ut4_stangrad

[Skob]

Hi !

I'm new user (thx Majki) and i'm french. Sorry for my horrible english

I have started a new map of frag : Stangrad. It's a little town, in the darkness ( ). She contain 1961 brushs and 179 entities.It's not pretty much, but it's a concept.

http://i.imgur.com/E9Ly7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ByMV9.jpg (i have made an urtmapping channel on Quakenet)
http://i.imgur.com/7SHnG.jpg

Thanks for positive or negative comment

Bye.

[johnnyenglish]

I have a theory that french mappers have the most original ideas and create the most beautiful maps once they work out how radiant works.

Nice start Skob

[Skob]

I have a theory that french mappers have the most original ideas and create the most beautiful maps once they work out how radiant works.

Nice start Skob

Thanks

I have not finish the lights. The textures are from http://cgtextures.

[MajkiFajki]

Textures? Anyone said textures?
wiki/index.php/Textures:Sites

First thing You need to learn is:

There's a few buildings that are just one single brush with just one tiled brick texture, this obviously isn't good enough.
Having walls that are just the same flat texture from top to bottom is really boring to look at, add some trim to the top and bottom and maybe something in the middle.
Use decals, especially dirty decals to add atmosphere to the map. It looks like it should be a bit dirty, but its spotless. (I've said it before and I'll say it again; good decal usage is one of the things that can turn you into a great mapper.)

[Skob]

Yes i know, somes building are simple. I make a decals

[MajkiFajki]

Start with reference photos. Find 200 photographs of a real buildings You try to re-create in Radiant. And rip off!

[bludshot]

Looks like a good start

[MajkiFajki]

Send me PM with .map file, that consist frgment of map shown here http://i.imgur.com/E9Ly7.jpg
And textures. I'll send You back "tutorialized" version ^^

Sharing knowledge and experience is important.

[MajkiFajki]

Okay - I have loaded .map file, walked Your map in game. Some advices for a starter.


Keep You map clean and tidy

Look what I have found in radiant:



Don't leave textured elements outside gameplay area.

Learn the shaders
You need to spend some time in our library and learn theory, before You start building your own Uptown:) The lights:


Never ever use those nasty entities. Light tends to come from a SOURCE - a sun, moon, lamp, bulb or Eliza Dushku. NOT from thin air, out of nowhere. So read this:
wiki/index.php/Textures:Shaders

You will understand what shaders are and how they work. Next:
wiki/index.php/Mapping:HowTo:Adding_light_to_models

This will explain You how to make Your models glow. Use this and maybe for a start download street lamps models:
http://www.blackrayne.net/models_electronics.php

Also - You map has no skybox in fact. This is a tough one. For long time I propose writing comprehensive article on our wiki about skyboxes. At the start you are allowed (legally too) to use for example ut4_suburbs' shader:

Code: Select all

textures/ut4_suburbs/chnightsky



{
   qer_editorimage textures/ut4_suburbs/shm_nightclouds.tga
   q3map_lightrgb 0.6823529411764705882352941176 0.8196078431372549019607843137 1
//   q3map_lightImage textures/ut4_suburbs/nightsky_light.tga
   q3map_sunext 0.6823529411764705882352941176 0.8196078431372549019607843137 1 45 15 76 2 16
   q3map_skylight 55 6
//   q3map_lightmapFilterRadius 0 64
   surfaceparm sky
   surfaceparm noimpact
   surfaceparm nolightmap
   surfaceparm nodlight
//   skyparms textures/ut4_suburbs/env/sky 1024 -
   skyparms - 1024 -
   nopicmip
   nomipmaps
   {
      map textures/ut4_suburbs/shm_nightclouds.tga
      tcMod turb 0 0.005 0.35 0.004
      tcMod scroll 0.004 -0.0075
      rgbGen identityLighting
   }
   {
      map textures/ut4_suburbs/shm_sky_mask.tga
      blendFunc GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA GL_SRC_ALPHA
      rgbGen identityLighting
   }
}

The shader file is in: /scripts/ut4_suburbs.shader
And comes with original Urban Terror game. Use it.



Next - surface can emit light too ^_^

Just like Rayne said once, "It's all in the shaders!". Make sure You have read shaders article on our wiki and then start creating Your own glowing surfaces. You have used heavily this texture:


It's name is "light.jpg" - don't use common names for textures. Sometimes the game will have some textures/shaders with the same name and it will start acting funny. Use Clatoo's trick (famous french mapper) - he names his textures in french:) I do the same - I use polish names. How many maps in Urban Terror will use drewno4.jpg ?:)

Let there be light! So:
http://custommapmakers.net/index.php?op ... &Itemid=54

You going to launch You Gimp and rework Your texture and write a shader for it, to make it work properly.
I have prepared extra texture to make our lights emit light. Look:


Filename: lightnormaladd.jpg

This black area is used to block emitted light. The shader I have used is:
textures/ut4_grad/lightshader
{
q3map_lightimage textures/ut4_grad/light_white.tga
qer_editorimage textures/ut4_grad/light.jpg
q3map_surfacelight 1000
surfaceparm trans
{
map textures/ut4_grad/light.jpg
rgbgen identity
}
{
map textures/ut4_grad/lightnormaladd.jpg
blendfunc blend //or blendfunc add
alphagen const 0.3 //if blendfunc add, remove this
}
}


The idea is about whole texture to emit light, except the areas, which are marked with black - so only bulb will glow.

So I have selected all the Nasty Light Entitles:


Pressed Backspace and next using ctrl+shift+LMB selected only faces of light brushes:


I have flushed all shaders to make sure, my new shader will be loaded and my sweet light appeard:


I have applied it, fit it and to have some fun - used ut4_suburbs skybox. Compiled and look at the difference:




Textures correct size

Well - probably every newcomer make this mistake:) You textures are not power of 2, this means 32/64/128/256/512/1024 and so on. All textures dimensions must be power of 2. Del wrote sweet article:
http://www.gotdelirium.com/site/articles_9.html
Read it!



Map's health

Read this:
wiki/index.php/Compiling:Healthy_Map

Patches
Don't use them, unless you REALLY HAVE TO. Use this instead:
http://mapgen.nerius.com/
http://www.urbanterror.info/forums/topi ... _p__279840


Well - that's it for now. Remember - mapping means HARD WORK. You have to read long, borings sometimes articles, experiment a lot, fail very often - but if instead watching TV and eating chips you work hard, there is at the end of this road Almighty NuIL:


I will not send You back .map file, because I have not done much with:)

[theRipper]

hahaha whoa calm down maj xD

going all master yoda on him good teaching