oc_caverns

[unconnected]

This is actually my first proper attempt at mapping, I've been messing with the tools since Worldcraft and I've made several dozen test maps in Hammer for Source, but after finding OC I finally had the motivation to go ahead and try my hand at a proper map. Here are the results so far:










So far the majority of my time has been spent on the base brush work and the displacements (which are a nightmare!), the lighting will be overhauled when the brush work is complete and then I'll move on to the the entity work.

I'll update this post as I go.

Soz about the sheer size of the screenshots, but I can't be arsed to change my resolution or resize 'em.

[Lark]

nice work and its your first map thats going to be released!

[destu]

I need your monitor. Now.

[[JSC][GU]PREDATOR]

That actually looks pretty cool so far very realistic. you should add lights going across the cave.

[unconnected]

That actually looks pretty cool so far very realistic. you should add lights going across the cave.

Thanks, I've been trying to make it as realistic as my mapping skills allow, I've also been referring to a lot of pictures of caves to do so.

At the beginning of the map you fall a long way down a long pit into a splash pool (you can barely make that out from the pictures I think) and I was working from the following photo to get the look right:



In terms of lighting and ambience I wanted a similar feeling to this photo:



But I'll do a lot more work on the lighting when I've finished the brush work - I'm still trying to think of plausible light sources.

I need your monitor. Now.

A large monitor makes mapping a bit easier I tend to think, as I can wack the resolution all the way up and still see what I'm doing, I occasionaly tinker with Hammer on my laptop, but the display is less than ideal.

nice work and its your first map thats going to be released!

Yup, although my best mate keeps teasing me suggesting it won't be done till Xmas (hopefully it'll be done in a week or two - I'm not the fastest mapper around), I'm a little worried with all the displacements that the final map size might creep up to something nearing 40 megs, but I'll worry about that at the time me thinks!

[[JSC][GU]PREDATOR]

How will you get the water fall? and maybe you should make this a day map so you can see the quality's on the water better, and maybe you could have the water moving up and down ever soo slowly.

[unconnected]

How will you get the water fall?

Well, this is something I thought long and hard about, I've seen waterfalls in maps before, like the Shiroko waterfall texture used in 1/4 Life's Hydra map and in its original setting, cs_jungle. But quite frankly they just don't feel real enough.

I honestly don't think I could create a good enough illusion of one and because of that I'll just do without.

[[JSC][GU]PREDATOR]

Maybe you could ask skidz to add one to the mod.

[Vasili]

Hey It looks good, keep it up.

[[JSC][GU]PREDATOR]

Not really sure about the name ither "cavern" *thinks of a good cave name*...

[unconnected]

Well here are a few synonyms for cave from my pocket Roget's:

cavern, cavity, den, grotto, hole, hollow, pothole, rock shelter, subterrane and subterranean.

I think oc_subterranean sounds quite good.

But I'll leave that to the first release, after you've played that you might have a better idea of what to call it, like oc_shit etc lol.

[[JSC][GU]PREDATOR]

Subterranean is quite a hard name to spell don't wurry im sure you will think of something.

[unconnected]

More images:

[unconnected]

The flood lights are probably a tad bright still, but I'll fix that up in time.

There will also be a bit more detail around the pillar.

You can see my generator prefab in one of the shots I think.

[Kinhoshi]

Looking good, can't wait until it's out.