WIP The Temple of Mechanism

[ent]

When are you going to release the map?

[lil_binger]

As soon as i think the map is ready i'll throw out a beta.  Basically right now I have most everything connected.  I think 2 small connections  need to be made.  I am also thinking about adding in another area to finish the map off.  There's a couple connections that are just connected and they have a path designated which need some light and a few details.  There's at least another connecting room that's just a box which I need to fill with a couple rocks and light or something.  I can't say for sure when I'll have a beta but progress is going smoothly.  Every time I touch the map it gets better and progress has been very swift.  I will keep ya updated, that's what WIP threads are for

[lil_binger]

not too much left to go for a beta.  I may release as an official beta map rather than just throwing in a link for the map to download and try out.  Of course I will probably do both but to make it official I will probably submit the file to jkhub to download.  Last night it occured to me how I will finish up the last remaining area of the map that I had gutted from a different map and needed to add stuff.  It's a pretty cool idea and have already started work on the area.  I only need to make a few adjustments here and there, finish up that one last area and I still need to add a few more light sources but it's starting to look like a finished map.  Today is Wednesday, I hope to have the map submitted to jkhub by this weekend.

 

Edit:  I made something cool yesterday I really like a lot for the map.  I took one of the floats from Rancor Rampage, which I originally made for the Outhouse map I made years ago and made a new tire skin for it.  The tire is labeled "Leveling Mechanism Tire Co."  A little omage to me old clan mates.  I really should show you guys before and after pics of this map from the original area and mote I made almost ten years ago to what it looks like now.  There's not much of the actual temple left and the outdoors would be night and day compared to each other.  This map was such an fps whore when I first made it.  The only way I knew how to vis block back then was to make a teleport to another area not connected at all to the other area lol.

 

 

I do have one question.....I have made JA specific maps with vehicle spawns.  I even made a huge UFO once (a recreation of a real ufo I actually saw with 7 other friends one day playing outside when I was around 15 years old), where I made an interior and hangar doors and a vehicle that would spawn on a floor below that would be lifted up with an elevator to dock level (no we weren't abducted however lol, I never saw the interior but the UFO was quite large, silent and I was a reasonable distance from the craft and could see some shadowy details of the hull of the craft and hull texture late afternoon sighting so it was not dark).  I am planning on adding a vehicle spawn point in the map for JA.  One thing I haven't done or searched for yet.......I might have an area fitting to spawn a rancor npc.  I have seen other maps where this can be done.  How is this done?  I might have toyed around with spawning npc before but is the rancor part of JKA or is it a player mod I can find somewhere?

[RAILBACK]

One of SJCs maps has a spawned Rancor. Is there not a spwanFLAG box you can check for NPCs in entities? LOL...he said 'tities'....

[lil_binger]

It's been years since I messed with npc spawning.  I mainly made maps for jk2 and there is no npc spawning like JKA using a trigger.  I think the last time I spawned a vehicle or ship was somewhere around 2004 or 2006 some time.  I don't even remember how to do it.  I have some old maps so I can look.  I've downloaded a diff map with a rancor spawn, I'll figure it out eventually.  I'll just decompile it and find out. Searching jkhub has not revealed the answer yet.

 

I've got the perfect place to spawn a rancor though.  I'm working on the area still but it seems quite fitting to be able to spawn a rancor there in JA.  I am not going to say much about the area and I am not going to post any screenshots, you guys will just have to discover it for yourselves

[RAILBACK]

RE: Spawning NPCs. Its under entities/NPC/ NPC_monster_rancor. You could even have him break out of some big cave, THROUGH the rock after it's triggered. Also, you need some better rock textures.

[lil_binger]

I dragged some rock textures in from JA to replace some JK2 textures.  ALso brought in some other temple type textures I am applying here and there.  I have now settled on an ambience lighting I am happy with (tried 6 and 4 ambience, but last compile at 5 and the map really looks awesome).  I had a small list of stuff to do last night and only a couple little details are left to do.  One major thing I still have to do is add or make some light sources.  I don't want to make it look like its run by electricity so right now mainly fire and lava light the map interiors.  I am considering working up a light source using crystals or something.  I have a few areas that definitely need some light sources which I keep putting off time and time again.  I'll try to working something out by this evening.  It's getting really close to release.......I wanted to get it out this past weekend but I just need to solidify a few areas and tweak a little something here and there.  There is one area left still under some development but it is coming along nicely.  There's a model I have in the area that still needs some clip work but I've got about half of the clip work done already.  And clipping this model it gives me an idea for another unfinished map I had been working on previously (if I ever work on trying to finish another map, after this one I definitely need a break.  I have been working full-tilt on the Temple of Mechanism lately and it has turned out better than I could have hoped.

 

I did add a tire swing in the main area.  func_pendulum will kill a player instantly in JK2, can a payer ride on a func_pendulum in JK3 without getting insta killed?  I was able however to let the swing swing out and jumping out to the swing I could land on it and jump off when the swing was close to it's apex.  Also, for those of you who actually play JK2 1.02, you will have more fun in the map than other versions.  I build my maps to use glitches in 1.02, one of those glitches is a water glitch where if you jump and hold jump then land in a pool of water you will be propelled out of the water to the height of the apex of your jump.  Both sides of the exterior of the temple have 2 pools.  a slide and tree house on one side to jump into one pool of water and another tree house and a tire swing on the other side to access a separate pool of water where the jump glitch will work.  Technically someone could jump out of the tree house and hold jump and land back on the tree house from the pool of water way way below.  It is the biggest and best jump water glitch area I have ever seen in a game.  I think the first time I ever encountered the glitch was ffa_countryroads by shroom duck years ago..I did try to incorporate as much fun factor as I could to this map.  I would go on and on if JK2 limits weren't so low but there's plenty to explore with this map, there are many many connections and plenty of ways to get where you want to go.  One area is basically a hub of connections.  I think the area has 8 ways to get where you want to go and the area is quite large and fps is off the chian! 

 

I think my max fps is set to 90 and it basically stays at 90 in that area.  The only area that dips a little low in fps is the map outside area and it's mostly attributed to the water shader.  Lava shaders are pretty much stagnant, when you show tris with lava it looks like a normal brush, water looks like a patch mesh.  I have an idea to fix this and if it can be fixed / tricked I could reduce the fps quite a bit outside.  I have tried to removed deformed verticies from the water shader but it still looks like a patch mesh, I believe this happens solely due to the fact that the shader identifies it as water.  I am thinking about using a nodraw water shader I have use in the map and then make a trans water shader that isn't water that is really thin and has notexture on the sides to see if this would work and I think it will work.  I have already removed the deform verts and water still looks good even though it's not wavy.  I could probably get the main area up about 20 fps is this works bringing my fps (on a low graphics computer) up to around 60 or 70 fps.  I think right now in the corners the fps in main area dips down to around 48 or a little under. and it's mainly due to the water shader.  I will try and test this out shortly to see if it works (which I believe it will). 

[RAILBACK]

Anything above 40 (by yourself in the map) is good for MP. That should be your goal because as soon as players come in it drops obviously.

[lil_binger]

Just the outside fps needs some work.  I may have found one of my problems recently in a miss-matched shader.  I haven't compiled but it may be the reason for the water looking like a patch.  FPS is good outside but could be better.  I have some vis breaks outside and they do work but they also need a little tweak so some areas in the main map are good on fps but there are a couple vis leaks I need to adjust.. The rest of the map is basically flawless.  There's only one other area needing vis work and it doesn't need much, just a little tweak.  Fps isn't bad there but I need to add another vis break. 

 

I have also observed for jk2 if you have only 1 vis break you can see moving entities in another area like a door or pendulum.  2 vis breaks and you will not see the tris of the object from another area.  I am not sure if this is the same in JA but that seems to be the case in JO. 

 

I've been working lots lately so I haven't put a whole lot of time into the project in the last few days I do make a little progress every day 

[lil_binger]

looking through the last pics I posted, they are quite outdated already.  With the most wonderfully designed trees by Szico, the outside of the temple looks simply amazing now compared to those pics I posted previously.  I am currently in the process redesigning an original area I made for the map which has basically gone untouched for a while since I have gotten a few more ideas for the area.  A map is like a work of art, it never actually gets finished lol.  There's always more I could do.  I really want this map out of my hands soon though and I have been going through a couple design changes here and there to finish off the map where I can be happy with it before releasing it.

 

Since screens are outdated, I figured I'd take a few more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And one screen of a developing area I said previously I would not show a screen shot of

 

 

 

 

I like it, I hope you guys will

[Boothand]

I really like what I see here

[z3filus]

I've not felt this excited about a JK map since ... since SJC was making EP3 maps.

wow

[lil_binger]

I've found my good gold shader and fixed a couple headaches that I've had for a while with this map, I've got tomorrow off from work so I might throw down on some radiant in the next day or so   I have to be careful though, I know I can't be far from JK2 limitations.  Trying to keep it simple yet make everything functional and have a purpose and not having many doors frees up a whole lot of room for making other fun stuff.  There are 2 doors still in the map from khomm in the one area with the bridge that's fallen into the lava.  I am thinking of just opening that up.  I do kinda like the 2 doors there.  Kinda feel safe and secure and what not lol.  Plus it leads to something I brought in from a different map, tweaked a bit but it's an area many like to have in  a clan / rpg map and I've always liked the area and have had different versions in other maps.  I'm not giving away nuthin' about that area atm.  You'll just have to see it.  I've also got another idea, it might take me a few hours to do it but I have an idea for something, a little twist on an idea I had before.  ...and who doesn't like mini golf.....hint hint....I'm just not sure where I'd place it at the moment but I am sure I can figure something out if it works out.

 

BTW, just compiled today and got done testing out the map and noting areas of improvement.  I've got a long list of stuff to get done, I'll keep ya posted with something tomorrow hopefully.

[lil_binger]

I've not felt this excited about a JK map since ... since SJC was making EP3 maps.

 

wow

 

 

That's one hell of a compliment. Thank you for that.  I don't think my maps quite compare to SJC, he puts a great deal more realisim in his maps.  My style is kinda midway between SJC and Shroomduck, a little surreal with the unreal.  I also keep into account bugs and glitches making maps.  Like the broken lava bridge and the water lava pit and the 4 angled stones in the middle, You can jump farther using an angled surface.  A simple jump and you will not make it across, you have to hit the angle just right and you'll have plenty of room to land.  Also, there are so many varying heights, most every texture has a no damage shader I developed so no worries about falling from a tree top or cliff and taking damage, not taking fall damage also makes the map more fun i think.  Less time wasted trying to hit heal or use some bacta.

 

In JK2 there is another bug I have found that works in a couple places, there 2 brushes come together and when you wall walk it will wall walk you up a cliff or much higher than you would be able to get by wall walking.  So far the only places this works is helpful to get you to a certain spot in the map I have yet to add some access to.  I have not actually used this glitch intentionally but I have some thought about making it work somewhere as a shortcut to get to something or some location outside in the main area.  Sadly the glitch won't work for anything but JK2 1.02, that's another reason I've favored the earlier version of JK2.  Glitches are fun   Anyway, I gotta get back to mapping.  ty again zefilus for the compliment

[IrocJeff]

Your temple is coming along great. I really like that tram car system area with the overhead rails. That busted up bridge is really cool as well over the lava pit, especially those crooked boards you made. That little extra step goes a long way in the detail department. 

[lil_binger]

I started making something for the map recently that may or may not stay in the map, I may have to separate it from the temple map but I am unsure atm.   JK2 entity limitations may prevent me from being able to release them together when you combine.  Jk3 I think should be fine to combine the areas.

 

  It's a fairly large new area I have made mostly from scratch.  I compiled and did a little work on this new area recently and it looks pretty kool and functions almost entirely as intended.  I have not compiled the new area and the temple map together yet so I don't know if I can make it all work for JK2 yet.  JK3 I shouldn't have any worries that I know of yet.  However that brings me to another conclusion, Maybe it should actually be separated.  If this new area catches on I could make a sequel.  I have created the majority of the new area from scratch in about 3 days, and I have kept one person here on JKHub in the loop and have let them know about some progression recently.  Only 2 people have seen the area (myself and my room mate) and only one person has actually loaded the area for JK2 in game.  It's a pretty cool area and it's made using the same type of theme as the Temple of Mechanism.  There's a couple things that don't work as intended that can be fixed quickly.  about the only thing I will say about this new area is that I made a lava funnel in one area and the texture shader is making the lava flow horizontally and sometimes vertically lol, so I may need to make a different lava shader for that one

 

What I hope happens is when people see this area it will create a revolution in the mapping community  I would like to see other people create their own version and there are so many options that can be explored.  I would definitely like to make a sequel using a different theme, I see all kinds of possibilities and I can't say much more without giving it away

 

Anyway, I'll keep yaz posted!

[lil_binger]

Oh yeah, I forgot, I can't keep a secret very long when I am excited about something.......

 

I might have taken a few pictures of the new area today.  And I might have photoshopped them a little and I might also have uploaded them to photobucket....and I might post a few spoilers to see what kind of reactions I get from you guys,

 

I give you......a full fledged, mostly completed, Thermal Grenade "Temple of Mechanism", themed, Adventure golf For JK2 and 3 (not yet tested on 3 however.....)

 

Holes 1, 3,4,5,6,7,8,9, (13,14,15 in one photo which is under construction).   There are currently 15 holes I believe,  I need to make 3 more and add some details.  It's been quick to make and most everything works as intended.  Patches, or cylinders etc I have found do not make a good place for a grenade to roll or bounce which is too bad because one neat looking feature will have to be changed but I am sure I can come up with something else.  Also it works best to throw a grenade from an elevated position, it makes it much easier to see where you are throwing to and dials down the perspective issue a little bit.  A target seems much larger and more intimidating if it is above you, also it's very hard to see the grenade exploding in the hole if it's above you.  I've made other types of games in Jedi before but this one actually has a bit of credibility to it.  I made the holes before testing them with a grenade and to my surprise they worked out pretty well when I was finally able to compile and test them out.  Some of course need some adjustment and some details added, like the lava funnel needs some source it's coming from and going.

 

Hole 1 : Difficulty 3 out of 10 : Basically a straight shot with a large water hazard.

 

 

 

 

Hole 3 ; Medium-Long straight shot :  Difficulty 2

 

 

 

 

Hole 4 : Up and over short shot : Difficulty 4

 

 

 

 

Hole 5 : Impossible tunnel shot, short  range with lava tube obstruction. Throwing grenade through the intended target, ; Difficulty 11 out of 10, straight shot from throwing pad, difficulty 2 

 

 

 

 

Hole 6 :  Short Bounce shot off of obelisk, may eventually add a bounce target to the obelisk to hit to bounce into the hole better : Difficulty 3

 

 

 

 

 

Hole 7 : Angled short downhill shot : Difficulty 2

 

 

 

 

Hole 8 : Up hill short range :  Difficulty 4

 

 

 

 

Hole 9 : Obstruction pass-thru short shot, using pass-thru : Difficulty 5 : straight shot : Difficulty 2 (I do plan throwing in an obstruction to make a straight shot harder here, I just need to do it without using a forcefield or glass, I plan on adding some wooden planks to the obelisk to make a straight shot more difficult.  I do want the hole to be visible from the pad though so you can see where the grenade ends up after it's thrown.

 

 

 

 

Holes 13, 14 and 15 need work. wood in front of 13 will be replaced or adjusted, the angles don't work at all to get the grenade where you want it to go, I was going to have the hole to throw to on the boat but where the next pad is placed for the next hole might work better so you will have to bounce the grenade on the boat to get to the hole.  It would then be considered a long shot with a difficulty rating of 5 or 6.  And hole 15 still is to be determined..

 

 

 

 

In the bottom of each hole will be a func usable that will fire a sound effect when damaged, when the grenade blows up once it enters the hole.  There is a single thermal grenade spawn every 2 holes with a 2 second respawn time so there's plenty of ammo around and done conservatively  I'd like to hear what you guys think about the pictures I have posted thus far and whether or not this looks like an interesting concept?  I would get a beta just of this area to test soon for you guys if you are interested, I could use a little input from some testers.  I could have a beta ready in a day or 2 with all 18 holes.  I have to go to work then to the gym today other wise I could have something ready today.  I also need to config my router so I can host the map for a little bit.  I do plan on adding a shortcut to the back nine from the startng position.  Right now there are no secrets etc, I could though however throw in a couple extra holes as a secret, that would be kinda cool.  I like this idea and I think it has some potential....what do you guys think after seeing screenshots like that?

 

 

Edit:  Talking about hosting the map for a bit, JKHub has a JK2 server right?  Anyone have any control there if there is a server to get it uploaded etc in a few days or something?  I don't need admin access or anything to the server, just having it hosted for a beta test for a little bit would be kool.  Of course JK3 would be fine hosted there too, it's not the fighting that's important with this map and I'd say the thermal grenade will work similar in both games.  Of course it doesn't have to be JK hub to host it for a beta,  just give me a holler if interested.

[Asgarath83]

WOOOOOWWWW!

TEMPLE TEMPLE TEMPLE!!

i love temple map!!! D:

Great job, man!!!

[Boothand]

JKHub doesn't have a JK2 server, but I could probably put it up on my server (the host is in germany though) for a bit.

[lil_binger]

That sounds good boot.  Good news too, I compiled both the temple and the golf course together a few minutes ago and everything is a-okay and working for JK2,  I spawned 11 different type of bots in the map and ran in the main outside area without too much video lag and I have a slow computer so most everyone should be good to go on fps. I got to see some redesign for the temple map I haven"t seen in game yet until today..  When I do release a beta I hope to release it for both JK2 and 3.  I don't want to leave anyone out   I'll release them both in the same map af far as everything is working. in a few days.  Main diffference for Jedi Academy is the lighting, I think I can adjust the lightmap scale for the worldspawn entry to do the trick pretty quickly, All I really need to do is change a few spawn flags here and there I think.

[lil_binger]

Just a slight bump, I hope to have some official news ready by May the 4th for the map.  Lots of progress has been made recently, I'm currently just putting on the finishing touches to the map.  I'm shooting for a May the 4th beta release.  I've got tons left to do but no matter what I will try to have an official beta ready by May the 4th which doesn't give me much time to tidy a few things up.  The main thing I need to finish up are details to areas.   The map layout is good to go and is very vis stable even with 11 bots runnin' around.  I have made botroutes for the beta.  I have not tested them but I've incorporated the maximum amount of waypoints to the file.  Without having doors bots can go pretty much anywhere effortlessly.  There's a couple spots where they would die miserably though.

 

 

There's one area in the map, the golf course, if people like it and want more I might be willing to make another one, just a golf course....or 2.  I'd like to see a thermal golf course and using a different theme I could do a bunch more with a different Star Wars theme.  I put the golf course together in 4 days.  I could make another quickly.  I've thought about gutting it and making the area a prefab, just an empty area someone could build their own course in,  If someone is interested in creating their own I'll have it all vis blocked, all you have to do is just build a course.  I'll keep yaz updated.  I'll try to get a beta ready soon so stay tuned.....and May the 4th be with youz guyz

[lil_binger]

May the 4th early update.

 

I submitted a zip file yesterday to be downloaded today.  It will include 2 versions of the map, one version for Jedi Outcast and one more for Jedi Academy.  This map has been made mainly testing with Jedi Outcast.  Yesterday I did compile a couple times a version for Jedi Academy and have a somewhat stable build submitted. 

 

Conversion from JO to JA was quick with this map.  One main reason for that is that I went no damage happy on some shaders.  If the texture came from JA or JO, I put it in it's own file like a custom shader and wrote no damage shaders for most of the textures in the map, doing so while building the map to convert to Jedi Academy, I mostly only had to change some spawnflags and add 2 npc spawns for a rancor and a speeder bike.  I would love to build a speeder bike course in this map but it's pretty huge already and exceeding max visibilty is right around the corner (I did get this msg recently but was eliminated temporarily, I adjusted a few things which had contributed to this error and in actuality, if I build much more structural stuff in the map I'll be walking on a fine line.  The good thing for the map however is most everything I need to build for the map to finish it are all details.......I am thinking though however now.......Placing a speeder bike in the temple map.....the bike really hates water, if there is water under it it sinks to the bottom and not even a 1 cubic difference in gtk in the height of the land and the land under the water, the speeder bike will not get over a 1 cubic bump., a player for instance can walk up steps with a diffference of 1 to 16 cubics high (maybe a few more higher but 24 cubics and payer will not walk over an object).  If in fact the speeder bike hates water so much and building a cource in addition to what I have simply would not work, there is one other solution, I could try adding a switch to a forcefield that would cover the water or something, Or I could even not make a forcefield but I could even add gates etc that would appear for the course or whatever.  I might try doing that.  All I would need would be 1 trigger and 1 func usable entity, or I could incorporate the trigger into the vehicle spawn point where I would actually only need to make the func usable (forcefield, gates and everything making them all one entity).  I'll play around with it to see what I can come up with.....I am sure I can figure something out.

 

Just a note for the Jedi Academy version. 

 

As this was compiled and tested mostly in JO, Lighting and shaders is where the JA version will most likely suffer.  The map looks good in JA, and is mostly identical in lighting however one major issue in JA is the lava not looking very good.  In many areas the lighting with the lava is a bit washed out and  a little unimpressive, for final release I will be sure to take time to make the JA version just as impressive looking as JO.  And the Rancor in one area doesn't look the same either in JA as it does in JO, not sure why that is or how to fix it.  If someone has a suggestion there it would be helpful.

 

Map note:  Lots of areas need details but most of the map is there, just needing details, light sources and I'll need to fine tune lighting etc.  The map mainly built with brushes and patches and models.  I have not made any ase;s models for the map (af if I am correct a model counts toward the entity limit in the game?  I may have too many entities at that point and I am considering JK2 entity limits)  The map is basically lit with natural lighting, a solar eclipse (outside), lava and fire.  The sky shader is basically JA yavin textures,  I darken them and filled in a few gaps in the trees. 

 

Brushes : 12763 (currently)

 

Entities:  2337

 

Net Brush count :  9916

 

misc_model  114

fx_runner  128

pathcorner  52

lights  1697

trigger_push 4

func_usable  15

trigger_multiple  21

func_train  15

target speaker  154

func_door  22

func_rotating  2

trigger_teleporrt 4

func_breakable 1

func_pendulum  1

func_bobbing  1  (I had some bobbing lily pads, they are just barely noticeable when they bob and if they are above or below water they look different so they don't bob now)

 

 

 

 

I hope it's ready for download soon, I am looking forward to some responses.

 

One other thing I don't know much about, How well would this map relate to rpg guys in JA?  Am I missing something in the map RPG guys would like to have?

 

I look forward to comments, I could post an early link but I'll be patient....and thanks guys for making this happen, JKHub, Boothand for mapping advice and consultations (and of course for supplying a torch for the map.  Thanks Szico for the totally awesome trees from your prefab modelpack 1 available on JK hub.  If not for the trees this map wouldn't look so awesome   ANd thanks in  advance to anyone checking out the map.  I hope I get some good responses when the map is available for download.  There more to do of course to release a final version, if you guys have some suggestions or if you have a model you have made and  you think would fit in nicely with the map, by all means send me a link.  

 

 

I hope you guys like the map, I know I do lol.  Really fun map.  Oh and by the way, I will let you guys in one one thing, among the secrets in the map there is one I must tell you about because it gives the outdoors of the temple  better functionality. In front of the temple there are patterned blocks on the ground before the steps, there is a large trigger in the middle, click the trigger and before you know it you'll be on top of the temple.

 

Have fun!  Oh and for this map it's best to have wespons enabled or at least Thermal grenades.  The holes are all there for the Adventure thermal golf course but, there are a few unfinished holes.

[lil_binger]

Map is ready for download   JO and JA versions. 

 

I did note some things above I know are issues.  There is a bug in JO with the train, bots will die in the path of the train and the trains will catch and stop until the body dissappears.  There's no way to fix that in JO.  JA should be okay but I did notice they speed up and slow down on patch corners.  I have looked into having them not block stops.  Block stops is not checked in radiant. The train only has start on and crush through spawn flags.  Maybe the crush through spawn flag is making them to that.  The train paths, the speeder not working well, and the rancor not looking the same in JA are the only things  in the map I am needing to find a fix, the rest of the map pretty much works as intended.

 

Right now just for fun I am putting together a JKA vehicle test map.  I'm gonna put in some stuff and variations of terrain etc to see how the bike responds in certain situations; water and a water barrier - to see how I can incorporate something to make the temple map a bit more vehicle friendly..  I might put in a spawn for flying vehicles also to test out.  It's gonna be no frills kinda test map. The only thrill would be testing out stuff if someone was building a vehicle map for JA this test map might come in handy so I may put it in prefab files for download eventually.  ALso if I can throw something that would be fun into the temple map the testing map will help me adjust a few things.  I'm gonna test walls and blocks and drops and angles etc.  I may write down some of my observations along with the map file and of course, please make changes to the vehicle test map file when it's available......It's a test map after all......

 

As far as the temple map, I know people are gonna like it. And I look forward to some responses.

[lil_binger]

Daily bump....

 

I've seen a few good comments for the download but no comments here yet.  I'd really like to know what you guys think about the map?  Have you found all the hidden stuff in the map?  THere are secret rock doors that move to access other areas, training facility got a huge update overnight adn now I like it and the room has more appeal to draw people there..  The room on the other side of the water lava area is going through a transformation and the beginnings of that transformation can be seen in the beta, It's basically and empty room with an elevator, I am wanting to turn that area into a torture chamber of some sort and have different ways to die and stuff lol.

 

 

One thing you guys should see with this map as it's not just  made to look pretty.  I am a man of functionality.  If it doesn't serve a purpose, get rid of it or make it better.  My maps are also not super realistic, for one, it takes a lot of time to do that however, the biggest part of not making them super realistic is you can finish one quicker. and you can concentrate on doing something fun and this map has a lot of fun built in.

 

and speeder bikes only require a barrier over the water and you're good to go.  So all I need is a simple physiics clip over the water and the speeder bike racing for the map is on. When bikes are active people are going to pay attention to that more than they will exploring the water areas of the map so when a vehicle is spawned I can make some obstacles just for racing appear throught the course when a vehicle is spawned and I can make the course toggle on or off or after a preset amt of time the course will degenerate.

 

Also I haven't heard from any rpg guys.  I don't have individual member rooms, are individual rooms with bunks or something needed for rpg stuff?

 

I'd also like to add thanks to Ook for a few things he designed for forest house we both worked on.  Back in the day, even if someone had used his stuff without permission he considered it a compliment. 

 

 

I'd like to hear what you guys think

[lil_binger]

Total brushes up to 14k now.  I've fixed many things already and have some new light sources in the map and some details where the map really needed them.  I've got a 2 monitor set up so I've run through the map with gtk open and fixed many things on the fly.  I've done a bit more fps optimization outside.  The brush count is likely to rise quiclky.  The map is pretty huge, from one side of the map to the other (In GTK), it measures over 60k cubics length wise, which is half the length of space provided to work with, and 20k units in width.

 

The main things bothering me about the map is mainly 2 areas which basically need details.  And one room that was basically empty before is now looking complete and I have plans for JA to make it work.  I am making that area into a torture chamber or something.  I plan on making a few ways to die and / or be killed.  I can't divulge much more info than that.

 

One light source I have now originated from the forest house scaled up and redone to look like a lantern.  I've added a candle I made for a test shader and I've changed the shader a bit to make it look pretty good in game but does need some tweaks.  The good thing about the lantern is it doesn't use a fire efx, it just uses a plain sprite shader for a red flare in jk2 then added alpha config to the shader to use the candle tga file I made with an alpha map.  So the new light source does not need any entities other than light. Mainly they are only in the water caves but I have a few more uses for them and I can easily make one to look like a large tiki torch with a different sprite shader of course.  I'm real close to the JK2 entity limits atm.  I added a few more sound efx to the map and got an error so I have reworked some sfx here and there and got it working for JO again.  JA version never had any problems when JK2 did so no worries there.  I'll make sure this map just doesn't work for one game platform.   I will put some time and effort into making the JA version look just as good.  JK2 doesn't have glow shaders so I  am building it within JK2 limitations.  I think there are a few things in the map that could use a glow shader to make it look better in JA so when I am ready to finalize the map I'll spend some effort making the map look much better in JA.

 

After testing some with the rancor npc in the rancor area, I noticed rancors really aren't all that much fun in JA.  It's kinda kool and I like the rancor npc in that area however it just doesn't work exactly as intended.  I will have a rancor in the map but I'm thinking of making better use of the rancor and make it a bit more interesting.  So I may change up the ranor area just a little bit.  Basically rancor npc doesn't like it if you are on a different plane than the rancor.it will follow you and run blindly into lava but doesn't die so that part is a bit fugly. with the area.  I was able to lure a rancor out of the area and onto a tram and got the rancor to ride the tram which was kinda fun but it did take a few minutes.

 

 

A special thank you to anyone who has downloaded and checked out the beta I released on May the 4th.  I was on a time crunch, I wanted to get a beta out for the 4th so there were a few things I did not make or look better in JA.  I haven't heard anything from any rpg'ers out there and I haven't received any word on how you guys liked the thermal golf.  I am not looking for a critique, just a like or dislike.  I know some holes are unfinished etc but I'd just like to know if you guys liked it or not.  You're not gonna hurt my feellings if you don't like the thermal golf no worries.  I've got a person or few who may test it out soon to give me some more info but they are JK2 bound.  I hope to test an updated version of the map with them soon.