a question about utopia planetia interior map/ trying to build a observation lounge

commandermic

hello, a few days past i've build my first foundy mission. at this mission i have a map with an observation lounge.
at the moment the problem is, the lounge in my mission is very small, i want a larger version which fits better to the sto style with mostly large rooms.
while searching the pre-made maps i have found the map of utopia planetia, which would be perfect except a little problem: there are parts oft the station at utopia and some of the docks visible behind the windows.
changing the backdrop template doesn't hide that. is there any way to hide this?

if there's no way to do that, i would be glad to find another way to build a lounge that looks better than my actual version. so the other option for me is either build a complete custom map(for this i need suggestions which objects will help to do this), or find a map which is appropriate to modify.

what i want is:
-windows, only showing a backdrop template by looking through
-not to small
-only things that should be placed there: ONE table, with chairs arround it, maybe a plant in the corner, a console display on the wall(maybe another normal console in the room, but not more than one or two, better none), maybe a shelf with ship models, or pictures at the wall
-looking like starfleet interior

i don't need suggestions for the models which i place in the room(i already know where to find them), but a pre-made map or objects to build that room. i just mentioned that because i want a room with only these things in it, not any things that aren't appropriate for an observation lounge(like freight boxes, for example).

for better understanding, the two rooms of utopia planetia on map, which fits perfectly except the look through the windows:


http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3580/foundrymap.jpg

thanks to anyone who will help me

thegreendragoon1

Unfortunatly, you can't remove pre-existing objects from maps. The way I see it, you have two options:

One, you can attempt create a fake starship hull using a series of long ramps lined up next to each other. This will (hopefully) obscure the starbase from view. You'll probably need a couple rows of them each using curves with an increasing gradient.

Two, you can build your own custom interior set. There are plenty of conference room tables and chairs and a could options to build windows. You can build either in the black of an existing interior or high above a ground map.

Edit:

P.S. If you're looking for a little inspiration, this is what the Cryptic-made version of the observation lounge looks like. (Unfortunately never put into the foundry.) A lot of elements you're not going to be able to reproduce, but maybe it'll give you ideas.

commandermic

thegreendragoon1 wrote: »

Unfortunatly, you can't remove pre-existing objects from maps. The way I see it, you have two options:

One, you can attempt create a fake starship hull using a series of long ramps lined up next to each other. This will (hopefully) obscure the starbase from view. You'll probably need a couple rows of them each using curves with an increasing gradient.

that would be a good idea to hide the station, but the docks upwards will stay visible.

thegreendragoon1 wrote: »

, you can build your own custom interior set. There are plenty of conference room tables and chairs and a could options to build windows. You can build either in the black of an existing interior or high above a ground map.

thats my problem, chairs and tables i've found, also some walls, but no good option to build windows, even a suitable ground is missing to build that.

thegreendragoon1 wrote: »

P.S. If you're looking for a little inspiration, this is what the Cryptic-made version of the observation lounge looks like. (Unfortunately never put into the foundry.) A lot of elements you're not going to be able to reproduce, but maybe it'll give you ideas.

i knew this map from the game. that map would be nice, but really impossible to rebuild.

thegreendragoon1

commandermic wrote: »

thats my problem, chairs and tables i've found, also some walls, but no good option to build windows, even a suitable ground is missing to build that.

i knew this map from the game. that map would be nice, but really impossible to rebuild.

Hmm, a challenge. I may have to experiment with this further.

commandermic

thegreendragoon1 wrote: »

Hmm, a challenge. I may have to experiment with this further.

have fun, i don't think it's possible. there are really not enough models in the foundry to do that. even building a well looking window should be very hard.

thegreendragoon1

commandermic wrote: »

have fun, i don't think it's possible. there are really not enough models in the foundry to do that. even building a well looking window should be very hard.

Obviously, it isn't going to be a perfect match, but I think something can be done that follows the spirit of the design. You're right that the windows will be a challenge, but I have a couple ideas. I've even experimented a little with carpet for the raised area this morning.

lincolninspace

There are the walls with little square windows in them.

zensoji1

in a mission i'm working on at the moment i need a observation lounge as well.

my method was to play around with a combination of Wall - Generic Ship 03, the glass from the glass cabinet detail and the overhang detail for the windows, the seated area is going to be specifically placed carpet platforms or captains chair platforms with a sofa on top and in the middle of the room one of the new conference room table details that were added recently.

either that or i use utopia planitia, put generic ship 03 walls where the glass walls are and put the map weather effects for starstreaks outside. and worse comes to worse, the generic console that has a "viewscreen" with a planet on it.

And then once i've done that cryptic will release the observation lounge map they use and I'll delete all of that work.

drogyn1701

That sounds good, I like seeing people getting creative in adapting base maps to do something else.

I'd love to see some screenshots.

commandermic

lincolninspace wrote: »

There are the walls with little square windows in them.

but they're much to small. they're looking more like a bad joke to mappers who are trying to build maps with windows.

at the moment i try to build my observation lounge by using the map from starbase 39 sierra, looks good so far. i'll post screenshots when it's ready

but i'm interested to see what other people here have done, would be nice to see screenshots, too.

pendra3780

All it takes are 2 slabs and a few walls to hide most of the Utopia planatia stuff.

Everything is Zero Altitude!

Platform 500x500, 188, -1.3, 0
Platform 500x500, 190, 6.7, 0
Wall - Generic Ship 03, 181.5, -1.5, 0, R: -90
Wall - Generic Ship 03, 187.3, -1.5, 4.5, R: 0
Wall - Generic Ship 03, 187.3, -1.5, -4.5, R: 180
Wall - Generic Ship 03, 197.5, -1.5, 4.51, R: 0
Wall - Generic Ship 03, 197.5, -1.5, -4.51, R: 180
Wall - Generic Ship 03, 203.0, -1.5, 0, R: 90

You may or may not wall off the conference rooms on the sides. You can also add doors.
You will need to hide a few small things, like parts of the railings and some plants here and there.

That is it, you have a nice and spaceous place to add furniture. You also kept the transporter room.

commandermic

here are two screenshots of the one i've built so far:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1904/screenshot2013033110275.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7375/screenshot2013033110282.jpg

@pendra
that's hiding the interior of utopia, what i wanted to hide was the station outside the windows.

lincolninspace

I love threads like this one. It is interesting to see what people come up with. The tng observation lounge was actually pretty small, you might have trouble spawning boffs in that space: http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/gallery/stmagazine/ed-obslounge.jpg

http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/gallery/artoftrek/ed-obslounge.jpg

commandermic

compared to sto map design, the original star trek designs are always much smaller :cool:

drogyn1701

commandermic wrote: »

here are two screenshots of the one i've built so far:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1904/screenshot2013033110275.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7375/screenshot2013033110282.jpg

Fantastic work, I'm impressed

lincolninspace

commandermic wrote: »

here are two screenshots of the one i've built so far:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1904/screenshot2013033110275.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7375/screenshot2013033110282.jpg

@pendra
that's hiding the interior of utopia, what i wanted to hide was the station outside the windows.

That doesn't sound possible. What about ESD or other locations?

commandermic

drogyn1701 wrote: »

Fantastic work, I'm impressed

thanks, it took much experiments to make it :cool:

lincolninspace wrote: »

That doesn't sound possible. What about ESD or other locations?

esd has the same problem like utopia, you see the station through the windows. and next problem you can't hide earth. that's the reason why i've used starbase sierra 39, theres nothing outside the windows to see.