TSGK Clan Forum

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

The map I most play on is dm_killbox_kbh_2_fix2.

Seems to be the standard among servers? Been playing it for a while and thought it could look better. I've used cleaner textures, removed the old decals (could do with some original custom graffiti) and moved weapons and ammo to precision.

The props on the floor could be better placed, but I'm not quite sure where to put them.

If anyone wants to modify this any further, be my guest. I'm no master mapper. Would love to see the basis of this used somewhere or even replacing the standard. Eek! O_o

EDIT: New link further down

The Borg_TSGK · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 09:16 Post subject:

This is my current fav as well, don't do to much to the weapon placement as personally i think there fine where they are.
As to props after the 1st 30 secs it don't matter where they were placed Laughing

Fyckfaco · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:14 Post subject:

That fix2 is a complete remake. I madee everything from scratch, using measurements from the old one. THis includes the retextured objects, the world geometry, the lifts and the ladder. There is also a nice light in the ball spawner Very Happy

. I moved the blades away from the center to stop the physics bug that throws you into the ball spawner xD All backface polys have been set "nodraw" and all decals removed. The reason i used the same textures however is because this is the only box i know that has perfect visibility.

kbh_2_fix is the original kbh_2 with higher res textures and no decals, this version seemed to increase fps issues though, so i reverted to the old textures for kbh_2_fix2.

StonedCabbage · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 13:31 Post subject:

I agree with Borg, Weapon placement is great, amount of weapons is great, the only thing I'd remove from the map is the SLAMS as apart from sticking them sneakily under objects the only thing they seem useful is for the campers at the top. I don't hate SLAMs, I love playing powerhouse with them, it just frustrating to Spawn and then go boom. Guess they gotta kill us somehow Laughing

gtamike_TSGK · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 14:07 Post subject:

Picture?

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

I didn't change the general weapon placement because I knew you all know the map well, just tidied it and made sure nothing rolled off the floor from spawn or was picked up on spawn )

The textures are all aligned neatly on everything and the visibility I think is better.

Changes:
The floor, ceiling and walls were made up of 4 brushes each...and the textures not aligned. Now has with one brush per wall.
The walkways and boxes are now func_decaled to improve performance.
There was an unused skybox outside of the map...Deleted that. Should improve performance?
Changed the mesh on the elevators and moved them so there's no gaps when getting off.
Re textured those big shape props with a camouflage pattern...no one knows what they are so what do you put on there? Razz

The ladder didn't have a climb off point placed on the walkway, you had to jump off to get offa it.
Floor has specular map (reflections) for those who have computers made in the last 5 years Razz

. Can be turned off with mat_specular 0.
Removed health and suit chargers (who stands there?)
There was an incorrect shadow coming from the chair in pic 9 (due to it being stuck in the walkway).

There's a prop holding up the combine spawner (all taken from fpsbanana.com and the back of it I thought could be used as cover and it makes more sense to be propping the tube up. Can be deleted if no one likes it.

Some comparison screens (my gfx card is old):

EDIT: Added more screenshots. Easier to play it really, but there you go.

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

Updated link to rev3 http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?vdy2mnmht5z

Evened the plaster so the repetition is gone. Walls look pretty bare, but I'm thinking Eddie Van Halen-esque stripes could look good somewhere on the walls? Razz

[B§] Furianer · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 13:17 Post subject:

i use a playerclip around the ballspawners i put into my maps. So no suicides possible.
One brush per wall can make leaks, the original walls was made of a quaderbrush with hollow option. Much better. And with some fine tuning, you can set the textures right.
Walkways and boxes func_decaled? Never heared. I use func_detail.... or u mean that?
Otherwise updates are great. Dont know, why Joe LSU never did it from the start like this. But i took now also 3 years, till someone else did Smile

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

Thanks for the feedback Furianer.

I think we like the suicides on the ball spawner? I find them funny as well as all the random suicides from props:) But it can still be changed..

There's no leaks on the walls. I don't understand why 4 brushes vs 1 would be any better? If they're both sealed off from the void, then they're both sealed, imo.

Yep, made a typo - the walkways are all 'func_detail' now. Had 'decals' on the mind a lot.. Erm and also took out some thin blocks of curved trim from under the walkways, forgot that one. They were hard to see and maybe added a tiny, tiny...bit to processing, I dunno Smile

All in all, just trying to mod the beloved kbh2 into something of a pro version, with good looks combined with optimal performance and the structure and layout as to be as neat as possible on the grid. It's not gigantic changes, but why not try to improve..

One change I didn't do, but thought would be good was to move one of the floating blocks further right so that it's perfectly center. It's the block just below the top walkway. It kinda makes more sense design-wise and in symmetry? The two floating blocks as they are are both on the same half of the map right now.

The Borg_TSGK · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 20:22 Post subject:

Can you move the slam off the top level, if someone wants to mine the spawn area they should at least have to work for it Question

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

That is a good idea Borg! I don't mind those SLAM players. There's some who just play with the SLAM and for me it keeps the game fresh. If it were all pro players it wouldn't be as much fun.

I kept it up top because I assume there's a way to remove it from the map without altering the map itself. Either by admin with a server config or other method. There's a map that plays kbh boxes with no magnum, no smg rounds or ar2 rounds.

How about 2 SLAMS on the map, each in a opposite corner?
Because currently, there's a smg nade + grenade in one and in the other is 2 smg nades.

The Borg_TSGK · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 14:04 Post subject:

That would balance it out nicely.
I don't mind the slams, but as there what i call an easy kill they should have to do something to get them Very Happy

StonedCabbage · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 20:07 Post subject:

gtamike_TSGK · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 21:53 Post subject:

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

gtamike_TSGK · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 00:04 Post subject:

just asking, seemed odd =)

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

Cool Mike.

The 2 SLAMs are now in the corners. Removed the back off the spawner. There's two new decals taken from a Crysis message board..The lighting is a little changed and the big props now have a much better new metal/combine texture (it's a bit reflective too).

Suggestions? Ideas?

Thanks.

New Link http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?jwaymlnomjd

Fyckfaco · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 13:20 Post subject:

Blue light gives me eye cancer -.- Also if you started this from the original kbh chances are you will experience loads of player time out crashes again.

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

Ah.

Well, just white/grey then? And why would it crash? Sad

It's just a simple map and has no problems? Please try it out, someone.

Fyckfaco · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 17:24 Post subject:

Becuase this game was not made for killboxes thats why.
Im sure you experience "back to desktop" crashes all the time just like all of us, and its made worse by killboxes with high res textures, decals, custom physics and mappers not using nodraw enough. Its not made to have everything drawn on screen at once. v8/kbh/domebox/and others are good examples of this, but triplebox for example (which splits up the gameplay) hardely ever has this problem.
kbh_2_fix2 has no backfaces, no decals, standard hl2 textures only, no cubemaps and near white lighting to try and rectify this problem and still fails xD.
Kbh is purely a performance map, and cranking up the other stuff isnt gonna be enough to convert players, especially if they get 20fps less in a box that looks almost exactly the same. Maybe you should put your skills to something original dude.

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

Yeah, it crashes all the time. Doesn't bother me really if it's happening to everyone. If the 'fix' version fails, well what's to lose by making a new one.

I have a pretty old computer and it plays this one just fine (course I haven't played with ppl yet ^^) I use a command to limit the draw distance props are viewed at so it's easier on the card+CPU so the crashing probably isn't a 'everything drawn on screen at once problem'. Maybe it's a physics thing, a certain prop causing the time out, maybe it's a server thing? Let's investigate, try things.

These textures aren't any more hi-res btw, they're only 512x512s. It's all nodrawed out. It's aligned to the grid (others aren't) Will it help, who knows?

It's not finished yet, it's still looking for ideas - I'm here asking if anyone would like something tweaked with the standard killbox. Let's do it.

Fyckfaco · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:20 Post subject:

Ok well the reason fix2 fails is becuase it is still a killbox xD Yours will timeout too, and i know that is definatly true, i have put extensive testing into this with killcampers servers 1 and 2.
fix2 is aligned, new brushes (not taken from kbh_2), new lifts, new spawner, new ladder.
Up to you though dude, continue please... Im just saying your's wont be any different from the others xD Its no problem, im just saying if your intention is to fix the issues, you wont win. And if your intention is to change the gamplay/placements/spawns, then people probably wont play it.

gtamike_TSGK · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 19:34 Post subject:

I made a updated dm_killbox_kbh_1 in 2007 cause the lifts were buggy. Confused

But did not advertise the release, because I had other maps in the making. Wink

In attachment anyway with update list. Razz

The Borg_TSGK · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 20:41 Post subject:

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

I've given up.

Thanks Borg.

Fyckfaco · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 23:44 Post subject:

Aww i feel bad now xD Seriously, make a unique box. Simple, no gimicks, but badass game flow design.... Save us from Kbh ddduuuuuuude!!!! You clearly have the knowledge and skillz....

Achtung Baby · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 18 Country:

Nah, I'm just a player. I can't even get started on making a new one, because everything in my head is from other people's designs.

gtamike_TSGK · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 00:24 Post subject:

you can have a map I half made. dm air base, use as new idea or remake it. If i can find it.