 'stairs' the lighting on the steps is needs to be fixed. Right now, it's just a giant black blob. Also, in the picture of the 't-spawn' you should re-make those rock faces with displacements (unless thats too advanced for you, not to be condescending). Other than that, it looks like a fun map. Hope to see more work out of you!

[k1no]

Looks great for a first map, in the picture of the 'stairs' the lighting on the steps is needs to be fixed. Right now, it's just a giant black blob. Also, in the picture of the 't-spawn' you should re-make those rock faces with displacements (unless thats too advanced for you, not to be condescending). Other than that, it looks like a fun map. Hope to see more work out of you!

Thank you sir, I feel guilty saying its my first map because I've made at least 30 CS 1.6 maps(only a few were decent at best)

But yeah this is another part of the map where I used displacements

[Hollow]

Looks alright there, but try and use a blend texture, if you can. One with detail sprites. It will looks smexy then

[k1no]

Looks alright there, but try and use a blend texture, if you can. One with detail sprites. It will looks smexy then

What exactly are sprites and blend? : X I know sprites are an entity but how exactly do I used them and what do they do?

[mookie]

A blend in this case is a material with two textures (type "blend" into the material browser dealie in Hammer to find some) that you can use to do alpha blending on displacements. I think in the materials properties you can add sprites, so you have clumps of grass sticking up at random from the ground (not sure if these are indicated in Hammer).

[Ark11]

Looks alright there, but try and use a blend texture, if you can. One with detail sprites. It will looks smexy then

What exactly are sprites and blend? : X I know sprites are an entity but how exactly do I used them and what do they do?

Not like env_sprites, special grass sprites that are generated on certain textures. You don't actually place them yourself. Tutorial on grass sprites,

And heres a tutorial on blend textures:

[k1no]

Wow thanks alot guys, This forum is a lot more helpful than any other I've been on. Should of came here awhile ago.

[Captain Terror]

Agrees with hollow; it's a really good start but needs some work.. looks kinda goldsource-ish right now, though i love your beginnings of thoughtful detailing inside the office, and accoutrements outside like the security booth and such.
= )

The inside reminds me of office and the outside reminds me of a specialists map but i can't remember which. looking forward to more screens!

[k1no]

I got it!

[cz_squishy]

Now use [vdc]smoothing groups[/vdc]