So how does one continue..? [CS:GO]

[Spherix]

Hi there,

I've been away from the mapping scene for a good 8 years, and returned to mess about with Hammer a while ago. After trying to pick up slack on my current project, I release I am stuck due to lack of experience with more advanced mapping techniques.

One of the main things that will need doing (i think) at this moment is the ground. The original map (Destroyed Village from MOH:AA) features quite a bit of uneven ground, in other words: displacements. Since the buildings on the map are not all at the same level, I can figure out how to manage the displacements, but since these do not seal the worlds I was wondering what the proper approach is the build the floor. The main brushwork is pretty much done, in regards to that the next stage is filling the level with debrees, adding in detail that the source engine is capable of and the old MOH:AA game wasn't; texturing etc. etc.

As for the floor, to seal it up I could either go about putting a big box of nodraw below the level, and having displacements for the walkable floor itself. Or.. try to place a more realistic floor at right levels, put more effort in it, and then place displacements on top of em. Long story short: i have no idea how to continue, and what the right approach is.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Spherix

[2d-chris]

It's interesting to add all the walls first, but if in this position I would add the floors so they can be judged both visually and from a game play point of view, then seal the map off underneath your displacement maps. Get the map running without leaks and then polish the visuals and add more details after,

[Spherix]

What do you mean exactly by adding the walls? The skybox? The map itself is meant to be a nearly shot-down town during WW2, hence the buildings don't look finished (and eventually, destroyed).

[FMPONE]

Floors are probably one of the simplest aspects of using hammer. I would recommend getting a good amount of experience and practice with displacements in some practice maps, and then study the official maps of Day of Defeat: Source, because that's probably where displacements were used most effectively. The key thing with displacements is just to have a series of brushes about the same size in a patchwork or quilt sort of pattern, very simple, then just get a rough idea of the topography of the displacements you wish to create.

[Squad]

Also worth studying is how the skybruses were made in for example dod_flash (it's in the sourcesdk content). Could come in handy for your type of map, it could also provide some good tips on how to make the buildings (what to turn into func_details, displacements, ... ).

[Spherix]

Time to purchase DoD:S I guess

[Squad]

I don't have DOD:S myself, but dod_flash is included in the SDK content by default. So Hammer can't load any materials here, but that's still better than nothing

[PyroGXPilot]

Good array of tutorials:

http://www.youtube.com/user/rocketrascal34?feature=watch