NWN2 Map Contest

[Flailer]

If folks have maps to submit, send me a PM and I'll arrange a transfer. If there's enough of them, maybe I'll set up an FTP server or something.

One more day!

[Flailer]

Seriously? Not a single map submission?

You guys really are slackers. We're over here bustin' our cans on stuff and we ask for help to get the community involved and no one submits a single map?

Development in the NWN2 environment takes almost an order of magnitude more time and resources than NWN1 did. There are ripe opportunities for the community to get involved and help us move things along.

Despite the lack of response thus far, if you're willing to help out, my previous offer stands: what would be helpful is we're looking for 8x4 maps set in generic environments, typically with some paths leading through them. Different environments are good, as long as they're generic enough: forests, swamps, mountain passes, fields, etc.

If this is a game you enjoy and a future game you want to see continue, you've got to step up to the plate and contribute whatever resources you can.

[VagaStorm]

I'm sry. I jsut bought nwn2 a week ago, and I'm trying to get a customed to the toolset.. It jsut taks a litle time even tho it is just painting :p

[Mr. O'Dearly]

I can start working on some in a couple weeks after finals are over, but till then...

[Ajantis.]

This is something I really would like to do, however I can't do it yet. I'm going to need a better computer before I can even play NWN2. Hopefully that will happen soon.

[Mr. O'Dearly]

Why only 8x4? There ends up being more non-reachable space than there is reachable. I find myself painting in places that I'm pretty sure can't possibly be seen when in game.

Edit: When you say 8x4, is that 8x4 by what the game measures or 8 squares by 4 squares?

[Flailer]

8x4 size as when you first create a map and it asks you what size map you want to make. (or 4x8 is fine too if you want it horizontal).

Yeah - know what you mean about doing areas outside the usable space. Sometimes you have to do that, others you just get creative with a cliff wall here, a dense copse of trees there, a lake on this side, and viola, you've avoided some of the hassle. Sometimes it is unavoidable however.

[Rowbot]

I have a few different regions I have been working on but none are 8x4. I suppose I can use my existing areas as a concept and make some new maps for ya.

Here's my concept for The Abyss - could be used in a volcanic region too:

http://img204.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... 435lr3.jpg

Lemme know if I can contribute.

[Celorn]

I was going to submit, but i got busy building my new computer...

It sure runs NWN2 great now! And I don't even have the video card i will in the end.

I did have problems loading the toolset up, it was crashing right at the 'rendering' part of the startup, but it's working now and I'm learning it, once I have something decent, I'll submit it.

BTW: will 4x8 be the norm for ns5? or is that just for the 'contest'? I was hoping ns5 would have all full-sized maps with perfectly lined-up transitions so that you could actually piece them all together to make a perfect terrain map of the entire world...

I'm also pretty dissapointed that NWN2 is last-gen in regards to area generation, the new-gen is to have seamless transitions with preloading (Like the original Asheron's call, WoW, Lineage2, Oblivion, etc...) I fear that games like the upcoming MMO Age of Conan are going to be way more appealing. Ns5 will have to have enough 'good stuff' to make it better or equal in other ways for it to really take off. (i have faith, and will help contribute as much as i can).

[Mr. O'Dearly]

All done with my first map!

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f187/jaypee314/preview5.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f187/jaypee314/preview4.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f187/jaypee314/preview3.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f187/jaypee314/preview2.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f187/jaypee314/preview1.jpg

[Flailer]

Hey all.

First - no, 8x4 maps aren't the standard NS5 size by any means. However, that size lends itself well to 'subcontracting' a few out for a specific purpose we have for them.

Yeah, NWN2 may not be cutting edge as far as graphics (and the speed at which those graphics run), but for all it's quirks, I haven't really seen a toolset that's as/more powerful for creating an online mod like we're trying to do.

Robot: very nice area! I like it. Keep that kind of stuff up and we'd welcome any submission you can give.

O'Dearly: Not a bad start. I've been telling people to plan on throwing away your first half a dozen maps you do while you learn the toolset before you get a keeper. Here's a couple tips based on that map.

- smoothing - make sure you get rid of all those right angles and jaggy points. This is done with liberal use of the smoothing tool. Also use it to smooth the flat surfaces of cliffs to make sure they're not sheer faces - the textures tend to bleed when they're stretched over a tall flat surface.

- Since you should only be using 5 different trees/tree seeds, try and vary the placement of trees so they don't all look the same from one viewpoint.

- texture - try and blend the textures together by using a variety of pressure settings and brush widths. Texturing is by far the hardest part of area design imo.


Here's some snaps of a couple 8x4 areas I've made to give you a feel for the kind of stuff I think we're shooting for (by no means great, but I'm continuing to learn alot myself...):

[Binkyuk]

Wow. First NS5 development stuff I've seen.
I think I just had an areaghasm.

[Rowbot]

Thanks, glad you like it. I can offer some tips for any builders out there:

I sometimes like to use the Colour brush to draw out a plan of the area before I start then use White colour to erase it all once you have finished shaping. I usually do this if I have a fairly complicated terrain to mould. I try to avoid using the flatten tool for shaping cliffs and hills. I have seen some tutorials suggest using the flatten tool but I find it more organic if you build up terrain using the raise/lower/smooth combination with various brush sizes.

Once the terrain is shaped how you like it move onto the lighting settings; because they affect the colouring of the area its good to have some idea of your lighting before texturing/colouring.

Day/Night settings - you can spend a lot of time working out day/night lighting settings. Try extreme values for each setting so you can get an idea what effect it has.

One problem I'm having is making an area always Night for rules purposes. This setting also seems to give you a starry sky which I dont want in The Abyss but I dont want the Light penalties either - seems you cant have it both ways. I may have to turn off Directional light (Sun/Moon light)and place a light object to act as my area lighting which will hopefully remove the light penalties for underdark races. Remember to export your Day/Night settings for use in similar areas.

I like to layer my textures - 2 or 3 textures can become one. Experiment and find 5 or 6 textures that blend well for your area first. I usually start off by filling with a dirt texture. Next find a cliff texture for your vertical faces and start off at 30-50% pressure. Use a medium brush to paint all your cliffs and then switch to a smaller (e.g. Size 1 Outer 1) brush and gradually increase the pressure as you create some detailed texture. Use the same method for your other textures.

Try to create patches of dirt/grass/rock so you dont have a single repetitive texture. I look at cliff faces and try to fill the gullies with dirt/grass. I imagine where water would flow down and deposit earth or where rocky terrain would jut out of the grass etc.

If you find that your area develops unnatural seams (Obsidian bug) use the smooth tool at 0% pressure to remove them.

Dont be afraid to use the Colour brush - just make sure you set it to 2-3% pressure. It is useful for blending textures and defining the landscape by shading and is a simple way of adding some flavour to your area.

Download some images of the type of landscape you are building...I find this very useful sometimes.

Grass - contributes to file size of areas quite considerably so use sparingly to add definition around the base of rocks etc. or to break up large swathes of land.

Trees - rescaling trees is essential with our limit of 5 uniques seeds. Sink tree trunks into the ground to create shrubbery and save using one of our seeds on a Shrub. The cluster trees denoted by a C at the end of the tree name are useful for forests.

You can go to File > Run Module to quickly get in-game for testing and leave it open while you work in the toolset. Once you save the mod and exit game to Main Menu it will automatically reload your newly saved module.

Hope that helps in some way or other.

Some questions about submissions. Are you just looking for maps or could we submit full areas with creatures, puzzles etc. Whats your view on VFX? - should they be used sparingly? - will you use custom VFX? (the VFX editor plug-in is fun). Should we include sound objects/ambients and music or leave that upto you?

P.S. Its a small world, eh Binky?

[Flailer]

Yeah, we'll be using custom visual effects, but we've just been using the stock stuff pretty much for now.

The map submissions (for now) should just be areas (including placeables, stock visual effects, sounds, etc). No scripts, puzzles, creatures etc for now since we have custom systems for those.

[Lokey]

I sometimes like to use the Colour brush to draw out a plan of the area before I start then use White colour to erase it all once you have finished shaping. I usually do this if I have a fairly complicated terrain to mould. I try to avoid using the flatten tool for shaping cliffs and hills. I have seen some tutorials suggest using the flatten tool but I find it more organic if you build up terrain using the raise/lower/smooth combination with various brush sizes.

Love flatten brush for roughing out terrain, then smoothing or raise/lowering. Huge time saver, unless you go toolset plugin.

I find resorts/hotels in Great Britain (especially castles) to be very good source material, at least for the palette of stuff we have out of the box. Also hoping that the lighting wizard devs have hinted about makes it into the next patch, lighting is painful to tweak now.