Degobah-My next venture in mapping

[Spyque64]

Well Ive finished my very first MP map for JK2 and submitted it to JKII.net .

This is my first experience in mapping, so Im still trying to learn all the tricks to making the sweetest maps.

Maybe they'll be nice enough to host it.

Its called K'Naa Octagon.

Simple little duel map (I got GenSurf to work for the landscaping)

http://zendragon64.homestead.com/files/shot0001.jpg

http://zendragon64.homestead.com/files/shot0003.jpg

Check it out if you have nothin' better to do

 

**Note** Screenies are darker than the actual map is in-game.

 

My next project is a d00zy. It's a map that I have wanted to see for JK since Dark Forces, but no one ever made it.

Its Degobah. Where Luke crashed his :x-wing:and met

I always thought it would make a cool ffa or duel map.

 

Well Ive started it.

I am actually kind of surprised at how it has turned out so far.

http://zendragon64.homestead.com/files/shot0014.jpg

http://zendragon64.homestead.com/files/shot0015.jpg

http://zendragon64.homestead.com/files/shot0016.jpg

http://zendragon64.homestead.com/files/shot0017.jpg

 

Though I think I need a Masters help with some issues.

Namely FPS and r_speeds.

I have every non-visable brush surface caulked, as well as every brush and model (other that the outer sky and ground box) set to detailed.

Yet my FPS (lowest) is 24 and my r_speed is (high) 23k (yes twice what it should be)

*This is from the farthest corner of the map mind you.

 

I think this might be because there are 78 tree models in the map.

Unfortunatley thats the only way to get the real "Degobah feel".

 

Its not too bad in duel (1v1) ,but get say 4 players in ffa and it starts to grind.

 

Looking for expert advice on what can be done to improve this.

If any one wants to have me send you the files (bsp, map, pk3, whatever) so you can check it out, I'd be happy to.

Just email me- dragon64@lvcm.com

Dont mind sharing the credit if you can improve on what Ive done.

 

Thanx all for the info you have provided so far.

Everyone here is a great help in getting me this far.

 

P.S. If there are any Mapping Clans out there that are looking for "apprentices"

 

Spyque

Mangler X

[PiousAugustus99]

Sorry, I cant be of help, but I just wanted to comment on how nice it looks :-)

[Cmdr. Antilles]

It looks nice.

 

And just FYI, not EVERY brush should be detail. You want some that are structural what will block vis, and break your map up. If it's completely open, there's not much you can do.

 

I would reccomend going back, and building some hills or something that can block vis, and divide your map up....

[Drakewl]

I've sent you an email to help you in increasing the speeds

 

my first assumption is, that you've used too many alpha maps on the tree and plant foliage. A swamp mostly has not many visibility blocking structures, so i guess many of those trees are processed at once. Using a kind of ground fog that is influenced by changing wind directions will make the framerates worse.

 

 

considering that most playermodels have about 2000-3000 polygons in there first lodstage, a few players will increase the polygoncount in a rapid way

[Spyque64]

Cmndr- Yes the map is completely open. There are small hills all around the map that I made using patch mesh, but they are small. Any big hills just look "wrong". Plus they didnt seem to lower r_speeds any when I tried using a few.

 

Drakewl- I dont know what "alpha maps" are, but I used the trees and foliage models that were in the base/models/map_objects/yavin folder.

Just added one, then copied and moved next into place, over and over.

I also had to go to each tree and cover the trunk in a clip brush so you wouldnt walk through it.

 

Im sure it is drawing the entire map at once since it is completely open.

 

The ground fog comes from the water texture- yavin/water1_2sided.

Its the best looking water Ive been able to load standard from the game. All the others glow, look "shiny" or dont work at all (grid effect)

There are a few other effects (steam plumes and smoke and sparks coming from the x-wing)

 

FPS and r_speeds were good until I added the trees and foliage.

Ive "cut down" about 1/8 of it from original. Any more and it starts to get a "too open and vacant" feel.

I mean it is supposed to be a forested swamp.

 

And since I have made most of the interior detail instead of structural, and caulked a bunch of faces. Ive lowered my compile time from about 4 hrs to only about 1 1/2.

 

 

Thank for the imput. Im still working out the kinks.

Maybe it will one day be submitable.

 

Spyque

Mangler X

[Gif]

Looks great so far!

 

I've got an idea though...

 

When someone jumps on the you should have it sink into the water....

 

Just an idea though

[Drakewl]

looking at the yavin map in jko, you'll notice that trees have been set sparingly

 

every tree has multiple leaf-planes

to look through the leafs (the open space between 2 or more leafs) an alpha-map is needed, where gray-values including black and white define the transparency of a "leaf-plane".

 

those alpha maps use much performance if used very generous in a map.

 

smoke, steam, fog and other particles also use alpha maps to have those soft borders.

[Spyque64]

Right now the is basically a platform in the water. It has health and shield ups on the wings and nose.

That is a cool idea Gif. Ill see if I can implement that and see how it works.

 

Drakewl- I think I understand. Are leaf planes the same as leaf nodes?

Or does it actually have something to do with the "leafs" on the tree?

 

Any way around that other than using half (or less) the amount of trees?

A treeless swamp looks really ghey!

 

Oh and I havent played JK2 through yet. I actually bought it for the MP and Saber Dueling

So I havent seen the SP Yavin map.

How would I load that so I can take a look?

[The Rel)ee(V)eR]

This map looks amazing..I've been waiting for an accurately done dagobah map for a while and I'm very excieted about yours, now all we need is a tank top luke :-)

[Gif]

To impliment my idea, you could use the func_plat entity, and have its time very low...

 

And possibly even set it not to come back up...unless you can somehow get it so its force activated to come up..like yoda did....heh

 

I was planning to do a map like this, and had lots of it planned out...ya beat me though.

[Spyque64]

I cant seem to get the md3 model of the x-wing to be a func_platform entity.

Im really not that good at mapping and dont yet understand the complex (and really cool) features in GtkRadiant.

 

Im still working on it though.

[TuskenUK]

I don't suppose it would be possible to use the force grip animation/function to make the X wing rise when you face it or anything? That would be quite possibly the coolest thing ever

 

But either way, nice map!

[YoDa2k2]

are ya going to add yoda's house somewhere in the map?

[Xcom]

Originally posted by YoDa2k2

are ya going to add yoda's house somewhere in the map?

 

But he must

[BradFu]

Looks pretty snazzy! How deep is the 'water'? Near the nose of the X-wing, it should be about waist-deep if you're shooting for accuracy Maybe have it armpit-deep at the deepest. You might be able to do some blocking with some minor cliffs, I beleive Luke does some swinging and flipping in an area with some hills and/or abrupt drops. Yoda's hut is a must . It's got to be scaled so you have to crouch to get inside, though

 

Can't wait to play it! I hope more people do reconstruction of recognizable locations

 

BradFu!

[Spyque64]

The water is actually over the head, but your right it should be only waist to armpit deep.

Ill change it a bit and see how that works.

 

But I think if I want the x-wing to sink (using an elevator triggered fintion) I have to have thw depth of the pond more than armpit deep.

 

If I cant get it to go down (and up) correctly, Ill just opt for a shallow pool.

 

As for Yodas mud hut. That is a little tougher.

http://www.starwars.com/databank/location/yodashut/index_movie.html

1-its small and to go inside at a crouch is hard to get right (the door hole). If its too big it looks wrong. Too small, you cant get in.

 

2-its round. I havent figured how to make 4 domed rooms and connect them together.

 

AND make it look right. or at least close.

 

Working on it though

 

I also need to find a better (and closer) pic of his hut.

That one is too small.

[Cmdr. Antilles]

If you make a func_door that is just a small brush w/ the 'system/origin' shader, and use the 'model2' key, w/ the value being the path to the xwing md3, you should be able to control it via triggers, or maybe even the force... (not exactly sure how it's done in MP)

 

And, the X-wing could sink into the bottom of the swamp, since it would probably be thick mud. So, the water doesn't have to be that deep. Just let the X-wing sink into the acutal terrain brushes.

[BradFu]

Above the head works fine as long as a little in front of the nose it's about waist deep, as you can see when Luke jumps in in ESB. Maybe make it a slope from ground-level down to waist deep directly in front of the nose, then have the angle steepen considerably so the X-wing can sink properly. This is going to be a fun map I would suggest a different skybox, though. What might work is throwing a whole bunch of trees in the map builder, make the atmosphere similar to you'll have it in the level, then just take some screen shots and wrap that around the level so you get the impression that the foresty swamp goes on forever.

 

BradFu

[yrean]

as for your horrible fps...it is due to the trees...those models eat alot of pixels...I know becasue i used a bunch on my first map and ran into people with slower cards not being able to play it...anyone with a good card and processor had no problem...i ended up getting rid of alot of the trees and bushes and started to add rocks and what not to try to get the fps to go up... I ended up using these models very sparingly and my fps went from 20 to about 85....i know this isnt what you want to here..sorry.