[WIP] Dm_cloudcity (updated 2006-09-05) (Final beta)

I there, im very new to this community and i must say im very impressed with all ive seen so far, very nice work indeed.

What is it about

Im looking for atmosphere that no one has done before in the source. So I chose a futuristic city stretching to the skies, the actual map takes place above the clouds.

Progress

Ive been working on the project for three months and everything is going forward.

The map is currently working very well and demands very little from the computer.

It is still in very early alpha stage and there is a lot of changes going on as I’m trying to find the right atmosphere and all that.

As you can see, there is almost no textures applied to the faces, this is because the map demands something extra this time…

A new idea

Im planning on having datapads with small info icons over them, and when you press "E", you can read a message. Each one of them will tell bits and pieces of the story about what has happened here. If you read them all you will get a pretty clear picture of what has happened and what is going on. Im planning on adding this to give the map more depth, and let serious players who wants to know it all, having fun looking for them. Some will be easy to find, but wont tell very much either, others, more hidden, will tell more "valuable" info.

The BIG problem…

As I mentioned earlier, the map demanded something extra, bythat I mean new textures, or at least custom textures from an already created texture pack. I don’t know how to accomplish this since I know nothing about making textures on my own. I hoped that you could help me out with this, either by helping me out and making textures to the map or by knowing someone who is willing to help. Please let me know if you know a good texture site which is making texture packs for Half-life

Please give me feedback!

As you can see, the map isn’t finished by far, and that is why I have posted this thread here.

Please bombard me with ideas on how to change the map to the better, no ideas are bad.

Here is a few images taken ingame:

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970016.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970004.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970031.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970040.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970012.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970048.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970006.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970007.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://www.leveldesign.nu/bilder/skit/cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a970009.jpg]

Thanks for your feedback, its really great that so many has replied so fast!

Since there has been very many remarks on the lighting, I took a look at the map on a school computer, and i could barely see a thing.

At home, I have no problems with seeing the enviroment. Well, i guess ill have to increase the brightness and maybe add some shiny white stuff in there aswell...

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Looking pretty good, if not a little too dark for my liking. I actually liked the overall look of the level in the 'progress' folder, back when it had a dusk skybox.

Im looking for a dark, cold and uneasy atmosphere. The lighting used with the dusk skybox was too warm to give that impression.

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Little too dark. Either adjust the global light or use a lot of artificial lighting to illuminate areas. I like how you're using dev textures to map out the general area. I think its the wise thing to do for everyone. I do not like you boxes/crates. Thats an atmopshere ive seen before, and I thought you were going for somehting i've never seen before. I'd suggest upping the lights, and getting a lot of reflections in here. Ithink this is SP so you can handle it.

Well the crates are only used in a big storage area.

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It looks good in some parts but tha light'n is almost tha same. If i was you i would spicy it up wit some baller light colours here n there.

Yes, the map looks colorless right now. im currently placing orange developer textures where the map needs some contrast. Ill add more colourful lighting in there aswell. Just wait and see =).

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Map looks cool but as has been said, really dark. Reminds me of Halo in style for some reason; dunno if thats an intention or not but it's what it makes me think of. I'd tone down the glows around the lights, and possibly introduce a bit of colour into them instead of having them plain white.

Welcome to mapcore as well by the way mate, nice to see another Snarkpit face around Smile

More colours is on the way! =P

Thanks for the welcome ReNo, its nice to see a familiar face =).

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Nice! I don't think it's too dark. It's giving the map atmosphere and makes those lightbeams fit right in! I also like the brushwork but atm there are too many devtexures too really comment on the map as whole, so I'll leave that out. SmileNice map. Keep us updated!

I guess that the lighting is very different depending on wich screen you are using. As I said before, at home i can see verything perfectly clear, but at school I cant see shit.

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everything was black for me, i wasnt even going to comment because frankly i couldnt see ANYTHING...but i boosted my monitor brightness (alot) ... anyway i think its too dark for sure, i agree, that there are a whole lot of boxes in that 1 screen, but i think the whole visual dynamic would change a lot if you textured it white (ala vespin cloud city [starwars 5]) and that might even solve the darkness problem you got. you have nice brush work, so good work so far. also maybe think about changing the hl2's guy's face with Billy Dee Williams!

Adding white textures here and there would ceirtanly look different. Ill think about that =).

Breens face is very temporary, hes going to be replaced with either commersial or public messages from the city counsil.

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Neato. Get some neon and stuff in there. Upliighting on the walkways, recessed lighting here and there, just make the whoel thing brighter in general. Custom textures would really, really help that, but without making you're own I'm slightly at a loss as to where you'd get something suitable. One thing you might like to consider is making quick 5 minute textures for everything you need giving ideas of colour and purpose and then asking very nicely for people to come up with proper versions of the textures. The you could at least get a better idea of the colouration etc that you're going for.

Im planning on adding neon lights, however i will use them very sparse. Thanks for the tip about 5 min textures, havent thought about that before.

However, ive barely ever made a texture so even that seems difficult. Well, i guess thats what i have to do. Do you know a good site with tutorials for making textures?

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Im probably the only one, but i think its too dark. Besides that, i like the crate area. Probably because i dont really like this kinda futuristic manga city theme (just my taste) and its nice to see the purpose of an area

I dont like the manga style either. Im trying to make something of my own here.

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If you're gonna post em dark, keep em high res! All i see is black with some bulbs of white here and there.. (I think i saw a breen in there somewhere too).

The size of the screenshots is small because other forums dont allow big ones.

Allright, time for an update.

Ive been working on making the map playable aswell as adding contrast, detail and lighting into the level.

Since barely have any new textures in the map, ive useed the orange dev-textures as contrast to the grey ones.

I think it looks kinda nice. Perhaps going for orange steel? What do you guys think?

Ive also had a friend make two textures for me. The first one is the glass, the second is a very dark texture used in an equally dark elevator shaft.

Personally, i think theese textures is top notch, looking veery nice =).

As mentioned ive been working on making the lighting more bright, however i guess some of you will still think the map is very dark.

Lets just say that I havent forgotten about you, I'm still working on it!

The 3D-sky has become even more bigger and nastier. The highest building in the 3D-sky is actually very close to the maximum sice that Source can

render. Its still a bit undetailed, but with some cutstom textures and more work on it, it will probably look cool.

I tried using func_smokevolume in the 3D-sky to create a cloud effect, however that didnt work at all. Ill try to use the models used in

Counterstrike Source to simulate clouds, if possible. As mentioned ill try to add flying vehicles here aswell, but that completely depends on if that is possible to do inside the 3D-sky.

Ive also been working on making the map playable and I think im done with that, however i will not release a playable alpha before I have done some

playtesting with my friends, but expect an update with a fully playable alpha, with weapons and spawnpoints, soon. Working on making the map playable is the main reason why you havent heard any updates until now.

Heres some fresh images:

[Blocked Image: http://www.home.no/misterbister/Bilder/dm_cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a440015.jpg]

Added contrast, brighter lighting and more buildings in the 3D-sky

[Blocked Image: http://www.home.no/misterbister/Bilder/dm_cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a440021.jpg]

More contrast here aswell. The picture is taken from a platform that is newly made aswell. More spotlights has been added aswell.

[Blocked Image: http://www.home.no/misterbister/Bilder/dm_cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a440023.jpg]

This area wasnt detailed at all before, and has gone through quite a remake. The boxes in the image will be replaced with more appropriate stuff later

on.

[Blocked Image: http://www.home.no/misterbister/Bilder/dm_cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a440025.jpg]

A quick overview, more contrast added aswell as brighter lighting.

[Blocked Image: http://www.home.no/misterbister/Bilder/dm_cloudcity/dm_cloudcity_a440026.jpg]

Heres another overview of the playable area. Here you can see the custom glass texture aswell as more spotlights and more contrast.

Well, guess that was all i have to say to the time being.

As Ive said before, I LOVE feedback. I promise to take everything you suggest into consideration.