[UT3] - DM Fort (working name)

[sarge mat]

Hello again.

This is the map I started more or less right after the last one but it did go though a few different designs. But I feel it’s time to post up a few screenshots and get a bit of feedback from people. The assets are all Unreal default but I am working on adding a few of my own this time around to replace a few of the minor props. Going to look into making a different skybox too or positioning the current one a bit better. So let me know what you think and I will be happy to take on any feedback at all.

The idea with the rock all around it is to have a massive waterfall on all sides powering down to it so it’s a sort of floating temple type thing. But they don’t look great at the moment.

Thanks

Mat

[Skjalg]

Dig the name~

The lighting looks a little bland, you should work on it.

[2d-chris]

Yeah the name rocks

Good progress.

[sarge mat]

Thanks guys.

Yea the lighting needs a lot of work still.

Thanks.

[Sentura]

i dunno, even if we say that this map had better lighting, it seems like the brushwork is very blocky and that there's a clear difference from where you see props (or whatever they're called in unreal) to the brushwork you've used. prop garden is probably the adequate word here.

[sarge mat]

Yea I see your point. Before looking at the lights and starting to improve them I am going to try and replace a lot of that BSP. It is very blocky as you say.

[KungFuSquirrel]

I'll second what the other guys have said. The lighting is just way too flat right now and the geometry is way too blocky.

Much like with Waterfall, I think one of the shots has a little glimmer of what the finished product should look like - and that's shot #6 with the light globes in the trees. I think you're on to something with that, and those are worth continuing (sparingly, of course ) in the final light pass. I was just playing around with some of the asian themed props myself recently; try out some of the torches, or maybe the more of that urn mesh with a couple flame emitters for pockets of light (which I see you've done once already) around the area. I think this would be a good candidate for a sort of sunset/dusk theme with the light globes and other little accent lights filling in the level.

The big arched walkway looks out of place with a flat piece of ground underneath. Think about some sort of sunken geometry to go under that, with the walkway connecting at both ends. If you don't want to interrupt player movement in the space around it, maybe try something that's shallow enough on the sides to jump in and out of or that you can connect with some stairs, and then you can have it ramp down under the walkway.

I think the lights on the stairs are way overdone... If you can, strip some of those out. If they're attached to the mesh, see if you can find a better one without the lights connected.

Even if it's only temporary, don't wall yourself in (ha!) with the outer wall. A 360 degree wall is just going to make the map feel years older, and if you build with it from the start it'll be that much easier to leave it there. Start thinking about where gaps and/or elevation changes can break up the view in the distance and complement the silhouettes of your own level. In the shot with the trees and light globes, the back wall just muddles up the whole silhouette. Imagine that looking out over some water, or a valley, or whatever else you can think of, and maybe adding a more identifiable mesh to that platform... the gong or something kinda like that to draw attention out there

If you haven't already, check out CTF-Reflection for some really cool ideas on how to use the theme. They do some things in there that I'd have never thought of just by looking at the props individually (mainly the stone walkway pieces intersected with the wood slats you're using in a few places already), and there's a great vista surrounding the level that I think could apply to what you're doing here as well.

Hope that's helpful!

[sarge mat]

Thanks for the feedback. I have started to remove all the blocky parts around the map but there is a lot more there for me to take on board.

Thanks

Mat

[sarge mat]

Hey.

Spent a good bit of time replacing BSP with mesh’s and in general trying to make it look a lot better. Taken a good stab into the lights in the front area but something is still not right. Let me know what you think.

Thanks

Mat

[-rt-]

Bed light

no shedow

[sarge mat]

Sorry but I don't quite get what you mean. Don’t mean to be rude.

-------

I did sort of post those last images in a very unfriendly viewing way, but I am going to post a beta today I hope with all the changes since then and a few new shots.

[Sentura]

i think he means, "bad light, no shadow"

[sarge mat]

Beta 1: http://www.mediafire.com/?unzzjkzucz3

Still have a good bit to fix up but if you have a copy of Unreal and a few mins to spare let me know what you think.

Some new screens too:

Thanks

[-rt-]

Forgive for my bad English! :roll:

[sarge mat]

No Worry’s

All the lights as far as I can see should be casting shadows apart from the main sky one as it takes 5 mins to build each time. But yea the lights in general still need work.