Needing some help on mapmaking

maninblack017

Hey everyone,

So I have a few questions regarding map building. So far my interior maps have mainly been redressed premade maps because I haven't felt comfortable enough to try making my own. But I'm afraid what my latest one requires, I may have to venture into unknown territory.

Here's the desired outcome (don't know how possible - if at all - it will be):
A dark ship interior reflecting no power on board, zero gravity, with the map itself rotating to give the impression that the ship is listing or tumbling through space.

I already know that zero gravity is not attainable and that "low gravity" is the closest I can come. However, that's not exactly a deal breaker.

On a redressed map, I can't seem to make it any darker than it already is. So I am assuming that I will need to make my own.

Also, I know that I can't basically rotate the map either. I can't accurately portray the character walking on the ceiling with consoles on the floor (now ceiling) because we can't rotate objects on the Y axis (I suck at geometry so I may mean the X axis).

But can I maybe create a tilted map by using the same principles as building a ramp? But even then, the consoles and such would be at odd angles that wouldn't quite adhere to what I'm portraying. And I'm assuming the walls would be straight with the floor tilted.

If anyone can give any tips here I'd really appreciate it. this particular map will offer a very unique aspect that I haven't seen done before. (And if you've played Uprising: Act II - The Tempest, you may have an idea where its heading). Depending on how feasible any of this is, I may have to rework the script or sadly proceed with a map that I will be disappointed in because it doesn't accurately portray what I want it to.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

lincolninspace

You could try using the ramp assets to build a slanted map, But getting all the walls to line up is problematic.

You need walls with no texture on them that will give away that they are not on the same slant.

You can only have doors on the top and bottom of the ramp.

You could have different rooms at different angles to give the effect off the ship tilting.

With further thought, you cannot do a tilting floor because you cannot make a tilting ceiling to match!

I would use explosions to distract the player.

So far I have had no success with the camera shake effect.

There are npc prop consoles and crate costumes that you can reskin mobs with if you want stuff moving around. (I used this to good effect in A Time to search)

You can set crates and other objects off the floor so that they float.

I would do a ship that is breaking up instead and have the player jump to different decks and use jeffries tubes etc.

kirksplat

Yeah, this is all kind of impossible with the current assets. Making a dark interior is the most realistic part of this, but trying to create the illusion of tilting would be a nightmare.

onlyslightlybent

I agree. Tilting and moving for assets like walls, I doubt you can do in the foundry.

As far as dark interior, you could change the backdrop of the map and choose a night sky if you plan to make your own interior on an outdoor map.

stoutes

I needed a darkened ship interior as well; I eventually used the Interior Sky Alien Caves 01...

My little 2 EC's; throw around a bunch of explosives and pieces of debris to half through the ground/ceiling. You can try making pieces of debris visible/invisible when the player hits different place markers.

donperk

A few thoughts:

• You can achieve a level of darkness by playing with the map ambiance tools. They affect indoor maps even though they seem to be referring to outdoor atmospherics.
  
  
• In a zero or near-zero gravity environment tilting is kind of a non-issue. I know you want to use it as a visual device, but in reality, humans experience tilt in relation to their perception of gravity and other visual cues that are exterior to the tilted environment. With no gravity and inside an enclosed space, there's not going to be a perception of tilt. I'd stick with other effects such as reduced gravity, camera shake, atmospheric smoke and the occasional explosion to give that feeling of disaster.
  
  
• Also remember that a starship creates its own artificial gravity which would be in relation to the deck, typically. So, again, tilt is not likely what would be experienced by someone in that situation. Even with the ship slowly spinning (as perceived from the outside) the induced artificial gravity would always give a reference of "down" that is in relationship to the deck. The key thought here is that the experience of tilt is relativistic.