(WIP) The FF Community Map

zSilver_Fox · 01-17-2009, 07:58 PM

People want it, it's time to deliver. The first community map attempt failed, and to me, the reason was because it was too open for most people. The reason why Axl Apartments succeeded was because it was very straightforward and easy for people to work with the room templates they were given. In order for a CM to succeed, we may as well emulate that formula.

Right now apartments will be the easiest to make happen, because a design template can easily be used and plenty of copy-pasta can occur. Anyone good who wishes to help (especially with Lua), please PM me.

Update 1/17/09:
The template can be downloaded from RapidShare here.

Room Rules:

1. Do not exceed the template size. You are free to use less than the space provided though.

2. Do not modify the room entrance. It's designed the way it is for a reason.

3. Custom models and small sound files can be used but you must provide them with your room. Simply zip it all up. Don't go overboard on textures. Too much of a variety, and they will be modified or your room rejected. Custom textures are ok, but if too many textures are reached, your room may be sent back for you to replace the textures.

Sh4x · 01-17-2009, 09:01 PM

If I were you, I'd select an existing map with a theme that would work, decompile it and load it up in hammer. Then goto textures, check the "See already used textures only" Then I would create a number of small brushes and paint every texture used in the map on the faces. Then delete the entire map but the small brushes you created. And that would be the restriction of textures to use. People working on it would have to use textures that are already there only.

zSilver_Fox · 01-17-2009, 10:46 PM

Wouldn't saying "NO TEXTURES OTHER THAN WHAT COMES WITH FF BY DEFAULT" work too? Anyone who breaks that rule will have their room removed.

PartialSchism · 01-18-2009, 01:21 AM

Ok so I'm liking this idea.

Question.
Would we be able to include custom models in a room?

zSilver_Fox · 01-18-2009, 03:45 AM

Sure, provided you include them with your finished room. Thinking about it, custom textures will be ok too provided you send me the materials... I think. Or something along those lines. I'll throw up a set of rules with the template.

Sh4x · 01-18-2009, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zSilver_Fox

Wouldn't saying "NO TEXTURES OTHER THAN WHAT COMES WITH FF BY DEFAULT" work too? Anyone who breaks that rule will have their room removed.

Nah, that won't work. The problem is that you can only have a certain amount of textures in memory before the map starts crashing on some pcs.

zSilver_Fox · 01-18-2009, 05:30 AM

Bump with template up. The doorway area was built like that in the hopes of making the room leaves isolated from the hallway leaf. Let me know how I did.

EDIT: Thanks sh4x. I shall modify as such, and look into doing as you said.

Credge · 01-18-2009, 05:37 AM

What about changes to height? Can I make my room deeper or taller?

Also, about those texture restrictions. By not going overboard on the textures you mean that we shouldn't use more than, say, 10? Or is even that too many?

zSilver_Fox · 01-18-2009, 05:43 AM

12 or 13 I think would be a reasonable limit, but try to keep it below. I would do what Sh4x suggested, but I don't have a decompiler handy.

You can lower the height if you wish, but I'd rather it not be raised more than 8 or 16 units.

Credge · 01-18-2009, 05:45 AM

Alright! Awesomeness.

Bridget · 01-18-2009, 06:14 AM

No custom textures depresses me. Defeats the whole purpose of your section of map being unqiue. /:

zSilver_Fox · 01-18-2009, 06:18 AM

See edit. Also, any suggestions for map perks and such are welcome.

Bridget · 01-18-2009, 06:28 AM

If having a ton of textures bogs down pcs, then you could always make more than one map.

zSilver_Fox · 01-18-2009, 06:59 AM

Yeah, but that would mean more time and make it messier. We shall see how things go. I'll probably wind up changing similar textures all to one. After that, then alternate textures may have to go. Just avoid the high res porn and we'll be fine.

Sh4x · 01-18-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zSilver_Fox

12 or 13 I think would be a reasonable limit, but try to keep it below. I would do what Sh4x suggested, but I don't have a decompiler handy.

12 is way too few. ff_hunted has something like 150 different textures totaling 102MB of texture memory. ff_shutdown2 is using 120 textures for a total of 82MB. ff_dropdown is using 110 textures for a total of 72MB.

If you wanna do the trick I mentioned earlier without having to decompile anything, you can go to to folder FortressForever/Source/Maps and open one of the vmf there.

zSilver_Fox · 01-18-2009, 05:17 PM

Thanks for that info, working on that now! However, I'd like a series of textures that really fit an apartment setting. Most FF maps are more industrial and concrete

.

Is it possible to better optimize textures after most of the brushwork is done?

Sh4x · 01-18-2009, 11:28 PM

Everything is possible, it's just a matter of time.

zSilver_Fox · 01-18-2009, 11:53 PM

Yay, thread's been moved! It seems that requests make it through.

Anyway, work has started on the skeleton. I plan on imitating the original Axl Apartments theme with a closed off street in a city. Secrets will be included.

Ihmhi · 01-20-2009, 06:34 AM

What are we going to do in these apartments?

I'd like to have five respawn turrets in mine in case someone tries to break in and raid my refridgerator.

GeoKill-----> · 01-20-2009, 07:06 AM

You should add a door to yours Ihmhi

01-17-2009, 07:58 PM	#1
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	The FF Community Map People want it, it's time to deliver. The first community map attempt failed, and to me, the reason was because it was too open for most people. The reason why Axl Apartments succeeded was because it was very straightforward and easy for people to work with the room templates they were given. In order for a CM to succeed, we may as well emulate that formula. Right now apartments will be the easiest to make happen, because a design template can easily be used and plenty of copy-pasta can occur. Anyone good who wishes to help (especially with Lua), please PM me. Update 1/17/09: The template can be downloaded from RapidShare here. Room Rules: 1. Do not exceed the template size. You are free to use less than the space provided though. 2. Do not modify the room entrance. It's designed the way it is for a reason. 3. Custom models and small sound files can be used but you must provide them with your room. Simply zip it all up. Don't go overboard on textures. Too much of a variety, and they will be modified or your room rejected. Custom textures are ok, but if too many textures are reached, your room may be sent back for you to replace the textures. Last edited by zSilver_Fox; 01-18-2009 at 05:34 PM. Reason: It's 2009, isn't it?

01-18-2009, 01:21 AM	#4
PartialSchism Keep On Keepin' On Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mississippi Class/Position: Offense Gametype: Fun Affiliations: I'm bad at FF, and my customs suck Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Ok so I'm liking this idea. Question. Would we be able to include custom models in a room? Last edited by PartialSchism; 01-18-2009 at 01:27 AM.

01-18-2009, 06:59 AM	#14
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Yeah, but that would mean more time and make it messier. We shall see how things go. I'll probably wind up changing similar textures all to one. After that, then alternate textures may have to go. Just avoid the high res porn and we'll be fine. __________________ I have a nasopharyngeal and webcam... First infraction! Flaming!

01-18-2009, 05:17 PM	#16
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Thanks for that info, working on that now! However, I'd like a series of textures that really fit an apartment setting. Most FF maps are more industrial and concrete . Is it possible to better optimize textures after most of the brushwork is done? __________________ I have a nasopharyngeal and webcam... First infraction! Flaming! Last edited by zSilver_Fox; 01-18-2009 at 05:32 PM.

01-18-2009, 11:53 PM	#18
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Yay, thread's been moved! It seems that requests make it through. Anyway, work has started on the skeleton. I plan on imitating the original Axl Apartments theme with a closed off street in a city. Secrets will be included. __________________ I have a nasopharyngeal and webcam... First infraction! Flaming!

01-17-2009, 09:01 PM	#2
Sh4x Retired FF Staff Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	If I were you, I'd select an existing map with a theme that would work, decompile it and load it up in hammer. Then goto textures, check the "See already used textures only" Then I would create a number of small brushes and paint every texture used in the map on the faces. Then delete the entire map but the small brushes you created. And that would be the restriction of textures to use. People working on it would have to use textures that are already there only.

01-17-2009, 10:46 PM	#3
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Wouldn't saying "NO TEXTURES OTHER THAN WHAT COMES WITH FF BY DEFAULT" work too? Anyone who breaks that rule will have their room removed.

01-18-2009, 03:45 AM	#5
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Sure, provided you include them with your finished room. Thinking about it, custom textures will be ok too provided you send me the materials... I think. Or something along those lines. I'll throw up a set of rules with the template.

01-18-2009, 05:30 AM	#7
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Bump with template up. The doorway area was built like that in the hopes of making the room leaves isolated from the hallway leaf. Let me know how I did. EDIT: Thanks sh4x. I shall modify as such, and look into doing as you said.

01-18-2009, 05:37 AM	#8
Credge FF Loremaster Beta Tester Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 4 Times	What about changes to height? Can I make my room deeper or taller? Also, about those texture restrictions. By not going overboard on the textures you mean that we shouldn't use more than, say, 10? Or is even that too many?

01-18-2009, 05:43 AM	#9
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	12 or 13 I think would be a reasonable limit, but try to keep it below. I would do what Sh4x suggested, but I don't have a decompiler handy. You can lower the height if you wish, but I'd rather it not be raised more than 8 or 16 units.

01-18-2009, 05:45 AM	#10
Credge FF Loremaster Beta Tester Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 4 Times	Alright! Awesomeness.

01-18-2009, 06:14 AM	#11
Bridget Banned Join Date: Sep 2008 Class/Position: Soldier Gametype: AVD Affiliations: TALOS Posts Rated Helpful 5 Times	No custom textures depresses me. Defeats the whole purpose of your section of map being unqiue. /:

01-18-2009, 06:18 AM	#12
zSilver_Fox IRL Combat Medic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ethanol Land Class/Position: D Medic Gametype: Conca Jumping Affiliations: ^iv Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	See edit. Also, any suggestions for map perks and such are welcome.

01-18-2009, 06:28 AM	#13
Bridget Banned Join Date: Sep 2008 Class/Position: Soldier Gametype: AVD Affiliations: TALOS Posts Rated Helpful 5 Times	If having a ton of textures bogs down pcs, then you could always make more than one map.

01-18-2009, 11:28 PM	#17
Sh4x Retired FF Staff Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Everything is possible, it's just a matter of time.

01-20-2009, 06:34 AM	#19
Ihmhi [AE] 0112 Ihmhi SJB Wiki Team Fortress Forever Staff Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Newark, NJ, United States Class/Position: A little bit o' everythin' Gametype: Also a little bit o' everythin' Affiliations: [AE] Asseater, SJB Straight Jacket Brigade Posts Rated Helpful 3 Times	What are we going to do in these apartments? I'd like to have five respawn turrets in mine in case someone tries to break in and raid my refridgerator. __________________ Support FF: Anime: The Thread: Reloaded The one and only anime thread on these here forums. Select the pistol, and then, select your horse.

01-20-2009, 07:06 AM	#20
GeoKill-----> Community Member Server Owner Beta Tester Forum Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Hawthorne, California Class/Position: Soldier/Spy/Scout Gametype: AvD Affiliations: :e0:Eternal Order Leader Posts Rated Helpful 12 Times	You should add a door to yours Ihmhi __________________ Fortress-Forever Guides All Your Mapping Needs :e0: Will live on Forever Support FF:

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