History

Jedi Outcast

I first got into mapping while playing Jedi Outcast. I told my sister she should try to learn how to make maps. She was more computer Savoy at the time and more creative than me. Soon after she learned, I gave it a try. It was very hard at first and she helped me when she could.  After I found a web site with tutorials on it, that really sped up the learning time.

My sister was playing some pick up games (@ thezone.com) with somebody name cwv_8t88.  I played a few times with them, but the games had very specific rules and I preferred the style of death match. 8t88 and I started talking about maps and he showed me some custom maps for the Jedi Knight game (Jedi Outcast was it’s successor).  I was impressed by some of them, especially the one based loosely on Disneyland.

I said I could build maps (although I was a nOOb), so we decided to build a custom map for Manhunt (previously mention type of game with specific rules).  He designed it on graph paper and sent me digital pictures of them.  I would construct it in the editor and we would both test it in game.

This worked out well, but the construction part took the most time.  After a while of suggesting, he finally took the plunge and I taught him what I knew about mapping at the time. He picked up quickly and soon was making the “models” for the map, while I constructed the architecture. After we got most of the map done, we realized we built the thing too damn big. 

Deciding that the map was a lost cause, we decided to build a smaller map that could be used for both Manhunt and your standard Death match game. This map was based on a prison that allowed the prisoners to fight in a mock town. In fact, the prisoners where forced to fight as it provided entertainment for the guards and other personnel.  This map was smaller and had better game play.  We made a day and night time version of it. We were going to release it, but felt it was a little late in the game (it was dying out) to bother with it.

The last map we made together for the game was our best yet (not hard to do when your a nOOb). It was based on a futuristic city that had a hotel, observation tower, warehouse, and a subway/sewer system. We made about 60% of the map, but decided to stop because we didn’t like the new Jedi Academy game and soon after started to play Raven Shield.

Strangely enough, 8t88 built a map on his own that he released called The Dungeon (for Jedi Academy/Outcast).  Although I started mapping first and never released a Jedi Outcast/Academy map, he was the one to actually finish one and release it. You can download it at jediknight2 (has nice info on map) or from this site.

Raven Shield

After playing RVS for a while, I got the mapping bug again.  I decided to give the Unreal world a try. It was a fairly  tough beginning as I didn’t read as many tutorials I should have.  I made many, many mistakes and when I look back on them, I just say to myself... “What a nOOb!” My first “real” map was Shopping Spree based on a shopping center located down the street from the Import-Export business in the game. It was a big map (too big from most Team Survival servers), but it gave a lot of opportunities to learn.

This biggest problem is that when I made a big mistake (as I did in the brushes and portals), it took a lot of time to fix.  In fact, I built the entire bsp at least 3 times, if not 4. Luckily, MikeDaMan was nice enough to take a look at my map and give me some feedback.  This encouraged me to stick with the map and to get it done, no matter what.

Even though 8t88 wasn’t that interested in learning how to map for Unreal, he was “nice” enough to help out with custom textures, static mesh placing, and beta testing.  In Shopping Spree, he helped save me time with static meshing the majority of the map.  He also help give it that “custom” look by creating signs for the stores in Portuguese, because the map is located in Brazil.

The map was officially released in the theplatoon.com contest map pack #4. Although it didn’t win 3rd place (only place a non-rainbow six design map could win), I finally made a map that was released.  But just as important, it was a high quality map that runs well and supported all game modes for Raven Shield and Athena Sword.

While I was waiting for the opening of submissions for the contest, I decided to make a small pistols style map with a Unreal feel to it.  It consists of rooms and hallways with a bunch of crates and barrels scattered through it.  I made all of the stairways out of these crates and barrels and thus named it Kr8ts & 8arrels.  It was released in September of 2004.

It was the most unrealistic RVS map I made, but strangely enough, the most popular (in regards to how many servers I see running it).  It also included terrorist hunts in both pistols and full gun options.  Later on, some one asked me to modify the map so the terrorist are harder to kill.  Being more than happy to do so, I adjusted the skill level of the terrorists and fixed some minor bugs. 

I took this opportunity to retexture the map with some textures released by Hourences and added some trim to the doors ways. I also made the map a bit darker which could change game play enough from the original.  After all that was said and done, I was really happy with the changes and am glad some one gave me some good feed back.

While playing on one of our favorite pistols only server, we tended to play a particular map that wasn’t built very well.  Jokingly, I said to the admins that we would build them a better version of this map in a week or so. Well a few months later, we finished Shout Out.  Another simplistic map that provided straight forward, although some times confusing layout.  It was set in an underground training facility.

As always, we built it with a high quality of construction.  We added graffiti on the wall of assorted people’s names that we knew in the RVS community. Some of them had servers, some where mappers, while others ran fan sites.  We wanted to give them a “Shout Out” for helping make Raven Shield a better game.

The last map we made is called H2 Oppression.  It is based in a water treatment facility in Hawaii.  I wanted to make one more “stock sized” map.  This map has a combination of inudustrial and office settings. It has some close quarters to a couple of sniping area’s.  The map supports all RVS and AS game modes.

Once again, 8t88 did the basic layout design, which proved to work well in both MP and Coop games. He also created some awesome signs for place ranging from a “Reserved parking” to a “cafeteria menu”. We also decided to add a few custom sounds.  8t88 made a custom radio, phone ring, and door buzzer sounds that turned out really well.

This map has been out most successful as far as downloads are concerned. It’s a better overall map compared to Shopping Spree (which was too big).  It provides a good balance for all game modes and offers some nice custom touches to it as well.

UT 2004

I finally finished the 3 versions of the same Quake 3 map called “The Longest Yard”. I am continuing working on a map based loosely on a Saw Mill.  I am about 60% done with that map and hope to finish it before the end of the year.

UT 3

I really like the newest version of the series.  I have started making maps for it instead of finishing my UT 2004 maps (which I would like to complete).  I have already released one “map” titled DM-RVS-AntiCamper/Camper.  Actually, there are 2 versions of the same map with different interior walls.

I just finished converting the stock map Rising Sun to work with a mod called UT2D. It essentially turns this great game into a side scrolling game.

Currently, I am working on an inspired remake of DM-Antalus from UT2004. I have made some nice progress, but my computer is freaking out if I work on the map too long. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade?