Ah, a man's first map

[TectonInd]

[left][/left]I have created my first map. It's a short solo level with absolutely no story whatsoever. It's called Caverns, and I focused mostly on the texturing and lighting.

Tell me what you think about it, give me tips, or simply be a general asshole if you want to. I know it isn't that great, and i'd be glad to improve.

SCREENSHOTS

[$lave]

There isn't really much I can comment on, since there isn't much to this level. I actually really liked the length of it though, since it should be easy for you to put care into improving it without spending a ton of time.

There really isn't any lighting, just a dark room and a bright room. Even in dark areas/caves it helps to use different lights on different walls, especially when nothing else stands out (lights, or other details) to tell you where you are. Even brightly lit areas need differential shading, leaving a bunch of sides at light 0 (aside from lights) will always look bad.

Try adding some detail to the "cave" to actually make it seem like a cave. You can keep the same general shape, but break up the area with polygons at various heights to make it feel more rocky. ROCKY LAND

Your liquids also shouldn't come right to the height of the floor, or use light 0 in a dark area. Having two pfhor fighters on such a small piece of land also isn't very fun, since you really don't have any room to move around and fight them.

[MoppyPuppy]

Its super short.

But I actually like the concept. You can beat the Flickta, but you go around them instead. You then kill the pfhor, take up better firearms enabling you to kill the Flickta with ease.

To make the level better, besides adding more rockyness, is to simply amplify the whole experience.
Meaning, the initial battle should be un-winnable, forcing the player to flee.
Then its twice as epic when you return with better weapons.

[brilliant]

To make the level better, besides adding more rockyness, is to simply amplify the whole experience.
Meaning, the initial battle should be un-winnable, forcing the player to flee.
Then its twice as epic when you return with better weapons.

Yes, that could work. If a player plays through that map for the first time, the player wont know that the teleport at the end goes back to the starting point. Hopefully though the player would escape instead of doing something else like run around in circles.

[TectonInd]

These are all great ideas, I'll get right to work.

[TectonInd]

HAHA! Caverns is now at 2.1, with DRAMATICALLY better architecture and battles, plus small lighting improvements!

I've taken your suggestions to heart, and I'm very proud of what I've done.

A screenshot:

[brilliant]

The new version has improved a bit on lighting, specifically underwater, I am still having trouble with the battles on Total Carnage. The BoBs don't help much, and if I try to run away and get to that room, the enforcer gets me. It might be better to place a weapon near the start of the map or make the area before you open the door to the room a little bigger. Pretty fun though!

[TectonInd]

The new version has improved a bit on lighting, specifically underwater, I am still having trouble with the battles on Total Carnage. The BoBs don't help much, and if I try to run away and get to that room, the enforcer gets me. It might be better to place a weapon near the start of the map or make the area before you open the door to the room a little bigger. Pretty fun though!

Eh... It wasn't exactly made for TC.

I normally play on Normal. I can beat this in normal, but just barely. I figured it'd be OK though, because, well, offline I'm not exactly the best player. Also, the BoBs aren't supposed to help besides taking out maybe 1 or 2 of them, they're mostly there for the sake of atmosphere.

[MoppyPuppy]

What I noticed were the untextured ceiling where you start.
But at first I thought it was open sky because it was really bright.

So instead of a re-texture, how about just opening up the caverns with a pathway to the sky?
It could be where you just entered.

[TectonInd]

What I noticed were the untextured ceiling where you start.
But at first I thought it was open sky because it was really bright.

So instead of a re-texture, how about just opening up the caverns with a pathway to the sky?
It could be where you just entered.

That's actually a good idea. That, and I need to be sure to always check EVERYTHING before I release a map