20 replies to this topic

[JC Daxion]

Hey guys, I got an idea for a map and i'd really love to make a mock up before i post the idea/concept. Does anyone know of an easy to use pseudo map maker so i could show the concept, with elevations, besides just the top down view and Gradient lines?

[Suko]

SketchUp is the easiest 3D program I learned to use (I work in architecture and construction). They have very good tutorials on the web to learn by and it has a pretty neat map/terrain creation feature. All you need to do is draw contour lines (like a real map), then elevate them to the height you want. Then you use the terrain command (watch a tutorial) and it should make it for ya.

I'm sure there's dozens of other good programs, but that's the one I'm most familiar with.

[JC Daxion]

Is it free?

[Hell in a Helmet]

Some inexpensive, some free, some not...


http://vterrain.org/...ges/Artificial/

http://vterrain.org/Packages/NonCom/

Edited by Hell in a Helmet, 05 September 2017 - 03:52 PM.

[JC Daxion]

Hell in a Helmet, on 05 September 2017 - 03:46 PM, said:

Some inexpensive, some free, some not...


http://vterrain.org/...ges/Artificial/

http://vterrain.org/Packages/NonCom/

wow thanks! I'm not gonna spend cash on this.. I just wanted something a little better than Paint, and making a topographical map

Edited by JC Daxion, 05 September 2017 - 03:53 PM.

[JC Daxion]

http://www.artifexterra.com/


This one looks perfect and its free!

[MW Waldorf Statler]

or use the Cry SK 5.2 free Sandbox-Tool, thats easy to create Terrain and later the MWO assets to build you Map

Edited by Old MW4 Ranger, 05 September 2017 - 07:55 PM.

[Vellron2005]

JC Daxion, on 05 September 2017 - 03:28 PM, said:

Hey guys, I got an idea for a map and i'd really love to make a mock up before i post the idea/concept. Does anyone know of an easy to use pseudo map maker so i could show the concept, with elevations, besides just the top down view and Gradient lines?

I hate to sound negative, but if you're meaning to pitch the idea to PGI, know that they probably won't even take a look at it, much less actually use it.. It takes them a year to make a new map, and they have on multiple occasions said no to the idea of community-made maps..

[LordNothing]

i normally break out my old copy of 3d studio max when i want to make polygons. not something i would recommend though as that software gets pricey. i use it for everything just because i know its modeling capabilities like the back of my hand. it has features for turning bitmaps into terrain, but ive seen better stand alone utilities for that kind of thing.

[MW Waldorf Statler]

some Months before we have a Community Map Idea contest , we Have Map Treads in all the Years for Ideas with Community Maps created with the Cryengine (im self in the German and English Com-
https://mwomercs.com...80#entry5819861
...only great Interest from the Community ...its no NGNG and Twitter ...no interest from PGI

[Exilyth]

Old MW4 Ranger, on 06 September 2017 - 02:14 AM, said:

https://mwomercs.com...80#entry5819861

That's a nice thread, some great ideas & renders in there.

[Tom Sawyer]

I wish you luck JC

Seriously though PGI has stated so much BS on maps from them costing 250,000 to make, to special frame issues that only maps they make will work, to even more nonsense that many like myself have given up.

[LordNothing]

pgi really should allow custom maps in custom games.

[TLBFestus]

Vellron2005, on 05 September 2017 - 11:29 PM, said:

I hate to sound negative, but if you're meaning to pitch the idea to PGI, know that they probably won't even take a look at it, much less actually use it.. It takes them a year to make a new map, and they have on multiple occasions said no to the idea of community-made maps..

It's not only that they don't want community made maps, from all appearances they don't even want community map suggestions.

The buzz they would get from involving the community in making map suggestions and designs that PGI could then turn over to their own designers, would be overall a positive experience, but they have ZERO interest.

Mind boggling...........

Honestly, unless you are doing it for your own edification don't waste your time.

[kuma8877]

TLBFestus, on 06 September 2017 - 09:52 AM, said:

It's not only that they don't want community made maps, from all appearances they don't even want community map suggestions.

The buzz they would get from involving the community in making map suggestions and designs that PGI could then turn over to their own designers, would be overall a positive experience, but they have ZERO interest.

Mind boggling...........

Honestly, unless you are doing it for your own edification don't waste your time.

This isn't quite true. I distinctly remember from one of the more recent podcasts where we've been asked to get our fleshed out ideas for maps and modes here on the forums. Whether or not that they would seriously look at was presented is another story, but they did ask.

I'm sure they are hoping for fully fleshed out concepts rather than small discussions about what kind of maps would be cool.

[Christophe Ivanov]

as someone who has built 3D models, I currently use Wings3D as it's very easy and works very well. I also use Blender which is on the same level as Maya and yes it can do animation too. Both are 100% FREE. I usually make my basic models in Wings 3D, then import them into Blender. You could just start in Blender and not use Wings3D if you never used either. I just happen to been using wings3D for longer than I have Blender.

Good luck!

Edited by Christophe Ivanov, 06 September 2017 - 10:33 AM.

[LordNothing]

kuma8877, on 06 September 2017 - 10:06 AM, said:

This isn't quite true. I distinctly remember from one of the more recent podcasts where we've been asked to get our fleshed out ideas for maps and modes here on the forums. Whether or not that they would seriously look at was presented is another story, but they did ask.

I'm sure they are hoping for fully fleshed out concepts rather than small discussions about what kind of maps would be cool.

they say that, then they pgi it up. every time the community suggests a feature and pgi implements it, its a shadow of what it could have been. like last thing i heard is they want to do another tormaline alike, and thats the issue. all the maps are too similar, a cliche tileset theme and a copypasta layout is not what players want. pgi doesnt want to do it, they dont want to pay for it, compensation for doing it will not be direct.

it doesnt make any sense why they dont want to shift this kind of thing to the community. quake wasnt big because it had good maps, it was big because of the unending supply of user created maps and mods. user maps would bring back a lot of players, the community would benefit from something constructive to do rather than to spew salt all over the forums about the way the game should have been. pgi doesnt loose anything opening map making and only stand to gain. its not like if you opened mods up giving people advantages and providing content to compete against with mechpack sales. it would actually be a reason to buy those mechpacks.

[JC Daxion]

TLBFestus, on 06 September 2017 - 09:52 AM, said:

It's not only that they don't want community made maps, from all appearances they don't even want community map suggestions.

The buzz they would get from involving the community in making map suggestions and designs that PGI could then turn over to their own designers, would be overall a positive experience, but they have ZERO interest.

Mind boggling...........

Honestly, unless you are doing it for your own edification don't waste your time.

I am doing this for fun.. when you see the map, you will know why.. (its a secret, shhhhh)



But i disagree with you on the whole suggestion thing.. people did ask for a polar like map, people did ask for a swamp map, they did as for more hot maps, or a terra revamp (though i think they should of just made new terra, and kept old) We did ask for a moon colony, and city map, both of which are coming. So they do listen, but they just don't do everything people say..


I wan't more sand and hot maps personally too. I really like deserts

[Ghogiel]

The idea of never seeing more maps than what comes out once a year it seems these days is pretty depressing actually.

There are at least half a dozen good level designers and artists that would **** out top quality maps for MWO around here. Many who are quite capable in a lot of the CE3 systems. At one time in the past I would have easily been enough involved with doing my own project/s and helping people who have potential/good ideas see it realised in a "finished", optimised and polished state. But that ship has sailed on community involvement, and the game suffers as a result.

I can see why they don't/won't, can't be arsed telling 12yr old timmy to git gud over the next few years - half decade so he can produce high qualtiy content, but at the same time they lose 10yr veterans coming in and dropping bomb *** maps.

[kuma8877]

Comparing the mod scene of Quake to the business of a F2P game model falls apart pretty quick. How exactly do you control and QA all of that content? PGI would essentially have to put their own name on the line with the quality of that user created content as they would be the ones hosting it all, since the back end is different for MWO. While I'm sure the modding community will turn out some awesome maps, there's going to be a flood of total trash too (the vast majority of it will be trash).

Honestly, I believe they should be using the assets for our current maps to begin building up groups of biome/planet type specific "tilesets" to speed up the overall process. This allows them to start "quickly" adding thematic maps that can be used to more effect in FW (and add more variety to QP). Several maps with the same biome which pertain to a specific planet type would help up the immersion factor considerably. All unique layouts of course.

As to the mention of Tormaline, it was used as a reference of size not theme. So, about that big.