Valve releases barebones SDK. Anyone interested in combining efforts to make a map?

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Lifer
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Today Valve "pre"released their SDK, which includes Hammer, their map-making program. I have no experience with making maps using the Hammer/Worldcraft tools, but I have built maps long ago in games such as Descent II. I'm sure once I can read up on the prog a little bit and mess around with it, I can learn enough to get started, and learn a lot more on my way.

I would be interested in making a map for the AT server, and want to know who would like to join in. This would be more of a as-we-go project rather than something we plan on entering into any contests or something like that. I think it would be fun to do. I plan on learning the program in order to create the geometry, but I would be no good at textures and such. Plus, the more people we have working on a map is more and better ideas.

So, who's with me? We'll start out slow, and see who would be interested in helping, and we'll go from there. I envision a map about the size of de-dust2 with a couple of different levels. If after a couple of weeks a few of us seem to want to do this, I may pony up a couple of dollars and get ourselves a domain with some forums so we can communicate easily and share info back and forth.

So let me know guys. Either way, I'll be messing around the SDK and trying to figure it out :D. I already have a couple of ideas for maps.
 
Modeps

Modeps

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
17,254
44
91
I'll of course, host downloads of the map when it's done, as well as put it in rotation :) I'm not very good at actually making mapst though.
 
P

phonemonkey

Senior member
Feb 2, 2003
806
0
0
I can be a map tester, and can even possibly come up with some ideas for maps.

Personally, I'm hoping that Nipper comes out with some CS:S maps here in the near future.
 
blurredvision

blurredvision

Lifer
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: phonemonkey
I can be a map tester, and can even possibly come up with some ideas for maps.

Personally, I'm hoping that Nipper comes out with some CS:S maps here in the near future.
Click to expand...
Who is Nipper?
 
sandorski

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,351
5,912
126
Keep your eyes(Bookmark it) on 3DBuzz. They don't have any HL2 VTMs(Video Training Modules) yet, but hey will. It's simply the best game editing website on the Net, IMO.
 
J

JBT

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
12,094
1
81
I can try to help out too. I have never made a map for a FPS before but I have made some for some RTS games before. I haven't gotten to look at the SDK yet as I'm at my parents for the weekend but I would like to try to help as much as possible.
 
blurredvision

blurredvision

Lifer
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Well guys, after almost 2 months, I've finally gotten the chance to hop into Hammer and try some things out. I'm really getting the hang of the simple stuff, and can literally create a simple square room map from start to playing in about 30 seconds. Add some water and stuff, and give me another couple minutes ;).

Anywho, I need ideas on what kind of map to start working on. My biggest problem is no creativity. I can throw it together, but I can't think of what it will look like. I have NO ideas. So someone help me out, maybe sketch out part of a level you envision, and I'll work with it. This surely won't be something done in a weekend, but I appreciate anyone's ideas.
 
sandorski

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,351
5,912
126
I'm still waiting on 3DBuzz to release their VTMs so I can get some idea on how Hammer works. Seen some Tuts on it elsewhere, but they all seem lacking to me.

Ideas ae always the tough part. A Warehouse or some other Interior place is always a good place to start, especially for the first few Maps. Be prpared to make 4 or 5 Maps before getting one worth Uploading and don't be expecting to create anything worth using in a few days. Good Maps can take Weeks to Months to complete depending on your Skill level. From what I understand Hammer has some nifty Editing capabilities for creating BSP such as the ability to round edges and such. Be sure to use these effects as sharp edges are not realistic.
 
blurredvision

blurredvision

Lifer
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: sandorski
I'm still waiting on 3DBuzz to release their VTMs so I can get some idea on how Hammer works. Seen some Tuts on it elsewhere, but they all seem lacking to me.

Ideas ae always the tough part. A Warehouse or some other Interior place is always a good place to start, especially for the first few Maps. Be prpared to make 4 or 5 Maps before getting one worth Uploading and don't be expecting to create anything worth using in a few days. Good Maps can take Weeks to Months to complete depending on your Skill level. From what I understand Hammer has some nifty Editing capabilities for creating BSP such as the ability to round edges and such. Be sure to use these effects as sharp edges are not realistic.
Click to expand...
I'm certainly not expecting anything award winning out of my first project, but I'm capable of creating something decent. Once I can get the creative juices flowing, restarting a map or editing my current project would be no problem to add stuff in. We'll see how it goes.
 
flashbacck

flashbacck

Golden Member
Aug 3, 2001
1,921
0
76
Is this map for deathmatch or singleplayer? Either way, I would definitely take advantage of the physics that are now possible. Traps, obstacles or whatever that operate on their own physics rather than being scripted.
 
W

WannaFly

Platinum Member
Jan 14, 2003
2,811
1
0
If its for CS:S I wouldnt mind helping, I have a littlebit of creativity. If we get enough people, someone should setup a msgboard for us to collaborate.
 
blurredvision

blurredvision

Lifer
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
The map would be for CS:S. Regular deathmatch just doesn't interest me, as I like the somewhat tactical aspect of CS.

I've been steadily at it with Hammer, trying to figure stuff out and generally playing around. A couple of pictures of the map I've been messing around with today, trying to learn:

Picture 1 - The window breaks when shot just like in cs_office. I also messed around with carving a section out of the wall like in de_dust2.
Picture 2 - Just another angle.

Like I said, those pictures represent no major breakthrough in mapping, I'm just trying to get the hang of things, like entities and the like.

EDIT: I'm also currently figuring out how to import models I've created from 3dsmax or XSI into my map. Just one hurdle stands in my way on that, and once someone responds to my question in another forum, I'll be good to go. So we theoretically make anything to put into a map if we had the skill to do so.
 
C

Czar

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
28,510
0
0
blurredvision,

is it possible to model 99% of the map in 3dsmax and then import it to hammer and apply textures and other effects on it?
 
blurredvision

blurredvision

Lifer
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: Czar
blurredvision,

is it possible to model 99% of the map in 3dsmax and then import it to hammer and apply textures and other effects on it?
Click to expand...
I think it's possible, but not the ideal way to do it. Don't hold me to that, however. With my limited knowledge of Hammer and 3dsmax, I would think that unless you are trying to do a majorly complex map with several different angles and such, it wouldn't be worth it. Too much work would be involved after completing your design in 3dsmax.

And with that said, I do not guarantee it :D.
 
C

Czar

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
28,510
0
0
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Czar
blurredvision,

is it possible to model 99% of the map in 3dsmax and then import it to hammer and apply textures and other effects on it?
Click to expand...
I think it's possible, but not the ideal way to do it. Don't hold me to that, however. With my limited knowledge of Hammer and 3dsmax, I would think that unless you are trying to do a majorly complex map with several different angles and such, it wouldn't be worth it. Too much work would be involved after completing your design in 3dsmax.

And with that said, I do not guarantee it :D.
Click to expand...

I know how to model in 3dsmax so thats why I think it would be easier that way :p ... for me at least
 
I

Injury

Lifer
Jul 19, 2004
13,066
2
81
I'd love to try and help... I've only recently started messing around with hammer though :(

Where are some good ABSOLUTE beginner tutorials?


(This would be so much easier and more fun if there was a hammer plugin for Maya or some map editor that was similar to the feel of Maya;) I can't freaking stand the way you move around in hammer.)
 
I

Injury

Lifer
Jul 19, 2004
13,066
2
81
Originally posted by: WannaFly
If its for CS:S I wouldnt mind helping, I have a littlebit of creativity. If we get enough people, someone should setup a msgboard for us to collaborate.
Click to expand...

If we get some people to commit to it, I can set up a board on my forums for it.
 
C

Czar

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
28,510
0
0
stupid anoying incomplete crap

I downloaded the sdk, fine and dandy, now I started to read up on how to use 3dsmax for modeling, and wtf arggg ... anoyed... the process is just about as anoying as they could have done it
 
W

WannaFly

Platinum Member
Jan 14, 2003
2,811
1
0
I opened up hammer and played around with it...kinda neat. I'd really like to make a map based on an airport, as I dont think there is one (besides cs_747, which SUCKS) :)
 
blurredvision

blurredvision

Lifer
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: WannaFly
I opened up hammer and played around with it...kinda neat. I'd really like to make a map based on an airport, as I dont think there is one (besides cs_747, which SUCKS) :)
Click to expand...
NICE idea. The only issue with creating an airport map would be textures. I'll be up front and say that I am not a person to be creating any kind of textures, unless it's a plain red box. Other than that, hopefully there would be suitable textures within the HL2 engine that we could use.

Although the setting has been way overused, I was thinking of a parking garage type setting, with some kind of outlying area. Not sure what could be done with this, however, because I am trying to think of what makes the current CS:S maps great. One of the things I like is that the maps really do not have a defacto spot to hide. Almost every spot that is hidden from one point of entry is viewable from another, and that's what makes the maps exciting. No one can get the upper hand.
 
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