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Mapping / Re: KI113R’s Deathmatch Mapping Competition - Discussion and Review Board
« Last post by KI113R on May 01, 2021, 05:40:35 PM »WaterCave is an ambitiously large, mostly terrain map from LR7.
Still within the limits of a size 10 map and originally larger before I reminded him that size 10 was the limit. Is going this big going to pay off?
Doing terrain in Sauer is notoriously tedious and difficult to master. With only a few, the likes of Misan, Nieb and Redon able to master it and make it look easy. While yes, there is a tool to make that a bit easier, that tool has limits and you won't find any of the masters using it. Unfortunately, LR7 has found many of the limits that height mapping has. Squared off transitions, broken and high tension cubes, varying grid powers, jagged edges and so on. Some of these issues can be solved with a little manual labor when using height map sparingly. This map does not use height map sparingly and any issues that could have been corrected end up taking more time in the end than just creating terrain cube by cube.
Here is one such example of the kind of errors that exist throughout the map because of the heavy reliance on height mapping.
Now not every map needs to have buttery smooth terrain like Gorge or OW. The jagged edges of the map could be attributed to an artistic choice for a more natural-looking stone. However, I would argue that there is still nothing quite natural about it. There are ways to make a natural, jagged-looking stone without such hash and pointy geometry. Not too common in Sauer but it has been done before successfully.
The best place to show the unnatural look to it is at the mouth of the cave.
Outside of that, it's even a bit difficult to consider the map "finished" with as many completely untouched or missing cubes that there are.
At some point I have to stop pointing out issues. There are light errors, even with only 12 lights. There are 3 health boosts, 3 quad damages and only 2 bases. There are floating map models. There are theme inconsistencies and more. To show examples for all of them would be overkill at this stage.
I think that I have to consider this map unfinished. LR7's vision here is better suited as an artistic concept map. Even then it is a long way from being done. There is a lot that still needs to be done and fixed. I give him credit for working hard to turn in something at all when so many others didn't. However, the choice to create something so large and with mostly terrain, and using outdated editing techniques did not pay off.
It is not my goal to crush this map with this review. Lr7 has a great eye for things. It's just possible that a timed competition with its rules was not a great setting for this creation. I think this could even be expanded on with more time to an interesting race map or art piece.
Still within the limits of a size 10 map and originally larger before I reminded him that size 10 was the limit. Is going this big going to pay off?
Doing terrain in Sauer is notoriously tedious and difficult to master. With only a few, the likes of Misan, Nieb and Redon able to master it and make it look easy. While yes, there is a tool to make that a bit easier, that tool has limits and you won't find any of the masters using it. Unfortunately, LR7 has found many of the limits that height mapping has. Squared off transitions, broken and high tension cubes, varying grid powers, jagged edges and so on. Some of these issues can be solved with a little manual labor when using height map sparingly. This map does not use height map sparingly and any issues that could have been corrected end up taking more time in the end than just creating terrain cube by cube.
Here is one such example of the kind of errors that exist throughout the map because of the heavy reliance on height mapping.
Now not every map needs to have buttery smooth terrain like Gorge or OW. The jagged edges of the map could be attributed to an artistic choice for a more natural-looking stone. However, I would argue that there is still nothing quite natural about it. There are ways to make a natural, jagged-looking stone without such hash and pointy geometry. Not too common in Sauer but it has been done before successfully.
The best place to show the unnatural look to it is at the mouth of the cave.
Outside of that, it's even a bit difficult to consider the map "finished" with as many completely untouched or missing cubes that there are.
At some point I have to stop pointing out issues. There are light errors, even with only 12 lights. There are 3 health boosts, 3 quad damages and only 2 bases. There are floating map models. There are theme inconsistencies and more. To show examples for all of them would be overkill at this stage.
I think that I have to consider this map unfinished. LR7's vision here is better suited as an artistic concept map. Even then it is a long way from being done. There is a lot that still needs to be done and fixed. I give him credit for working hard to turn in something at all when so many others didn't. However, the choice to create something so large and with mostly terrain, and using outdated editing techniques did not pay off.
It is not my goal to crush this map with this review. Lr7 has a great eye for things. It's just possible that a timed competition with its rules was not a great setting for this creation. I think this could even be expanded on with more time to an interesting race map or art piece.
but there's been good progress". And I can confirm. While I didn't have any of the custom textures or models yet, what could be seen of the terrain looked very complete and polished. 
