Emp_Coast_07_Scottified

[CrustyBobcat]

Awaiting name change (suggestions welcome)
This is a map for Empires Mod, based on hl2's d2_coast_07

Ive completely redone all displacements, raised the seafloor level, and re-textured the bridge with an alternate texture.
Redone the catwalks and the house and various other things.
The pirate ship has a working cannon that is team based (the mast changes color when a team is using it, and fires a ball with a colored tracer, only harms enemy team and physics)

I just need help fine tuning it or just basic advice/criticism.

Note: the new pics we're taken by my friend, so ignore the mass of walls and gaybar spray haha.


^What the average lighting looks like (when its not light_environment)

^a prop_static lighting error

^average lighting under bridge

^crazy bright lighting, storage room I guess

^blackened func_detail

^sudden darkness on different displacements

^ok'ish lighting, but could be improved.

^a fridge with a trapdoor, the bottom of it is black, is this fixable?

^another non-enter-able tunnel

^the displacement roads (ignore the walls)

^a view of the bridge and waterfall

^explosive gas-tank, reveals path when exploded.

^Is there a way to fix that shitty water glitch?

^lighting fucked on displacement ramp

^light-maps

^other ramp

^light-map

^The gas-tank exploded ~shitty fire effect

^fire dissipated
Note: the map already has custom textures, so if you think it needs a detail or something, I'm open to suggestions.

[LordDz]

Not to bash on you man, but you really need a new computer
If you have 12 fps when playing the map without any people, how low is your fps with a filled server?

[ErikKiller]

Even if it lags like hell, up your graphics, get some better pics and then post them again. Also, use img tags.

[CrustyBobcat]

Not my computer, I'm visiting my family in New York and im stuck with this POS with not even a gig of ram, and onboard graphics -.- I convinced them to upgrade for under 50 bucks, but I guess they forgot.
I gotta learn to convince harder. Regardless I have a nice capable computer waiting at home for me.

I actually did render them in max settings mode (as to why the world is reflected in the water) but for some reason the texture quality stayed ass.

[ErikKiller]

Ah, must be hitting the limits of onboard graphics then. Well, get higher res pics and it'll be way easier to judge.

[CrustyBobcat]

New pics up~ thanks to my friend

[ErikKiller]

Okay. Now, I love the idea but visually it's not the greatest of maps.
First of all, that pirate ship might be excellent entity-wise it's not really that logical. I'd scrap the thing.
The bridge offers interesting ways for a direct attack or for flanking but there are some horrible things. First and most obvious being the gas tank, makes no sense. Again, I'd scrap it and all the damage it does to the bridge.
Now for the train, I'd put it on the side where in the game you have to dodge the razor train, would offer protection to whomever decides to cross the bridge.
A lot of the displacement work is bad, I'd suggest you work on it.
Also, the top part of the bridge is very bland, I'd suggest railings, (sniping spot?) towers etc.
So, there's still a lot of revisions to be done before you can call it final my friend. But for what it is now, not bad, you've got the idea nailed down pretty well, just polish it a bit more.
As for the name: emp_bridge, emp_crossing, or why not just emp_coast_07; anyway, get the map looking perfect before you even think about the name.

[CrustyBobcat]

Sounds good, any idea on how to make the descent down the displacements err...correct?
Right now its a new cliff for each layer it goes down. I tried merging them 3 different times now and its current look is the best I've come up with so far, should I just scrap it and start it as one finely merged displacement? (instead of 3 cliffs of displacements with hacked blending down the path)

[ErikKiller]

I'd use 6-9 displacements for it. Either 2+2+2 or 3+3+3. Oh and the seabed sand texture is too big. Scale it back down.
Check your PMs.

[CrustyBobcat]

Alright, I redid the displacement ramps, moved the trains, added two towers (though I feel the bridge-top still needs something)

The under-bridge still has no purpose (reason for players to take that path) unless I get the turrets working, and is cosmetically blank.