dm_echo

[kleinluka]

really nice.

[Crackerjack]

it looks like it could be a CSS map as well, too realistic. Hldm has unrealistic stuff like moving platforms and coloredcoded spots where guns lay. At least that was hldm1

Times have changed my friend....and I would suggest moving along with it.

[Thrik]

Your screenshots make me look at my graphics card and cry. :~

[mike-0]

I bet it's hella tight in a game with about sixteen to twenty five people.

[-Stratesiz-]

Looks pro. Excellent lighting. I'm not sure about the gameplay though. Looks a tad chaotic due to the number of objects that can be manipulated as fletch said.

[mike-0]

I haven't played HL2DM yet, but i think one of the "things" of the map is that theres tons of shit to pick up with the grav gun and kill people with.

[-Stratesiz-]

Is that so?~

[RD]

...no HL2DM has realistic enviroments, the two current maps are taken right out of the SP game.

Times have changed my friend....and I would suggest moving along with it.

Those maps suck. Valves isnt looking for community maps to get the same boring rushed maps they put in themselves. The gameplay isnt good right now, and there is nothing wrong with colorcoding stuff or moving platforms. Halflife singpleplayer didnt have colorcoded weaponplacements, but the multiplayer was filled with it.

[von*ferret]

merging with the old times and what everyone thinks the new time is about would be the solution in my opinion. Color coding doesn't have to be blatantly obvious, however subtle. Enough to get the point across, but not enough to totaly ruin any realism like in HL1. As I see it, people are going to fail in their projects for two reasons/obssessions: 1.) Displacement Maps 2.) Props. They're everywhere and everyone seems to think that without massing them everywhere, your map will blow.

[SonicDM]

i only have 5 displacement maps and htey make up one object )

[ReNo]

Half-Life multiplayer wasn't filled with moving platforms - about the only ones I can think of are the lifts seen in a few maps and the train in subtransit. I wouldn't say I plan on colour coding ("oooh green means its a magnum over here!") but I will try and make weapon spawn points obvious to the players by tactful use of lighting and effects.

Ferret, think about what Valve is promoting HL2DM as - deathmatch with physics combat. Not only does the slash screen show it, but their maps encourage it and their press release blatantly gloats about it. Is it the perfect deathmatch game? Far from it. But its what Valve are putting this out as, and I think for maps to be in with a chance of winning then physics props will need to play a large part of it. I can't imagine that maps with little to no use of physics props will place favourably to be honest - its going against what Valve has made HL2DM into. I'm not claiming to have struck a good balance myself - only testing will identify that - but I don't think the more spartan levels will be chosen. That said, I am prepared to eat my words if proven wrong

[D3adlode]

It looks nice, I'm finding it hard to comment on things though, seeing as I've yet to play HL2 at all so I don't know what the overall emphasis on the level design (except for looks)...

[Taylor Swift]

cool.

[von*ferret]

I'm not saying that you need to make spartan maps. Rather smart"an" maps lol. Place physics objects outside where it takes more skill to kill someone rather than all inside where it takes little or no skill to smash your mouse buttons. Better placement is also essential. By no means should you have no physics props in your maps.

[ReNo]

Your point about clever placement is a good one - there is little skill involved in using physics props if you are in a tight environment. However, I reckon in my tunnel area there is plenty of room for dodging, and not only that but there is a wealth of cover in there too, making it far from skill-less in this scenario. The amount of props could mean surrounding tighter areas (such as the vent corridor screenshot) become too easily defendable I guess, but provided rooms have multiple entry points it shouldn't be the uber-horrible dead end affair of dm_overwatch's roof.

To be honest, until I get some proper testing done on the thing, I think our disagreements over any of these matters are just wasted breath. If testing shows it to be too physics heavy, I'll lighten the load.