My map idea and possible project

[DJ Arendee]

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

[ChromeAngel]

Sounds like you know what you want to do.  I'm glad you seem to have picked up on our dark red Tyranid theme.  A good red sky is on my shopping list for version 1 of EX too.

I'm working toward a small release aimed at giving mappers a Map Development Kit (MDK), with everything they need to map for EX.  The MDK will feature all the map entities needed to impliment the Exterminatus game mode (with dropships, branching  objectives and missions), but no custom gameplay (no 40k weapons or warriors).  

This MDK will also include all the map props and prefabs i've made for EX so far including some tyranid structures you asked for and tutorials on how to use the EX custom entities.

I can create the displacement textures you are looking for and include them in the MDK.  Do you have particular textures in mind to blend between?

[DJ Arendee]

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.

[ChromeAngel]

Dark Marine's displacement map craters looked OK to me, have you considered that technique?

RE Blend textures :
nature/dirtfloor005b (dark sand)
nature/dirtwall001 (sand)
nature/rockwall015a (sandstone cliff face)

[DJ Arendee]

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.

[DJ Arendee]

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

[ChromeAngel]

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

Dark Marines  craters

[DJ Arendee]

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

[Typheron]

http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/honnest_it_was_this_big.jpg

the marine stands slightly higher than a normal player.

[DJ Arendee]

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

[ChromeAngel]

The warrior class is just under 140 units tall.  The largest tyranid player class, the carnifex will be about 1/3rd taller, I cant give you an exact figure on his height as the player model hasnt been completed yet, but I expect him to be around 190 units tall.  

*pictures the imperial players going "eep!" and heading off for a change of underwear*

For atmopheric cave lighting I would prefer to see little air shafts running down through the rock creating spotlight-like shafts of daylight inside the caves.  Alternatively you could use the old video game classics... lava or "glowing crystals"

[DJ Arendee]

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.

[DJ Arendee]

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 Vastator]

just a question on the wall's textures...
they seem a little... uhm.. puzzling! can't describe it really well... they confuse me, maybe they're too "full" of particles?

[DJ Arendee]

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.