New map

[Th0r]

Well since i stopped working on achluophobia i have been working on my most recent map.

Name:CinderSteel
Theme:Lava Mountain/Part tech base

Screenshots:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Sammydawg/DOOM0167.png
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Sammydawg/DOOM0168.png
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Sammydawg/DOOM0169.png
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Sammydawg/DOOM0170.png
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Sammydawg/DOOM0171.png

Anyways, its looking OK so far, i still have a lot to do. I hope you like linear maps. If not, don't play it when i finish it.

[Darkfyre]

Hey hey hey, so far that looks pretty good!

[Homer]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/Sammydawg/DOOM0169.png

This is very poor flat alignment in this shot, the screens are an improvement over your previous work, but look at some flats that aren't tiled for these situations. And the wall texture alignment isn't any better, be careful taking screens when they are full of alignment issues!

[Th0r]

Its not like you can just change the alignment of a flat(that i know of)
But ill work on it.

[LordK]

In my opinion the lighting is too harsh in the first and last screenshots, i.e. the difference in light levels between adjacent sectors is too great. You could try to add more sectors to make the transition between light and dark more gradual, or simply try to avoid those extreme light levels.

Otherwise, the level looks promising.

[Th0r]

Ok, i'll try the smaller sectors and the less extreamlighting and see how that is. But in the last ss, there is a sky overhead causing the light.

[Dutch Doomer]

Shot 3 hurts my eyes this is something I really don't want to see in an map.
It looks erh very misaligned alot of flat and texture issues, hard to spot any texture/flats that aren't misaligned.
You can align the flats to the grid size 64x64 32x32 16x16 8x8 it depends on the flats.

For which port is this going to be?

[Th0r]

skulltag

[deathbringer]

decontex.wad has lots of metallic flats that dont need to be tiled (ie they dont have edges), you could use those in the area in screenshot 3 for better effect

[Th0r]

Ok, ill see if i can do that then.

[Craigs]

The map has a lot of potential, but I did notice a lot of problems in the detail of the level.

#1 I noticed that the only skull tag features you used were some flats and textures from Skull Tag. You've already shown that you are capable with XWE, so importing textures and flats really shouldn't be a problem for you.
#2 From what I could see, you only used 2 levels of brightness: The lowest and the highest. All this really did was make the levels look extremely ugly and medeocre.
#3 A lot of the outdoor parts looked extremely flat and dull. Try to use more textures instead of the same things over and over again. The waterfall looked pretty bad too. Try adding some rocks to it and make it look a little more 3d.
#4 If you can't figure out how to align those tile flats, just use something else, litle the black or brown ceiling, or the UAC carpet texture.

[Th0r]

I dont even think im going to finish this map. Too many people have too many problems with it already. And i dont want to release something if people are gunna tell me its ugly because they are spoiled with gothic99 stuff.

And besides, all of my maps are inherently skulltag because i map in
skulltag(doom in hexen). I have no idea how to map with anything else. When i try zdoom in doom-hexen i get all kinds of hexen textures that i dont want.

[XXoXX]

Not that im critising or anything, but did you ever consider starting out in vanilla doom? Its actually good practice.

[Th0r]

Thats where i did start....

But w/e i have lost all intrest in finishing this map

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=2E7FCBB277C247FE

Someone else can make it pretty if they want.

Note: The player start is in an area i was working on and a few doors and a tele dont work, if you want to play it through, put the start behind the zombies where the shotgun is, then when you get to a switch that doesnt work, idclip and go to the tunnel.

[Chopkinsca]

You're giving up on the map because of advice from a few people? You should see the criticism as an opportunity to learn, not to be offended. Besides, why should it matter what others think as long as you are proud of it?

Th0r said:

When i try zdoom in doom-hexen i get all kinds of hexen textures that i dont want.

In doombuilder (I assume you use it, set the iwad for doom in hexen format to doom2.wad instead of hexen.wad. Unless it is alreayd doom2.wad, I don't see how hexen textures would show up.

[Th0r]

chopkinsca said:

You're giving up on the map because of advice from a few people? You should see the criticism as an opportunity to learn, not to be offended. Besides, why should it matter what others think as long as you are proud of it?




In doombuilder (I assume you use it, set the iwad for doom in hexen format to doom2.wad instead of hexen.wad. Unless it is alreayd doom2.wad, I don't see how hexen textures would show up.

Just lost interest. I'm not getting anything done on it because of all of the little problems and i just dont feel like spenidng time on it if nobody is gunna like it. And doom2.wad is set as the iwad and it STILL gives me the hexen textures.

[wildweasel]

The idea is that you make wads for only one person: YOU. You create your wad because you want to see it finished, not because the community thinks it's going to be good.

That's what I do, and it's worked pretty well so far.

[Th0r]

Sure i map for me, My goal is for people to enjoy my map and have fun in them. If they dont playing it then i wasted time. I dont map for me to like it.

[Homer]

You shouldn't stop the map because of critisism or lack of interest, just come back to it when you get some more ideas. Learning to accept and evolve around critisism is a great skill.

[Th0r]

You just posted the same thing that 2 other people have said.

[Dutch Doomer]

The main reason why I am mapping is because I like doing it, if people don't like my work so be it as long as I like the maps myself.
Sure I try doing usefull things with the feedback im getting but in the end im making the maps like I want them to look.

Your map looks pretty decent overall it just need more finetuning all my maps looks quite the same when I first draw it out.
After some more effort it will start to look alot better, just don't give up on it because some people including me says it looks ugly.
The only thing I had to comment on was the misaligned textures and flats but thats easy to fix, the rest looks pretty good so far.

If you don't enjoy mapping or the main reason you map is for an community then imo your on the wrong track.
Do it for your own pleasure mapping is fun im doing it for years and still like doing it.

[Darkfyre]

Thor looks like he's going to really develop mapping skills at an alarming rate. His maps already look better than some other 'experienced' mappers wads I've played.

[Th0r]

Darkfyre i really appreciate all of the complements youve been giving me, thanks alot. I could finish the map, since your saying its decent so far, but i dunno. Still havent decided.

[esselfortium]

I agree with Darkfyre, you definitely have potential and your skills look like they're increasing pretty quickly. While these shots look far from finished to me (need a lot of polishing), you're getting there. Nice work, whether or not you decide to finish this map. :)

[Th0r]

Thanks...Also, anyone got a good example for a "more 3d looking waterfall"??

Also if i do get around to finishing i will put in skulltag stuff(weapons and maybe some monsters)

[ellmo]

Th0r said:

Darkfyre i really appreciate all of the complements youve been giving me, thanks alot. I could finish the map, since your saying its decent so far, but i dunno. Still havent decided.

You won't cheat us, doomers! We've seen that far too many times! ^_^
There are literally thousands of maps available in the archives that were never supposed to be finished, but one day - their author got the last idea, passed the mapper's block and finished them.

You may lose interest in one map, but if you're just a bit proud of it - you'll eventually finish it... just someday.

[Enjay]

Most of the comments you have seen in this thread are pretty constructive. Sure, they are pointing out problems but they are doing so in a way that allows you to address those problems. People have told you exactly the areas they think look bad and why they look bad. That gives you the opportunity to improve the map. Would you rather just put up the screen shots and have everyone give you a generic "it sucks"? Or maybe have no-one says anything until its released and then people play it and don't like it? Personally I'd take the kind of feedback you've been getting as a positive thing. You've shown us a work in progress. What kind of feedback were you looking for?

And just to agree with some of the other posters, like dutch devil and WildWeasel, I map to please me. It's great when someone else enjoys my maps, but, first and foremost, I map because I enjoy doing it. Other people enjoying my stuff is a welcome bonus. I suggest adopting that attitude and not getting bent out of shape when someone says something unpleasant about your map because, no matter how good it is, sooner or later someone will not like it.

[Fusion]

Ya as for flat alignment, next time try creating your floors/ceilings in multiples of 64 (locked to the grid).. That way they will be aligned properly. If u simply dragged that entire catwalk section up 16 units, it would tile perfectly.

If u need any help, don't hesistate to ask. Looks good so far!

[Th0r]

The main layout is almost done, all thats left is the deeper part of the last tunnel, maybe even some tech parts branching off inside it. I guess i have been mapping for all the wrong reasons.

ALSO im getting an error, when i try to run the wad
its says:

BAD PNAMES and/or texture directory

PNAMES has 471 entrys
but STONE wants to use entry 472

[jetflock]

try using the replace texture option in doombuilder....if i understand you correctly. (i have worked through some strange texture crap myself recently....)
regarding your map, looks great. watch out for people being too nitpicky thor.