Shadriss Posted February 14, 2003 Author Share Posted February 14, 2003 OK, I just made a quick test map for that idea, and it doesnt work. Too bad... Oh well... I guess I'll have to find another way to simulate it... maybe just paste the images of a skyshader onto those panels... wouldn't have QUITE the same effect, but... Ideas? Comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Marrakesh Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 How come it doesn't work, Shad? Brush type issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leslie Judge Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 The problem is that if you apply a sky shader to a surface you can see the sky at the place of the surface but it is drawn behind everything. If there is something behind that surface then it will be visible. I mean if you make a room, and a smaller room in it, and you put a sky shader on the smaller room's walls on the inside, then you will see the bigger room, since the sky will be drawn behind everything else, so behind the outer room's walls. You CAN'T use skies to hide anything behind them. The only way to make this if you put everything beyond the distancecull value. Shadriss, what if you make your inner arena walls and ceiling with a shader that simulates fog? Of course a real fog brush is not good because it would be visible for the spectators also. Actually that would be the only thing they see. Wedge's question about using camera portals gives an other idea: why not? You only need 5 of them. And in this case you could make a separate room far from everything else and use real sky shaders for it. And a brush in the spectator room with 5 portal surfaces to display the cameras' picture. It would seem as the duelers are in that box for the audience. Maybe. I'm afraid that the displays will not make it looking real. The big question is was anybody ever succesful in creating camera portals in MP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Originally posted by Leslie Judge The big question is was anybody ever succesful in creating camera portals in MP? Not to my knowledge, but I wouldn't let that stop me from trying. I think Wedge's idea with the camera portals has real merit, but like Leslie, I wonder how good it would look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedge2211 Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Okay, here's a more fleshed-out idea about the cameras, see what you think: Use only one camera. Place it at the top of the arena, looking down at the combatants. Then, when you make the spectator area, build it as slightly elevated platforms above a glass floor that is ostensibly the cieling of the arena, but really just displays the camera view. Then put the physical arena room really far away from the rest of the map, put your floating-platform sky on it, set a distancecull value, and use teleports to get the players in and out of the arena. Or you could just make the spectator room look like a movie theater and put the camera view on the big screen. [Hey, I thought going from "wampa" to "jawa" was a demotion, but "jawa" to "gungan"?!] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 I like the "looking down into the arena" idea. I think that could work. Wedge, what's the code for implementing distancecull values? I've never messed around with it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leslie Judge Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 There is a default value for distancecull, but I don't know what it is. Anyway, you can specify it in game units. So you only need to know what is the longest distance in your map, and set it a little bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadriss Posted February 15, 2003 Author Share Posted February 15, 2003 I'mnot going to mess with Camera portals... If I can't do the skyshader version of this, I'll just put something else on the inside glass. Remember - this is just one area of a bunch... I dont want to get too fancy here and not be able to make another cool idea later. And really... I dont think looking at the battle with a CAMERA would be that good... would defeat the purpose of the area, to my mind. I'll proboly just put the IMAGES from the skyshader on the inside... *shrug* Won't look as pretty, but it WILL produce the effect I want. A simulated out-door enviroment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 That's your call, Shad... but the sky textures when not applied as the sky shader don't light properly and look pretty fake. Didn't Leslie have an idea about using fog instead? In other news, I've finished the layout of the control room for The Reactor. I still have to light and do a couple other various things, but I should be finished with the whole thing tonight. Here's the partially lit control room: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedge2211 Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 Originally posted by Shadriss I'll proboly just put the IMAGES from the skyshader on the inside... *shrug* Won't look as pretty, but it WILL produce the effect I want. A simulated out-door enviroment. Try putting the skyshader images on the inside of a cylinder, maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadriss Posted February 16, 2003 Author Share Posted February 16, 2003 OK, Status time. I have the arena fullylaid out nowe, ,and partly textured. ANother two days, I think, to get it all done. My solution for the wall/glass area was to make them one-way glass (as expected) and then make it appear as part of a wall from the inside. The cieling area will still be a skyshader. Aru-Wen says that he'll have the Power Center as soon as he finishes the control room lighting. Essentially, it's done. He's already got some firm plans for the Museum, which is gonna mke it an ART museum instead of the Political History one we had originaly envisioned. We just couldn't get the char models converted over, and theother idea we had would be too complex for this map. For it's own SEPERATE map, maybe... but not as a part of this one. Still no word from Wes on the spaceport, and Fuzzy continues to work on the General Store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted February 16, 2003 Share Posted February 16, 2003 Small addendum to Shadriss' post : I have actually finished the Reactor, and will be moving along to the Museum. All I've got to figure out now is which paintings to use... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadriss Posted February 17, 2003 Author Share Posted February 17, 2003 It's done. Didn't take too long, as I had an EXCELLENT basis to work from. (THanks Fuzzy... it helped a GREAT deal!) Screenshots and such are up on the site. Still waiting for Aru to get on-line and send me the Power Center so I can get screenies ofthat up as well... Hopefully he'll be able to send it tommorrow. Next project for myself is the Library, which will be faintly EP2 "Jedi Archive"-ish in design. Go figure... Also, the Museum, as I mentioned before was changed to an Art Museum... it's new name : Sir Robin's Museum of the Fine Arts. (He was the ONLY knight who had his minstrel with him, after all...) THat's it for now - enjoy the new shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadriss Posted February 18, 2003 Author Share Posted February 18, 2003 Chalk up another completed area. The Library is now complete, and screenshots are now avaliable on the site. Oncec again, for those who are too lazy to scroll around in the thread, the address is http://ramapping.moonfruit.com Still havent gotten the Power Center from Aru-Wen, but when I have, I'll get screenshots up, along with his designer's notes and what not. (Hint hint, Aru!) Not sure what's going on with Wes and the spaceport... I haven't gotten a report on that for almost two weeks. If I dont get any progress soon, I may take over that section myself to get it done. As we are now over half done with this thing, I'm trying to keep the momentum going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Marrakesh Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Hey! I've been in Arizona or swamped with school the past week and a half, so lay off I'll try to do some more work but I'm not sure if I like the way it's coming out. EDIT: Except for the lobby, I don't, and that's why I passed it to Aru-Wen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadriss Posted February 20, 2003 Author Share Posted February 20, 2003 Well, I have the SPaceport in hand now, and should begin mapping it soon. Wes has his own projects to see to, so he'll not be with us on this one, I guess. I got the Power Center from Aru-wen, and as soon as it's done compiling, I'll get some screenshots and update the site. He's moving on to the Museum now, and has plans for one section to have old renisance art, including a vaulted cieling textured with the Sistene Chapel artwork. No more news as yet... keep posted (so to speak) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Marrakesh Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 Originally posted by Shadriss Well, I have the SPaceport in hand now, and should begin mapping it soon. Wes has his own projects to see to, so he'll not be with us on this one, I guess. Whoah there! Who said I don't want to beta test? And just in case you didn't guess, I do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Code Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 are u guys using area portals, detailed brush, hints, and vis friendly mapping ? im asking this because most of map labled RPG have horible fps, if not unplayable plz keep in mind the vis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 Originally posted by Code are u guys using area portals, detailed brush, hints, and vis friendly mapping ? im asking this because most of map labled RPG have horible fps, if not unplayable plz keep in mind the vis Of course. We're not some hicks that just stepped off the bus in the big city. Most RPG maps (no offense to any of the creators of them) have sucked. Royally. I don't think anyone on this project would want yet another craptastic RPG map, so we're constructing it as we would any other map - professionally. If we do our job correctly, this map should be fun to play for the non-RPers as well. There'll be lots of interesting stuff to look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Code Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 yay, <--- seen to much huge skybox areas lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadriss Posted February 20, 2003 Author Share Posted February 20, 2003 THe individual areas all have great FPS to this point - the only true worry I have for FPS is when we connect them all together. Since it's been brought up, I've got two ideas on this. Option A : The Ancient (And Ugly) Huge Skybox Area Method. It's a FPS hog. It's a Compile nightmare. I's been done MANY times before. Option B : I'm thinking I may want to make this a "underground" City (IE the London Underground). THis would allow me to connect it all using passages (still good sized of course) which would allow me to control FPS to a much greater degree. Obviously, it would preclude the need for a skybox (good thing) and there would aslo obviously be some larger areas (plazas) where it has an open air FEEL. You can tell MY preferance, but the map, like most, is for the players. Nows the time to think it out and get back to me... we aren't TOO far from getting to that point. Screenshots will be up for the Power Center in the next hour or so... the compile for the Center was a long one (I think I use WAY to many good options...) but it's done. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 I say that we make it mostly underground, but perhaps with a 'skylight' of some kind (perhaps in that courtyard area or the hangar, Shad?). Otherwise it'd be a real pain to light realistically, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Marrakesh Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 I like that idea, Aru EDIT: Code, I'm assuming you're the one doing the RPG mod? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadriss Posted February 21, 2003 Author Share Posted February 21, 2003 OK, small hitch. THe Power Center isn't compiling correctly for me. At least, that's what I'm ASSUMING is going on. I upgrgaded to GTK1.2.12 (just released) just prior to compiling it, so I'm gonn downgrade and try it again. THe only thing I can see the problem being is a string of about 50 or so "Longest Curve : xxx xxx" merssages during the BSP portion of the compile. I've never seen that before, and neither has anyone I've talked to. ANyone with information on that one, get with me. So, obviously, screenshots will be slightly delayed. Aru - We'll go with that idea... both the plazas and the Spacecport will have a skybox... I think I'll just use my trusty Naboo skybox... it's got pretty clouds. Any against? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted February 21, 2003 Share Posted February 21, 2003 Nah, I'm all for the Naboo skybox. I had to uninstall all versions of GtK because 1.2.12 wouldn't open, then reinstall and update to 1.2.11. It compiled fine for me with 1.2.11, Shad. I'm going back to that, because it appears they didn't change that much between 1.2.11 and 1.2.12 anyway. I've never even heard about that error, but with as many problems as I've had with 1.2.12 today, I'd say it's the software and not my fault. Hey, it's a good excuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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