Ok well I have an update to post on the map.

I am going to college soon and doubt I will have time to work on it like I planned. (Its a Military Academy, No Life Allowed).

I have worked on the map a little more, and have finished about one half of all of the geometry. Though, it doesn't have shafts of light, or anything of that nature that I wanted to add, (It has craters, however) I will get back to it eventually and soup it up a bit.

Chromeangel stated that a map developer's kit would be made and would contain models of tyranid and space marine props. The sooner I got this, the more inspired I would be to finish the map.

But seeing as how you have a lot of work on your hands with coding and balancing, I won't rush you.

But I do feel that if we have some sort of in-game screenshots, and a variety of maps to look at, it would make the game more interesting and would generate more people following it.

So I will continue to visit the sight, and would like to know of a developers kit in the future.

I just read the news, and it said something about the maps needing to form a big city. Does that mean I shouldn't finish what I have made?

Awsome thanks! It looks almost as if I used a scorch decal. Better than I expected.

A little grainy? They're just a generic rock texture, and when its done it should have the bumpmapping correctly laid out. I might need to resize the textures too. But for now I'm working on finishing the enormous displacement surface job ahead of me.

Oh, and the last 2 pictures were taken at mat_fullbright 1, so theres no lights or shadows. Right now the caves are pitch black. I'm working on a way to fix that.

Chrome, do you think you could make me a blend texture, Blending from the sand half of nature/blendrocksand004a, to nature/dirtfloor005b..?

This is exactly what I'm looking for to go from brown sand to charred black sand for insides of craters.

Help would be appreciated.

Oh, and for some reason that sand sounds like the nodraw texture when shot at. I think a command is all it takes to change that, not sure.

The map is pretty dark to begin with, I'm not sure how shafts of light would work out. That would be cool though, Its still going to be dark, just not pitch black. I'll see what I can do.

Cool pic, I love the tyranid warrior!

Thats a really really tall tyranid. I guess these caves are going to have to be really tall.

So far they're pretty massive, they go up to the striders' knees. I originally wanted them to be about player height, but the tyranid warriors wouldn't be able to move through them quickely... unless... you gave them some kind of mobility mode or something where they get low and move faster... just a thought.

Thanks for telling me about the space marine, I'll take that into account, however, I need the tyranid warior's height most importantly.
I'll post a picture of a couple caves with antlion guards inside of them, tell me what you think.

Pictures:
http://img465.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rsserpentrun00046ye.jpg
http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/3071/rsserpentrun00059tu.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8259/rsserpentrun00064hh.jpg

I have another question. For these caves, how tall should I make them? Seeing as how the majority of people going to be in them are tyranid warriors, what height should they be? Antlion guard height? I need something already in hl2 to work with, or a unit height. But an hl2 reference would be easiest.

Plus, I'm wondering what kind of light source I should use inside of them. I was thinking of having glowing sacks of tyranid goo or something along the walls in various places. Any ideas?

Thanks

I don't about killing gaunts in 1 shot, maybe if theres about 20 coming at you then sure. But I highly doubt theres going to be that many coming at you due to latency issues. Perhaps 2 shots per gaunt.

The bolters on tabletop are rapid fire. Now, what that means is, you get half the range but you can shoot 2 shots instead of one. Or you can take one careful shot at twice the range.

Maybe this can be implemented by giving the gun a high recoil, and when you fire it, the camera jerks in a direction just a little and you have to regain control. And if you want to shoot multiple shots, you'll have a difficult time trying to aim longer distances. Perhaps have the same firing rate as RS1, but stronger and more recoil.

As for satisfaction, that can be easily changed. All we need is a little more alien goo flying out of the wounds, and more blood on the walls. (Smod style)

I'm not sure where his craters are. Could you link me to them please?

ok here is a screenshot of the map so far:
http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rsserpentrun00006nd.jpg

And here is the layout I hope to achieve, Crudely drawn:
http://img186.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rsserpentrunmap1gb.jpg

I used the default textures given, bend/sandrock. I havn't tried those yet, but we might not need those textures I requested now that I can see it. What do you think?

Also I added some combine spires just for something else to look at. Pretend those are tyranid things.

Hmm, yes displacement craters would work. They just require me to take a section out of the ground, but I can do it. so far my framerate is 137 fps which blows my mind. And I hope I can keep it as high as possible.

Oh, forgot one thing: The sky is the portal skydome. I found it, and its a model, but it blocks out the sun entity I used. This is temporary unless we can't find a good sky to use.

hmmm, Well, I'm looking for a good texture for desert ground, maybe that of de_dust from CS. But I think a we'll need a good texture for craters, like that of volcanic rock. A darker sand. I might even need a texture to go from desert to tyranid sludge (for use near tyranid props). I don't quite know what I should do for craters though. I was thinking of using models.

Glad I can work along side you Chrome!

I will post a quick layout of the map I made from MS Paint, along with a screenshot of what I've made so far, in just a little bit.

I have mapping experience, and have no problem making architecture. I wish to embarke on a quest to create an awsome map involving a tyranid infestation, where the space marines have to rescue something from off of an infested planet or moon.
I was thinking dark gloomy read sky with greyish clouds, in sandy brown gorge(similar to one of the DC maps from RS1), which charred meteor struck craters are scattered about, and in the skybox are large tyranid structures, capillary towers, stuff like that, as well as structures on the battlefield, jutting out of the cliff sides and out of the ground. I was also thinking of making a main route in which the space marines must travel, which is open, and occasionally have to press through a pinch point or 2. Meanwhile, the tyranids start off in ant colony style tunnels and caves dug out of the cliffs, if there is such a thing that tyranids do. (I don't see why not)
The tyranids would start off spawning in the caves, and choose their paths and move around in the mountains and cliff sides, while the space marines have to trudge through the trenches.
The atmosphere would be windy, and there would be an occasional squishy noise from a nearby tyranid structure, or maybe we could have a battle loop playing in the background, with imperial fighters and bombers soaring overhead. (similar to DOD's Argentan when you see the bombers.)

I really would like to make this a quality map, and want to know of anyone who wishes to help me.

If you do decide to help me, this is what I would need:
-A custom sky texture, a displacement blend texture going from desert sand to charred black sand. Also a displacement blend texture going from red rocky cliff texture to sandy floor texture.
-Custom props: Models of capillary tower, and other tyranid structures that could be placed in the map, the skybox, or in the faces of cliffs for decoration. I'll need several rocky natural bridge models to pass over the trenches. (Wait for screenshots of the trenches.)

Any help would be greatly welcome. However, this wouldn't be the finished product of course. We would need to eventually add all the start location entities and the RS2 specific trigger entities. This would have to be done by someone else. (IE: I don't know how to implement a flying tyranid transport or thunderhawk that would swoop into battle and deploy troops, unless it had the scripts of a combine dropship.)

If you want to help me with models or textures, or any questions regarding anything else, email me at McKeejk@cox.net

I will post a screenshot of what I have produced in the future.

Here is a good picture of the style of sky I am looking for.
http://www.intertrader.net/Nugent/viet%20red%20sky.jpg

Hi, I have a question about the implementation of power fists in this mod. Will they be used? I've seen plenty of ordinary space marines implementing power fists, and personally, i think they would be an awsome addition to the game's close combat aspects.

I could just imagine having a powerfist, then after clicking the button or holding it down, you charge it up, and then release for a powerful blow that could send their tyranid ragdoll hurling against a wall leaving splatter marks on contact.

Oh and on a side note, I feel what makes first person shooters the most fun of all, next to story and atmosphere, is when they have satisfying weapons. I mean, really satisfying.

Do we have to make every texture custom? Or is it alright if we use the half life singleplayer and DM textures?

I map too and I could give you guys something if I ever get around to it, but Someone would have to update the map with the spawn and objective entities. (I'm real good with architecture as long as it doesn't have anything to do with programs other than hammer.)