I started this JA CTF project back in August 2005, and, over the course of more than a year, I focused on mapping this map. Its a fairly detailed and expansive (the area of the map is very large) between 2 bases. Its an asymmetric CTF map, meaning that the two bases are very different in style and shape. Unfortunately, I'm in college right now and really do not have the time to invest into this project much. Also, I don't have a powerful computer (instead, a slow laptop) with me in the dorms that could compile the huge lightmap I need (my desktop I have at home even has trouble with 1 GB of RAM). Anyway, here's the screenshots (if you look closely, you can see I used some of MaDa's textures)!

Blue base!






Outside of blue base

A building in the "neutral zone", between the red and blue base lands.


Red base!







(MaDa's vending machine is seen below)


Outside red base



I'm planning to work on final touches over Thanksgiving break (possibly releasing it for Massassi) when I'm at home with my desktop. But if I can't finish, the map would have to wait for long weeks again. I'm not sure if I can load up JA and level files on my college's fast computers, but odds are, I won't be able. Maybe I can send my level to one of you guys who has a good computer to do the compiling work?
Not sure what more to say. I can show more of the map if anyone asks, but it has to wait till Weds.

Looks cool.

Wow. I really like the contrast between the red and blue bases.

Pleeeeeeeeeease ditch the Arial type on the signs. [url]www.dafont.com[/url] is a good place to go look for fonts, arial doesnt look professional or industrial enough for that map.

Not bad. Needs better lighting compiles though, and the sign textures are fugly looking. :0

I've never understood how one font can possibly be so much better than another and can never fathom why people whine about it so much.

That map is awesome, Echoman. Awesome.

That's pretty damn awesome.

I could probably compile it, but I couldn't actually play it.

Arial is for losers.

( If the above text is in Arial, it means you suck too. )

Yeah, I agree, there really is no distinctive difference between fonts.

Because it is incredibly important. While you may not really notice it, there is a difference between using Arial and Helvetica.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typography

I'm not "whining," Im suggesting what I thought would look better.

If hes going to have signs up, those signs might as well look as good and fit in with the theme, or am i wrong?

Please explain how the letters don't fit in with the theme of the map.

Okay so here is my summary of what I personally see the map theme as:

Red base:
Industrial
Factory setting
Warehouse
Construction
Not very modern.

Blue base:
Modern
clean
loading docks here too.


The big red logo he has on the outside of the red base fits because the type is all capitalized and are individually lit letters. It reminds me of the way most large factories have their names displayed.

For the blue base my suggestion would be a modern font, especially since its being displayed on a screen.

For the company logo something similar to these I think would look better:
http://www.dafont.com/labtop.font?text=Blue+Viper+Industries
http://www.dafont.com/roadway.font?text=Blue+Viper+Industries
http://www.dafont.com/jefferies.font?text=Blue+Viper+Industries


And for the LCD banners, maybe a pixel font?

lol, what is a 'modern' font and how do you know one when you see one?

Looks spanky.

I dont know why you're laughing, font choice is an important part of design.


This is Trajan Pro. It has a more classical design because of the serifs.
http://www.linotype.com/1547/trajan-family.html?PHPSESSID=d316770e56e255cb28cb56345ff6698c


This is Helvetica. It is used a lot for all sorts of more "modern" designs.
Even the examples show it used in a design about Technology
http://www.linotype.com/526/helvetica-family.html

It also depends on what style you're going for. Some serif fonts look more art deco, while others are simply boring (arial) or overused (comic sans).

There's a reason they're called level artists or designers and not level technicians. Everything matters. Font is very important in the same way any other shape in a level, or texture color, or little theme-related objects are.

Looks like an awesome level!

How can you tell a 'modern' painting from a 'classical' one? Answer: you study the subject first

If the painting consists of three lines and the artist gives a long winded speech about how it portrays the tremors in the depths of his soul, it's modern. =D

Yeah. I need a better computer to handle better lighting.


It seems the font is causing some issues (too much of an issue?). Fortunately, the fonts on the signs is relatively easy to change. Prehaps, if anyone wants to make better LCD-esque signs and logos, maybe we can work out putting them in the map. I can make a list of signs needed.

..besides the font, any suggestions on architecture and details? so I can work on this on around Wednesday and have a new compile on Thursday

Very nice, but MBeggar's right about the fonts.

Not sure I like the tile flooring in the red base.

And I like MBeggar's comments about the font. I didn't notice at first, but once he pointed it out, I totally agree. Also, I like the first font he suggested.

Other than that, I think it's incredible work. Don't listen to people buggering about the lighting. I suppose it's not breathtakingly amazing, but it's certainly good enough that it's not distracting. It's certainly not any worse than any lighting I've ever seen in professionally designed levels. Besides, most games are too busy actually, you know.. playing the game, to sit there and critique the lighting anyway. Only thing I might suggest there, is to darken things up a bit, particularily in the red base.

Only other suggestion I could think of would be that the ground in the outdoor sections seems a bit flat. I would expect that in such a setting the ground would have been artifically flattened, but it certainly wouldn't be that perfectly flat. One specific suggestion along that line of thought would be the grass section along the fence in the last picture. Maybe make the land rise in a small hill with the apex at the bottom of the fence.

Anyway, I'm just nitpicking a bit.. Looks awesome.

Ah, yes! Much appreciated

I understand your comments about the textures. Yeah, the grass texture looks a bit dead carpet, I think I need to find a better grass. I was going for "not-so-lively-grass-around-industry-sites" look but perhaps I can find an alternate (anyone have a good grass texture?) with variations I can use. For the tiles, I used them because it reminded me of a local hardware store. Personally, I like it so I guess I should get more thoughts on it.

I mention that I need a better compile is that some of the meshes (pipes and curvy things) aren't emitting a shadow.

Also, I should mention that there are around 9 rooms to each base.

it kinda kills the atmosphere when u load up a game and see text that belongs in notepad. its like saying dflt.mat in a JK level is 'ok' because it is a valid texture file.

the map does indeed look tight though =)

it kinda klls teh atmsphre whn u tlk liek ur typin into a cell phne 2

who is typing like they are text messaging?

He used 'u' once. Get over yourself. You clearly lack skill and knowledge of design in this area but insist on thinking you're an expert.

That'd be damn awesome if you'd compile it with -dirty.

I'll agree with most of the cruiticism given, especially on the font, and I'd be willing to help out with creating some new stuff for it.

Limelite Cola! Yum! n_n

I don't know of anyone who types like that on a cell phone. It's call predictive typing.

New(er) lighting mode I take it? Details?

or T-9 word

Raw lightmap occlusion, requested by rgoer. Been in q3map2 since the last build ydnar made before his break. Several switches to control it, but basically it grunges up the lightmap in corners, which makes the lighting look nice and raw.

There is only one font suitable for Jedi Academy levels!

Aurabesh of course!

*cough* Seriously though, I'm not making that big of a deal of a few signs in a level. o.o;; As long as I can read them.

'-dirty' makes it looks like Unreal's lighting, where all the corners are darkened. It's a great improvement, and much more realistic. Look around your house : the corners up by the ceiling are darker than the rest of the walls.

So you just add -dirty and q3map2 knows what to do? I think I'm going to do another compile soon.

I got home to work on this.
Anyway, I added "glow" to many shaders for those of you who have fast enough comps to enjoy JA's poorly coded bloom effect. I think it adds a nice touch to certain lights...but my framerate goes to hell.


Oh, here's the texture I made for the blue base's "company logo". If anyone wants to do a quick crack at making the logo better, go ahead.


[sub]black=transparent[/sub]

Also, I think I need a better skybox. Anyone have one that features a city-scape?

Darkjedibob told me of a font that is styled like aurebesh but still in English. You should ask him about that.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Q3Map2/Light#-dirty

Hmm. I used -dirty and a -dirtscale value of 1.5
There doesn't seem to be any new differences. Perhaps I gave a value too small or should I have not used -dirtscale at all?