I am restarting my project (the map formerly known as TH-Library)

[Antero90]

Right, so after many years I got really nostalgic and felt like trying to do the map I wanted to do so long ago.

Unfortunatley I can no longuer use the name I intented. But no worries, congratulations to the creators of TH-Library. I will consider a new name once it gets turned into a proper map.

Why I am doing this? Because I have this bad habit of finishing things. I wrote that I would do this map and do it I shall. So in homage to the game I am playing now this project will be known as TH-DNF until a new and proper name shows up.

There are a few obstacles, I lost the partial maps many years ago. But I consider that minor. I had few skecthes around that I am sure I scanned and I fail to find the backup CD I still have much of the ideas fresh on my head.

To start I shall install TuT once more, OS is no problem since I made the (sound) decision of dual booting my desktop with Windows XP and the later flavour, but if I can I will try to install TuT in Windows 7 so that I can work on the map on the laptop as well.

The aproach will be (for now) the same as in 2002, I will draw the maps of each floor on papper and then try to build each one of them individually.
I will start at the general geometry and then go the stuff like carpets. I intend to test the map at each stage, final bit will adding the AI. My idea is to completly build each floor before starting another. At the end I will try to merge the floors.

I am still aiming at a 3 storie building, the 2 lower floors would be the usually stuff already found in other missions and the top floor is what I consider the core of the map and it may well be the biggest issue, I am saving it for last. All other stuff is still subject to revision but as for now the map is aimed at being about action indoors with a area outside for a couple entry points.

Back then Ued was kinda scary, I remeber asking for help to someone to build a part of the map. It took me some time to understand the whole carve and shape stuff but now that I am older and there are tons of videos I am more confident, getting the AI stuff is probably the last obstacle.

I will continue to post updates about progress, issues and whatever I feel sharing. Today is dedicated at installing and backup hunting, current ETA for the overall project is none.

Oh, and tips coments are more then welcome, but do not expect payment

[FatRatHead]

Welcome back, cadet.

[Antero90]

First update.
I found the backup CD, I got all the drawings back except the UED tests. To my surprise the CD even contained some random text I had written for books.
So I got the basics, time to install TuT. Any issues with Windows 7?

[NeuroFunkeR]

First update.
Any issues with Windows 7?

not at all, it didn't work for me with ThAux.exe and thaux.ini for some reason, so i had to use unrealtournament.exe instead, but after reinstalling windows, everything is working as it should.

Btw.I was one of comakers of Th-Library actually.

And yes, good luck with your map!

[FatRatHead]

Works in Win 7 for me without any modifications or hassle.
Happy mappin'

[Antero90]

Small sidenote.

I found some more stuff on the CD, one of them is, I think a darkengine to ut mission converter. If anyone wants it feel free to ask.

[WTaFa]

Small sidenote.

I found some more stuff on the CD, one of them is, I think a darkmod to ut mission converter. If anyone wants it feel free to ask.

sounds interesting!
can you give a link and some additional info about it?

[Antero90]

sounds interesting!
can you give a link and some additional info about it?

Sorry, for some stupid reason I mistyped, its not darkmod, its darkengine. Aparently its a set of scripts to be used with pearl, im not sure where I found them, but I do remember testing this and it kinda works, the converter only translates geometry all else needs to be redone manually. From memory I recall testing the chatedral level and it got halved in size. Im not sure if further work was done, this got into my hands around the time of Thief 3.

[BrokenArts]

Welcome back Antero!

[Gaelwyhn]

Yes. Welcome back to the dark shroud we call a brotherhood.

[Keggie]

cool, post pic's of the map in the making

[Antero90]

cool, post pic's of the map in the making

This was taken while testing the 2d shape editor, more will follow once I got some stuff to show.

Right now im relearning the basics of UED, im less rusty than I thought, just need to get the hang of that rotating tool and keep adding lights. I also need to recheck my numbers, my original measurings are very muddy.

I am still looking at my notes and drawings and it's insane the amount of stuff I tried to do. I also realised that I did not map the outisde area AND there are about 5 or 6 empty rooms! I already have an idea for those. Tragically, one of the prototypes that a fellow taffer did for me was the outside area but I have no idea where that map could be.

Once I get the basic operation back on track I plan on building two test rooms. This map project is built around corridors and its critical that those corridors have the right size, this test map will also serve for learning the best way to add everything else that isnt walls. I will do some cheating and look at some maps on how to add the decorations I planned.

[NeuroFunkeR]

you could make the brush so long as this corridor itself, no need to substract it trice.

[Antero90]

you could make the brush so long as this corridor itself, no need to substract it trice.

You just confirmed my suspicion that longuer is better. Anyway, its not quite apliable on that shot, you cant see it from that perspective but it's actually 3 (slightly) diferent brushes. I think I got that size right now, just trying to figure out the best overall lenght, once that is done it's down to carving and placing stuff. (May need to read more about ambient light, I forgot everything about this part, so imagine my horror when I fired up a completly pitch black map)

Im taking this time at work to write the rest of the back story (it's amazing how the background is still very fresh in my head).

The only downside of the 2d shape editor is that I always get stuck with it at the top perspective and it's still a pain to rotate the whole thing.

Another thing I noticed is that the editor divides two sides of the square faces. I read that you can do this in various ways, but what is the best fix for these situations?

[Schleicher]

If you dont see all parts of a big brush at once it can be beneficial to make several smaller ones, since the engine wont render the parts which are hidden from view - moreso if its something complex - in the case of your corridor there it wont help since youll always see everything of it. Dunno anymore if that applies with or without zoning.

At least thats bsp theory as far as i remember

2dshape is pretty powerful but dont go overboard with it. Best make everything you do with it semisolid and theres also some option with merging faces or something i cant remember which also helps performance. Iirc theres some option somewhere which dictates on which plane the shape you draw gets rotated or something, just experiment.