Project Aftershock

[=sw=warlord]

Time for a quick clean out:
Bit of back history;

I first started working on this project while I was assisting "Project Cortana" back late 09' supplying certain models that weren't all too common else where.
But when I first started noticing that I was the only member really pulling their weight I decided to make a little "pet" project, look into getting assets in to a modern game and push my limits as far as I could possibly push them.

During one night while playing Halo 3:ODST I was thinking about what would make a good project to get into making a map for a "nex-gen" game, out of the list of engines I looked through I found Crysis with it's cry-engine to be the best of choice and looked into it's editing kit.
I like many others who are into modern quality games had seen many and I mean many videos on youtube showing of various thing's you could do in CE2 ranging from physics to particle effects all the way down to making terrain look gorgeous.

I spent approximately two weeks going through my old scenes folder looking through various unfinished works that I wanted done and felt would be good stepping stones for such a task.
The first Items I imported after scouring the tutorial websites were my Monitor model and my Valhalla-esque base.
The next step was to research into everything required and start a bit of R&D, I purchased a large artpad and started to design different map outlays, nothing too complex simple player paths and as the project went on, I started to draw more complex map designs, buildings, bridges and rivers.

Project goals:

Begin to research into the development of producing Game art, and materials.
Learn new techniques to improve overall quality of digital Art.
Learn a current generation Editing kit.
Learn how to import assets created via 3D studio max to said editing kit.
Learn how to create somewhat believable shaders for metallic objects.
Learn how particle systems work in Sandbox 2 and study how to create a dynamic system in which can be used for population of active scenery.
Learn how to set up viable firefight encounters which either consist of NPC's or PC's which encourage a interesting and possibly enjoyable set up.
Learn how certain ecosystems are set up in order to realise specific concepts envisioned during concept stages.
And finally, Create a viable, working, environment based upon a planet existing in the Halo lore which has a Halo fortress world orbiting it/Based on said Halo [Still on the fence with this one]
.


Having had some experience studying art in my own time and looking through hundreds of concept arts from the previous Halo games I started working on concepts for Forerunner architecture.
This is the kind of design that interests me most, For as much as I enjoy covenant works, it just doesn't have the same atmosphere as a 10k year old installation that was involved in a hundred year war with a infectious parasite that as it killed it grew, the idea of having a race of beings so powerful yet fallen by something like this isn't new to me.
As some know I've long been a fan of a TV series called Doctor Who, a race in that show called "Timelords" are somewhat similar to Forerunners.

The first thing I did when I began finalising what concept's I wanted to see in my project was I began to learn how to terraform the terrain in the CE2 Sandbox 2 editor, this is shown in the spoilered text, the main purpose of this environment was to gain a grip on what concepts will work in CE2 and what will not, The terrain has thus far gone through approximately five variants, each time something drastic has changed to become the map it is now.

Currently the only items in the project are to stand are the overhead longsword patterns, Simply because I find seeing a fleet of UNSC fighters and cruisers flying by gives the map a somewhat alive feel, The teleporters [excluding bitmaps], The modular corridors; These were designed with ease of use in mind, They're not completely solid and are used as prefabs to extend or remove sections of hallways, this is how modern games do it for the most part and for me this works very well.
There is one thing to note, The forerunner designs for the corridors are based on truth to fiction forerunner works, the narrow corridors are a mix between This (http://ascendantjustice.com/files/voc/enemy/03.jpg), This (http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y175/the_dark_warlord/halo2006-11-2515-20-59-65.jpg)[excuse the username] and the corridor found in the final Halo 3 level where you are exiting the control room through the cliffs.
I do not want to make a carbon copy of designs already defined I wish to take the presets already existing and expand upon them.

Now for a few pictures and a video showcasing the current revision.
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/4877/editor2010103001421258.png
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2109/screenshot0026s.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/5994/80093929.jpg
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5240/screenshot0029d.jpg
http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2734/editor2010111119543393.png

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I0xH0o8SO4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaBrdKRTKho
Updated as of 27/10/10
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/9551/screenshot0021s.jpg
http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/8843/screenshot0025c.jpg
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/4392/52137991.png
http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/8043/screenshot0024.jpg
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/5026/screenshot0023.jpg
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9710/75794018.jpg
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/5130/98615540.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/348/23287397.jpg
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5240/screenshot0029d.jpg
3I0xH0o8SO4
ZfUmeRs4DvI
Updated as of 21/05/10;
http://i46.tinypic.com/10n5ldz.png
http://i49.tinypic.com/m8e5gz.jpg
Dy3H7_laGy4
So...i've been working on various assets for a mod i've long wanted to make and i've finaly got around to getting some of the content ingame.
Progress has been reasonably slow untill now i've got the handle of how to use Sandbox2.
The project entails a custom map for Crysis of a forerunner halo theme.
There is a covenant capital shop hovering over a large mountain range, in the middle of the mountainside there is a massive lake in which banshees patroling the area are flying around securing the area, they will not be interacting with the player as this is purely multiplayer as of the moment.
I plan on having a monitor fly around the main arena also not interacting but tending to different parts of the main forerunner structure you will be fighting around.
There are plans on making a reasonably large forerunner complex that is built into the rockside on the arena you will be playing in, i have some of that already modeled but not ingame.
The map will be mid size player between 6 to 8 players.
And so i present to you Project Aftershock.

A gentle reminder all work shown in screenshots are still work's in progress so if there is anything you feel needs fixing please feel free to tell me.
http://i33.tinypic.com/2wn72ty.jpg
http://i36.tinypic.com/2qd4npl.png
http://i38.tinypic.com/fk42zb.png
http://i37.tinypic.com/2cq1aow.png

[mech]

All your terrain needs fixing, it looks terrible. Not enough shown to comment on at the moment.

[=sw=warlord]

All your terrain needs fixing, it looks terrible.
In which way doe's it need fixing?
If you tell me what to fix and how to fix it, il fix it.

[Disaster]

Your modeling all wrong. Atleast learn how to make next generation game assets if your going to work in a next generation game engine.

[=sw=warlord]

Your modeling all wrong. Atleast learn how to make next generation game assets if your going to work in a next generation game engine.
Im using the ingame terrain generator.
And i am also trying to learn how to make next generation game assets which is WHY i posted my thread here to see if anyone could give me tips.
Your not helping anyone by shouting "hurr your doing it wrong".

[mech]

-Textures are bad, mix them up a bit.
-You have pure green grass growing out of sand
-Terrain is terrible, looks like it was randomly generated with CE2
-You have no real defined shapes to your terrain, looks like a bunch of jagged frequency waves
-You need a concept
-There's so much you can do in CE2, right now it looks like it's heading in a typical crysis shit jungle island map

Search the internet for terrain and environment ideas.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/3706/editor2009110710361146.jpg
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7351/editor2009110710383992.jpg
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/2364/editor2009110710385549.jpg
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6132/editor2009110710394330.jpg

[=sw=warlord]

-Textures are bad, mix them up a bit.
-You have pure green grass growing out of sand
-Terrain is terrible, looks like it was randomly generated with CE2
Yeah im still learning how to use the terrain modify tool which is what i used for making the mountains and crater unfortunitly the heightmap generator in sandbox isnt all to good for making things exactly how you want more of a randomised thing.
-You have no real defined shapes to your terrain, looks like a bunch of jagged frequency waves
Which tools should i use to add definition?
-You need a concept
I have a concept drawn down on a artbook, basicly a mountainside with a large lake filled crater in the middle with forerunner beam towers running along the water side.
Covenant capital ship hovering over the lake with banshee's patrolling the lake along with a monitor that is flying about inspecting the buildings.
-There's so much you can do in CE2, right now it looks like it's heading in a typical crysis shit jungle island map
Im trying not to go into that because its more based around the alps than a normal jungle forest.

Search the internet for terrain and environment ideas.


I've already got a environment in mind but its getting it to realization thats the problem.
Any help on improvement would be preciated but please don't just say start over because that really wont help much after i've just spent a fair bit of time trying to get this far.

[Inferno]

http://i36.tinypic.com/2qd4npl.png

Is that the hunch ship of notredom?

http://i38.tinypic.com/fk42zb.png

Normal map. Detail maps. Diffuse map. Reflection maps. Specular map. ETC.

[=sw=warlord]

The ship is curved because the pano stitching tool i used made it had a fisheye effect, i will try and get a better screenshot when i can figure how to remove the text in the editor mode.

[mech]

Press spacebar..

[=sw=warlord]

Press spacebar..
Thank's saves me from having to remember the dev console command.
The beam towers in the screenshots as i said were subject to change.
Im nearly done getting the base i want in there done.
It was inspired by the valhalla bases but with a bit of artistic freedom.
A few here may recognise the base from a while back but i decided instead of having to make a entirely new base i would refurb an old one i made and get it into a fit state to be put into crysis.
There is one vital piece missing which is the main blade piece.http://i37.tinypic.com/wmlw9.png
http://i38.tinypic.com/23lin2f.png

[Inferno]

TBH why are you using crysis for such low res stuff? You could do this in halo's engine lol.

Also.
Unreal superiority~

[=sw=warlord]

TBH why are you using crysis for such low res stuff? You could do this in halo's engine lol.

Also.
Unreal superiority~
Im sorry i didnt know models were made of 2d pixels not 3d polygons.

Cryengine 2 supremacy.
[Psst, when i look at a object thats supposed to be metal i want it look like metal not some clay model that looks like its been powder coated, ala unreal 3.]

[mech]

What the fuck? It's going to look like what you make it look like, don't blame the engine for user's ignorance.

[=sw=warlord]

What the fuck? It's going to look like what you make it look like, don't blame the engine for user's ignorance.
Both of the Gears of war games and the UT3 game both look like the models have been powder caked in flour to me which what im talking about.

[mech]

That has nothing to do with the engine, the same detail bump shader is on everything giving it that look. Based on the pictures you've provided, I can say that everything in CE2 looks like shit.

[=sw=warlord]

That has nothing to do with the engine, the same detail bump shader is on everything giving it that look. Based on the pictures you've provided, I can say that everything in CE2 looks like shit.
Oh im sorry i didn't know people didn't have to begin from the start and have to learn how to make things in CE2, could you point me to where you instantly got all your knowledge and expertise so i can be instantly good at this?:raise:

[mech]

Welp, I definately didn't get good at what I do by posting questions on a halo forum :downs:

[=sw=warlord]

Welp, I definately didn't get good at what I do by posting questions on a halo forum :downs:
I posted the thread here in hopes you would reply in the hope you would actualy point me in the right direction of how to improve my stuff but so far all you've done is say its shit.

[mech]

:ohdear: What did you want to hear, how amazing it is? You can't improve shit, you can call it a play thing but in the end it's still shit.

[Limited]

What the fuck? It's going to look like what you make it look like, don't blame the engine for user's ignorance.
Art style of UT and GoW is very grungy and dark, Crysis is the opposite, light, bright vibrant colours and that is usually reflected in the final product of most things.

[=sw=warlord]

:ohdear: What did you want to hear, how amazing it is? You can't improve shit, you can call it a play thing but in the end it's still shit.
What i wanted to hear was how i can improve what im doing, it's all good and well saying your doin it wrong but if you don't say how to di it correct then it helps no one.
Tell me how to fix what needs fixing and i will fix it.
TL,DR: quit beating around the bush and just say how to fix what needs fixing.

[mech]

Start over. I offered you insight, you need to research on your own to if you're taking something seriously. Which I doubt you are because no one in their right mind would think what you posted is quality work.

[=sw=warlord]

Start over.
Ok, if i start over what way should i change the way im making terrain?
I've said what the concept of what i want to make is so what would be the best way to achieve my goals?

[legionaire45]

A) This site has a tutorial section with next gen art asset stuff.
B) You have access to the entire god damn internet. Is it really that hard to google around for some tutorials?
C) You're asking Modacity a question specifically aimed at modding Cryengine 2... How many Crysis maps have been premiered on this site again? How many times have they been seriously downloaded?
D) Listen to Mech
E) Listen to Disaster
F) Listen to Inferno
G) Learn the editor before you try to make a map. I don't mean just the how; I'm referring to the why as well.
H) Make something simple like a basic forest/beach combat map. Something small, something easy to make and easy to test. Learn how to do different things. Maybe throw some models into it. Release it and get some feedback. Build off of that experience. Basically, learn to walk before you try to run a marathon.

Most of all, calm down and actually listen to what people are saying. If Mech says it sucks, it sucks. He told you a bit about why it sucked. Address that.

[=sw=warlord]

A) This site has a tutorial section with next gen art asset stuff.
I know this i have put a few tutorials there myself
B) You have access to the entire god damn internet. Is it really that hard to google around for some tutorials?
No i've been reading those tutorials and apparently i am wrong for following them thus needing clarification
C) You're asking Modacity a question specifically aimed at modding Cryengine 2... How many Crysis maps have been premiered on this site again? How many times have they been seriously downloaded?
I made the topic as a showcase at first but after several of you started bitching like school children i decided i may as well ask what needs fixing, and thus far the only useful thing i got was start over.
D) Listen to Mech
i would love to but so far all i've got is that its shit and i should start over
E) Listen to Disaster
F) Listen to Inferno
oh right, i should work on a mod for halo which i have done for years and have gotten pretty bored off
G) Learn the editor before you try to make a map. I don't mean just the how; I'm referring to the why as well.
I have been learning the editor
H) Make something simple like a basic forest/beach combat map. Something small, something easy to make and easy to test. Learn how to do different things. Maybe throw some models into it. Release it and get some feedback. Build off of that experience. Basically, learn to walk before you try to run a marathon.
I am learning to walk but apparently everyone seems intent on pulling my feet from beneath me.

Most of all, calm down and actually listen to what people are saying. If Mech says it sucks, it sucks. He told you a bit about why it sucked. Address that.
Did you not even read what i've been saying?
I've been asking how to improve and all i've been getting is hurr go unreal and hurr it sucks fix it, if someone doe's not know how to fix something then how do you expect them to fix what needs fixing?
Seriously its like telling someone to put a clockwork watch together and not giving them the instructions.
I am very serious on this i want to learn how to make the terrains look half decent but all i've heard is fix it and start over.
Infact ive got the crymod wiki page as my home page i use it that often but apparently using the terrain generator is wrong and so is making the terrain using the modify tab.
Seriously what is so fucking hard for someone to give some hints at what needs fixing.
So far the only useful thing i got was start over, well if i start over what is going to stop me from making the same mistake again and wasting my time because no one is willing to point out to me where im going wrong?
Your all so willing to say its wrong fix it but you wont say what needs to be fixed and what went wrong in the process.
So far i've been talking to a few other crysis modders for help but none of them seem to know what i should do to my terrain and so i posted here to get mechs attention.
So far all it's been is a very fruitless thread where a bunch of condecending people have replied but wont acknowledge they haven't read the entire thread.
Mech i realise my terrain needs definition but if i cannot find how to add definition then how am i to progress if no one will point me in the right direction?
I have read through all of the stuff here (http://doc.crymod.com/) but i could not generate a terrain that fitted the concept i want to work on and so i had to use the terrain modify tool which is probably why half the terrain dosnt seem to have much definition.

[Inferno]

Your modeling low rez and texturing low rez and shading low rez.

Crysis is a next gen game.

Hope that helps.

[neuro]

this thread.

it's like the definition of modacity.

[=sw=warlord]

Your modeling low rez and texturing low rez and shading low rez.

Crysis is a next gen game.

Hope that helps.
Funny enough Inferno, im using the ingame layer painting tool for the terrain.
Also Neuro you want to give me some insight on what else i should be doing differently?
It seems like you have plenty of experience with next generation game's so maybe you could give some insight.

[neuro]

i'm an artist, not a level designer.

all i can say is get some reference together, and work from that and get it as close as pissible.

dont work on your entire islant at once, lay out the general plan, and then work from one area to the next, making sure one area is looking great before you move to the next. focus on one thing, not the entire island.

and reference.
just google stuff, photoshop them together in one document, and put them on a 2nd monitor so you've got your reference right next to what you're working on.

[legionaire45]

All your terrain needs fixing, it looks terrible. Not enough shown to comment on at the moment.


-Textures are bad, mix them up a bit.
-You have pure green grass growing out of sand
-Terrain is terrible, looks like it was randomly generated with CE2
-You have no real defined shapes to your terrain, looks like a bunch of jagged frequency waves
-You need a concept
-There's so much you can do in CE2, right now it looks like it's heading in a typical crysis shit jungle island map

Search the internet for terrain and environment ideas.

-snip-




-snip-
Normal map. Detail maps. Diffuse map. Reflection maps. Specular map. ETC.


Start over. I offered you insight, you need to research on your own to if you're taking something seriously. Which I doubt you are because no one in their right mind would think what you posted is quality work.


Start over. I offered you insight, you need to research on your own to if you're taking something seriously. Which I doubt you are because no one in their right mind would think what you posted is quality work.



A) This site has a tutorial section with next gen art asset stuff.
I know this i have put a few tutorials there myself
That was in reference to the high poly stuff btw. You might want to actually read some of those tutorials since you know that the section is there.
B) You have access to the entire god damn internet. Is it really that hard to google around for some tutorials?
No i've been reading those tutorials and apparently i am wrong for following them thus needing clarification
No, you aren't wrong for following them. You aren't wrong for anything. You just aren't taking criticism the right way. Crit isn't a personal attack, it's an attempt to point out what is wrong with your work. That is what everyone in this thread was doing until you start flipping out.
C) You're asking Modacity a question specifically aimed at modding Cryengine 2... How many Crysis maps have been premiered on this site again? How many times have they been seriously downloaded?
I made the topic as a showcase at first but after several of you started bitching like school children i decided i may as well ask what needs fixing, and thus far the only useful thing i got was start over.
You say otherwise earlier. Additionally, why would you premiere this with two poorly angled screenshots showing off almost nothing?
D) Listen to Mech
i would love to but so far all i've got is that its shit and i should start over
wrong.
E) Listen to Disaster
F) Listen to Inferno
oh right, i should work on a mod for halo which i have done for years and have gotten pretty bored off
Referring to his comment about your lack of normal, specular and other maps. Consider he has actually released maps that people have liked, you might want to take his advice regarding that. Also, learn to tell when someone is being sarcastic.
G) Learn the editor before you try to make a map. I don't mean just the how; I'm referring to the why as well.
I have been learning the editor
You're focusing on the how, not the why. From what I can tell, you're getting so wrapped up in wanting to know how to "make pretty terrain" when you should be focusing on learning which tools are good for what situations. You say that one of your problems is that you can't get the tools to work for your particular map - that sounds like inexperience more than it sounds like the editor being flawed.
H) Make something simple like a basic forest/beach combat map. Something small, something easy to make and easy to test. Learn how to do different things. Maybe throw some models into it. Release it and get some feedback. Build off of that experience. Basically, learn to walk before you try to run a marathon.
I am learning to walk but apparently everyone seems intent on pulling my feet from beneath me.
You are trying to learn to walk by running a marathon. No one is intent on pulling your feet from underneath you - you just don't like being told that your work needs serious improvement.

Again, I advise that you try something more basic before you try and make some gigantic lake level.

Most of all, calm down and actually listen to what people are saying. If Mech says it sucks, it sucks. He told you a bit about why it sucked. Address that.
Did you not even read what i've been saying?
I've been asking how to improve and all i've been getting is hurr go unreal and hurr it sucks fix it, if someone doe's not know how to fix something then how do you expect them to fix what needs fixing?
Seriously its like telling someone to put a clockwork watch together and not giving them the instructions.
I am very serious on this i want to learn how to make the terrains look half decent but all i've heard is fix it and start over.
Infact ive got the crymod wiki page as my home page i use it that often but apparently using the terrain generator is wrong and so is making the terrain using the modify tab.
Again, we've told you some of the problems with it. You aren't listening.

You need to learn the basic concepts before you can move on to more advanced topics. When reading through those tutorials, did you actually try creating the terrain and stuff in the tutorials? After following the tutorials, did you try playing around with tools and seeing what you can do with them? Have you spent time outside of the tutorials playing with settings and trying to see how things in the editor outside of what is listed in the tutorials work?

Just because I have the Source SDK Wiki page as my homepage doesn't mean I know how to do anything in Source. You need to practice to become good.



Seriously what is so fucking hard for someone to give some hints at what needs fixing.

What is so hard about - I don't know, listening to people's advice?



So far the only useful thing i got was start over, well if i start over what is going to stop me from making the same mistake again and wasting my time because no one is willing to point out to me where im going wrong?

I don't know, the fact that several others have actually pointed out what could be improved?



Your all so willing to say its wrong fix it but you wont say what needs to be fixed and what went wrong in the process.

...

Oh, and it's "You're" btw.



So far i've been talking to a few other crysis modders for help but none of them seem to know what i should do to my terrain and so i posted here to get mechs attention.

If you want to continue to ignore the stuff that Mech and others have pointed out, you can always go to other places that actually have a significant modding presence like mapcore (http://forums.mapcore.net/), fpsb, or whatever.



So far all it's been is a very fruitless thread where a bunch of condecending people have replied but wont acknowledge they haven't read the entire thread.

Actually, the thread was going fine until about...here (http://www.modacity.net/forums/showpost.php?p=484797&postcount=13).



I have read through all of the stuff here (http://doc.crymod.com/) but i could not generate a terrain that fitted the concept i want to work on and so i had to use the terrain modify tool which is probably why half the terrain dosnt seem to have much definition.
What you have shown looks like little more than a flat floor surrounded by an ocean and some meh looking mountains to the side. What may help is if you post any concepts you have along with other shots of the map or even the map file itself.

I'm not all that familiar with CE2 but I know that it uses height maps and voxels for terrain. What you have shown really doesn't demonstrate much use either in any meaningful way. Give that document you posted another read through and maybe try some other (http://konakona.nbtxathcx.net/sb2/?page=voxels)ones as well. The tools are never going to limit you if you can figure out creative solutions to get around whatever limitations are there. Considering you can make entire island chains using CE2, I doubt that the tools are at fault here.

Your beach shot looks like it could be decent but your bloom is so excessive that it's hard to see exactly what is going on - maybe take a couple more shots of different areas so we can see what your map actually looks like.

Regarding the tools - you need to figure some things out for yourself through trial and error. The world isn't here to serve you tutorials and tell you precisely how to fix every little detail; you are going to have to get your hands dirty and figure some things out for yourself. Other artists give you crit because they want to, not because you demand it. It doesn't help that you've picked an engine that isn't used by that many people. That means more stuff to figure out.

The other thing, which I think more people were commenting on, are your models. IIRC, those are the ones that you aren't going to do any texture work in photoshop or anything on right? There are tons of free (http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/10-excellent-open-source-and-free-alternatives-to-photoshop/) alternatives (http://www.lifeclever.com/10-free-web-based-alternatives-to-photoshop/), just google around (http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHME_enUS350US351&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=photoshop+alternatives). If you have problems because the UI is different and you can't follow tutorials or whatever, then find a photoshop skin (http://www.gimpshop.com/download.shtml) for you editor.

If you aren't going to take advantage of normal mapping, specular mapping, etc. than why are you using this engine again? You could put those models into something like Source and maybe get away with it. If you really want to put those models into Crysis you are going to need to do something about your models. They need way more polygons (thousands more), more shader effects, everything. Otherwise they are going to turn out terrible and make all your other work look bad.

Yes, that means watching some 3ds tutorials and, yes, starting over. Its way easier to start anew then it is to fix something that is beyond broken. Most of the models I have posted here have been my 2nd or 3rd attempts at that particular model.

[=sw=warlord]

What is so hard about - I don't know, listening to people's advice?
I have done actualy, i've talking to several other people not just on this forum


I don't know, the fact that several others have actually pointed out what could be improved?
At first all it was, was hurr its shit start over, you didnt help much yourself, ive taken what neuro said into consideration and am reworking a mass majority of what i have.

...

Oh, and it's "You're" btw.
Oh, and it's "by the way", if your going to correct someone with something so trivial at least do it properly..


If you want to continue to ignore the stuff that Mech and others have pointed out, you can always go to other places that actually have a significant modding presence like mapcore (http://forums.mapcore.net/), fpsb, or whatever.
I've not ignored, when people suddenly scream blood and shout hurr its shit im going to ask exactly what needs fixing i said in the very first post that if something needed pointing out do so.


Actually, the thread was going fine until about...here (http://www.modacity.net/forums/showpost.php?p=484797&postcount=13).
No not really.


What you have shown looks like little more than a flat floor surrounded by an ocean and some meh looking mountains to the side. What may help is if you post any concepts you have along with other shots of the map or even the map file itself.
I would love to scan in the concept drawing's ive made but for one reason or another i cannot for the life of me find the correct drivers for the scanner.

I'm not all that familiar with CE2 but I know that it uses height maps and voxels for terrain. What you have shown really doesn't demonstrate much use either in any meaningful way. Give that document you posted another read through and maybe try some other (http://konakona.nbtxathcx.net/sb2/?page=voxels)ones as well. The tools are never going to limit you if you can figure out creative solutions to get around whatever limitations are there. Considering you can make entire island chains using CE2, I doubt that the tools are at fault here.

Your beach shot looks like it could be decent but your bloom is so excessive that it's hard to see exactly what is going on - maybe take a couple more shots of different areas so we can see what your map actually looks like.
Would a video recorded and uploaded to youtube suffice?
Maybe it will help give some representation of what i am aiming for.

Regarding the tools - you need to figure some things out for yourself through trial and error. The world isn't here to serve you tutorials and tell you precisely how to fix every little detail; you are going to have to get your hands dirty and figure some things out for yourself. Other artists give you crit because they want to, not because you demand it. It doesn't help that you've picked an engine that isn't used by that many people. That means more stuff to figure out.
It's a shame not so many people use this engine as it doe's have quite a few nice features and a reasonably well packed out editing kit.
I have been learning by trial and error on alot of this and only posted my progress now because i felt like i had gotten to a reasonably good level as i knew it is never a good idea to show first projects and better to wait a while and actualy have something to show.

The other thing, which I think more people were commenting on, are your models. IIRC, those are the ones that you aren't going to do any texture work in photoshop or anything on right? There are tons of free (http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/10-excellent-open-source-and-free-alternatives-to-photoshop/) alternatives (http://www.lifeclever.com/10-free-web-based-alternatives-to-photoshop/), just google around (http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHME_enUS350US351&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=photoshop+alternatives). If you have problems because the UI is different and you can't follow tutorials or whatever, then find a photoshop skin (http://www.gimpshop.com/download.shtml) for you editor.
Me and a friend will be working on this together, i do the modeling and unwrapping he doe's the texturing, he doe's graphics design as a job so im looking forward to a few thing's in the works.

If you aren't going to take advantage of normal mapping, specular mapping, etc. than why are you using this engine again? You could put those models into something like Source and maybe get away with it. If you really want to put those models into Crysis you are going to need to do something about your models. They need way more polygons (thousands more), more shader effects, everything. Otherwise they are going to turn out terrible and make all your other work look bad.
Because out of personal prefference i hate the source engine, everything feels like it is made out of cardboard and seems like a cheap alternative.
I've wanted to make a map for Crysis ever since i found out it was possible, i don't do it because im asked to i do it because thats what i want to see in a mod for crysis.
I could put it into Halo or any source game but to be quite frank i've modded halo since late 04 and im extremely bored with it now there has to be a time you stop kicking the dead and rotting muel.

Yes, that means watching some 3ds tutorials and, yes, starting over. Its way easier to start anew then it is to fix something that is beyond broken. Most of the models I have posted here have been my 2nd or 3rd attempts at that particular model.
I've been investing in various hardback books and been getting refferences of others books fron snafubar and looking them up online, as i said ive also been posting a tutorial or two into the tutorial section that i've found helped me.

I hope that explains a few things.

[SnaFuBAR]

You are going to want to really REALLY up-res your halo theme assets. Nothing from their universe is really detailed all that much that you can take advantage of what this engine offers. All of their assets are so simplistic you could really keep it in any other engine and it wouldn't matter. Either really get aggressive with the details or just move away from halo theme. You're not going to be able to fulfill this with halo assets.

[=sw=warlord]

You are going to want to really REALLY up-res your halo theme assets. Nothing from their universe is really detailed all that much that you can take advantage of what this engine offers. All of their assets are so simplistic you could really keep it in any other engine and it wouldn't matter. Either really get aggressive with the details or just move away from halo theme. You're not going to be able to fulfill this with halo assets.
I know and that's why ive been making my own assets, albeit halo themed, such as the spartan and monitor.

[SnaFuBAR]

yeah but the thing is that the designs of the halo universe really don't even require that many polies... i mean, 50% of MC's armor is angled plates, and the monitor is an arrangement of spheres. The only thing really worth high-resing is covenant equipment...

[=sw=warlord]

yeah but the thing is that the designs of the halo universe really don't even require that many polies... i mean, 50% of MC's armor is angled plates, and the monitor is an arrangement of spheres. The only thing really worth high-resing is covenant equipment...
Yeah but there have been simular thing's done in the past with halo CE, i seem to remember a few people were working on a Marathon mod and marathon was mostly sprites for the enemies and various other things.
I might make some covenant equipment or bipeds at some point but for now this is more of a learning experience and a bit of entertainment.

[mech]

When I get some time i'll make a piece of halo architecture and stick it in CE2 to see how it'll look.

[SnaFuBAR]

Yeah but there have been simular thing's done in the past with halo CE, i seem to remember a few people were working on a Marathon mod and marathon was mostly sprites for the enemies and various other things.
I might make some covenant equipment or bipeds at some point but for now this is more of a learning experience and a bit of entertainment.

I think that's the problem with your mindset. Taking 2d sprites and turning them to 3d assets is nothing remotely close to taking 3d low res/past gen assets and moving them into a current gen engine while keeping the past gen techniques.

As it stands, you're currently relying on the engine to make the statement rather than your assets. Your assets have absolutely no depth to them. They're low res meshes with AO and diffuse. You really gotta strive and do a LOT better than that for it to be worthwhile to even learn CE2's EK.

[Higuy]

When I get some time i'll make a piece of halo architecture and stick it in CE2 to see how it'll look.
It's going to look fine, you know that too. The kid is being ignorant. Listen to the people, there actually giving you crit, and have been telling you what to fix the entire time. cry engine does wonders if you know what your doing with it.
Oh, and, forerunner looks fine in ce2. (model by mass)
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff260/showbizfluffy/forerunner.jpg
welp.

[SnaFuBAR]

If by fine you mean looks just like it would in halo ce because there are no normal maps then yeah i guess so. Any engine can render a gray object with mostly perpendicular faces.

Again, this misses the point of current gen art techniques going into a current gen engine. You did the same thing as warlord.

Welp.

[Ki11a_FTW]

:facepalm: highpoly or not, it will still look pretty nice if textured and has proper shaders.

[mech]

When did anyone say anything about a highpoly :raise:


No shit it'll look good if it's properly textured and shaded.

[Ki11a_FTW]

I can see someone is a little pissy today :ugh:

i was just putting in my two cents

[mech]

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/7278/derp.png

[Ki11a_FTW]

lol

[=sw=warlord]

Got an update.
Once the base is ingame and working i wil be setting about on making a few textures in GIMP based on the halo 1 foreruner patterns and make some bumpmaps for them as well so hopefully it should be looking pretty sharpish.
I took some artistic liberty on my base as i don't quite like replicating things entirely and enjoy adding little custom features.
It is how ever heavly based on the valhalla base as shown and as such as the same taper as the vahalla base.[@snaf]
There are no open edges at all and is 3171 triangles.
I realise it is not by any length pushing the engine at all or a next generation asset but at the same time it is not supposed to be.
Your telling me to take small steps and so i am trying to do so while still reaching for the same goal i started off with.
http://i37.tinypic.com/2i0x8nm.png

[Inferno]

Got an update.
Once the base is ingame and working i wil be setting about on making a few textures in GIMP based on the halo 1 foreruner patterns and make some bumpmaps for them as well so hopefully it should be looking pretty sharpish.


There is a lot more to texturing and shading than bump and diffuse. This is how I do metallic shaders in Unreal.

Please note I use cube instead of specular maps because I like the effect better.

http://dedi-servers.net/ftp/dmt/MLG%20shaderz.PNG

[=sw=warlord]

There is a lot more to texturing and shading than bump and diffuse. This is how I do metallic shaders in Unreal.

Please note I use cube instead of specular maps because I like the effect better.

http://dedi-servers.net/ftp/dmt/MLG%20shaderz.PNG
Yes i know this, i spent some time learning shaders for halo and got to be rather good at it.
The reason i didnt mention anything else was because i thought it was pretty obvious i was going to work on everything else.
http://i50.tinypic.com/2iuun1j.jpg

[Roostervier]

looks like all that time paid off :mech2:

[Lateksi]

Damn, I'd love to have some Halo inspired maps in Crysis. Looks good to me.

E: except the material isn't right

[=sw=warlord]

looks like all that time paid off :mech2:
Im sorry was that crude sarcasm im sensing there?
I need to work on cube mapping as well as specular maps and possibly microbump maps to add some extra definition.
As off the moment i am using stock halo bitmaps for the base, which im hoping would be my best bet seeing as i cannot make forerunner bitmaps in GIMP or atleast without skipping a shit load of steps in Danes tutorial.

[mech]

Found this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAN5gEWOwZc

[SiriusTexra]

this thread.

it's like the definition of modacity.

I like how the resident crysis jockey is the one beating this kids brains senseless.


Big fish wearing tight boots in a small pond.

[=sw=warlord]

Found this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAN5gEWOwZc
Seen it, nothing to do with me.
As i've said i think im going to learn geocontrol a bit before making the next update on the bsp as obviously using the editor's own terrain tools is not enough.
I agree with dane, pretty fucking hillarious telling me to learn the tools when infact your using a external terrain generator yourself.

[SiriusTexra]

That's not what I meant. I was actually taking a stab at Mech.

[=sw=warlord]

That's not what I meant. I was actually taking a stab at Mech.
As was i, mech was saying about add more definition but from what he's shown hes using a terrain generator to make the terrains for him which kind of defeats the point of using the in editor tools which he clearly told me to do.

[mech]

As was i, mech was saying about add more definition but from what he's shown hes using a terrain generator to make the terrains for him which kind of defeats the point of using the in editor tools which he clearly told me to do.

You obviously have no idea what amount of work goes into making a fully functional level. We do use terragen's for the beauty of the terrain;however, we define all playable areas on our own. I don't see how you could think a mountainous region would be a gameplay zone, it's for scenic beauty. With the scale of a mod we have you'd know why such assets would be needed, but you're obviously too ignorant for this field of work. You need to know the level editing tools in and out to make something of good quality, pressing one button in a terrain generating program won't make you a level.

I don't know how your mind is functioning, but you're obviously not cut out for this field of work. I pointed you in the right direction and you try to make quick jabs at me as if to you knew what the hell you're doing, when infact, you don't.

I don't know what Dane is getting at.

[=sw=warlord]

You obviously have no idea what amount of work goes into making a fully functional level.
I have plenty of understanding thank you, what i said was exactly that, to my perception you have bitched at me to make something pretty before it is functional where as i was working on the basic outlay and make it somewhat functional but apparently that isnt the way to do things according to you that is.
We do use terragen's for the beauty of the terrain;however, we define all playable areas on our own. I don't see how you could think a mountainous region would be a gameplay zone,Because its pretty clear from some of the presets in geocontrol 2 that a fair few of the playable areas were edited presets such as the desert map, it looks like so far you made a desert and then slapped a few pyramids in there, i've not seen all that much cover or other gameplay devices in your screenshots, plenty of little lasers and missles but no cover. it's for scenic beauty. With the scale of a mod we have you'd know why such assets would be needed, but you're obviously too ignorant for this field of work.Yeah right carry on thinking that kid, im getting tired of your elitist attitude and blatent disreguard in the fact that you know very little about what possible lengths ive actualy gone to learn more information in this field, but go ahead make me laugh carry on with your loittle charade. You need to know the level editing tools in and out to make something of good quality, pressing one button in a terrain generating program won't make you a level.
I never said that did now did i?
I've mentioned several times so far i've made several revisions on paper of what i am aiming for including perspective concept art as well as overview concepts.
I posted this thread to announce i was actualy going to make a mod for crysis after spending a fair bit of time making other maps and mods in crysis but learning from them with trial and error, so please don't think this is the first i've done and it certainly is not your generic "box map" or "first map".

I don't know how your mind is functioning, but you're obviously not cut out for this field of work.Unless you did any kind of psychology i don't think you know for certain how anyones minds work so you are in no position to say who is cut out and who is not. I pointed you in the right direction and you try to make quick jabs at me as if to you knew what the hell you're doing, when infact, you don't.
I know alot more of what im doing than your giving me credance for, instead of trying to compare my stuff to yours how about you get off your high horse, you said my map was starting to look like one of the hundreds of jungle maps sure sign that you have no idea of what the fuck im aiming for.

I don't know what Dane is getting at.
As i said i wont be showing any more level shots for a while untill i've got alot more done but the map will be done with alot more detail and alot more finesse.
What i am aiming for is more like this;
http://hiltonswebsite.com/Aviation/Seattle/Pictures/CraterIsland.jpg
Forerunners carvec out parts of the crater walls and planted several research and communication installations.
I am still deciding wherther to link all the installations with a series of teleporters to add some more diversity and the population counts for players would be between 8-16 players.
However it could very well play well with higher numbers, i seem to remember the player limit for crysis is 32 but i wont go that high as this is more mid range numbers.
I would if i could upload the concept work i've done to show more detail on what i have planned but the bluetooth dongle i have dosn't work so i cant take a shot with my phone and the scanner i've got wont work either.
I do not mean to offend you mech, but you seem very intent on trying to be as condecending as you can possibly be and i won't accept that attitude as it help's no one in any way at all.
If you really want to help then please, don't assume you know what i've done in preparation on working on this mod because it makes you look like an ass and it makes me have to correct you.
If you wish to help, then please, tell me how to change time of days to static, i've looked it up on crymod and cannot find how to change skies from dynamic to static, i know how to set the time of day up but i cannot find anywhere the setting for changing to dynamic unless its locked for one reason or another.
If you could tell me that, then that would be a great start.
If you have an instant messenger send me a pm if you want and we can continue this conversation over that, much more faster and much more efficient and less formal.

[mech]

You obviously have no idea what amount of work goes into making a fully functional level.
I have plenty of understanding thank you, what i said was exactly that, to my perception you have bitched at me to make something pretty before it is functional where as i was working on the basic outlay and make it somewhat functional but apparently that isnt the way to do things according to you that is.
I never bitched at you, I told you that you need to define your mountainous regions, you were the on who asked for guidance.
We do use terragen's for the beauty of the terrain;however, we define all playable areas on our own. I don't see how you could think a mountainous region would be a gameplay zone,Because its pretty clear from some of the presets in geocontrol 2 that a fair few of the playable areas were edited presets such as the desert map, it looks like so far you made a desert and then slapped a few pyramids in there, i've not seen all that much cover or other gameplay devices in your screenshots, plenty of little lasers and missles but no cover.
You have no clue what kind of work we do. You can't comment on our material since you don't know what we've been doing. :allears:
it's for scenic beauty. With the scale of a mod we have you'd know why such assets would be needed, but you're obviously too ignorant for this field of work.Yeah right carry on thinking that kid, im getting tired of your elitist attitude and blatent disreguard in the fact that you know very little about what possible lengths ive actualy gone to learn more information in this field, but go ahead make me laugh carry on with your loittle charade.
You obviously don't know we have fully functional aerospace and having bland mountain regions would make flying around look like shit.

You need to know the level editing tools in and out to make something of good quality, pressing one button in a terrain generating program won't make you a level.
I never said that did now did i?
I've mentioned several times so far i've made several revisions on paper of what i am aiming for including perspective concept art as well as overview concepts.
I posted this thread to announce i was actualy going to make a mod for crysis after spending a fair bit of time making other maps and mods in crysis but learning from them with trial and error, so please don't think this is the first i've done and it certainly is not your generic "box map" or "first map".

I don't know how your mind is functioning, but you're obviously not cut out for this field of work.Unless you did any kind of psychology i don't think you know for certain how anyones minds work so you are in no position to say who is cut out and who is not.
That's why I said I don't know how your mind is functioning, by the images you provided, creating a top quality asset is out of reach for you. That's my opinion, prove me wrong.
I pointed you in the right direction and you try to make quick jabs at me as if to you knew what the hell you're doing, when infact, you don't.
I know alot more of what im doing than your giving me credance for, instead of trying to compare my stuff to yours how about you get off your high horse, you said my map was starting to look like one of the hundreds of jungle maps sure sign that you have no idea of what the fuck im aiming for. I said that because it looked terrible, and all those basic ce2 heightmap gen maps look like shit. You even admitted to generating your original terrain with the heightmap generator in ce2.

And it's spelled "Hoaers"
.

Just remember, I've seen hundreds of projects fail.

Edit: Forgot to mention that we use geocontrol primarily for highres skybox 2d background images.

[=sw=warlord]

I never bitched at you, I told you that you need to define your mountainous regions, you were the on who asked for guidance.

And i am taking that guidence on board, ive since been making more revisions and getting more refferences for what i am aiming for.
You have no clue what kind of work we do. You can't comment on our material since you don't know what we've been doing. :allears:
I know you have been working on custom bipeds, weapons, flowgraphs and lua scripting as well as working on custom skydomes, current gen model assets including specular, normal and a fairly large pixel diffuse for each of your mech's.
I have actualy been following your work fairly closely and am fairly impressed by you being able to have one person "tag" a target and have another fire an array of missles, im guessing this would be to do with the flowgraph work and lua scripting.

You obviously don't know we have fully functional aerospace and having bland mountain regions would make flying around look like shit.
As i said above i have been watching and taking notice, but just because you have an aerospace doe's not stop you from having ground cover even if it wouldnt help much with the aerial assaults it would with ground support.

That's why I said I don't know how your mind is functioning, by the images you provided, creating a top quality asset is out of reach for you. That's my opinion, prove me wrong.
I shall try my best, i've nearly got most of the forerunner building work done, i have a few caverns modeled and ready to be attached to the various places on the map, as i said im thinking of having various parts of the level playable so it should be fairly interesting with all the variety and diversity.
I said that because it looked terrible, and all those basic ce2 heightmap gen maps look like shit. You even admitted to generating your original terrain with the heightmap generator in ce2.
I used the CE2 heightmap generator 4 times at maximum but the terrain i showed in the screenshots were not made using the simple terrain generator i used the terrain modyfy section in the main menu's, what i plan to do is make the basic outlay get some functionality into the outlay then export the heightmap so i can tweak it in GC2 to add some definition, make it look like what it is designed to be.

Just remember, I've seen hundreds of projects fail.
Yes i realise this, these things happen on which ever platform you look at, i seem to remember there was a high res halo mod here a while back and that seems to have flopped, i've put this much time into this project and got these assets now it would be a shame and rather foolish to let it all goto waste.

Edit: Forgot to mention that we use geocontrol primarily for highres skybox 2d background images.
Im more interested in making 3D backgrounds which is why i have modeled the mountains instead of using 2D backgrounds, i would rather have a tight map where you can actualy find someone than have a absolutely large environment which looks pretty but can't find anyone, im sure your mod will have no issues with all the bright lasers flying about.

Mech if you want to talk more on this send me a PM and we can discuss this privately via IM or something on those lines.

[Boba]

i seem to remember there was a high res halo mod here a while back and that seems to have flopped
uhhhhhh

no

[Roostervier]

uh pretty sure hrh has more done than you, at a higher quality too. just because you dont see any progress doesnt mean there isnt

:mech2:

[=sw=warlord]

uh pretty sure hrh has more done than you, at a higher quality too. just because you dont see any progress doesnt mean there isnt

:mech2:
But then those members have also been working on their assets longer so you know, it tends to be that the longer people work on something the more work is done.
Seeing as ive only worked on this for the past month or so it's not really suprised a collective group of people have done more than one person.

[Roostervier]

"those members"

lol. and the fact remains is that you said hrh had flopped when it hadnt. and by the way its just 3 people here, only 2 of which make things that can be put ingame and only one isnt out partying 24/7

[=sw=warlord]

"those members"

lol. and the fact remains is that you said hrh had flopped when it hadnt. and by the way its just 3 people here, only 2 of which make things that can be put ingame and only one isnt out partying 24/7
Ok, so its 3 people doing work where as only 1 in this mod.
Considering there have been a fair few people here asking what happened to HRH and atleast 2 people have said that either they thought or said it as a statement that there wasn't much more if any progress.
If you wish to carry on this little charade of your's carry on, but don't shit up my thread with your nit pickyness because you feel like, if you want to irritate someone go irritate freelancer and put a sign on his lawn or something.

[Con]

keep it clean :cop:

[=sw=warlord]

keep it clean :cop:
Wrong era of the story line sir!

[Roostervier]

any updates on this?

[=sw=warlord]

any updates on this?
Yes actualy, i've finished modeling the bases, got some basic interiors modeled and ready for detailing.
And i've been getting some advice on the texturing for my assault rifle in the crit thread.
The base, i know could do with alot more detail especialy on the sides, im currently looking up a few thing's for some inspiration on what kind of details i should add, forerunner shapes in halo 1 were understandably limited but i've been playing some Halo 3 on the ark,covenant and halo for ideas of what kinds of details to add.
I've left my pc on last night while downloading the demo for CS3 so i should beable to make some custom textures for tileable bitmaps as well as texture as many models as i can the best i can in the time the demo lasts.
Im planning on having 3 beam emmiter bases throughout the map, and have a generator room before supplying the bases with power, i've been talking to a few people at Crymod about getting teleporters into crysis so you can jump between the different installations.
http://i47.tinypic.com/ngul9t.jpghttp://i46.tinypic.com/htbifo.jpghttp://i48.tinypic.com/2cyhef9.pnghttp://i46.tinypic.com/egcgz.jpghttp://i48.tinypic.com/ve5hzn.jpg

[=sw=warlord]

New update.
Thank's to teltaur the MA5D is now done in terms of textures, has normal mapping and specular mapping.
I personaly think he did a greatjob.
http://i46.tinypic.com/2a80n53.png
The base is being worked on some more and again thanks to teltaur got some pretty damned good textures to use on it.
http://i50.tinypic.com/oa7siq.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/2ylmf5h.png

[Inferno]

The base looks very out of place in that screen shot.

[Shock120]

The Forerunner structure looks great. :allears:

[=sw=warlord]

The base looks very out of place in that screen shot.
Yeah im working additional concepts to make the area look more like a facility than just one building, i've got a generator room i just need to build the outside shell for it.

[Boba]

How about you design your own building instead of butchering the one from Valhalla?

[Warsaw]

Building isn't detailed enough for CE2...it's just too plain.

[Inferno]

Building isn't detailed enough for CE2...it's just too plain.

Pretty much.

[=sw=warlord]

How about you design your own building instead of butchering the one from Valhalla?
How about you wait and see what i've got planned before you come charging on here like bruce mighty.:v:

[mech]

I like how the AR turned out.

[Roostervier]

is that a desert?

if so you should include a hoaers, theyre good for riding in the desert

[Disaster]

Did you just run the diffuse map of the texture through a normal map generator? Because from what I can tell, it is extremely noisy.

[Teltaur]

Well, to be honest, I don't understand why there have to be 20 different Halo projects all for the same game, same engine, trying to make the same assets. You've got 2 on Modacity alone... not to mention the other 2-3 on Crymod. And chances are, most of them (if not all) are going to die before a release in the first place, tbh. Why can't they collaborate or possibly even join under a single project so that there might be a chance of Halo in Cryengine2? You've got Project IRIS, Halo: Airborne, Project Aftershock, Project Cortana (even if it's as good as dead), the list goes on... there's obviously enough talent and willpower, why can't there be some organization?

Sorry for the rant, but I figured it might as well belong here. And I fully understand if any of that were to happen, some people would have to swallow their pride, change their plans, but I honestly think it'd be more worth it to give up your idea for a Halo mod that won't make it past some assets and screenshots, and actually be a part of one of the few Halo TC's to make it to release (not targeted towards anyone specifically, but the projects as a whole)

[Boba]

You've got Project IRIS, Halo: Airborne, Project Aftershock, Project Cortana (even if it's as good as dead), the list goes on... there's obviously enough talent and willpower, why can't there be some organization?

If Halo: Airborne, Project Aftershock, and Project Cortana combined it could be something interesting. But I really posted to point out that IRIS isn't a Halo mod, but loosely set in universe (IE, only a few things that are familiar to the average Halo player). Sorry if that's totally irrelevant, but I just wanted to throw that out there because I knew that would be criticized eventually. (Sorry if this comes of as self-promoting, and a thread de-rail.)

[Rob Oplawar]

My constructive addition to this thread:

me: hey, wtf is this project aftershock?
quit pulling a japan on my shit!
Project Shockwave is my bit, go away with your cheap knockoffs
PharoaheZephyrus: lmao
it seems like something doomed to failure
me: yeah, but project shockwave was doomed to failure first
>:|

[=sw=warlord]

Did you just run the diffuse map of the texture through a normal map generator? Because from what I can tell, it is extremely noisy.
No, i didn't.
Im actualy using a different diffuse and normal map set now, im using Teltaurs forerunner pack which he offered me to use.
I've recently remade my guilty spark model got it unwrapped and sent to Teltaur since he kindly offered to texture some of my models.

Im going to set out a basic outline of what i plan to achieve since apparently some people still insist that im not taking this seriously and still think it is doomed to failure.
The reason i started this project was i was working with project cortana and found they had not done a single thing in the time i made my biped and had it rigged.
Shortly after the guy who was working on the only partialy functional map decided he wanted to restart the entire works from scratch even though he was pretty close to finishing.
As such i didn't want to be dragged down by a project that didnt seem to be going anywhere.

The basic idea for this project as it currently stands is:

*1-3 mini campaign maps which will have multiple forerunner installations with enough room for vehicular gameplay.

*Waves of both UNSC and Covenant forces dropping around various parts of the level with classic halo 1 covenant not brute led covenant.

*The first map is currently a night time canyon mesa which when finalised will have 3 forerunner beam emitter installations, These will be fully built facilities not just one random base, i currently have interiors modeled and have multiple generator rooms made.

There has never been a project that i have started work on and have not seen the end of, i do not plan on starting a nasty habbit like that now.

Several people have suggested me working on Unreal but as badwaffle said in his thread, Crysis is much more suited to a Halo mod, it has a proprietary Shield system, but i would like to see some variation in that with the possibilites of having to choose between having a shield or running faster and other capabilities.

I have been working with Halo airborne as well as project cortana getting as much needed information as possible to complete what i have set out.
I currently have 2 major assets completed, first being the base and 2nd being the beam effects streaming out of the base, the assault rifle is modeled and textured[diff/norm/ill maps done] only thing left is to get it rigged and ingame.
I have started work on another Spartan biped model, with enough work this one will turn out alot better than my last and this one i will be making to bake normal maps for use on a lower polygon version, this one will be based on the halo 2/halo 3 version of the armour.

I will point out this though.
If i was given the chance i would quite happily work with project iris, but i seriously doubt i would be wanted to work with the members in that mod so untill then i will carry on with my own project.

Oh and Rob, might want to consider what the SW in my username actualy stands for, i was working on a project shockwave years ago, was the project name for my Dalek mod back in 05-06.
So i suggest you quit the bitching.:allears:

[legionaire45]

You have at least part of an outline of what you want in the mod, but...
Any actual milestones?
Any timeframe for when things should be completed?
A rough idea of all the content you'll need?
What needs custom code/script?

If not, I'd suggest getting those things sorted out. Having organizational shit handled will help things get done in a timely manner. Actually, they'll help you get things done period.

Additionally, I'd suggest maybe taking a few days off of this project and just start playing around with your workflow. Get the hang of baking out normals and texturing in photoshop so you don't have to rely on an outside party to get textures and things that look decent.

[=sw=warlord]

You have at least part of an outline of what you want in the mod, but...
Any actual milestones? Only a few beginner milestones done so far, got working ingame objects without cryexporter spitting errors at me, got working shaders on sub mat objects including working illumination maps on normal mapped surfaces and self shadowing.
Any timeframe for when things should be completed? Im giving myself 2 weeks for each asset, at the moment im working on getting my monitor ingame whilst looking up AI scripting to have ambient "life" in the background such as sentinels flying in the sky.
A rough idea of all the content you'll need?
I know for a fact il need a decent array of weapon model's done as well as complete set of covenant bipeds that will work ingame as well as ghost, wraith, warthog, pelican and spirit dropship.
What needs custom code/script?
Flowgraphs for warthog and other vehicle scripting will be required, i've been talking to conscience who used to work on project cortana about this a fair bit, from what he has said from his research its possible but will take some work to do.

If not, I'd suggest getting those things sorted out. Having organizational shit handled will help things get done in a timely manner. Actually, they'll help you get things done period.
I know this, i had to get alot of work done at college when i was doing my advanced diploma in electronics engineering, so i know full well that organizational skills are required for everything.

Additionally, I'd suggest maybe taking a few days off of this project and just start playing around with your workflow. Get the hang of baking out normals and texturing in photoshop so you don't have to rely on an outside party to get textures and things that look decent.
As i said earlier in the thread i have actualy been buying books on 3ds max for Nex gen gaming design but apparently according to a few people here what's said in the book is not how you are supposed to do it.
I would love to have the work spread out between people so less time is required but seems im the only one who thinks this mod has any viability, as shown by robs post and so im doing what i can with what ive got.
Hopefully a few here will understand that.
I will try and keep this thread updated regulary when i have something to report on.
Thank's for the interest though, i do appreciate it.

[Rob Oplawar]

Oh and Rob, might want to consider what the SW in my username actualy stands for, i was working on a project shockwave years ago, was the project name for my Dalek mod back in 05-06.
So i suggest you quit the bitching.:allears:
Hehe, well, that shut me up. SW is just an alias for my project anyhow.
Good luck with your project.

[=sw=warlord]

Hehe, well, that shut me up. SW is just an alias for my project anyhow.
Good luck with your project.
The first "wave" mod i made was for halo PC converting my Halo CE mod to Pc through hex editing and shit load of exception errors, named project shockwave and what you get after shockwaves are called aftershocks, that's why i called this project Aftershock, my second "big" project.
In one part of the generator room i know there is some serious warping of the bitmap and im certainly going to get that fixed out soon, but at the moment getting some basic texturing done.
I would like to again thank Teltaur for letting me use his Forerunner asset pack.
VK58ra0P4_o
http://i50.tinypic.com/28p7b8.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/2wc0hlw.jpg
Now including a work inprogress damaged monitor.
http://i50.tinypic.com/y1bns.png

[=sw=warlord]

Now my computer is working again i've started on some more asset work for the mod.
Currently working on a wraith, more specificly the halo 1 styled wraith with a few extra customizations.
dual forward mounted guns for blowing obstacles out of the way as well as tweaked overall design.
The wraith now has anti gravity pads on the bottom instead of all metal as well as thrusters on the back of the "wings".
http://i48.tinypic.com/34qr31e.png

[Bloodraver]

What will the forward mounted guns be exactly, ghost plasma cannons or fuel rods?

[neuro]

you know this is crysis right?

you be needing some normalmaps, and (most likely) some highpoly work

[=sw=warlord]

you know this is crysis right?

you be needing some normalmaps, and (most likely) some highpoly work
Yes, i know this is Crysis thank's.
At the moment i want to get the low poly model done and then i will be adding the more specific details.
In art term's i would rather get the canvas filled and then worry about the smaller details when i can see the bigger picture.

Also forward mounted cannons are more like the ghost cannons.

[=sw=warlord]

Bit of an update.
Been mentioned on halo.bungie.org (http://halo.bungie.org/news.html?item=28257) twice (http://halo.bungie.org/news.html?item=28960) as well as the Crymod news (http://www.crymod.com/thread.php?threadid=59312) twice.
Got some new screenshots.
Updated the shaders, been learning voxel terrain deformation and getting clouds and spawnpoint's working.
Slowly but surely its getting there.
http://i50.tinypic.com/2s7t1jm.pnghttp://i46.tinypic.com/2gue26f.pnghttp://i46.tinypic.com/rtpd7b.png

[Inferno]

http://i46.tinypic.com/2gue26f.png

That looks gross in the editor.

Please tell me it looks better in game.

[=sw=warlord]

That looks gross in the editor.

Please tell me it looks better in game.
Yes it is better actualy ingame it's just the angle.

[Higuy]

That tile, is tiled too much. Cut out more area's and add strip textures, like done in Halo 3. Have that in the middle, strip texture, then some other kind of metal plate outside of it.

[=sw=warlord]

That tile, is tiled too much. Cut out more area's and add strip textures, like done in Halo 3. Have that in the middle, strip texture, then some other kind of metal plate outside of it.
Yeah i've been looking into that, it originally had a hole with some glass there but at the time i didn't know how to implement glass into crysis, once i've got some more done il look into the base again and see what i can do.

[Higuy]

Yeah i've been looking into that, it originally had a hole with some glass there but at the time i didn't know how to implement glass into crysis, once i've got some more done il look into the base again and see what i can do.
You just do it like you do in halo and make the shader for the glass have as much transparency as you want. (The shader tag in crysis has a part for transparency)

[=sw=warlord]

You just do it like you do in halo and make the shader for the glass have as much transparency as you want. (The shader tag in crysis has a part for transparency)
Yeah i found out about that few weeks back.
Also uploaded a video to show the work so far.
Please ignore the grass that was me testing out the vegatation tool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF_26xvN9ko

[Boba]

That honestly looks awful. Are you even familiar with next-gen techniques?

[Warsaw]

I'm not going to lie, there is a serious lack of detail on not only the base, but the rock faces as well. The former lacks Forerunner symbolic intricacies and styling and the latter looks like a rounded off rock with an overcomplex texture laid on top.

[=sw=warlord]

I'm not going to lie, there is a serious lack of detail on not only the base, but the rock faces as well. The former lacks Forerunner symbolic intricacies and styling and the latter looks like a rounded off rock with an overcomplex texture laid on top.
Did you read what i've said or did you just look at the pictures and base your assumptions?
One thing you note, not all rock is sharp and jagged what is it with some people not realising this?


That honestly looks awful. Are you even familiar with next-gen techniques?
Are you even familar with the term work in progress?

You realise my apparently shitty mod has made front page 3 times on Crymod and frontpage on bungie.org twice right?

[Limited]

That honestly looks awful. Are you even familiar with next-gen techniques?
You mean current-gen.

[mech]

Did you read what i've said or did you just look at the pictures and base your assumptions?
One thing you note, not all rock is sharp and jagged what is it with some people not realising this?


Are you even familar with the term work in progress?

You realise my apparently shitty mod has made front page 3 times on Crymod and frontpage on bungie.org twice right?


Crymod is a joke, mostly everyone there is an idiot. Making front page means absolutely nothing, they're notorious for putting garbage on the front page of their site, such as this:


http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/20022010ak74/ak74render15.jpg

http://crymod.com/thread.php?threadid=57246

http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/shin/081209/1.jpg

http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/181109/nano_skin/redcamo3.jpg

If you say it's a wip keep making improvements and post them.

[=sw=warlord]

If you say it's a wip keep making improvements and post them.
I would love to keep posting updates but when all i hear is "it's shit" or "you do realise this is crysis right?" it becomes irritating.
Yes i realise this is crysis i chose it for the simple fact it is one of the most advanced FPS game's out there and i enjoy using it's editor.
Saying something looks shit dosn't help unless you actualy describe whats wrong.
As far as im concerned i actualy like my metal shaders, yes the geometry needs to be broken up so it isn't repeating but that isn't the shaders fault.
In the past 3 days alone i have made 2 structures i plan on getting as much detail on as possible to help break the terrain and make the arena more like it has a purpose as if it is actually a facility.
I dare say though if i showed them right now the next comment i would get is "hurr needs more nex-gen" nex gen is next generation, what i need to do is work on current generation which is where crysis is.

[Limited]

I would like to beg the question, who says stuff has to be next-gen for Crysis? I'm considering putting my game idea for University into Crysis (we have to use a pre-existing engine), just because of the functionality Crysis gives. Its alot better than the Blam! engine.

Also mech, your seriously saying this is garbage, I dont think you have your head screwed on right..
http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/nwzk02/2.jpg
http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/nwzk02/1.jpg
http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/nwzk02/6.jpg

[Warsaw]

Did you read what i've said or did you just look at the pictures and base your assumptions?
One thing you note, not all rock is sharp and jagged what is it with some people not realising this?


You should henceforth assume that I read everything unless I specifically state that I haven't, because I actually do state when I haven't read an entire thread. When I say something, it's because that's what crosses my mind in response. So yes, I did read it, and taking what you said into consideration I still think it looks bad. The lack of detail I mentioned has nothing to do with the floor texture or glass, it has everything to do with you sticking to flat-faced...faces...on the building. You can spare some polygons for some intricate cutouts in CE2 and you should finish the architecture before skinning it anyways. As it is, the blandness sticks out just as much now as it did several pages ago.

As for the rock faces, I will concede that they are not always jagged. However, yours are jagged on top, and the texture is one that is supposed to be used on a jagged surface anyways. In addition, most smooth rocks actually look the part and even if they have multiple layers/colours, they are generally flowing and not all zig-zaggy. Also, smooth rocks appear in places with a lot of wind and/or precipitation. However, sand is liable to make some interesting cuts. Go look at some real life island cliffs for some inspirational material.

Now, I'm not saying you are a terrible modder and should go shoot yourself. What I'm saying is have some discipline to finish one aspect first, and then move on to the next. That is, finish the model and post up a wireframe and/or clay render as an update so people can make suggestions. Don't post up a half-baked model of a base with a half-baked texture and expect praise.

[mech]

I would like to beg the question, who says stuff has to be next-gen for Crysis? I'm considering putting my game idea for University into Crysis (we have to use a pre-existing engine), just because of the functionality Crysis gives. Its alot better than the Blam! engine.

Also mech, your seriously saying this is garbage, I dont think you have your head screwed on right..
http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/nwzk02/2.jpg
http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/nwzk02/1.jpg
http://www.crymod.com/uploads/mediapool/nwzk02/6.jpg


Well yeah, seeing as how it's nothing but crysis stock assets :downs:

Not original and simple to do.

I don't think you have a brain in your head at all if you don't realise that the majority of the shit on that website is jungle map jungle map jungle map.

[Limited]

It may use stock geometry however jungle maps are extremely hard to master. So don't say they are easy to do.

[Higuy]

It may use stock geometry however jungle maps are extremely hard to master. So don't say they are easy to do.
Uh, not really. Its simple. Have you ever used the Sandbox2 editor? Making things like that is really quite simple, they have a entire vegetation painting tool and you can choose which vegetation and make separate groups. And just by browsing though a couple other tutorials, you could probably do all of that thats in those pictures.

[Limited]

Uh, not really. Its simple. Have you ever used the Sandbox2 editor? Making things like that is really quite simple, they have a entire vegetation painting tool and you can choose which vegetation and make separate groups. And just by browsing though a couple other tutorials, you could probably do all of that thats in those pictures.
Don't be a blithering idiot, of course I've used the Sandbox 2 editor. Any one can plonk down some trees, a touch of grass and a lil dirt and hey-press-to they have a jungle!, making that jungle look good is a completely different thing, it takes time and effort.

[Roostervier]

i disagree. you just suck at it i guess

[Limited]

Then post some of the amazing jungles you've made.

[Roostervier]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4724101/00008.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4724101/00009.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4724101/00010.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4724101/00011.jpg

not quite a jungle, but this was me fucking around a year ago. excuse me if i didnt give it really shitty atmospherics like that guy did, but i think this pretty well demonstrates how easy it is to make a jungle after only using sandbox for like a week.

[Amit]

images
not quite a jungle, but this was me fucking around a year ago. excuse me if i didnt give it really shitty atmospherics like that guy did, but i think this pretty well demonstrates how easy it is to make a jungle after only using sandbox for like a week.

meh, it doesn't really look that great. Maybe you need more pics? Looks more like a forest, rather than a jungle.

[=sw=warlord]

Can we not shit up my thread with children trying to swing their E-peens around here.
The threads existance is for updates on the mod not for swinging your dicks about trying to pull ranks on each other.
This is exactly why i dont update here often because theres always some kid that wants to try and swing their dick where it dosn't belong.

[Inferno]

Someone said swinging E peens?


Also the point of posting is to get criticism. And there is plenty of good crit in here.

[Boba]

Can we not shit up my thread with children trying to swing their E-peens around here.
The threads existance is for updates on the mod not for swinging your dicks about trying to pull ranks on each other.
This is exactly why i dont update here often because theres always some kid that wants to try and swing their dick where it dosn't belong.
Don't even play that fucking game. By updates, you mean "I want attention directed at me". Did you ever consider people "swinging their dick" is actually an attempt to help you improve your work? You keep saying work in progress, but it's clear you don't know how to utilize what this engine has to offer. If you did, you would not be posting assets that look like they belong in CE. You should have figured out how to make high res assets before you plunge in a project this involved. Stop, step back and do a crash course in modern techniques. Actually know what you're doing before you post a thread and brag about what shitty websites promote you.

[=sw=warlord]

Don't even play that fucking game.
What game?
By updates, you mean "I want attention directed at me".
No, not at all don't even start.
Did you ever consider people "swinging their dick" is actually an attempt to help you improve your work?
it's not when all im hearing is three people bitching at each other over something that should be another thread.
You keep saying work in progress, but it's clear you don't know how to utilize what this engine has to offer. If you did, you would not be posting assets that look like they belong in CE.
They don't "belong" in any games engine, it is my choice and ONLY my choice which engine they go into, don't like it get the fuck out and il get my advice else where.
You should have figured out how to make high res assets before you plunge in a project this involved. Stop, step back and do a crash course in modern techniques. Actually know what you're doing before you post a thread and brag about what shitty websites promote you.Atleast i've actualy had questions answered at crymod when i've needed help unlike when i've asked here the replies i got were "why are you asking these here ask them on a forum centered around that game" which is exactly what i did, again don't like it get the fuck out and let someone else whose interested comment.
The truth is, your acting as if i've stepped on your toes for what ever reason and each time i do make a improvement all i hear is more bickering and so i leave my updates to a site that i can actualy get some help from.

Sel go shit post else where, i don't shit post in yours you don't in mine.

[mech]

Sel go shit post else where, i don't shit post in yours you don't in mine.

That's boba. A good project takes time, effort and skill. Keep working at it, you only can get better from what you've got.

[=sw=warlord]

I decided to start over with the spartan biped.
This one inspired by Jorges helmet but without the attachments.
Im using the concept art from bungies website for this.
http://i44.tinypic.com/263acd3.png

[Lateksi]

Looks good so far but without the attachment, the front is dull.

[Warsaw]

Putting a small indent in the middle of the sun visor would help fix that. Other than that, lookin' pretty good so far.

[neuro]

superb next-gen highres crysis-standard assets you've got there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[=sw=warlord]

superb next-gen highres crysis-standard assets you've got there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You mean current gen, technicaly it would be past gen considering Crysis came out in 07.
Quit the bitching about me not making high poly models, It was shit like that which got the thread locked the first time around.

[neuro]

so start doing a better job, it's not like it's hard, and there's a ton of tutorials on how to do 'past gen' stuff as you call it.

[SnaFuBAR]

My advice to you is to complete your assets one by one, with current gen (not past gen :rolleyes:) techniques. And stop clay rendering it hides mistakes and you can't get proper crit. Your work won't be well received until you show you're doing more than past gen engines can use. Stop getting mad and actually put the work in to get the responses you're looking for and stop arguing with the actual good and reliable critique and advice you've gotten.

[=sw=warlord]

so start doing a better job, it's not like it's hard, and there's a ton of tutorials on how to do 'past gen' stuff as you call it.
Let me ask you something, if the techniques im using are getting the results im looking for, then what exactly is the issue?
If for example i was modeling a organic object then yes, higher polygons would be better, but at the moment i would rather get what im learning in the books that i've got down first.
I have actualy invested money into teaching myself this not just looked up tutorials, so do not accuse me of not making an effort.
Using current generation techniques is not the key to "doing a better job" the results are, as far as i am concerned, plane modeling the objects are purely a means to an end, i do use some sub-D but not much, i would rather use what i make with sub-D for example files, not as assets for a mod im working on.



My advice to you is to complete your assets one by one, with current gen (not past gen :rolleyes:) techniques. And stop clay rendering it hides mistakes and you can't get proper crit. Your work won't be well received until you show you're doing more than past gen engines can use. Stop getting mad and actually put the work in to get the responses you're looking for and stop arguing with the actual good and reliable critique and advice you've gotten.Here's a few renders without the clay lighting.
There are some smoothing issues I need to clean up, as well as one or two non-planars that have escaped me, but those will be cleaned up soon.
Im not getting "mad" at all, My only gripe is that people seem to think because objects can be put into older games, they should which I find to be completely wrong.
There are many games with assets in them that could be supported by older games such as Modern warfare 2, Left 4 dead 1&2, Halo 3& ODST are just some examples.
I have actually put some effort into this project, As you know from our conversation few weeks back, I have actualy invested in a fair bit getting afew books you've suggested and currently have around 1GB worth of text tutorials.
I am currently working on the spartan now, I have a working map prototype, I have scenary and bases with custom particle effects linked to them, So now I want to work on getting a custom spartan biped ingame.

http://i40.tinypic.com/34nfse8.pnghttp://i40.tinypic.com/8wf7eu.png

[Dwood]

Man I came in this thread looking for people posting good crit, with warlord taking it well, as well as some neat gameplay possibilities. All I see is page after page of hatin' from one party or the other.

[SnaFuBAR]

Let me ask you something, if the techniques im using are getting the results im looking for, then what exactly is the issue?
If for example i was modeling a organic object then yes, higher polygons would be better, but at the moment i would rather get what im learning in the books that i've got down first.
I have actualy invested money into teaching myself this not just looked up tutorials, so do not accuse me of not making an effort.
Using current generation techniques is not the key to "doing a better job" the results are, as far as i am concerned, plane modeling the objects are purely a means to an end, i do use some sub-D but not much, i would rather use what i make with sub-D for example files, not as assets for a mod im working on.


What are the results you're looking for? So far, it all really seems lacking in dimension and detail. Are you producing a mod simply for yourself or for an audience? If it's the later, you really need to step it up more and get more out of your work.

Current gen techniques in a current gen engine are very much part of the end result, and you need to remember that.

Sub-D are very much an important part of your assets, use them to generate normal maps and get some visual appeal into your mod, which it is very much lacking.

[Sel]

Snafubar for mod

[=sw=warlord]

What are the results you're looking for? So far, it all really seems lacking in dimension and detail. Are you producing a mod simply for yourself or for an audience? If it's the later, you really need to step it up more and get more out of your work.

Current gen techniques in a current gen engine are very much part of the end result, and you need to remember that.

Sub-D are very much an important part of your assets, use them to generate normal maps and get some visual appeal into your mod, which it is very much lacking.
The way this started out was, I got bored of modding HCE, had learned everything i wanted to learn and generaly became content with what i had done with it.
So i looked into Crysis, i had heard about it's editing kit and was curious if anyone had made a Halo mod for, there were a few being developed but nothing to write home about.
Because of this I decided I would ditch the HEK and go for a more powerfull game, one which I could use my own creativity more freely than the HEK.
So I started writing up designs and messing about with the editor and basicly prepared to make a full blown Halo mod for Crysis, I did actually ask around if anyone wanted to help out but no one was interested, so im doing this by my self.

Since my progress has taken some attention at Crymod, which is where I ask all my questions on Sandbox2, I've had atleast 4 people asking if they can help out with the mod.
I'm generaly doing this for my own entertainment for the time being, i agree much of what i've done is lacking detail, but some things such as the helmet can have some of the details put into the diffuse, i don't want to overstretch myself adding way too much detail to one asset at a time, as i think the time would be better used making the objects one at a time but at a medium.
As i have said, i've looked into current gen techniques and i am slowly getting the hang of it but untill i have it nailed down, i don't want to risk trying to make a serious mod asset using the technique in the off chance i might drasticly fuck one part up and cannot fix it.

[neuro]

if you fuck up and it sucks, try again, or delete it?

simple fix imo.

[Roostervier]

save in iterations, hth

[=sw=warlord]

if you fuck up and it sucks, try again, or delete it?

simple fix imo.
As I said once, If I am uncomfortable making assets for the mod with a certain technique, Why exactly should I force myself to carry on knowing full well the consequences of what could happen?
If I have to delete the assets then that is a wasted attempt, That's called a setback not progress.
I save all my work in iterations, numbering each save as i go.
As much as I appreciate the suggestion on moving onto sub-D, I would appreciate it even more if we moved onto a different subject, Such as for example, what exactly i should add to the model to give it more detail, Lights? input ports in the side of the head?
I have refined the shape a little bit more and added some little details, I am very aware alot of these details are mere insets and extrudes, but as of the moment I am stuck on what I should add.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2wc2v43.png

[PlasbianX]

Hey Warlord, if you don't like their criticism don't read it.


EDIT: ~Snip. Why did I think i was in the quick crit thread?

[=sw=warlord]

Hey, PlasbianX, how about you actualy read the thread, i've actualy asked for critizism on the mesh, as well as several other assets for the mod.
I've explained several times why i have not used current generation techniques for the assets in the mod.
Also if you plan on posting your work post it in your own thread, not mine.

[Inferno]

ATTN WARLORD: If you don't like the criticism and you just want to do it your own way regardless of what we think WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU POSTING IT. Do you like being insulted or something?

[=sw=warlord]

ATTN WARLORD: If you don't like the criticism and you just want to do it your own way regardless of what we think WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU POSTING IT. Do you like being insulted or something?
Oh im sorry, are my replies completely transparent here or something?
Where have i said i dislike criticism?
No seriously quote where I said that.
Im pretty sure my attitude thus far has been pretty straight forward, you are simply skiming the replies and making assumptions based on that.
When you Assume, you make yourself look like a ass and it takesme to correct you
1) Please comment on the models and suggest anything that needs to be corrected, any minor details that I may missed.

2) I am currently learning current generation modeling techniques in paralel to the asset's being made and am slowly integrating what i have learned over to the newer models, thus why i have restarted several assets such as the spartan biped, i agreed that the biped needed more work and so am working on a newer model.

3) i have fairly regulary, asked Snafubar for advice on certain techniques to achieve what i want to make and also asked for any suggestions on books i should look into purchasing, i currently have one by Andrew gahan for *gasp* next generation modeling and game asset creation (http://www.amazon.com/3ds-Max-Modeling-Games-Environment/dp/0240810619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269291422&sr=8-1).
Amazing i know, considering i have had this book since the last summer but apparently, the methods shown in the book are wrong, even though the author himself also happens to be a professional artist, One would ask themself, how someone who would not know anything of their trade, become hired and then go on to make a very popular book.

Has no one noticed the changes in my modeling practice at all since the beginning of when i was posting some of my works in the cirt thread?
Look through the thread again And then accuse me of not making any effort.
Inferno, look at it this way, atleast im making my own assets and taking the time to learn more techniques than porting assets from a 8 year old game with little work involved.

Protip: You can only be insulted if you take the negativity to heart, i've been around these forums for some time and have learned what kind of atomosphere this site holds, So i don't take any "insults" to heart and ignore them, im a big enough man to shrug off petty insults without any issue and if you think any comments on these forums are bad insults then you obviously have not learned all too many life lessons.

[Warsaw]

See my post on page 13 for what to add to the helmet. Oh, some lines on the face plate might be good, too.

[=sw=warlord]

See my post on page 13 for what to add to the helmet. Oh, some lines on the face plate might be good, too.
I've been taking screenshots from Halo 3 of the different helmets and looking for what i think would look to be the best pattern used, thus far I have a choice between the pattern on the halo 2/3 helmet or the pattern on jorge, I'm leaning towards the one from halo 2/3 but I would like some input on what others think.

[Inferno]

Being as it provoked a serious reaction out of you (lol rage TLDR post and -rep) I think that troll was somewhat successful.

Additionally this thread is bad.

[=sw=warlord]

Being as it provoked a serious reaction out of you (lol rage TLDR post and -rep) I think that troll was somewhat successful.

Additionally this thread is bad.
Oh, i see you couldn't come up with a better retort to my reply?
Oh what a shame i was looking forward to having a half decent discussion, such a shame you back away at any chance of a challenge.
That was not a serious reaction, trust me, i don't do serious reactions on internet forums, There's no need.
You wanted a honest reply to what you were saying, so i gave you exactly that.

[Inferno]

Lol. I really don't want to continue this. I'm too close to being banned.

Do you have anything playable yet? Besides the big bland field with a Valhalla base in it.

[=sw=warlord]

Lol. I really don't want to continue this. I'm too close to being banned.

Do you have anything playable yet? Besides the big bland field with a Valhalla base in it.

Yes, i do have a playable map currently, i've been working on flowgraphs as well, though there isnt exactly anything worth a public beta as of the moment because as you know, i am the only one working on ingame assets teltaur is helping with bitmaps but everything else is my own work.

[Chainsy]

This shit is as exciting as House mang, keep them drama arguments coming!

[Limited]

Warlord, your never going to progress in your modeling techniques if you don't try new things every once in a while.

Doing the same thing over and over will get boring, and your limiting your potential, its a very narrow view of things.

Just try a small thing, that if scrapped you dont worry about, yes its bad if you lose 10 or 20 hours worth of work, but you will never achieve new goals if you stick with the bread and butter.

[Roostervier]

i was serious when i said save in iterations. model it with the newer techniques, and each time you hit a milestone on the model, save it under a different name. "spartanhelm_1, spartanhelm_2, etc." if you save it that way often enough, there should be minimal data loss if any. youre out of excuses, just do it.

[=sw=warlord]

file:///C:/Users/Lee/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png
Warlord, your never going to progress in your modeling techniques if you don't try new things every once in a while.

Doing the same thing over and over will get boring, and your limiting your potential, its a very narrow view of things.

Just try a small thing, that if scrapped you dont worry about, yes its bad if you lose 10 or 20 hours worth of work, but you will never achieve new goals if you stick with the bread and butter.
Im getting bored of people not reading the fucking replies and only skimming.


I am currently learning current generation modeling techniques in paralel to the asset's being made and am slowly integrating what i have learned over to the newer models, thus why i have restarted several assets such as the spartan biped, i agreed that the biped needed more work and so am working on a newer model.



i was serious when i said save in iterations. model it with the newer techniques, and each time you hit a milestone on the model, save it under a different name. "spartanhelm_1, spartanhelm_2, etc." if you save it that way often enough, there should be minimal data loss if any. youre out of excuses, just do it.


I save all my work in iterations, numbering each save as i go.
I've just taken a pretty picture incase the bold doesn't get the message across.
http://i41.tinypic.com/2din98g.png
Now, last chance, Move onto the project at hand than dwell on the same thing fron the past several pages, Snafubar you said you was going to clean the thread up a month ago.

[Roostervier]

last chance? project at hand?

what are you going to do, lock the thread? shouldve done that a while ago, honestly. and last time i checked, your helmet is the project at hand, and thats what everyone is discussing. if you already save your work in iterations, there is no reason, literally no reason for you not to make a high res version of the mesh and bake the normals. the only other reasons for you not to are that you're either lazy or incapable. both would imply that you're really not fit to carry out a project such as this and bring it into completion; if those are playing any role in your decision in making halo ce quality assets, i think you may wish to consider switching engines or abandoning this mod.

[flibitijibibo]

I know you'd rather have crit on your work, but I'd rather go with your attitude. Not just because I have little knowledge on modeling and that I'm sick of seeing this linked to me followed by a "lol," but because even I can tell that you're not in the right mindset for this kind of thread. Spoilering this section in case you're in the mood to take things personally:
I did actually ask around if anyone wanted to help out but no one was interested, so im doing this by my self.

Since my progress has taken some attention at Crymod, which is where I ask all my questions on Sandbox2, I've had atleast 4 people asking if they can help out with the mod.Ha. Haha. Where are they now?

As i have said, i've looked into current gen techniques and i am slowly getting the hang of it but untill i have it nailed down, i don't want to risk trying to make a serious mod asset using the technique in the off chance i might drasticly fuck one part up and cannot fix it. How the fuck else are you going to learn it? I wasn't going to get better at making PINGAS songs until I tried stuff like the PINGAS Waltz first, and the upcoming filler would definitely suck if I didn't try several attempts at Heavy's Balls of Steel first.

Where have i said i dislike criticism?Don't need to say it for us to see it.

i have fairly regulary, asked Snafubar for advice on certain techniques to achieve what i want to make and also asked for any suggestions on books i should look into purchasing, i currently have one by Andrew gahan for *gasp* next generation modeling and game asset creation.
Amazing i know, considering i have had this book since the last summer but apparently, the methods shown in the book are wrong, even though the author himself also happens to be a professional artist, One would ask themself, how someone who would not know anything of their trade, become hired and then go on to make a very popular book.You're seriously disagreeing with someone who *literally* wrote the fucking book on it? Learning new things often requires forgetting the what you think you know.

Inferno, look at it this way, atleast im making my own assets and taking the time to learn more techniques than porting assets from a 8 year old game with little work involved.This leads me to believe you have never worked on a mod before. Even a total moron like me knows it's not that simple in any engine, period. Fuck, just getting my audio packages together in some engines can be a bitch, I can't imagine the psychological pain that visual artists/designers go through.

file:///C:/Users/Lee/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.pnglol
So, enough of that. I'll just suggest this: Listen to these guys. These last few pages have been you vs. SnaF, Inferno, neuro, and a few others. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me. If I were in your position, I'd be practically bending over for these guys, as they have WAY more than enough to back their suggestions up. If I were getting crit on my work from Martin O'Donnell/Jay Weinland/C Paul Johnson, you'd bet your ass that every suggestion would be followed by a "yes, sir."

Nothing personal. Just take a step back. In fact, an experiment: Literally do everything they tell you to do, and measure your progress. If it is making everything worse, then you don't need them/this thread. Otherwise... well, yeah.

[=sw=warlord]

last chance? project at hand?

what are you going to do, lock the thread? shouldve done that a while ago
I did that but got tired of waiting for snafubar to clear the thread up, so i reopened it., your helmet is the project at hand, and thats what everyone is discussing.The project at hand is a Halo themed map with Halo themed assets, that is the mod not the method used to create the assets.
there is no reason, literally no reason for you not to make a high res version of the mesh and bake the normals.
The reason im not making high polygon models using Sub-D is I am still Learning it, Aka still do not know the ins and outs and so am not comfortable with dropping the plane modeling method for something I am uncomfortable with. both would imply that you're really not fit to carry out a project such as this and bring it into completion;
How exactly doe's the fact i want to use methods I've come to know are effective have anything to do with my capability to complete a project? seriously.
This project is a hell of alot less imtimidating than some of the stuff I have done in the past.
if those are playing any role in your decision in making halo ce quality assets, i think you may wish to consider switching engines or abandoning this mod.
I already explained my reasoning of wanting to make a Halo themed mod for Crysis, CE quality assets? is that what you call it?
Seriously i will not be switching engines as this is the project I wish to do and I have no intention of abandoning the project at all.
There have been several groups of people who have attempted this idea for a project, now I know why, because people such as your self always suggest dropping the idea and then crucify them for it.
I asked around if anyone wanted to help, no one did so im doing it by myself.
Truth is, i've gotten further than both teams that tried working on this combined, I currently have a working map, I have several assets ready and am continuing on with the project, over thwe course of time I am improving the works i make and occationaly remaking assets I feel need changing.
Making a model high poly doe's not immediately make that model suitable for a current generation engine, all that means is it has more polygons, I would like to think a well done medium polygon model would be better suited than a badly made high polygon model.

I truely am starting to get bored of this constant bicker, I made this thread purely for a few people here who i know are interested in the project and was suggested i should make a thread here.How stupid was I to think, it would be a worthwhile thing to do.


I think from now on I will only update this thread once im ready to release a more complete update.
That way, I wont get Sel&Chains shitting up the thread and the constant bickering.

@Flibit, Inferno is no Snafubar, he may be decent with the CE engine but the last time i saw him working on a model, he was remodeling stock models in PC under the name of Wanksta.
"Spoilering this section in case you're in the mood to take things personally:"
What is it with people thinking im going to take comments on this forum personally?
I've stated once I really do not take anything personally on a online forum, I literally have possibly the longest fuse when it comes to anger, and considering I may never meet any one member on these forums in person, loosing my temper here would be futile.
Yes, I occationaly get frustrated, that's natural, currently I feel like we're both trying to say someonething to one another but although im listening, no one is listening to me, which is where the frustration comes in.
How exactly can I move on when no one is allowing me to?
" This leads me to believe you have never worked on a mod before. Even a total moron like me knows it's not that simple in any engine, period. Fuck, just getting my audio packages together in some engines can be a bitch, I can't imagine the psychological pain that visual artists/designers go through."
I've worked on several actually, I doubt you would remember, but I was actually in the group of modders back in 05/06 with DECOY, conure and others who got the first CE-PC UI working along with setting up what was at the time the largest collection of PC modding tutorials along with other things.
I've also worked on several PC full halo mods, which as you may or may not know is a hell of alot harder to do with just meta editors than a full blown editing kit.
The engines I have worked with for mods are as follows, HCE, UE2 and now CE2.

"You're seriously disagreeing with someone who *literally* wrote the fucking book on it? Learning new things often requires forgetting the what you think you know."
You literally missed the entire thing, i am using the techniques described in the book, to make my assets, how hard is it to understand that?
Honestly, talk about warping things out of context.
This is exactly where the frustration comes from, I'm using techniques straight out of the book and I am getting burned for it out of peoples ignorance.
Honestly, can we skip past the whole low poly thing and move onto something else, such as what should I add to the mod, what features should I look into, what vehicles I should add if any.
This whole low polygon issue has been done to death now and all it is doing is making me tired of this place, i used to enjoy visiting here but with the constant bickering, that enjoyment is starting to fade the same way my enjoyment of modding for CE died which was the entire reason I wanted to learn CE2.

[=sw=warlord]

last chance? project at hand?

what are you going to do, lock the thread? shouldve done that a while ago
I did that but got tired of waiting for snafubar to clear the thread up, so i reopened it., your helmet is the project at hand, and thats what everyone is discussing.The project at hand is a Halo themed map with Halo themed assets, that is the mod not the method used to create the assets.
there is no reason, literally no reason for you not to make a high res version of the mesh and bake the normals.
The reason im not making high polygon models using Sub-D is I am still Learning it, Aka still do not know the ins and outs and so am not comfortable with dropping the plane modeling method for something I am uncomfortable with. both would imply that you're really not fit to carry out a project such as this and bring it into completion;
How exactly doe's the fact i want to use methods I've come to know are effective have anything to do with my capability to complete a project? seriously.
This project is a hell of alot less imtimidating than some of the stuff I have done in the past.
if those are playing any role in your decision in making halo ce quality assets, i think you may wish to consider switching engines or abandoning this mod.
I already explained my reasoning of wanting to make a Halo themed mod for Crysis, CE quality assets? is that what you call it?
Seriously i will not be switching engines as this is the project I wish to do and I have no intention of abandoning the project at all.
There have been several groups of people who have attempted this idea for a project, now I know why, because people such as your self always suggest dropping the idea and then crucify them for it.
I asked around if anyone wanted to help, no one did so im doing it by myself.
Truth is, i've gotten further than both teams that tried working on this combined, I currently have a working map, I have several assets ready and am continuing on with the project, over thwe course of time I am improving the works i make and occationaly remaking assets I feel need changing.
Making a model high poly doe's not immediately make that model suitable for a current generation engine, all that means is it has more polygons, I would like to think a well done medium polygon model would be better suited than a badly made high polygon model.

I truely am starting to get bored of this constant bicker, I made this thread purely for a few people here who i know are interested in the project and was suggested i should make a thread here.How stupid was I to think, it would be a worthwhile thing to do.


I think from now on I will only update this thread once im ready to release a more complete update.
That way, I wont get Sel&Chains shitting up the thread and the constant bickering.

@Flibit, Inferno is no Snafubar, he may be decent with the CE engine but the last time i saw him working on a model, he was remodeling stock models in PC under the name of Wanksta.

"Spoilering this section in case you're in the mood to take things personally:"
What is it with people thinking im going to take comments on this forum personally?
I've stated once I really do not take anything personally on a online forum, I literally have possibly the longest fuse when it comes to anger, and considering I may never meet any one member on these forums in person, loosing my temper here would be futile.
Yes, I occationaly get frustrated, that's natural, currently I feel like we're both trying to say someonething to one another but although im listening, no one is listening to me, which is where the frustration comes in.
How exactly can I move on when no one is allowing me to?

" This leads me to believe you have never worked on a mod before. Even a total moron like me knows it's not that simple in any engine, period. Fuck, just getting my audio packages together in some engines can be a bitch, I can't imagine the psychological pain that visual artists/designers go through."
I've worked on several actually, I doubt you would remember, but I was actually in the group of modders back in 05/06 with DECOY, conure and others who got the first CE-PC UI working along with setting up what was at the time the largest collection of PC modding tutorials along with other things.
I've also worked on several PC full halo mods, which as you may or may not know is a hell of alot harder to do with just meta editors than a full blown editing kit.
The engines I have worked with for mods are as follows, HCE, UE2 and now CE2.


"You're seriously disagreeing with someone who *literally* wrote the fucking book on it? Learning new things often requires forgetting the what you think you know."
You literally missed the entire thing, i am using the techniques described in the book, to make my assets, how hard is it to understand that?
Honestly, talk about warping things out of context.
This is exactly where the frustration comes from, I'm using techniques straight out of the book and I am getting burned for it out of peoples ignorance.
Honestly, can we skip past the whole low poly thing and move onto something else, such as what should I add to the mod, what features should I look into, what vehicles I should add if any.
This whole low polygon issue has been done to death now and all it is doing is making me tired of this place, i used to enjoy visiting here but with the constant bickering, that enjoyment is starting to fade the same way my enjoyment of modding for CE died which was the entire reason I wanted to learn CE2.

Look, if you want to discuss this further in a private conversation PM me your MSN or AIM and i will try to discuss this to you in person so to speak, it would be a hell of alot easier than having to make long ass replies.

[Roostervier]

oh so you just want people to suck your dick, i get it

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/2117/mektree.png

[t3h m00kz]

thats fucking horrible

[=sw=warlord]

oh so you just want people to suck your dick, i get it


How about no, What I want has not changed since the beginning, all i want is a decent thread which is not filled with fucking bickering by people who fucking ignore what i say at every chance they can get.

Im going to put it in bulletpoint hopefully you wont miss the message for the last time.



I purchased several books to improve my technique.
I start using these techniques.
I ask for criticism on my works
I am then accused of not making any effort because the models are low polygon
I point out the techniques i used are from the books i purchased.
I was then told by Neuro, Snafubar as well as several others who i am told to listen to, that what i am doing is not the techniques i should be using even though i am following the book to the fucking letter.
I move back to plane modeling.
Accused again of not making a effort after following neuros and snafubars advice.
Accused that i am disagreeing with the author of the book i originaly followed even though i am following snafubars and neuros advice.

Seriously, this is getting fucking retarded, either you lot are fucking trolling, which last i knew was a infractionable offense or there is some undiagnosed case of contageous retardation on your parts.

[mech]

You keep trying to defend yourself, don't even reply. You're digging yourself into a deeper hole by responding, if you don't like what people have to say here, then don't post anything. Or you know, you can take their advice.

You make it sound as if you have to live up to the standard of current generation games, you dont ; however, it'd be damn impressive if you could. That's why we're pushing you. We're all halo lovers, and we would love to see halo at its finest on a good engine. That's why they we seem to get upset when you're limiting yourself.

[=sw=warlord]

You keep trying to defend yourself, don't even reply. You're digging yourself into a deeper hole by responding, if you don't like what people have to say here, then don't post anything. Or you know, you can take their advice.
I am taking their advice but each time i do, im cournered by them then taking a turn and saying what i just did was wrong, how hard is it for you to understand this?

[Roostervier]

what's the book even matter? i don't think you're reading what we're saying. we see now, for the thousandth time, that you've read a book. good for you. judging by your work, this book has nothing to do with subdivision modeling, nor baking normal maps from a high resolution mesh to a low poly mesh. you keep on saying you read the fucking book, and that now you're doing plane modeling. either way, you're still not using subdivision modeling. that's what everyone has been telling you to do. you haven't followed snaf's or neuro's advice at all, unless it's some obscure little thing they posted and not the subdivision modeling they told you you should start doing. you're the one who won't listen to people. if you're not going to do the mod right, either lock the thread so we can't bitch about it anymore, or quit.

and honestly, when you say the only reason you posted a thread was for those interested in the mod, and you reject any and all crit, it's hard not to believe that you made this thread purely to get your dick sucked and for people to tell you how great of a job you are doing. crit is almost never like that. in fact, no good crit is ever like that. if you can't take it, you're in the wrong business.

e: wrote this post before mech's post. responding to your last post, you haven't followed our advice. we aren't cornering you. we're saying what you are doing is wrong because you aren't following our advice. the advice the entire time is to move to current next-gen techniques, not to make a low poly model and paint the normals (assuming you were even going to do that).

[=sw=warlord]

what's the book even matter? i don't think you're reading what we're saying. we see now, for the thousandth time, that you've read a book. good for you. judging by your work, this book has nothing to do with subdivision modeling, nor baking normal maps from a high resolution mesh to a low poly mesh. you keep on saying you read the fucking book, and that now you're doing plane modeling. either way, you're still not using subdivision modeling. that's what everyone has been telling you to do. you haven't followed snaf's or neuro's advice at all, unless it's some obscure little thing they posted and not the subdivision modeling they told you you should start doing. you're the one who won't listen to people. if you're not going to do the mod right, either lock the thread so we can't bitch about it anymore, or quit.

and honestly, when you say the only reason you posted a thread was for those interested in the mod, and you reject any and all crit, it's hard not to believe that you made this thread purely to get your dick sucked and for people to tell you how great of a job you are doing. crit is almost never like that. in fact, no good crit is ever like that. if you can't take it, you're in the wrong business.

e: wrote this post before mech's post. responding to your last post, you haven't followed our advice. we aren't cornering you. we're saying what you are doing is wrong because you aren't following our advice. the advice the entire time is to move to current next-gen techniques, not to make a low poly model and paint the normals (assuming you were even going to do that).
Get on aim, lets have a thurough convo on this because im getting tired of having to make huge ass replies which one way or another get warped.
If you want to get this cleared up as much as i do then get on aim, i've sent you a invite.

[neuro]

update? :3

[=sw=warlord]

update? :3
Not really got much to show off in terms of updates because im trying to use sub D to make legs at the moment and im not particulary comfortable with how the leg is looking thus far.
But since you asked.
http://i40.tinypic.com/2nq49xy.png

[neuro]

try making the leg out of several pieces, instead of one.

[SnaFuBAR]

needs more supporting edges.

[=sw=warlord]

Still working on this mod.
Learning how to make prefabs in sandbox and come up with a sentinel wall.
Thought I would try some sub-D modelling and came up with this.
http://i43.tinypic.com/2hno02a.jpg
for the moment the biped is just giving me too much hassle so I'm seeing what else I can get done for the mod than spend too much time on one asset.
Over the weekend I was working on a covenant cruiser to add some function to the level as there is one part of the map with a pool of coolant.
http://i42.tinypic.com/34rh950.png
http://i43.tinypic.com/ae0f9f.png
http://i39.tinypic.com/2z8spdl.png
So yeah, slowly but surely I feel it's getting there.

[Cagerrin]

those wall panel textures really don't work at that scale. Also the geometry just doesn't quite seem forerunner, perhaps because the pillars are following the contour of the wall too closely.

why so little geometry detail?

[=sw=warlord]

those wall panel textures really don't work at that scale. Also the geometry just doesn't quite seem forerunner, perhaps because the pillars are following the contour of the wall too closely.

why so little geometry detail?
I'm still experimenting with the textures for the actual wall part so that is still subject to change how ever the wall design in total is actually based on the walls found in Halo wars in some of the shield world maps where you find a edge off a cliff is covered by forerunner walls.
I'm looking for more ideas of what exactly I should add to the towers but at the moment I'm focusing on a communications tower kind of detail.
Here's a example of what i mean by the forerunner walls.
http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/167719_S/New-Halo-Wars-Historic-Battle-Map-Pack-Released.jpg

[Cagerrin]

but it doesn't look anything like those walls.

(if it did it'd look plenty forerunner)

[SnaFuBAR]

you need undercuts, insets, more detail all over. your geometry, overall, is underwhelming.

[AAA]

your geometry, overall, is underwhelming.

Quite close to the real Halo, isn't it?

[=sw=warlord]

you need undercuts, insets, more detail all over. your geometry, overall, is underwhelming.
Ok, I'l have to see what I can add to increase the definition but I don't want to add detail for adding details sake if you know what I mean.
On that note;


but it doesn't look anything like those walls.

(if it did it'd look plenty forerunner)
Ok, I've actually started working on trying to replicate the wall, been busy recently having a overhaul of the entire terrain taking in advice from mech and a few people I know in person to make a better designed map.
I've actually started on adding vegetation to the map now it's gotten that far so I'm hoping the direction I'm going now will be a large improvement from what I had at the start.

I've taken cues from Halo, T&R and Tsavo highway for the function and overall look of the map, I've got active scenery being sent in by particle emitters, currently spawning pelicans but that is still subject to change.
There still needs some work admitedly in the center of the level such as hills that need smoothing out as well as various smaller issues like on some cliffs there is obvious triangulation, that will all be cleared in due process.

As for now, seeing as a single picture won't do enough to show of the progress that has been made, I've made a video to show case various parts of the level, Yes I am very much aware the first base still needs more detail, I'm planing a teleporter pad being built in to teleport you to other locations so please, take that into account as I am very interested in the crit on the project thus far.
Overhead view and video below.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4924/editor2010052800590113.png

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2G4uuTcCGA

[Disaster]

You need to look into building separate meshes for your cliff geometry. The in engine terrain for the cliffs just isn't cutting it. I also recommend adding more geometry detail to the forerunner. Its really bland right now.

[Higuy]

Even though there is alot to be done, I am seeing a little bit of an improvement in you and this mod. Keep working hard, and listen to Disaster and everyone else.

[=sw=warlord]

You need to look into building separate meshes for your cliff geometry. The in engine terrain for the cliffs just isn't cutting it. I also recommend adding more geometry detail to the forerunner. Its really bland right now.

I agree with the cliffs, and been thinking the same myself for a while, I've been experimenting with a few other tools for uses their not designed for such as the rock outcrops were made using the river tool
For the forerunner geometry what kind of detail's would you suggest?
Reason I'm asking this is I would like to retain the, how do I put it, not simplicity but style of HCE, not the bevel and extrude frenzy that was Halo 2 and 3 if you get what I mean.
Detail for definition sake not detail for detail sake.

[Disaster]

http://www.donkeybiscuits.com/images/halo3odst_citadel.jpg
http://www.dylancolestudio.com/sketches/images/ENS_MPv01.jpg

Take a look at those.

[Inferno]

This is much much better than before you really made some improvements with this. Lighting is the only thing that really needs improvements (besides the cliffs as stated). I suggest increasing the contrast of sun and shadow.

[Disaster]

I'd also like to add that darkening some of the forerunner textures might make them more aesthetically pleasing. They are to bright at the moment.

[=sw=warlord]

I'd also like to add that darkening some of the forerunner textures might make them more aesthetically pleasing. They are to bright at the moment.
I'm planning on increasing the contrast as it is, I'm not too sure simply darkening the bitmaps would do as it's more contrast that's really needed, might take a look at the specular and see what i can get with them.
Out of curiosity, what would people prefer in the sky?
I've currently got a Longsword, a CCS cruiser and a Halcyon cruiser in terms of what could be flying over the skies, at the moment I'm simply using the stock pelican.
I would like to know what people think would suit the level better in terms of what flies over, I could if there was enough support, put a flock of sentinels flying over every few minutes instead of the above.
What I want to do is make the level seem "alive" make it seem like it's bristling with activity instead of it just looking like a pretty place to shoot things in.

[Disaster]

Add the ring to the sky.

[=sw=warlord]

Add the ring to the sky.

That's definitely going in, don't worry about that, sentinels, longswords, covenant ship cruisers which do you think would suit better?

[SnaFuBAR]

would be cool to have a cruiser going slowly, with banshees, seraphs and phantoms going in formation or something.

could do the same with a halcyon cruiser overhead with longswords.

[Roostervier]

that's what we did for fun in a test map in iris

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4724101/ccscruiser.jpg

try it, it's p bad ass


e: also, your stuff isn't looking too bad. but a major problem i've got with your stuff is the shaders... they're unbelievably flat. try messing around with all the different material types available.

[DarkHalo003]

I think my heart just stopped. That looks amazing. So that's what you've been up to Rooster. :eng101:

Warlord, the only thing that bothers me right now is the Forerunner structure and its shaders: they need more grime and shine. Unless, of course, their current state is what you want them to look like.

[=sw=warlord]

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3206/screenshot0025a.jpghttp://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9747/48254343.png
Exposed metal reflects and worn metal is dull as it should be.
UV's are being worked on as well.
Expect a new update video in next 2 weeks.

[n00b1n8R]

That thing on the bottom doesn't look forruner at all. :/
Those shield things on the sides of the "legs" look completely out of place.

Also the angular bit on the tower of your ingame base look pretty bad to me, I prefer Bungie's smooth version.

[=sw=warlord]

That thing on the bottom doesn't look forruner at all. :/
Those shield things on the sides of the "legs" look completely out of place.

Also the angular bit on the tower of your ingame base look pretty bad to me, I prefer Bungie's smooth version.

The teleporter was actually based on this http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3503/518is99m2ol.jpg albeit not a exact replica and not originally designed as a teleporter.
The base is still being tweaked, i'm looking at fixing various smoothing errors as well as adding additional detailing.

[Futzy]

so should i still be working on this?
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2903/65371659.jpg
http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/2431/teleporterbitmap.jpg

[=sw=warlord]

Yeah, looking good so far actually,
The detail on the rim looks a little odd.
I wasn't sure whether to link you to what the design was based on or not because i didn't want to restrict you to a certain design.
I'm liking the main metal although you might want to change the centre circle part to more of a glass like surface, something that's supposed to be emitting particles.

[Warsaw]

There's a hole in the centre for the emitting of particles...

[DarkHalo003]

Exposed metal reflects and worn metal is dull as it should be.
UV's are being worked on as well.
Expect a new update video in next 2 weeks.
So where is the griminess? Where is the shine? Forerunner is supposed to look magnificent with reflections and silky-smoothness. I know it's a WIP, but please tell me you're going to do something about the specular and griminess of the metal so I will stop bringing it up. :downs:

[=sw=warlord]

Wait for the video.
Once I've uploaded a new video update I'll show off the new materials so you can see the grime and shine.

[=sw=warlord]

Right then video update.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfUmeRs4DvI

What's new:


Snafubars suggestion of having a Halcyon flying over with longswords has been taken in and put in, only thing left for halcyon is texturing and adding lighting effects to rear engines.
Teleporter effects finalised added strobe lighting effect which fades in and out with the movement of plasma particles.
Teleporter flow graph set up meaning easy access to mid part of map from both bases.
Particle effects for beam emitters edited
Modelled the M6D pistol from HCE using the reference pictures in the studio sub-forum, laser module has been modelled separately to allow pistol customization, I plan on modelling the silencer from ODST so you can choose between the two designs.
Teltaur and insaneDRIVE are helping me out in regards to texturing of weapons.
Generator room is currently waiting for importation which will be shown in diagram below.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9839/screenshot0026u.jpg
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/5386/m6dr.jpg
Once I've got the important stuff done like the terrain correction and major tunnels and generator room, then I'll be looking into having playtests to see how the weapon placements work out.
Sniper locations are definitely subject to change and the player spawn locations are the "valhalla" styled bases where as the bigger infinity base will be the objective for teams to try and capture, they capture the warthog they gain a advantage but same advantage is evened out with a single spartan laser.
Any comments or questions would be greatly appreciated and I will try to answer as many questions as I can.

[Higuy]

The over all layout of this map your making looks pretty bad. Both sides are very unequal, and one base has more advantages over the other (base in bottom of pic)

[PopeAK49]

I think you should just stick with your lower detailed models for now, and find out what gameplay elements work and which ones don't. And once you find out all your problems. You can decide if what needs to go in and what doesn't. You can also see if it's really worth the work to make higher detailed models or if the gameplay of your mod is lacking resulting in a trashing of the project. If I were you, just stick with your less detailed models for now and see if it works or not and then decide if you want to take the next step.

Great job though! :downs:

[Lateksi]

That beam emitter's so fast it's gonna overheat if you don't help it.

[=sw=warlord]

The over all layout of this map your making looks pretty bad. Both sides are very unequal, and one base has more advantages over the other (base in bottom of pic)
At the moment the idea is the top base has closer access to the warthog than the lower but the lower base has closer access to the laser.
Although it is very asymmetrical I do plan to think it out first.
In the test's I've already had the layout hasn't been a complete cluster-fuck, each side have their own advantages and disadvantages, like the lower base has access both sides of the hill but although has more places to escape has less area to hide in where as the other base is the opposite.
Both bases have a teleporter so it won't be a constant spawn kill area though I am looking into more ways for players to traverse the levels but without vehicles.
Many games place vehicles into maps to make travelling easier but more often than not the vehicles are abused as taxis, I cannot stress how much I personally hate seeing a good vehicle used purely as a taxi to gain access to a weapon.
Alot of this is still subject to change and there is a portion of the map I'm still unsure on what I should use to fill the space with.
That portion is the part where the dirt tracks stop.
Just for clarification, there are only 3 bases which players can access, the one on the "hill" is inaccessible without aircraft and since there won't be any aircraft that problem isn't really relevant.

As for the beam emitters;
The larger base is more along the lines of Halo's firing mechanism, a constant beam where as the smaller beams are communications, the smaller beams are still being tweaked and I'm looking into changing the beam type all together.

[killer9856]

This is Crysis... add more stuff!!!

I would say expand that lake area out more, more into a river. Still, this is going to work out just fine. Good luck with the map bro!

[Sel]

STOP

This is terrible, this stuff is sub par for hpc, let alone fucking cryengine2.

Go back to halo pc and learn to make content that doesn't suck for that, then you know what, in 2 years when you have some clue what you're doing, come back here and then work in this engine. Please, for my sanity, and everyone else's on this site, stop butchering the halo series.

[=sw=warlord]

This is Crysis... add more stuff!!!

I would say expand that lake area out more, more into a river. Still, this is going to work out just fine. Good luck with the map bro!
I completely plan to add more content.

STOP

This is terrible, this stuff is sub par for hpc, let alone fucking cryengine2.

Go back to halo pc and learn to make content that doesn't suck for that, then you know what, in 2 years when you have some clue what you're doing, come back here and then work in this engine. Please, for my sanity, and everyone else's on this site, stop butchering the halo series.
Get out of my thread and do not return.
This is totally non negotionary, I moved away from the CE modding because I want to learn the Crysis modding engine and not have to stick about with little children who will beg cheat and steal in any way they can to show they have no respect at all for other members.
I personally am enjoying modding this engine, it is a Hobby to me and you Selentic, will not have any influence on my decision on what engine I will mod for.
If you do not like what I am doing then you can kindly leave the thread and stop posting.
All the way through this project I've been talking to snafubar for getting tips and advice for the project, so do not for one instance think I'm trying to half ass this, The mod will be in production for as long as it takes to achieve the level of quality I which is a lot higher than any of you lot would dare set for your own projects.

[Sel]

You seem to be under this delusion that if you pump out garbage content we shouldn't sit here not telling you it sucks, and suck your dick instead or something because you got this posted on some Crysis blog. You have outright ignored the feedback, and advice, of everyone with an idea what they're doing, and you may have noticed that every single person who knows what they're talking about, including myself, seems to have the same opinion on your work (it sucks). Have you not, perhaps, picked up that this may be a sign that your work, does indeed, suck?

I'm guessing you haven't because every time you retort with bawwww stop hating on my work.

PS: Sorry for stealing your respect which I'm quite clearly doing here.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3332789/stealinurglory.jpg

[=sw=warlord]

You seem to be under this delusion that if you pump out garbage content we shouldn't sit here not telling you it sucks, and suck your dick instead or something because you got this posted on some Crysis blog. You have outright ignored the feedback, and advice, of everyone with an idea what they're doing, and you may have noticed that every single person who knows what they're talking about, including myself, seems to have the same opinion on your work (it sucks). Have you not, perhaps, picked up that this may be a sign that your work, does indeed, suck?


When did I ever state you should suck my dick?
When?
It seem's your sole reason for being in this thread is to cause issue so, I'll say it again.
Get out.

[Sel]

When did I ever state you should suck my dick?
When?


Sorry I just assumed that after you responded to everyone who didn't like your work with hostility.



It seem's your sole reason for being in this thread is to cause issue so, I'll say it again.
Get out.

If delivering correct feedback is causing you issues you should stop asking for it.

[=sw=warlord]

Sorry I just assumed that after you responded to everyone who didn't like your work with hostility.
Hostility? is that what you call it?
I've seen you be a lot more hostile than I have in this thread several times.


If delivering correct feedback is causing you issues you should stop asking for it.
If I didn't take feed back then why would I restart the map several times and why would I be adding content that has been suggested here in this very thread?
Honestly, You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about in any way shape or form, Stop acting like you do as you obviously don't.
I have been taking constant advice since the beginning of this project on this forum and on other forums as well as talking to several forum members in instant messenger on what should be changed, removed, added and tweaked.
I barely update this thread for the simple matter I know updating it will draw the people like yourself who want nothing more but to cause issues.
You seem to be under the impression I don't take advice? I don't listen to other members.
Explain to me why would I sent Mech a copy of one of the assets for him to take a look at after he asked me to.
If I was so stuck into my own mindset would I not ignore his suggestion and offer of help and just carry on?

[Sel]

You're not even worth arguing with, there's 200 posts in the last 2 pages of this thread proving my point, not yours. (Lets not even get into the posts that were deleted :allears:)

PS : I like to jerk off to 343 too.

http://i50.tinypic.com/y1bns.png

[Higuy]

I'm sorry; but I have to go with Selentic on this argument, considering everything he said was true.

[=sw=warlord]

You're not even worth arguing with, there's 200 posts in the last 2 pages of this thread proving my point, not yours. (Lets not even get into the posts that were deleted :allears:)
You realise you can only get about 20 replies per page right?
Quit being a strawman and bugger off.
I've proved time over and over again that I'm willing to improve the mod and yet for some odd reason you decide to pop in and cause drama where drama is not needed.

PS : I like to jerk off to 343 too.
That monitor was a shader test, I was testing damage effects, infact the monitor no longer even looks like that so good try pulling shit where it's not belonged.





I'm sorry; but I have to go with Selentic on this argument, considering everything he said was true.
No, Sel's intent to cause as much drama as possible, The only reason I made a thread here was to get tips and advice for the mod, You and several others have gone out of your way to try and twist what I've said to appeal to your own opinions.
I would have thought with the latest updates it would show that I'm willing to take tips and advice, even inferno has started to notice the change.
Currently the only two people working on this mod are myself and teltaur, so progress is obviously going to take a while.
I recently started watching through a 8 hour lecture on Sub-D that snafubar suggested to me, once finished I plan on using
the techniques shown for making newer content, the spartan biped has been restarted as well as several other works.
Honestly, it boggles the mind why someone so hell bent on hating the mod because of who is working on it would still linger if their intent was not to shit the place up.

[Inferno]

Selentic is pretty much right. Even though you have gotten lots of feedback your work has not improved. And your pretty fucking hostile to criticism.

[=sw=warlord]

Selentic is pretty much right. Even though you have gotten lots of feedback your work has not improved. And your pretty fucking hostile to criticism.

Right, I'm starting to feel like a broken record repeating myself.
Do I need to go through a list of what I've asked for advice on and what I've done with the tips given?
I've redone the map several times, I've gotten a licence for geocontrol to improve the latest map design, I've remade several objects such as teleporters, redone the UV's for bases, restarted the entire spartan biped.
Need I say more? Honestly if I was so hostile to advice I wouldn't be making those changes, several time's I've offered to talk one to one over IM as it's easier and quicker to relay the ideas back and forth and no one, not a single one of you have taken that offer up.
If you're so interest in me improving talk to me privately over IM be it steam or MSN and we'll see where to go from there.

[Higuy]

We all have given you criticism to your shit, you still have not gotten better, and every time we do give you criticism, you reply back to it with hostility.

Wouldn't you think that YOUR wrong when everyone else is saying the same exact thing? None of us are going to want to help you improve if all you do is reply with a shitty attitude and thinking that your always right.

[=sw=warlord]

We all have given you criticism to your shit, you still have not gotten better, and every time we do give you criticism, you reply back to it with hostility.
No, hostility would be bitching at you with the use of every curse known to man.
What I've done is asked for help on certain things and had replies on something else.

Wouldn't you think that YOUR wrong when everyone else is saying the same exact thing? None of us are going to want to help you improve if all you do is reply with a shitty attitude and thinking that your always right.

Since the beginning of the project I've had people being hostile towards me, One can expect me to slowly become a little harsh in my comments.
I've never said I was always right, what I've said is that I'm willing to change the mod for the better and when something is out of my grasp I've said as much, apparently admitting something being out of my control is wrong or at least according to tweek.
I've given you the offer to talk to me personally on IM if you want to help, me and inferno are talking right now.

[teh lag]

From this point on, discussions about Warlord's ability/inability to respond to criticism will be conducted in private. This thread is for discussion of the project and its content, not its creator. Warlord this also applies to you, you may ignore people's comments or respond to them but you will not tell people to get out for expressing their views on content.

[Sel]

You realise you can only get about 20 replies per page right?

Sorry, no I didn't, since I clearly have 100pp

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/selentic/wrongagain.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3332789/misc/wrongagain.jpg

[SnaFuBAR]

Stop using heightmaps to make your terrain. Period. Sculpt that shit up. The examples mech gave are quite clearly more than heightmaps back on the very first page. You may be using geocontrol but that really looks like it's for creating wide area views, vistas, landscapes, NOT a player area, which is your entire problem. aside from that,the surrounding area looks like nothing but heightmap/displace w/ sound modifier in 3ds max. You need a real vision for what's going on and a clear way to approach it.

I don't know if it's the videos or not, but the surfaces of everything and the colors all look very washed out, and that is a way to create severe visual disinterest.

[neuro]

Since the beginning of the project I've had people being hostile towards me, One can expect me to slowly become a little harsh in my comments.
I've never said I was always right, what I've said is that I'm willing to change the mod for the better and when something is out of my grasp I've said as much, apparently admitting something being out of my control is wrong or at least according to tweek.
I've given you the offer to talk to me personally on IM if you want to help, me and inferno are talking right now.

ye know the people i gave the harshest crticism are the ones that improved most?
look at Hunter & hunter.
i burned those two relentlessly, and everyone told them to listen to what i had to say, and suck it up.

they actually amounted to something now.
hunter doesnt produce utter garbage anymore, but he's building things which are actually pretty decent.
granted, he's still stuck in I CAN ONLY COPY HALO STUFF rut, but at least he makes decent work out of it, and he's improved MASSIVELY.

selentic i've been burning in IM's, and giving him advice and tips on how to improve, and look how far he came in a VERY short amount of time. he went from producing mostly garbage (no offence selly <3) to building proper high-res trains (some better than others) and baking them down, asking for feedback every step of the way, letting me check his UV's, etc. when i suggest something, he doesn't bitch about it, he fucking does it.

i told him to COMPLETELY redo the UVs on one of his trains. he didn't complain once, not even a sadface smiley.
selentic has progressed and improved on a MANIACAL PACE.

you on the other hand, haven't.
e-peen flex-mode on!
it comes down to this, i'm better than yuo, i know more than you, and everything i will say will be right, and correct.
if you choose to ignore that and do it wrongly, that's your choice, and you'll suck for doing so.

[=sw=warlord]

Mind if I point out something Neuro?
Notice how I've not been showing the Spartan biped that I've Been sub-D'ing?
Notice how I've only updated the general mod not how I've spent countless hours in the past few weeks grabbing as many tutorials at possible to do exactly as you suggested?
Just last week I downloaded an 8 hour lecture on sub-D a AK47 to learn from it and hopefully improve by.

The cliffs are going to be improved by making rock face objects in 3ds max and then imported as prefabs, which according to several people is the right way to go about it.
At the current moment, textures are the only thing I've not got any hand in as Teltaur is the guy in charge of that, So when i politely ask to move along, it's not because I want to avoid the discussion it;s simply because I do not have any hand in the development of that portion of the mod.
As it currently stands, I am going through as many tutorials as I possibly can, not rushing them but taking my time to go through them to understand the concept and work flow behind them.
What bothers me is when half way through watching a tutorial I get sel bitching at me about not making a effort, when in the past he's posted a shit tonne of stick figures in the thread to intentionally shit it up and then I'm the one who get's warned because I ask for him to not bother starting up his old tricks.

I've offered many times in the past to talk directly to me as it is simply easier and quicker to convey thoughts through a IM than having to make the essay long reply on the forums.
I took mech up on his offer to take a look at one of the assets for the mod and thus far got no reply since sending the files.
I fairly regularly talk to snafubar when I feel I'm stuck and need tips, Throughout the entire thread the idea was to get idea's for the mod on what features people would want to see, Not for the childish "ooh hey look at what i did lololol" I simply am not that kind of person, It's a shame you seem to think that way no matter what I've told you on the contrary.
If you honestly want to help, let me know of any decent tutorials on making good rock models as so far they seem scarce and few in between.
Wait until I update the thread again, By that time the new cliffs should be in place making the level seem a lot cleaner and more tidy.


Been doing some sub-D and currently got some forerunner tech pattern going for various things.
Sub-D' the light fixtures in this screenshot:
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/378/controlroom.png
The UV's are no where near in a finished state, infact the bitmaps probably won't even be the same, the smoothing on the light fixtures haven't been touched nor have they been unwrapped yet.

[=sw=warlord]

Might as well update this thread.
The mod was on standby since the last update in here after my motherboard decided to commit suicide and it's taken me up until the end of September to get a cheap and nasty motherboard let alone a new video card.
Finally got a new card in a exchange with XFX mid October, so I'm now rocking a new 4850 1Gb card, more than enough to replace my old 4770 512Mb card.
Changes since I got the ball rolling again beginning of last month.


Scrapped biped model entirely, Need to get some references and sketch a design up.
Terrain radically altered, no more "dead" space that was useless, Level more stylized like Valhalla, Got a forerunner wall being made to run along top of one cliff side, Got forerunner bridge being made to cross between canyon walls at mid section, breaks the sky up a little.
Making high resolution Halo ring for use in skybox, After much tweaking with the idea of using a distance cloud idea to project the Halo ring in the sky decided to make a ring and add more detail than could be gleaned from the CE menu ring.
Current High poly ring at 66k tri's, Been using this as a sub-D trial as well as learning other tools like bend and shell.
Low poly ring currently stands at 50k but working my way on getting it lower, the mesh is currently having to be arrayed 45 times to get a full ring, I'm hoping on getting the base section to a lower triangle count.
Cliff rock face modelled and undergoing UV-wrapping, Looking into possibly altering stock rock files to fit purpose.
New corridors, All my corridors and buildings are now modular, the old designs were thrown out completely and been using sub-d for those.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9710/75794018.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/348/23287397.jpg
http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/8843/screenshot0025c.jpg

Currently the rooms are very bland, I'm working on using a prefab style work out, this way I can make the basic rooms and then add different attachments to said rooms and label them differently.
[LIST]
Longsword model is now fully unwrapped, needs texturing, halcyon cruisers are on their way to being unwrapped.


Environment generators, These I plan to be a device to help differentiate the two opposing bases a little differently.

The idea is there are based upon the devices found on the last level on Halo 3 just outside the control room where the flood drop.
The idea is for one of the two to be malfunctioning and have snow in that portion of the map.
These thing's I worked on making sure their angles were perfect 30 degrees, never known a compass to stick to a monitor screen before.
They're not finished yet, they still have some details not yet crafted in, I've got a final design in my sketch book which still has some details that need adding to the front end.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7016/environmentgenerators.png
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/2150/environmentgenerators2.png

The magnum, Teltaur worked on the bitmaps for this and I like the end result.
The trigger and magazine needs unwrapping and the scopes bolt needs a little editing, other than that, only thing left is getting my head around importing it.
The pistol has been modelled with customization in mind, use the scope or don't players choice.
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2003/pistols.png

Spartan laser, I'm going by the original concept art that was released for Halo 3 back in it's beta days, I prefer that design over it's eventual design.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7391/spartanlaser.png
This started out as a if and when Model, I don't always feel like doing the same model two days in a row so I mix it up a little, work on one thing one day and another on another.
To be frank it's kept me sane considering the various other issues going on at the moment.

As for some more visual forms of what's been going on I released a video about 2 weeks ago showing off some of what is going on in the mod, I know some thing's need working on such as most of the structures, thy're there until I've completed the fully detailed versions, more of a sight finder for getting some view of how the final map will look like once completed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaBrdKRTKho&feature=player_embedded

On a last note, Teltaur get on MSN sometime so you can get around to telling me about this specular thing you mentioned a while back.

[Futzy]

I think it looks great, just need more detail and that groundmap needs to be recolored.

[=sw=warlord]

I think it looks great, just need more detail and that groundmap needs to be recolored.
Yeah, for the ground map I started with all grass then put the paths in, once I've got all the vegetation and scenery in there the ground map will be given alot more detail to it.

[Futzy]

Yeah, for the ground map I started with all grass then put the paths in, once I've got all the vegetation and scenery in there the ground map will be given alot more detail to it.
I don't just mean that the groundmap needs more detail, the grass and dirt colors are solid and washed out.
Add some dark greens and yellows to the grass and some blacks and reds to the dirt.

[=sw=warlord]

I don't just mean that the groundmap needs more detail, the grass and dirt colors are solid and washed out.
Add some dark greens and yellows to the grass and some blacks and reds to the dirt.

I know, the reason there isn't any grass there yet, is because I don't want to add grass and then have it looking odd because I just changed the ground map, once the ground map is finished then the grass goes in.
As for the colour's I can fix that in the ToD tool.

[Warsaw]

The present "grass" texture looks a bit tiled. I also feel like the Forerunner textures could use more bumpmapping so they don't look so flat; right now they look like they came straight from Blam! proper, which is not what you are trying to emulate I don't think.

Other than that, this looks pretty good and has come quite a way from last time you showed it off. :)

Fake E: Was that music from Inception?

[=sw=warlord]

The present "grass" texture looks a bit tiled. I also feel like the Forerunner textures could use more bumpmapping so they don't look so flat; right now they look like they came straight from Blam! proper, which is not what you are trying to emulate I don't think.
Teltaurs actually sending over new textures now along with new specular's.
Now I've figured out how to import material's from 3ds max I might take a glance at making the materials in 3ds ma first and then import them into the editor, that should solve any flatness.
As for the grass, that texture is more of a marker for me for when the scenery and other objects are added, that denotes where the grass sprites will be, tiled through it maybe, but at the moment it's not there for pretty ness.

Other than that, this looks pretty good and has come quite a way from last time you showed it off. :)

Fake E: Was that music from Inception?
Yeah, the track is called "Mind Heist" Figured since the update was a pretty big one compared to the earlier updates I should change the tone of the video a little.
If there's any ideas that people might have or if anyone has seen any concept art from previous Halo game's that they think might be relevant to the mod I'd appreciate it if you let me know.
I've been scouring different artists again recently looking for concept art as well as ideas.

[Warsaw]

It would be nice if we knew the premise of the mod, to help give ideas. :|


Also, I kinda figured that about the grass placeholder, but thought I should point it out just in case.

[=sw=warlord]

It would be nice if we knew the premise of the mod, to help give ideas. :|


Also, I kinda figured that about the grass placeholder, but thought I should point it out just in case.
The premise of the mod as it stands right now is to make a multiplayer map which consists of two parts, the outdoor valley and the interior hall ways.
The interior will be in the rock face that the waterfall is in, one exit will be just next to the waterfall side closest to the most adjacent base and the other will be along near the other base.
I'l make a overhead view a little later and put some diagrams showing what I mean about it all.


E:
Been tweaking shaders now teltaur has sent me the new batch.
Old:
http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/8843/screenshot0025c.jpg
New:
http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2734/editor2010111119543393.png
Ignore the boring shitty scratched grey metal thats clustering most of the walls, the shaders been tweaking are the floor and the ceiling lights.

[Sel]

sorry I have to ask, did you even play any of the halo series?

[Cagerrin]

I really wish the geometry wasn't so... un-forerunner. Shaders are at least getting better, though.

[Dwood]

Someone needs to look up a tutorial on modeling forerunner stuff.

[Limited]

Someone needs to look up a tutorial on modeling forerunner stuff.
I totally agree! Why not look up the thousands of tutorials on the subject...oh wai....

[Con]

Actually, it reminds me of the old pre-xbox Halo.

Check out 5:50
7Tqrfy4SR7I

It's close but not quite right yet. I wouldn't use that scratched up texture for the walls. It seems like everything is way too bright and shiney for the amount of lighting you have in there. The thing I always liked about Forerunner interiors was that they were dark and mysterious.

[=sw=warlord]

Actually, it reminds me of the old pre-xbox Halo.
Kind of a hybrid between that and the halo 3 corridors at the end level.

It's close but not quite right yet. I wouldn't use that scratched up texture for the walls. It seems like everything is way too bright and shiney for the amount of lighting you have in there. The thing I always liked about Forerunner interiors was that they were dark and mysterious.
I mentioned the scratchy metal is placeholder in my post, that won't be there shortly once I'm done.
As for the lighting, I've not really started tweaking the Time of Day yet.
@Sel: Considering I've played every version of Halo besides mac and have all the limited edition discs as well as various other content associated, I would have to say yes I have played Halo.
Nice try no cigar.
@Dwood, Do you actually do anything around here at all besides bitch?
I've gone through the limited forerunner tutorials, Alot of the designs I'm using are derived from forerunner architecture already found in the games, I've ensured the angles are correct using a compass.

[Cagerrin]

Well you should play all of them over again, twice maybe. You obviously have very little understanding of forerunner architecture, and until you do there's nothing worth critting in this thread.
I wish we still had the rep system, so I could say that I agree with this post without looking like an ass(more like an ass, rather) in public.

[=sw=warlord]

Well you should play all of them over again, twice maybe. You obviously have very little understanding of forerunner architecture, and until you do there's nothing worth critting in this thread.
Well considering I'm actually following the angles used in the previous games and mix and matching certain aspects of previous forerunner, There shouldn't really be too much of a problem.
I thought that creativity was something very much needed in things like this and were I to simply borrow designs straight from other games then this mod would have little to no creativity involved.
According to you, Caggerin and Higuy, Unless I follow Your vision of what forerunner is then anything I visualise is wrong.

It baffles the mind that someone who has never even spoken to me directly let alone know much about me would know what my vision is for the project.
If you honestly think there is nothing to criticize in the thread then why are you still replying?


I wish we still had the rep system, so I could say that I agree with this post without looking like an ass(more like an ass, rather) in public.
But why hide such a artistic talent?
You're doing a wonderful job.

[Con]

Well you should play all of them over again, twice maybe. You obviously have very little understanding of forerunner architecture, and until you do there's nothing worth critting in this thread.
Don't even bother posting here in the first place if you're just going to post some remark like "have you even played Halo?"
If you think there's nothing worth critting then there's simply no reason at all for you to post here. Take this to PMs if you want to discuss it further.

[Higuy]

Sel may be a bitch but he makes a valid point about your architecture. You may know the angles which is good and played the games, but you still have plenty of room for improvement.

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7195/fixitfag.png

Theres also plenty of other things you could easily do. You may play the games, but look at them more closely to see all of the different things. This is Crysis your working in too, not Halo. You have alot more possibility to work with for detail.

[PopeAK49]

It looks like a good start to me in terms of forerunner architecture. The shape of the hallway is good, but now improve on that shape with details such as forerunner support beams on the wall or something along those lines. Listen to higuy about using some kind of metal strip texture for each angle instead of using the same texture on 2 angles at a time. I'll edit this with an explanation.

[Sel]

What the fuck is this shit con. This content is absolutely terrible and we're not allowed to point that out anymore?

Go ahead, permanently ban me for saying that, not like it'll be a huge loss since my feedback just gets deleted anyway, despite people who have an idea what they're talking about when it comes to this kind of architecture agreeing with me!

[DarkHalo003]

In addition, the players who have played Halo and haven't focused 3+ years of their life to the development and studying the exact structure of Forerunner Architecture probably won't tell the difference so much to where it ruins their game experience. Just saying.

[Con]

What the fuck is this shit con. This content is absolutely terrible and we're not allowed to point that out anymore?

Go ahead, permanently ban me for saying that, not like it'll be a huge loss since my feedback just gets deleted anyway, despite people who have an idea what they're talking about when it comes to this kind of architecture agreeing with me!

This is more for everyone else reading this thread since Sel is just looking for a ban:
Just dropping by and saying "it's terrible" isn't what the community is about. You have to be constructive (http://www.modacity.net/forums/showthread.php?19312-Project-Aftershock&p=563315&viewfull=1#post563315). People may agree with your assessment of the content, but not the way you say it.

I would appreciate it if you guys didn't bring this up anymore and stuck with constructive criticism. if you aren't being constructive or you aren't taking this conversation to PMs only like I asked, then you're going to wind up with an infraction like Sel here (and maybe even a point accumulation ban!)

[=sw=warlord]

Someone asked me to show a representation of what the basic overall route of travel I've got in mind for the mod.
Since looking at how other maps worked, I've figured for the time being at least, the best router for foot travel is by avoiding being dominated by vehicles via travelling through the valley rock.
Below shows a concept I've currently got going and have started constructing the cave and corridor network.
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2208/screenshot0028.jpg
@Higuy;
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/7195/fixitfag.png
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3506/screenshot0029s.jpg

[Cagerrin]

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TalonX/randomstuff/corridor_what.png

[=sw=warlord]

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/5606/corridorwhat.jpg
I'll get the work on that indent in a moment, just finishing off the holographic room.

[DarkHalo003]

I saw some new stuff from Aftershock by HBO. Looks really cool so far. You plan on making custom weapons and bipeds to go with it all?

[=sw=warlord]

I saw some new stuff from Aftershock by HBO. Looks really cool so far. You plan on making custom weapons and bipeds to go with it all?

I've currently got an MA5C ready, an M6D/C ready which will allow toggle to use sight attachment or not and have a Spartan laser being modelled.
As for bipeds, I do have some work on a biped in work.

My main priority is getting the level it self done to a polished state, the latest picture here (http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/2716/screenshot0039.jpg) should show the direction I'm heading for and should be a great improvement to what the area previously looked like. (http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/5229/editor2010103021073376.jpg)
I've got someone else involved in the project now, someone I've known for several years and I'm showing them the ropes, they specialise in lighting so It would be a good guess they'l take over the ToD and other lighting aspects.

I haven't bothered to update the thread here because after I last updated here I found myself being stalked by a couple of people trying to cause a stir at one of the other forums I update on this.
Simply put, not worth the effort when you have clowns trying to cause trouble.

[DarkHalo003]

Glad to see that some new weapons will be available. I just wish I could ever have a computer powerful enough to play Crysis games. Even when I obtain a new laptop next year, I probably still won't have the power necessary to play it without blowing up any piece of hardware.

[=sw=warlord]

Glad to see that some new weapons will be available. I just wish I could ever have a computer powerful enough to play Crysis games. Even when I obtain a new laptop next year, I probably still won't have the power necessary to play it without blowing up any piece of hardware.
Depending on which laptop you get you may be able to play Crysis on the lower settings which even then, looks pretty good.
first time I played Crysis was when the demo came out and I was running on a 9600 PRO AGP card running on lowest settings.
I'l just drop this here incase anyone whose interested in the project hasn't seen it yet.
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2318/frigate.jpg

[Warsaw]

That said, Crysis isn't overly demanding until you start trying to crank up AA and AF with the details already at their maximum.

[Guardian]

I think its going to turn out quite well.
Im guessing theres a hill in the middle, else there'll be a lot of sniper whoring going on.

[Luzaphant]

Waw.. This is awesome, I would of mocked you if this were campaign, but I just relized its a multiplayer game map. I assume your going for a Battlefield type game play thats awesome. Are you going to add Pelicans and others for maby CTF or somthing? Dude this is what the forum on Bnet us going nuts about I swear if you get this right you can prolly high jack the there users.. Ive been posting concepts and plans for a multiplayer overhual and everyone seems to agree.

and if it is campaign I must let this out no offense but you might as well use the CE engine becuase those models are no different then CEs also I was wondering for the mod is it possible to raise the "first person camera" I would really like that the default camera seem to be to low

[Luzaphant]

Warlord, watch this. it has long been forgotten, but here it will give you ideas, inspiration. :downs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8pas3CxniU

[Amit]

Well this was pretty fucking epic:

GV6TNfq76zs&hd=1