Vote & final images for map battle 35

[vcool]

Ah well, I wasn't expecting too many votes for an unorthodox interpretation. I don't want to sound dismissive, but it is true that the general public will prefer the first thing that comes to their mind when reading Eden - paradise. Thus it is only natural that nub gets the most votes since it meets the fantastical "paradise" nieche so well.* My cynical and somewhat sarcastic interperetation, especially with the drunk behind the fence and the God is Dead sign, are almost diametrically opposite to nub's idealistic paradise.**

Overall I gotta say there are some really nice entries. Zip's entry was a complete surpise to me, and I like it because of it's simplicity and feel. I like the wrecked sheds in the background.

The Doctor, especially titled "End of Eden" really has that "end of humanity" feel in his entry. These steampunky, dried and wrecked premises, long forgotten for the better part of several thousand years - it's just awesome. It also feels space-like to me for some reason.

nub's entry is very nice and cozy, with this warm and mysterious feel to it. You feel that beyond those gates, right by the tree there's the Foutain of Youth waiting for you. And maybe a bunch of friendly but grumpy, ale-drinking dwarves.

Meo's I like as well. It has this epic feel to it, and the final shot with the dark clouds and the bad moon rising give this feeling of a storm of universal proportions approaching.

Dylan's entry is other-wordly. It's the kind of thing I'd see somewhere on Eden Prime, closer to the center of the Milky Way.

erikkiller - well, it looked promising but it would look better with much more work.

So yes, I like all entries and I don't know who to vote for yet. Thanks to those who voted for me, though.

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* - I still win because I made one of those models.

** - the Eden Strip club is in no way what I believe the best thing in the world is. As I've said it is a bit of a sarcastic and quite cynical interpretation, kind of like what Rocharch would make if he could map.

EDIT: I think it was nub who asked me whether the neon sign was a model or a texture. It is a model indeed, and it actually has quite a story behind it.

I had oringinally use selfillum for the actual sign, but rather than being fullbright red/blue/green/orange the sign was white. So I had to get rid of the selfillum and use entity lighting in Hammer. That's not the story though.

[city14]

I like VCool's eden, looks like an old movie, with the private eye's and what not...

[nub]

All the entries were good. I just liked Doctor's the most because, for one, it reminded me of Metroid Prime's style of detailing walls and architecture; and two, it was the most interesting interpretation of the theme in my opinion.

I think part of these battles is knowing the crowd that is going to be voting. I took this in to consideration and built off of the idea and the theme. I didn't want the map to just be flat-out eden, I wanted to have my own personal touch, and I hopefully showed it in my submission; as subtle as it may appear. I like hyper-surrealistic environments a lot.

It's unfortunate that this battle got less entries than the previous ones. There's less competition, therefore people are less-torn between entries. This isn't to degrade anyone though, all the entries were impressive in their own light.

[goldendeed]

woah nub, that lighting is amazing, it caught my eye, its like i couldn't stop staring. very mice

[popcornjake]

I liked vcool's concept best but I can't deny nub's as the most aesthetically pleasing, good battle all round methinks.

[904]

...
It's unfortunate that this battle got less entries than the previous ones. There's less competition, therefore people are less-torn between entries. This isn't to degrade anyone though, all the entries were impressive in their own light.

At first I wanted to see as many entries as possible, but in those cases, most of the times, there's only a few that stand out, actually making it less of a battle. I've come to the conclusion that I'd rather have somewhere between 3 and 8 good ones like this battle so that there's in fact more competition because the average quality is higher. Added with nice diversity of interpretations and it becomes a good battle.
I didn't expect yours to take a lead so quickly though

[jister]

GO V! and nub well thats a sure win so an abortive congrats!

[KILLA-COW]

None of them have the wow-factor.

[Lobstar]

GO NUB!

[PaulH]

I voted for Meo in the end, nice little scene

Nub you would've got my vote but i think there was still a bit to be done there, i'm glad you took advice on board and added warmed colours, the bottom half of your image is quite nice in fact, though the top half is a bit messy i think, what with the glowing tree and the glowing god rays...thought the god rays looked better the first time you posted a WIP shot with them in, more subtle and less bloomed...a good entry all the same though

[Jeeves]

Voted for nub because his entry appeals to me and reminds me of fable, although saying that all the entries were very good.

[nub]

I didn't expect yours to take a lead so quickly though

Neither did I. In fact, I was thinking that Vcool or Zip or Doctor might take the lead at one point. I almost feel like a glutton when seeing the poll.

Codemaster, you're pretty much reading my mind. I had NO time to do any finishing touches. When I posted my final shots, I was completely exhausted, as it was roughly 3am (EST) and I had been staying up till about 4am every night of that week. And I had to be on the road at 7am on Sunday morning (that morning) for 12 hours to Michigan (I am there right now). Luckily I wasn't the one driving.

I won't use this as an excuse. I was comfortable with the condition of my submission when I submitted the final images, but I know there was some things to be done, and the volumetric lighting was definitely over-bloomed. When I look at it now, I think that not using the color correction might have been a better idea, although it didn't look as surreal to me, which is what I wanted to accompany the eden theme with.


Overall, I'm surprised at the outcome of the battle. I didn't expect such a huge lead, and I feel like I don't deserve it for some reason.

[Echo51]

Meo FTW awesome map, furturistic but still oasis...

but none of them catches my idea of oasis/eden..

[Zipfinator]

Voted for Doctor. I really liked the brushwork and lighting although the outside had so much more that could have been done other than a few boring low poly sand hills and a tree.

Second vote would have gone to Nub, I really liked the swirly fence design and the volumetric light rays, although they could have been toned down a bit. The big bright entries with mushrooms always win though (battle 28), people need to stop making them!

[The Doctor]

Voted for Doctor. I really liked the brushwork and lighting although the outside had so much more that could have been done other than a few boring low poly sand hills and a tree.

I would have added more, but my compile problems chewed through a lot of my time. I'm now aware of the mistakes I made though, so I shouldn't repeat them.