Project Aftershock

[legionaire45]

All your terrain needs fixing, it looks terrible. Not enough shown to comment on at the moment.

-Textures are bad, mix them up a bit.
-You have pure green grass growing out of sand
-Terrain is terrible, looks like it was randomly generated with CE2
-You have no real defined shapes to your terrain, looks like a bunch of jagged frequency waves
-You need a concept
-There's so much you can do in CE2, right now it looks like it's heading in a typical crysis shit jungle island map

Search the internet for terrain and environment ideas.

-snip-

-snip-
Normal map. Detail maps. Diffuse map. Reflection maps. Specular map. ETC.

Start over. I offered you insight, you need to research on your own to if you're taking something seriously. Which I doubt you are because no one in their right mind would think what you posted is quality work.

Start over. I offered you insight, you need to research on your own to if you're taking something seriously. Which I doubt you are because no one in their right mind would think what you posted is quality work.

A) This site has a tutorial section with next gen art asset stuff.
I know this i have put a few tutorials there myself
That was in reference to the high poly stuff btw. You might want to actually read some of those tutorials since you know that the section is there.
B) You have access to the entire god damn internet. Is it really that hard to google around for some tutorials?
No i've been reading those tutorials and apparently i am wrong for following them thus needing clarification
No, you aren't wrong for following them. You aren't wrong for anything. You just aren't taking criticism the right way. Crit isn't a personal attack, it's an attempt to point out what is wrong with your work. That is what everyone in this thread was doing until you start flipping out.
C) You're asking Modacity a question specifically aimed at modding Cryengine 2... How many Crysis maps have been premiered on this site again? How many times have they been seriously downloaded?
I made the topic as a showcase at first but after several of you started bitching like school children i decided i may as well ask what needs fixing, and thus far the only useful thing i got was start over.
You say otherwise earlier. Additionally, why would you premiere this with two poorly angled screenshots showing off almost nothing?
D) Listen to Mech
i would love to but so far all i've got is that its shit and i should start over
wrong.
E) Listen to Disaster
F) Listen to Inferno
oh right, i should work on a mod for halo which i have done for years and have gotten pretty bored off
Referring to his comment about your lack of normal, specular and other maps. Consider he has actually released maps that people have liked, you might want to take his advice regarding that. Also, learn to tell when someone is being sarcastic.
G) Learn the editor before you try to make a map. I don't mean just the how; I'm referring to the why as well.
I have been learning the editor
You're focusing on the how, not the why. From what I can tell, you're getting so wrapped up in wanting to know how to "make pretty terrain" when you should be focusing on learning which tools are good for what situations. You say that one of your problems is that you can't get the tools to work for your particular map - that sounds like inexperience more than it sounds like the editor being flawed.
H) Make something simple like a basic forest/beach combat map. Something small, something easy to make and easy to test. Learn how to do different things. Maybe throw some models into it. Release it and get some feedback. Build off of that experience. Basically, learn to walk before you try to run a marathon.
I am learning to walk but apparently everyone seems intent on pulling my feet from beneath me.
You are trying to learn to walk by running a marathon. No one is intent on pulling your feet from underneath you - you just don't like being told that your work needs serious improvement.

Again, I advise that you try something more basic before you try and make some gigantic lake level.

Most of all, calm down and actually listen to what people are saying. If Mech says it sucks, it sucks. He told you a bit about why it sucked. Address that.
Did you not even read what i've been saying?
I've been asking how to improve and all i've been getting is hurr go unreal and hurr it sucks fix it, if someone doe's not know how to fix something then how do you expect them to fix what needs fixing?
Seriously its like telling someone to put a clockwork watch together and not giving them the instructions.
I am very serious on this i want to learn how to make the terrains look half decent but all i've heard is fix it and start over.
Infact ive got the crymod wiki page as my home page i use it that often but apparently using the terrain generator is wrong and so is making the terrain using the modify tab.
Again, we've told you some of the problems with it. You aren't listening.

You need to learn the basic concepts before you can move on to more advanced topics. When reading through those tutorials, did you actually try creating the terrain and stuff in the tutorials? After following the tutorials, did you try playing around with tools and seeing what you can do with them? Have you spent time outside of the tutorials playing with settings and trying to see how things in the editor outside of what is listed in the tutorials work?

Just because I have the Source SDK Wiki page as my homepage doesn't mean I know how to do anything in Source. You need to practice to become good.

Seriously what is so fucking hard for someone to give some hints at what needs fixing.

What is so hard about - I don't know, listening to people's advice?

So far the only useful thing i got was start over, well if i start over what is going to stop me from making the same mistake again and wasting my time because no one is willing to point out to me where im going wrong?

I don't know, the fact that several others have actually pointed out what could be improved?

Your all so willing to say its wrong fix it but you wont say what needs to be fixed and what went wrong in the process.

...

Oh, and it's "You're" btw.

So far i've been talking to a few other crysis modders for help but none of them seem to know what i should do to my terrain and so i posted here to get mechs attention.

If you want to continue to ignore the stuff that Mech and others have pointed out, you can always go to other places that actually have a significant modding presence like mapcore, fpsb, or whatever.

So far all it's been is a very fruitless thread where a bunch of condecending people have replied but wont acknowledge they haven't read the entire thread.

Actually, the thread was going fine until about...here.

I have read through all of the stuff here but i could not generate a terrain that fitted the concept i want to work on and so i had to use the terrain modify tool which is probably why half the terrain dosnt seem to have much definition.

What you have shown looks like little more than a flat floor surrounded by an ocean and some meh looking mountains to the side. What may help is if you post any concepts you have along with other shots of the map or even the map file itself.

I'm not all that familiar with CE2 but I know that it uses height maps and voxels for terrain. What you have shown really doesn't demonstrate much use either in any meaningful way. Give that document you posted another read through and maybe try some other ones as well. The tools are never going to limit you if you can figure out creative solutions to get around whatever limitations are there. Considering you can make entire island chains using CE2, I doubt that the tools are at fault here.

Your beach shot looks like it could be decent but your bloom is so excessive that it's hard to see exactly what is going on - maybe take a couple more shots of different areas so we can see what your map actually looks like.

Regarding the tools - you need to figure some things out for yourself through trial and error. The world isn't here to serve you tutorials and tell you precisely how to fix every little detail; you are going to have to get your hands dirty and figure some things out for yourself. Other artists give you crit because they want to, not because you demand it. It doesn't help that you've picked an engine that isn't used by that many people. That means more stuff to figure out.

The other thing, which I think more people were commenting on, are your models. IIRC, those are the ones that you aren't going to do any texture work in photoshop or anything on right? There are tons of free alternatives, just google around. If you have problems because the UI is different and you can't follow tutorials or whatever, then find a photoshop skin for you editor.

If you aren't going to take advantage of normal mapping, specular mapping, etc. than why are you using this engine again? You could put those models into something like Source and maybe get away with it. If you really want to put those models into Crysis you are going to need to do something about your models. They need way more polygons (thousands more), more shader effects, everything. Otherwise they are going to turn out terrible and make all your other work look bad.

Yes, that means watching some 3ds tutorials and, yes, starting over. Its way easier to start anew then it is to fix something that is beyond broken. Most of the models I have posted here have been my 2nd or 3rd attempts at that particular model.

[=sw=warlord]

What is so hard about - I don't know, listening to people's advice?
I have done actualy, i've talking to several other people not just on this forum


I don't know, the fact that several others have actually pointed out what could be improved?
At first all it was, was hurr its shit start over, you didnt help much yourself, ive taken what neuro said into consideration and am reworking a mass majority of what i have.

...

Oh, and it's "You're" btw.
Oh, and it's "by the way", if your going to correct someone with something so trivial at least do it properly..


If you want to continue to ignore the stuff that Mech and others have pointed out, you can always go to other places that actually have a significant modding presence like mapcore, fpsb, or whatever.
I've not ignored, when people suddenly scream blood and shout hurr its shit im going to ask exactly what needs fixing i said in the very first post that if something needed pointing out do so.


Actually, the thread was going fine until about...here.
No not really.


What you have shown looks like little more than a flat floor surrounded by an ocean and some meh looking mountains to the side. What may help is if you post any concepts you have along with other shots of the map or even the map file itself.
I would love to scan in the concept drawing's ive made but for one reason or another i cannot for the life of me find the correct drivers for the scanner.

I'm not all that familiar with CE2 but I know that it uses height maps and voxels for terrain. What you have shown really doesn't demonstrate much use either in any meaningful way. Give that document you posted another read through and maybe try some other ones as well. The tools are never going to limit you if you can figure out creative solutions to get around whatever limitations are there. Considering you can make entire island chains using CE2, I doubt that the tools are at fault here.

Your beach shot looks like it could be decent but your bloom is so excessive that it's hard to see exactly what is going on - maybe take a couple more shots of different areas so we can see what your map actually looks like.
Would a video recorded and uploaded to youtube suffice?
Maybe it will help give some representation of what i am aiming for.

Regarding the tools - you need to figure some things out for yourself through trial and error. The world isn't here to serve you tutorials and tell you precisely how to fix every little detail; you are going to have to get your hands dirty and figure some things out for yourself. Other artists give you crit because they want to, not because you demand it. It doesn't help that you've picked an engine that isn't used by that many people. That means more stuff to figure out.
It's a shame not so many people use this engine as it doe's have quite a few nice features and a reasonably well packed out editing kit.
I have been learning by trial and error on alot of this and only posted my progress now because i felt like i had gotten to a reasonably good level as i knew it is never a good idea to show first projects and better to wait a while and actualy have something to show.

The other thing, which I think more people were commenting on, are your models. IIRC, those are the ones that you aren't going to do any texture work in photoshop or anything on right? There are tons of free alternatives, just google around. If you have problems because the UI is different and you can't follow tutorials or whatever, then find a photoshop skin for you editor.
Me and a friend will be working on this together, i do the modeling and unwrapping he doe's the texturing, he doe's graphics design as a job so im looking forward to a few thing's in the works.

If you aren't going to take advantage of normal mapping, specular mapping, etc. than why are you using this engine again? You could put those models into something like Source and maybe get away with it. If you really want to put those models into Crysis you are going to need to do something about your models. They need way more polygons (thousands more), more shader effects, everything. Otherwise they are going to turn out terrible and make all your other work look bad.
Because out of personal prefference i hate the source engine, everything feels like it is made out of cardboard and seems like a cheap alternative.
I've wanted to make a map for Crysis ever since i found out it was possible, i don't do it because im asked to i do it because thats what i want to see in a mod for crysis.
I could put it into Halo or any source game but to be quite frank i've modded halo since late 04 and im extremely bored with it now there has to be a time you stop kicking the dead and rotting muel.

Yes, that means watching some 3ds tutorials and, yes, starting over. Its way easier to start anew then it is to fix something that is beyond broken. Most of the models I have posted here have been my 2nd or 3rd attempts at that particular model.
I've been investing in various hardback books and been getting refferences of others books fron snafubar and looking them up online, as i said ive also been posting a tutorial or two into the tutorial section that i've found helped me.

I hope that explains a few things.

[SnaFuBAR]

You are going to want to really REALLY up-res your halo theme assets. Nothing from their universe is really detailed all that much that you can take advantage of what this engine offers. All of their assets are so simplistic you could really keep it in any other engine and it wouldn't matter. Either really get aggressive with the details or just move away from halo theme. You're not going to be able to fulfill this with halo assets.

[=sw=warlord]

You are going to want to really REALLY up-res your halo theme assets. Nothing from their universe is really detailed all that much that you can take advantage of what this engine offers. All of their assets are so simplistic you could really keep it in any other engine and it wouldn't matter. Either really get aggressive with the details or just move away from halo theme. You're not going to be able to fulfill this with halo assets.

I know and that's why ive been making my own assets, albeit halo themed, such as the spartan and monitor.

[SnaFuBAR]

yeah but the thing is that the designs of the halo universe really don't even require that many polies... i mean, 50% of MC's armor is angled plates, and the monitor is an arrangement of spheres. The only thing really worth high-resing is covenant equipment...

[=sw=warlord]

yeah but the thing is that the designs of the halo universe really don't even require that many polies... i mean, 50% of MC's armor is angled plates, and the monitor is an arrangement of spheres. The only thing really worth high-resing is covenant equipment...

Yeah but there have been simular thing's done in the past with halo CE, i seem to remember a few people were working on a Marathon mod and marathon was mostly sprites for the enemies and various other things.
I might make some covenant equipment or bipeds at some point but for now this is more of a learning experience and a bit of entertainment.

[mech]

When I get some time i'll make a piece of halo architecture and stick it in CE2 to see how it'll look.

[SnaFuBAR]

Yeah but there have been simular thing's done in the past with halo CE, i seem to remember a few people were working on a Marathon mod and marathon was mostly sprites for the enemies and various other things.
I might make some covenant equipment or bipeds at some point but for now this is more of a learning experience and a bit of entertainment.

I think that's the problem with your mindset. Taking 2d sprites and turning them to 3d assets is nothing remotely close to taking 3d low res/past gen assets and moving them into a current gen engine while keeping the past gen techniques.

As it stands, you're currently relying on the engine to make the statement rather than your assets. Your assets have absolutely no depth to them. They're low res meshes with AO and diffuse. You really gotta strive and do a LOT better than that for it to be worthwhile to even learn CE2's EK.

[Higuy]

When I get some time i'll make a piece of halo architecture and stick it in CE2 to see how it'll look.

It's going to look fine, you know that too. The kid is being ignorant. Listen to the people, there actually giving you crit, and have been telling you what to fix the entire time. cry engine does wonders if you know what your doing with it.
Oh, and, forerunner looks fine in ce2. (model by mass)

welp.

[SnaFuBAR]

If by fine you mean looks just like it would in halo ce because there are no normal maps then yeah i guess so. Any engine can render a gray object with mostly perpendicular faces.

Again, this misses the point of current gen art techniques going into a current gen engine. You did the same thing as warlord.

Welp.