Texturing contest with modest prize

[pk_hunter]

Hey 'Lopers, I just posted up a competition on TWHL and felt it'd be unfair to exclude my favourite Source mapping community, so feel free to check out and enter the Rchi Minicomp #1.

I'll post the rules here, but submissions must be on TWHL in THIS THREAD.

READ THE RULES CAREFULLY. YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN THE PRIZE IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY TO THE RULES.

This is a minicompo open to both GldSrc and Source. I provide the base map and you must texture and light it.
However, you are not allowed to use any stock textures/materials at all. This must be 100% custom content made by you.

This will be a really good exercise in making textures to fit a specific purpose and despite the map being quite small, you'll probably still have to make upwards of 15 textures just to cover the space.

You also need to consider textures to be used as light sources, doors and windows.

A non-flexible rule is that the brushwork can not be changed, even slightly. The only change you can make to brushwork is tying to entities.

You are free to place whatever point-based entities you choose. Source users, this includes models, but keep in mind that the competition is about your textures. Source users, you may also change the lightmap grid. There are no rules regarding texture resolution.

Competition ends August 1st 2012.

GoldSrc RMF - Download

Source VMF - Download

Feel free to post WIPs and you are welcome to ask me any questions regarding texture creation.

Submit by making a post beginning with "FINAL" in bold, followed by at least 4 screenshots, but preferably a link to the playable BSP.
You should also consider displaying your flat textures seperately as well. Make sure you clearly state which game your map will run in.

Winner will be decided by me. There will be a prize of £15 worth of Steam Games of your choice.

[Epifire]

If my my baking skills were up to par I would totally have a go at it. I think I would make that look like a star wars themed level if I had the chance to do so. Best of luck to all the guys trying out for that. I am really looking forward to seeing what people are gonna put out for it.

[pk_hunter]

Heh, interesting you say that! It's very loosely based on a part of a map I made for Jedi Academy many years ago!

I'll just clarify that this is a brushwork texturing challenge. Models can use vanilla materials, so baking is not required.

[Gary]

Some people bake high poly models into environment textures. Its not limited to world/view models.

[pk_hunter]

nonetheless, baking is still not required...

[Gambini]

Can brushes be cut to divide their surfaces into two or more textures? I read your post but such work is more related to texturing than geometry. Either way, i´d glad to join.

[pk_hunter]

Good question. The answer is no to add to the challenge. Textures will need to tile well over some quite expansive brushes.

[Stormy]

Can I export it with propper, texture it in blender and then reimport it as a staticmesh? I won't move any verts, promise...

[Epifire]

Well I mentioned baking because that is positively the only way I would make textures for a lot of those faces. I don't have a great eye for designing textures by hand, so I would use a single projection from a model in XSI to generate my outline and use that as my foundation.

So by requirements, do you mean that baking is not allowed or just your opinion that it is not necessary?

[Sathor]

Baking is just a work step in creating a texture, no reason why it wouldn't be allowed, right? That would be like only allowing MSPaint, too

I might give it a try.

[pk_hunter]

Of course it's allowed, it's a really neat technique. It is, however possible to win this without it - hence it's not a requirement.

[LiamFarley1998]

Can we use photos as a base for our textures. I have a thing for realism and am not the most skilled hand painter. Also are their any restrictions on what game engine we use, and if not can we use custom parallax shaders? If so can I still use the default source ssbump and normal map shaders?

[pk_hunter]

Photos are absolutely allowed, but you'll get more points for only using them as a base or overlay for your textures. Try to be a bit more creative than just slapping a tiled photo into a .vtf!

Any Source or Goldsource game. I have them all including CSGO.

Black_Stormy, I'd prefer to keep it in Hammer. Sorry.

[LiamFarley1998]

Haha, you can trust I won't do that. I spend my fair share of time editing the photos, and overlaying lots of pieces over them.

EDIT: Just sadly realized the no brushwork means I have to use cubemaps instead of hidden mirrors behind like 95% opaque things. no real time reflections.

[Dr. Delta]

Brushes can not be replaced with models?