Posts by jackophant

  • Pay what you want for the StackSocial Games Design Bundle (worth $796)

    I came across this on an Android Police post, but I thought there's no better place to share this than here!


    Pay what you want (Humble Bundle style) for 115+ hours of tutorials worth approximately $796 for charity:

    • Make Real Games: Become A Unity 3D Power User (£200)
    • Get Schooled: Professional Video Game Art School ($399)
    • Engage Your Customers With Gamification ($49)
    • Learn To Craft "Hand-Painted" Textures ($49)

    [Blocked Image: http://i.imgur.com/10gvO.gif]


    Interested? Click the link below!


    StackSocial Games Design Bundle


    Can't wait to sink my teeth into this personally :D

  • Mapcore plays Quake Live

    Quote from SpronyvanJohnson

    We used to play all the time and had no problem finding each other. Fastforward and we have Facebook, Twitter, Googlechat, Steam, Forums, etc and it's impossible to get 4 people together to play some Quake. Modern times


    if you all add me on steam, just message me and ill be there! that's the biggest problem for me atm, i dont know anyone D:

  • Gaming Sequels Would Like To See

    Quote from Marcem

    This, and a real Re-Volt sequel, not the korean rip-off garbage on the app-store. And give me a new wipeout, while we're making racing games here.


    Hey arcane d00ds, make another dishonored. right now.


    OMG YES WIPEOUT the soundtrack in that game is just ridiculous... fusion anyway!


    arcane studios bring you: Dishonoured: AGAIN


    Leaves you asking the question: How many times can I be dishonoured?

  • Gaming Sequels Would Like To See

    QUAKE 5! Preferably the strogg storyline, as it seemed to stick more, but Quake1's lovecraftian style could be a breath of fresh air in the stagnant pool of similarity with todays FPS themes.


    on the topic of quake...


    WOLFENSTEIN/QUAKE/DOOM: ENEMY TERRITORY whatever ip they use as the basis, please make it play like original ET


    DOOM 4 is already on the way out... (im expecting beta for that at some point as well, although I can't remember why...) I preordered Wolfenstein: New Order


    bring back the BURNOUT series


    Opposing force 2 / Blue Shift 2 or whatever the variants would be to HL2, just some sort of side story line.

  • de_brewery [CS:GO]

    I still think the light needs to be... at least doubled. It's going to create lots of dark corners people will lurk in, and your map looks like it has a lot of corners. Speaking of gameplay, the scale seems to be on the large side of things, especially bombsite A and the marathon for Ts to get there.


    I feel you're relying too heavily on props to create flow in your map, and it should be more about brushwork. Also, have you used any references photography for breweries? They're very clean, sterile environments and fairly self contained where as this sprawls out a bit and lacks large copper fermentation tanks. May I suggest the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam for reference? It's an old brewery, but it's a tourist destination so plenty of images inside and out will be available.


    Alternatively, you could change the name if a huge theme overhaul isn't something you want to do.

  • [CS:GO]de_zoo

    It's a nice effect, but probably not the right setting. In my experience aquariums are usually very dark to have the best visibility inside the tank, similar to your aquarium mid to B connector, but very dark painted walls (obviously not the best for readability in a cs map). The effect you've created would look great in a jungle biome theme, like Kew Gardens or the Eden Project.


    Dammit... now I want to make a map like this :

  • CS:GO mapping phases - and some questions :)

    Quote from Vaya

    How the hell do you do proper version control using hammer? When I rename a .vmf hammer has a spaz out and gets confused.


    there's a version control option in the SDK but I can't see how it's used.


    There's probably a smarter, integrated way to control versions, but i literally do "save as..." and change it from de_stupa_v1/v2/v3/v4 etc, whatever im up to.


    I also create a different folder for each version which contains all the screenshots and radar / map files I need for that version and a "public" folder that I share which has the bsp, nav and kv files in for map testing. i host everything on google drive so i can map from the cloud at any of my computers

  • CS:GO mapping phases - and some questions :)

    Hi there,


    A lot of people here seem to build brushwork layouts and detail all at the same time. Personally (as a perfectionist myself) have found this to be my downfall. I waste far too much time on an area detailing the bollocks off it and then look at the incomplete remainder of my map and despair.


    I find it much easier to focus purely on the gameplay first. I've been far too aware of the complaints made by people during the operations about how maps play. While I do think a large part of it is that the csgo community find change threatening, it's usually down to just not knowing the map well enough and get mad because someone less skilled is smashing them on a map purely based on knowledge of surroundings rather than skill (a topic for another discussion entirely).


    Some people recommend that you start with a theme in mind, will2k has a very good article about level design. This for me is mainly because certain themes require a certain feel which you must map towards. In the interest of making the environment feel real: you simply can't take a tibetan theme with snow and large monasteries and slap it in a Caribbean island setting.


    The course I've taken, and you may find helpful is this:

    • daydream decides: *this theme would be cool to use*
    • draw out scribbles for map layout (if real perfectionist, use ruler/length of string to work out quickest paths to each flashpoint)
    • block out in hammer and time routes.
    • when happy with routes flesh out the map (build in nodraw and texture only visible surfaces starting with dev textures preferably not orange, use areaportals and hint/skip)
    • playtest on mapcore
    • make changes and optimise (include clipping to prevent silly boosts and annoying lips and ledges)
    • (repeat last 2 steps as many times as you need)

    I'm currently at this point, unfortunately unless your map looks pretty, feedback is pretty limited and a lot of feedback you get pertains to the visuals or cover.

    • DETAIL!

    I released my map while in development on the workshop, I'd suggest not bothering as again, unless it's pretty don't expect much and a lot of comments are "COOL MAP LOOK AT MY SKIN"


    I also regularly "save as... version+1" just in case anything goes wrong and no amount of "ctrl+z" will help you.


    also, this will help:


    good luck!


    ps. anyone else who wishes to criticise my process please do as it will also help me

  • CS:GO - de_tivoli

    so........................................


    I enjoyed that map a lot again, but still too many large sight lines and mid is really letting the map down:


    [Blocked Image: http://i.imgur.com/5zPpXof.jpg]


    the underground area towards A just lets CTs get behind Ts far too easily, and on a 5v5 (if you ever want your map to be played that way) T's have to dedicate themselves to just one of the routes or risk being spread dangerously thin.


    I've suggested an alternative for T spawn, but have no idea how to help CT spawn. CT is probably fine, but it seems bad because of the T mid advantage and low ground.


    The route behind B for CTs is a little unused imo, I only saw it used when a million Ts pushed into CT spawn and couldnt all go the same way.


    The side route to B in general is a massive sight line which favours aggressive CTs. Maybe use a system like cs_italy where you have the bridge and underpass crossover, which ever way round you like, but one should cross to the alternative route into B. The central bomb site is so much better, but it does need to be made more obvious as to the boundaries of it.


    Good job

  • Mapcore plays Quake Live

    Quote from SpronyvanJohnson

    I have to look into that.


    Hey, why did this die out? When are we going to play again?


    Could it be invite only?


    I'm always on, I love this game! I even managed to grab a couple of games of CSGO with Titan's cypher, zoot and dem0n all from pro quake3 backgrounds if anyone ever followed it

  • [CS:GO]de_zoo

    Quote from Marcem

    It's in the CS:GO tools bin folder.


    Thanks, but the problem isn't where it is, but how to use it. It just provides a means of getting the raw demo information. The point is that some sort of script needs to analyse the data and plot "coordinates vs chosen event" to put it crudely, allowing you to then plot the information over the top of a map. I'm sure the script itself could even have colour options.


    That's my understanding anyway, this is literally brand new to me, and I don't know how many other mappers use this, but this looks absolutely essential in the interest of competitive balance, especially if people are fairly slow or vague on giving feedback.


    But anyway, we stray off topic here...


    DE_ZOO! YEAH! SHOOT DEM FISHIES