Lionhardt's WIP Mapping Thread

[Franck83]

I see, cool. But unfortunately this is no use as long as custom resources are not supported by the client.

(the images don't show, btw.)

Why custom resources are not supported? I'm now finishing custom files support in editor.

try these links:
https://slack-files.com/T02T320UA-F5TKNJWFR-6b9fc6f061
https://slack-files.com/T02T320UA-F5TK46DPY-7024b06811

Yeah, it really add deepness ! very nice ozonex ! Can you do it to bake ambient occlusion for props ?

[ozonex]

But the FAF client does not support them. They need to be placed in the gamedata folder, afaik.

Why? Look at Adaptive Theta Passage, it uses custom decals and it works fine. Path to custom assets need to starts with maps/[mapFolderName]/ and then game loads them from map folder just fine. I'm only not sure if props can be done like that, because they are blueprints, not textures.

Yeah, it really add deepness ! very nice ozonex ! Can you do it to bake ambient occlusion for props ?

Well, depend if You can somehow export props to external tools.

In other hand loading map to my editor is loading whole map to Unity Editor. If you find something that can bake AO at runtime then it can be used to bake AO for whole map.

[Lionhardt]

Path to custom assets need to starts with maps/[mapFolderName]/ and then game loads them from map folder just fine

Woah didn't know. Guess I will experiment with custom textures later today.

[Franck83]

I will see if I can do something about that glossiness.

I think you can introduce some diversity in relief proportion or some big point of interest.

I don't understand. Can you rephrase that? You are talking about gameplay related heightmap stuff, right?

upload picture

It 's about gestalt design principes. Look at the first one, this is fragmented with no whole sensation. The second one give better the sensation of a good global form, a sensation of closure and emergence.

The different map parts should be connected to give the sensation on a whole, a global good form. In this design gestalt example, all parts contribute to a whole form, so this give a sensation of unity and fulfillment.



Hope this help !

[Franck83]

I would add, that in the first map, there are very different forms (Hexa, round, curves), so they do not blend well together (design principe of similarity). In the second one, there a same sense of heightmap sharpness (a good point that increase blendess). Baren lakes have similar forms (a good point too).

[Lionhardt]

What does the image of the deer demonstrate?

What I understand you are saying is that Hex. Drylands has no visual focal points and is visually too homogenous. Is that, what you are saying?

I disagree on the forms though. I think straight edges complement the round forms quite well here.

[Franck83]

What does the image of the deer demonstrate?

An application of design rules, the whole form and principe of similarity. You can say a point of interest but you can make other application of this principe.

This is not theorical, this how our brain feel about design structures. All of this is applied in art (logo design, architecture....)

[Lionhardt]

But I find that deer picture very ugly

[Exotic_Retard]

i dont mind it. Why? well he is designing a map and not a logo, and just like architecture is not experienced in 2d, neither is his map - maps are supposed to be played, so the most important thing imo is the gameplay. but the visuals are also experienced differently - for a start most of the time you see not the whole map but a part of it and it seems to look nice from there, so whatever.

Design rules share some characteristics across the things youre designing but you gotta remember that they arent exactly the same. Imo you wont get great designs if you forget that.

[Lionhardt]

That's actually a good point. I can see Hex. Drylands not having a visual point of interest/ visual focal point when looking at the whole map. But when zooming in, the map is quite detailed and has many focal points per screen area at higher zoom levels.

But I will keep this in mind. It is a good critique. That whole forms and similarity thing does not work for me though. I like contrasting forms.