DM_Marden (Lots of pics)

Personally, I'm not too hot about it. The brushwork is great, but the texture-work and lighting is sub-par. The symbols, while looking quite lavish and attractive, stick out way too much and don't fit in with the rest of the artwork (namely the murals). It also feels WAY too empty. More foliage, more props, and so forth. As far as I can tell, you do not have any normal maps which would really bring the architecture out and help emphasize the artistic direction. If you do have normals, then you might want to redo them as they simply don't work.

But honestly, I think I'm not too attracted to it simply due to the fact I dislike the Unreal Tournament style. I'm more for realistic environments rather than stylish architecture, so I'll leave the true judgment to the Unreal-savvy. Also, check out smoothing groups dialog in the face edit dialog box, of which more information can be found here. :wink:

It looks good, I like the style, but your texturing needs a little work.

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#1 : you have a floor texture on your ceiling.. Some stone floor textures can work as a ceiling, but this one doesn't. It has loose dirt between the stones, something you wouldn't see on a ceiling. You are also using the same texture on the floor. If anything I'd use the texture you are using for the walls for the ceiling, without the water damage and ivy and stuff.

#2 and #3.. you have two different stones meeting at a sharp corner, it just doesn't look at all realistic. Try putting a border of stone around all the edges like this one to help transition from one texture to the next.

#3 and #4. again, you have two very differnt textures joining at a sharp corner. I'd use the the same texture you have at #3 on #4 and align them. It'd look much better.

Great brushwork, and I agree about the normals that Markus mentioned.

i like the atmosphere....good work.

Yeah, I like it!

Simple but nice!

*hugs teh style* but i think yo should make the lighting more high saturated and more intense while at the same time making the fall offs more extreme

That's just awesome. Could do with some physics props (for throwing/general look), but the style of it's brilliant.

I like it but the problem is that theres nothing happening. Its kinda empty and theres no real detail around or some type of important elements, landmarks that kind of stuff. Its just a bunch of stone arches.

HL2 I take?..

Looks snazzy, great potential! Could be HL1 too though. I agree that it needs more texture variance, normal maps, more detail/props and all that spiffy stuff you can do with source. I think you need to push more from a technical point of view, but I still dig the visual style. The runes are cool!

You know I love you duder but I aint feelin it.

Got a few words for you make of them what you will:

-Waterfall

-Overgrowth

-Vines

Overall the map is just super simplistic and not too impressive because while your brushwork is solid... its literally just arch brushwork. You need some variety and a theme. You've got hyroglyphic type symbols with Italian mural things... it just feels really incoherent.

Like it so far.

I think it could look better if the map was ruined. Displaced rubble on the floor, broken arches, more foliage, and an overhead section with trees looming over the top. Statues of some kind, wooden beams in places to break things up, fire lamps, and lots of rock.

FMPONE offers some good suggestions as well. Grass down below, with detail props, leaves, and water could all look good. Some unique land marks would help to distinguish one area from the other.

Props!!!

Its a good layout and the brushwork is fantastic, but the texturing / decals and details need to be done.

Unique style

Quote from Rokusho39

Props!!!Its a good layout and the brushwork is fantastic, but the texturing / decals and details need to be done.

Personally I think the texturing looks fine, it just needs more props.

ooghi!!

I like it, nice style.

(Lots of pics) <- that all look the same

Looks pretty cool.

Out of curosity, what made you choose the name DM_Marden?

Marden is my surname you see, and I have seldom ever seen it in use elsewhere.

It looks good, but not good enough, I have a few issues, especially lightingwise. You really should read Hourences free pdf on Lighting, I think you can snag a few good bits from there. Especially read up on making lights that doesnt have a source (where does that greenish light come from?) And making them have a realistic size compared to the source (twiz picture shows what Im talking about, the spotlight doesnt even make sense).

It looks 90%! You just lack the extra 10, keep it up!

who cares where the green light comes from. It looks cool and gives it uniqueness. Some models of statutes would make it awesome.

There are an endless amount if incredible things you could do with the 3d skybox in this map.