WIP in WIP, post your level screenshots!

[Zacker]

Ooghijmiqtxxa your map looks ok, but it stands out as fairly simple and repeating brushwork. The problem is that all your map seem to consist of is basic walls/floors and then your arches. Your arches are not bad, far from, but except for them there is no real geom detail in the map.

[⌐■_■]

brushwork is not everything.

[Campaignjunkie]

Lots of maps are blocky and sloppy, relying on props to unify the level. If anything, there isn't enough brushwork these days.

[KungFuSquirrel]

Blocky and sloppy aren't necessarily one in the same, though. I mean, HL2 is at times as minimalist as you can go and remains interesting through the entire scene's composition (plus the gameplay they build it for).

Really, as brushes get sort of pushed to the backburner, they should be the last thing that's sloppy anymore, with prop placement/detailing, scene framing, lighting, etc. being the potential visual snags.

[Ooghijmiqtxxa]

Zacker: Yeah, I'm going to be changing the walls, floors and ceilings. The arches will stay but I will be changing them up a bit. Those slabs of wall between the pillars will have more brush work to them, but I didn't want to get caught up in that before finishing the layout.

Dux: Thanks. Haha, yeah I'll clean it up. Shes kind of sloppy right now.

Evert: Hi Evert! It does. I think the layout is fun. I still need to optimize it but it plays great. The only part that is a little iffy is the first room which is the room with the shotgun and the bridge. I actually changed that in my latest build. I made a way for the player to get to the top level from the bottom and I think it plays a lot better now.

I had a question about dark shadows. I really want the arches to cast a nice, dark shadow in the flooded room but don't want to lower the lightmap scale on those surfaces so much. Is that the only way to do it?

Psycho: I really like those stairs. Did you make the textures? If you did, I'd say spend some more time on those and it'll look a lot better. I also really like the ceiling. That curved part looks great.

[Psy]

You really should finalize the textures more, the first three pictures didnt really look so good

I'm thinking of changing some of the textures around a bit. Don't worry

I really like those stairs. Did you make the textures? If you did, I'd say spend some more time on those and it'll look a lot better. I also really like the ceiling. That curved part looks great.

Thanks. Are you referring to the texture that is on the actual staircase which has the marble, with the tiles along the sides?

[hydeph]

brushwork is not everything.

I disagree. I find the majority of Source maps do not take advantage of the ability to jam pack levels full of brush details.

I guess there is a balance between props and brush detail that is to be made, but seriously, the whole displacement map filled with props shit is getting old, fast.

I'm glad there is a community of mappers that know this, though. <3 core

[Quakis]

I agree with Hydeph here, especially the displacement map point. This is probably one major reason I find a majority of HL1 stuff a lot more appealing to look at than Source maps with blocky, square empty rooms with props scattered everywhere...

[⌐■_■]

brushwork is not everything.

I disagree. I find the majority of Source maps do not take advantage of the ability to jam pack levels full of brush details.

I guess there is a balance between props and brush detail that is to be made, but seriously, the whole displacement map filled with props shit is getting old, fast.

I'm glad there is a community of mappers that know this, though. <3 core

I didnt say props are everything

what i ment is that leveldesigners shouldnt focus too much on detail on brushwork in general. i find balance and smart brushplacement more important. for instance, look at the hl1 maps from Neil Manke (they hunger), he doesnt add too much detail in his levels but theres an consistent style noticeable and a grand atmosphere. i think that definitly goes for hl2 maps too. good lighting, a consistent style and good, smart and creative placement of brushes is so important. to be frank, im getting tired of all ppl staring themselves blind on the detail, like thats the only element of leveldesign.. im not saying its not important though..

but, what youre basicly saying is; is that you find brushwork is everything?

[alexroyce]

Thanks guys! I'm happy you guys like it.

I busted my ass to finish the last room. I was going to make it completely indoors, but I thought I'd keep the pattern and leave it a bit open.

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3113/21ab8.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/1686/3wg7.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2459/2gx9.jpg

That's it for the layout. Now I can focus on the textures and the detail. I'll make a new thread for all of that probably tomorrow. I'll stop posting in the WIP thread now.

You should consider making some faces have more detailed lightmaps as theres a lot of great opportunities for kick ass shadows to heighten the atmosphere.

Edit: Looks like its been released

[OnboardError]

textured a little... no props.. or anything of the such.. but just a idea of how its coming along.

[ken20banks]

thats a nice building onboarderror

[Wesley Tack]

I'm finalizing a second map for Off Limits, it's actually the first map we made, but it's been through so much stages I've lost count. It's a map designed by Purerage, I'm making the final touches to get it in the Off Limits release asap.

[JeanPaul]

The props look nice, but that room is -literally- a prop box.

[Nysuatro]

Where are the old days when we used brushes for that ^^

Those machine need a bit more scratches i think. They are only dirty.

Like scratches on the corners.