[Map] Quaternion, prototype version 0.2.5.6.7.2

[Dratz-_C]

Hello,
Here is a new version. I have made progress with the texturing for the environment and bases. I think the affinity signs will be helpful.
[The image is deprecated ergo deleted.]
Map:

quaternion_0-2-5-2-6.zip

Cheers

[D.A.M.I.E.N.]

You see, even without real-time shadows, you have done the basic lighting quite well I have to say. It looks good.

I suppose you edit without details on. I suggest you to turn all details at max, even when you have got a slower pc. It will be just for test. When you finish some phase of designing (like a basic texturing), turn all details on to see how it really looks, so you can clearly review backwards your work and find errors. (I suggest use all details on while editing always, but if it's not possible for you, just use it for the testing only.)

If so, you will find out, that gloss of the main texture that you used, is extremely high (glare effect on), so: /vdelta vshaderparam specscale 0.8 0.8 0.8 or so, if you want to keep it still a bit glossy.

Ambient color should be quite darker. You will find out later, that after adding a certain light entities (if you plan on), it will make a better contrast between light and dark. About geometry, try to avoid 45° inclined surface to walk on. Rather design differently whole the geometry than adding this, especially to a cramped areas.

About texturing, there is not much to say, because it still stays at the point - I would name it: "A basic and instructional getting a rid of an elemental whitebox." : )
But the flags and marks are really helpful in navigating! It just needs some stylized form.

See ya.

[Dratz-_C]

Hi Damien,
Thanks for your help.

Changelog
--------------
0.2.5.2.9...Changed all 45° groundpitches to 22.5°, added ladders, tweaked pushers
0.2.5.2.8...Ambient set from 555555 to 393939, changed background for affinity waysigns
0.2.5.2.7...Adjusted from 3 to 0.5 specular on jojo/concrete textures

[The image is deprecated ergo deleted.]
Map:

quaternion_0-2-5-2-9.zip

Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

quaternion_0-2-5-4-2.png

Map: http://forum.freegamedev.net/download/file.php?id=5445
0.2.5.4.2...Added mines to alpha base
0.2.5.4.1...(Re)textured alpha base interior, texturecull
0.2.5.4.0...Grounded the bomberball, (re)textured alpha base exterior
0.2.5.3.....Added clipbox for jetpack mutator, experimented for Red Eclipse skybox
To evaluate my progress go the the alpha (blue) area.
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

Hi folks,
I am concentrating on only the alpha base until it is ready to duplicate to omega, gamma, and kappa.

Map: download/file.php?id=5563
0.2.5.4.6...Tweaked sound effects and replaced spikes with counterpushers
0.2.5.4.5...Incorporated spikes to prevent cheating with pushers
0.2.5.4.4...Placed centerbase and alphabase ambient sound effects
0.2.5.4.3...Added teleport generator shafts, retextured last spots in alpha base
Cheers

[D.A.M.I.E.N.]

Ok, Dratz, I took some pictures to explain the issues.

[D.A.M.I.E.N.]

This is a possible way how to keep your texture in that place, while redesigning that part. Only an example.

Otherwise, from the changes I like most the simple texturing on the bottom part of the base, that pyramid.

[Dratz-_C]

Damien,
Thank you for your constructive suggestions. Here is a picture of my incremental progress in incorporating them into Quaternion.

quaternion_0-2-4-5-7.png

- specscales and glowmaps reduced
- corner texturing changed
Cheers

[D.A.M.I.E.N.]

That looks better, Dratz. Good job. Of course if you want corners darker (as before it was), you could also try to adjust it, maybe? It's up to you. This map is slowly getting better and better.

[Dratz-_C]

Hi folks,
I have progressed based on Damien's constructive suggestions.
[Image deprecated and deleted]
Map and music: download/file.php?id=5675
0.2.5.4.7...Retextured bevels, some of the alpha base exterior and most of its interior; added new preliminary music, team symbol models and an anti cheat pusher
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

Damien,
This is what the new interior looks like. Please inform me if you think I have made any major mistakes. I would like to thank you again for your help so far.

quaternion_0-2-5-4-7_01.jpg

quaternion_0-2-5-4-7_02.jpg

Cheers

[D.A.M.I.E.N.]

You're welcome, Dratz. That interior looks much better now, I like most of textures you chose there, I think you well understood how make the basic texturing more attractive on look, so after this post I will try to not intervene so much into your ideas. See pictures below for deeper review of the interior.

[Dratz-_C]

Hi again Damien,
I would like to tell you that I appreciate your continued advice. I focused on first resolving the worst offenses. All assuredly close-view objective signs are now half their previous hight and width. I left the double flag signs because there are 2 defend the flags on that level and it serves as a difference between the top and bottom single dtf flags. I have placed borders on the metal ramps. I have replaced the black rubber matting with textures that fit the floor paneling beside it. I have swapped out and adjusted the trim on the second level by the big alpha sign. I do not know what I will do with the clam-shell spawn plates yet, so for now I have adjusted the surrounding texturing to make it fit better on the second level. I thank you once more for your corresponding enablement regarding my edits of quaternion. Even though you say will take a step back so that I appropriate my own mapping style I hope that you will return after a while to help me stay on track.

quaternion_0-2-5-4-8_01.jpg

quaternion_0-2-5-4-8_02.jpg

Map: http://forum.freegamedev.net/download/file.php?id=5711
0.2.5.4.8...Retextured trim, and resized and lit close-view signs
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

New version uploaded.
0.2.5.4.9...Added fast pushers to bottom level of base(s)
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

Image:

quaternion_0-2-5-5-4-6.png

Map:
download/file.php?id=6186
Changelog

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

0.2.5.5.4.6...Possibly found a game bug where bomberball goal overrides gauntlet goal
I think this bit is part of the bug that Ulukai found: http://forum.freegamedev.net/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=4473
0.2.5.5.4.5...Added gauntlet area, spawns and affinities
0.2.5.5.4.4...Added teleport sounds
0.2.5.5.4.3...Added pusher sounds and alert trim
0.2.5.5.4.2...Enlarged sun flare
0.2.5.5.4.1...Removed spawnmarks
0.2.5.5.4.....Created a touchdown bomberball route that could be completed in one run
0.2.5.5.3.....Added more fast pushers of a new design and retrofitted old ones
0.2.5.5.2.....Readjusted teleport radii to match new behavior in "Elara Edition"
0.2.5.5.1.....Tested "Elara Edition's" changed bomberball throw distance
0.2.5.5.0.....Tested 2 more different looks for the fast pushers
0.2.5.4.9.....Added fast pushers to bottom level of base(s)
0.2.5.4.8.....Retextured trim, and resized and lit close-view signs
0.2.5.4.7.....Retextured bevels and alpha base interior; added music, team symbol models
0.2.5.4.6.....Tweaked sound effects and replaced spikes with counterpushers
0.2.5.4.5.....Incorporated spikes to prevent cheating with pushers
0.2.5.4.4.....Placed centerbase and alphabase ambient sound effects
0.2.5.4.3.....Added teleport generator shafts, retextured last spots in alpha base
0.2.5.4.2.....Added mines to alpha base
0.2.5.4.1.....(Re)textured alpha base interior, texturecull
0.2.5.4.0.....Grounded the bomberball, (re)textured alpha base exterior
0.2.5.3.......Added clipbox for jetpack mutator, experimented for Red Eclipse skybox
0.2.5.2.9.....Changed all 45° groundpitches to 22.5°, added ladders, tweaked pushers
0.2.5.2.8.....Ambient set from 555555 to 393939, changed background for affinity waysigns
0.2.5.2.7.....Adjusted from 3 to 0.5 specular on jojo/concrete textures
0.2.5.2.6.....Fixed errors found in playtesting
0.2.5.2.5.....Readded only the necessary affinity signage
0.2.5.2.4.....Textured all center area blank spaces
0.2.5.2.3.....Textured all blank Kappa and Sigma spaces
0.2.5.2.2.....Textured all blank Alpha and Omega spaces
0.2.5.2.1.....Scrapped ornamentation to reboot the framerate
0.2.5.2.......Added grass- and martian-rock-styled pathings
0.2.5.1.......Added gold- and ice-themed and greymetal pathings
0.2.5.0.......Added affinity waysigns
0.2.4.9.......Placed weapon waysigns on floors
0.2.4.8.......Made weapon and affinity waysigns using setshader decalworld
0.2.4.7.......Improved skybox and added SVN sparkle-sunflare
0.2.4.6.......Various modespawns and progress with bomberball
0.2.4.5.......Changed skylight and sunlight
0.2.4.4.......Added sunlight entity
0.2.4.3.......Changed cloudlayer to cover spinning sun
0.2.4.2.......Added skybox, removed the waypoints
0.2.4.1.......Experimented with skybox
0.2.4.........A prototype

[Dratz-_C]

Hi folks,
0.2.5.5.9.2...Made center prettier and added appropriate weapons
0.2.5.5.8.....Reworked center for framerate
0.2.5.5.7.....Fixed most Omega entity links
0.2.5.5.6.....Fixed Kappa textures
0.2.5.5.5.....Copy-pasted Kappa and Sigma base geometry and entities
...
Image: download/file.php?id=6710
Please visit the beginning of the thread for the archive.
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

Hello Again Folks,
Recent Changes:
0.2.5.5.9.5...Added oneways to keep people who should spiral to death from momentum bouncing around
0.2.5.5.9.4...Moved 4 ffa deathmatch spawns to match center geometry
0.2.5.5.9.3...Fixed 2 vortex pusher yaws
[Image deprecated and deleted]
Map: "Quaternion version 0.2.5.5.9.5"
Map Music: "Quaternion"
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

Hey Folks,
Recent Changes:
0.2.5.6.......Fixed most affinities and alpha, Kappa and Sigma entity links
[Image deprecated and deleted]
Map: "Quaternion version 0.2.5.6.0.0"
Map Music: "Quaternion"
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

Hi Folks,
Now that I know this map will continue to run in "Red Eclipse" and not be essentially diminished in a translation to "Tesseract," here is another version of "Quaternion."
Recent Changes:
0.2.5.6.3.3...Constructed a game-type- and mutator- specific diamond of paths to rockets and other bases
0.2.5.6.2.....Separated defend-the-flag and bomberball rocket locations, fixed some paste-stripped model attributes
0.2.5.6.1.....Replaced one-way geometry with death material; bodies still spiral into the cyclone
[Image deprecated and deleted]
Map:

quaternion_0-2-5-6-3-3.zip

Map Music: "Quaternion"
Cheers

[Dratz-_C]

Hi Folks,
This time, I worked on particle trim and textured, geometric supports. I also paid special attention to facilitating movement about the supports.
Recent Changes:
0.2.5.6.7.2...Added 4 sets of lateral platform supports to the team bases
0.2.5.6.6.....Added prettier supports to neutral base level 2
0.2.5.6.5.....Added prettier supports to neutral base level 1
0.2.5.6.4.....Made more effective use of particles on half the diabase paths
Image:

quaternion_0-2-5-6-7-2.png

Map:

quaternion_0-2-5-6-7-2.zip

Map Music: "Quaternion"
Cheers

[Lyberta]

Uhh, not to be hostile, I know you love incrementing version numbers and writing long changelogs documenting every little change you've made, but you can spend that time in a more productive way.

[Dratz-_C]

Hi FaTony,
I thank you for your constructive suggestion in the on-line editing session about the teleport recesses. As promised, I have put them into effect. Please forgive me for releasing another revision, although I did it to remedy what I thought was a major flaw regarding the particles and glare created by them overtaking the paths which they were supposed to mark. As for your opinion about my changelog, I also apologize for not using codeblocks when it would have helped in 2 situations. I have fixed this matter now.

It is true that most people refrain from posting small updates to their maps on the forum. Consequently, I see your constructive suggestion as beneficial rather than hostile. I am just slightly concerned that you do not know how much effort I am putting into it. Know that I might be closer to half way done with the map than a quarter there. I shall consider heeding your advice and publicly releasing a map revision that has first had 100 internal revisions. On a lighter note, are you telling me I shouldn't be playing video-games in my spare time?

From my perspective, I newly understood elements of mapping, recognized how to use them and appropriated 39 sets of changes that took about 10 cumulative hours to do. I think that releasing a revision containing those changes in order to document and allow feedback on them is a necessary part of my mapping process. I have schizo-affective disorder, bipolar type with an accompanying mental disability and realize that communication, even where it is 1-way, is a vital part of my mental health. Honestly, without this communication I would probably loose my motivation to map and become depressed.

Shifting the focus from the forum to the SVN, Ulukai, who is developing the map "Enyo," which is already in the package, has updated his map 3 times in the last week. I have done this once in the same time period. As an average, over 361 days, I have released 18 revisions this map. That is 1 new version every 21 days.
Cheers

[Lyberta]

I was talking about version number which has 6 digits and long changelogs, but if you have a medical condition, keep doing what you're doing.

[Ulukai]

Don't bother, just keep doing what you're doing. I'm looking forward to see how final map would look like as I think it's getting better and better. As a small tip, maybe some geometry at the sides of the particle bridges would make them better visible and I think it would be prettier too, a bit like how it is done now in keystone2k. ;-)

I'm a perfectionist myself and when I think of something I can do to improve my work, I do it too as you can see :-) That's what SVN is for anyway...

[bonifarz]

Dratz-_C, it is your personal decision when to post updates to your map and how to organize your version numbers. In the end, any update that fixes some problem or enhances the playability of the map in some way should be fine, no matter how frequent. Documentation is nothing wrong to do, it just takes lots of effort and time in bigger projects.

Cheers,
Boni