[WIP] [WIP] emanci-lasers
lasers + cube + sphere + grills = cake
File Name: emanci-lasers.7z
File Size: 798.06 KiB
Click here to download emanci-lasers
Very simple map with some misaligned textures. The faith plate looks mostly black, and the elevators need some lighting work.
The sphere and the cube are just lying there, requiring not much effort from the player. The door could be properly fitted, in which you can simply look up how to do in on YouTube. Also note that if you fizzle the cube or the sphere, you are stuck in the level with no way out. Lighting needs some work.
Also, some indicator lights could be used to help the player to know what does what in the level. You would also need some appropriate lighting for a map, rather than just a light entity at the top set to a high number.
Not bad for a start map, but a long way away from a finished product. At least this was posted in the WIP section so you can work on it.
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Looks like this is the actually puzzle, how to solve it without getting stuck, you should have a well identified reset button or redrop those.
2/5 so far
A testament to the rule that the first thing you make in Hammer isn't always release worthy - it's fortunate that you decided to pick the work in progress section for this. There's problems with both designs and aesthetics, so I'll pick apart what needs to be focused on:
Design - Get a pad and pen or your choice of creative output. The best designers on this site put together their puzzle ideas way before they enter Hammer. Draw layouts, find what you like/dislike about your drawn layout and change accordingly. When you feel ready, build a prototype (no aesthetics) of your map and see how it plays. When that's done, start the real thing. Begin blocking, work out the puzzle parts, make it playable, then work on aesthetics. In the long run, it will get you out of the habit of making one-room maps that can be exploited in a hundred ways. (I was able to beat your map without using the cube or faith plate).
Aesthetics - Play through the campaign again and take reference photos. Badly lit rooms with one texture and shoddy brushwork isn't going to net you 5/5 ratings - you need stay to the grid, avoid holes in your map, align your textures and utilize the clipping tool.
When all is said and done, send your map to your friends and play it yourself. I highly doubt you entered your map and weren't able to see you can throw the sphere over the fizzler, port yourself to the other side and walk out the door. Play as if you were someone that just downloaded your map: try and break it. I also highly doubt you didn't notice all the problems with the brushwork.
I hope that helps so you can begin training the craft and start really working on maps. Don't give up, conquer and master it.
That's pretty much a guideline on how to approach puzzle design. Interesting to see the prototype section - I just edit the one map from start through to finish, but I think your way would work better. That post deserves:
For being utterly, utterly awesome in every way.
And on to my understanding of what needs to be done to this map:
1) Add a autorespawn enable i/o to the ball dropper, assuming it's an instance. If it's not an instance... change it to an instance? They might be confusing to use at first, but they make life SO MUCH EASIER.
2) Add a roof over the bit with the ball. It tricks players into thinking they can fling the ball over the fizzler, which is easier said than done. I couldn't do it, but then, I'm not an expert at flings.
3) Make the room either smaller, or add in toxic goo. I'm not joking - large rooms don't really make sense without it and faith plates. You've got one of the two... add the other, or bring the ceiling down. And bringing the ceilinng down would be great anyway, because that's a lot of wasted space which doesn't look great.
Potential way of adding goo and making it less breakable?:
Of course, you can feel free to not do this at all; it's just a suggestion, but one I hope will make you think a bit about ways to improve this puzzles looks and gameplay.
4) Align the textures on the brushes around the faithplate. I hate how many times I say this in comments, but it's true - they need aligning.
5) On a similar note, decorating the walls would look nice. Check out GLaDOS Clean Chambers on post48412.html?hilit=styles#p48412 for tips on wall styling.
I hope this helps you, and whatever you do to update, I look forward to seeing the next version of this map.
Thanks for all of the help, guys. I think the cube does auto-respawn, but I have found that the sphere does not respawn. I cannot figure out how to fix the faith plate. All of the other plates I have made textured fine, but I have had a problem with this one. I am starting to work on indicator lights, realigning the textures, adding more of a challenge, and making sure the cube spawns further away from the cube button, and the sphere and cube respawning, and adding some goo.
just a quick headds up, theres something wrong with the elevator...it gets to the top then you just fall down the shaft again onto the elevator, which then takes you back up and the loop continues. nothing else i can add that hasnt already been said, just keep trying and youll get there.
I think in terms of boolean variables. Generally, it makes things easier.
That is probably because I used just my bsp instead of a vpk with my elevator_motifs. I modified that file, so it works for me.