L4D: Apartment Bldg. #1

[Blacksheepboy]

Map scene is at night. On the horizon is traces of light pollution. Vague stars shine up above, and there is a crescent moon in the sky.

For survival mode to function throughout the whole L4D zombie map, the whole map is going to be split up into 4-5 separate sections. After finishing with this sub-section, there will be a point at which you will switch to the next sub-section (rather like loading a new area in a game).

Apartment buildings = fewer but fresher zombies. This will be the beginning stage -  thus the easiest.  Rather, an introduction to surprises you can be sure to await.

Splitting up the whole map the way I've described allows for more detail to go into each sub-section. This will allow me to darken areas with no-collide polygons, and not strike into some insane # of polygons.

Progress is gradually being made. Thanks to Kinkynoob, they will be scenery within the near future. As you can see, he's already almost finished the main background to the apartments. I left the old screenshots for comparison.

Who would have thought that this map would still be unfinished haha! And I promised at least 4 maps for a map pack

I was inspired recently by the Zombie RPG server [Hacktank's] to pick this old man up again. It seems like the server is a promising place for people who want their Zombie/Infiltration maps to be played. I'd recommend it - to anyone who's got some INF/CTF maps hiding in storage - to contact Hacktank about hosting your map if it's zombie-worthy; or, try out the server. It's a pretty fun script.

But, without further ado, a new version. This version is FULLY FUNCTIONAL AT LAST! but the flag positions are currently temporary.

   

Download Beta 3

[DarkCrusade]

Hmmm. why didnt you wait till you got a sketch or sth else?

[Blacksheepboy]

Because I liked my ideas... guess I jumped the gun a little, as I still do not have the sketch done  ):

I think I try to think things through too hard; I've dissected what my ideas - on how the map will be laid out - in my head so many times that there's nothing left but paste.

Maybe I'll just start mapping and see where it takes me.  I don't like doing that anymore though...

[Kinky noob]

I totaly get the idea of this, and i love it. But why copy what they have, i could always make a jungle version, or a even a desert version. Taking the aspect to another level and mabey even creating a new type of co-op experince. What if we could alter the game-type to be that of only certain guns that would relate to the settings and so forth.

[tehsnipah]

It's going great! Keep it up boy!

Also, about that map change idea.... BRILLIANT

But it does mean that the map goes in order, right? No random bullshit. I also have an idea for this, players CANNOT change the god damned map.

[Blacksheepboy]

Updated progress.  Screenshot in first post.


As you can see, I am trying to have different possible ways of descending down the building.  Some of the separations in staircases to the right will have "locked doors" between them, thus forcing the players to make their way across the floor they're on.

[Dragstie]

i like the way youve made the stairs

but be carefully with thoose thin polygons in the right side they may appear buggy:(

[tehsnipah]

Mm, a bit choppy, but it's going to work. I like it. Maybe you can make the map bigger...

[Blacksheepboy]

Well, still comin' together.

The comment at the bottom of screenshot... I'm not sure where I should make the path go next, or I could just leave it as an option to the player...?  They would both eventually go to the same place (hospital, or to the subway system).

FYI: I'll eventually change the texture.

[Mercury92]

Nice Map. Again L4D continues. =)
When are you planning to finish?

[p0ppin]

This doesn't exactly pertain to this specific map, but you should add a bit more orange to the background color after each subsequent map, kinda like a "dawn is approaching" feel to the series .

[Blacksheepboy]

Added a nifty sewers as a functioning path to the other side of the apartment building.  This is not going to be the sewers map for this whole map pack.

Screenshots uploaded in top post.


Fyi, I'm going to be bumping this thread until this map is almost complete.

[tehsnipah]

Extremely great. I like your mapping skills.

Although it seems a bit small, it's possible to push players easily.

[Blacksheepboy]

^update with screenshots^

[DarkCrusade]

Looks damn good, keep this stuff up to date and work a bit more on it. I don´t know for how long this project is going, but it is a long time since first arrival

[blackdevil0742]

Looks really good :3

[Blacksheepboy]

HALF A YEAR LATER

"Hi, I'm a half-dead map that was promised to have 3 siblings by now. Where are they? More importantly, WHERE AM I?!" - Sincerely, the L4D map itself

Anyway, if you want to check out a more-frequently-updated thread: I SHOULD BE IN THE LOONY BIN

PS. the top post is updated with screenshots and moar lulz.

[darDar]

lol looks close to a map im currently on.

[Blacksheepboy]

uuh, have no desire/inspiration to continue work for the next day er two. currently doing a lot of side projects, one of them being trying to get Source SDK to work so I can start work 3D mapping for various source games.

i guess I don't consider this directly working on it, but I'll also draw-on-paper various designs for the end portion.

but, I've found that I can't force myself to work on something when I care about it's final release. I don't want to work on the last section just to redo it for something i've thought up out of inspiration or whatever. the burning-room idea is something I still want to carry out (details on one of the new screenshots), but where and how do I put this room somewhere when the map length is fairly decent? plus fitting in a burning room...? another apartment? house? maybe a store? maybe I'll try a gas station! who knows

hmm. and plus, the graphics are heavily lacking in terms of my vision for this, but the only way I see "my vision" being accomplished is if I poly-shaded everything, but the map already has over 1000 polygons! I can't really have the fluorescent lights in the apartment giving off any "light" if I don't have "dynamic" poly-shadows at my disposal. It would look like crap if I used scenery-shadowing.. or maybe not, but I don't have good ideas regarding scenery-shadowing

Update News:

• The one thing I did do today was to make Alpha wpts. So, whenever the next update comes around, you can have some bots help you out.
  
• Did a polygon-shading test with simply giant dark squares covering the interiors: screenshot
• Made the core for the burning room I mention in the first new screenshot/sketch, yay! I have a clearer sketch down on paper lol, Figured that it's best to sketch ideas down on paper when inspired, and then when you aren't inspired, you can still use the sketch to make worth-while progress.

Reference pic for flames: Propane tank on fire

But now it's time to get Windows 95 working on a virtual machine! Yay...