In again. I have no idea what theme or what to call the level
Probably will be FFA/TDM.
Email:
dk<AT>leveldk<DOT>co<DOT>uk
Website:
http://www.leveldk.co.uk

//Edit
Thought I would update my first post with the final map submission:
HERE
NB, make sure to read the readme(dONKEY.txt) included or the map may not load for you.

Many many thanks to Mav for running these contests, to the sponsors and to any one that has helped.
Good luck all, I had a blast

Like I guess everybody else....still blocking out stuff:

My free time is very limited so I am getting in as much mapping as I can when I have some time.
I had two days off work, so after almost 48 hours of level design I have some stuff to show.
This is the first lighting of my textures and model so far.
Obviously inspired by Sock's bridge crane, but in truth very different.
This is a view from my reactor pit, looking up at the over head lifting gear.
The premise for my map is that on a semi-decommissioned power station, perched on top of some crumbling cliffs. Any how enough waffle...here you go:

Looks great dONKEY.

Obligatory editor shot...as usual for me too much detailing....crap layout:


and in game that area looks something like this:


Beginning to think I might be better to translate the whole thing into a CTF level....hmm...
the gushing water in the background is temporary, till I write a better shader.

Dayuum! That looks incredible for a screenshot posted so early in the competition. You're a speedy worker - I'm looking forward to what you dish out this time.

Two more screen grabs from me (external lightmaps FTW)
The first shot is my teleporter room, but as I haven't had time to model the new teleporter, it's yet to be placed:


The second shot is my jump pad shaft. I thought it made sense to use power station turbines as the jump pad, so I built the entire structure on that idea:



Have more or less decided to change my focus to CTF. I like the idea of duel power stations, and my layout if duplicated and altered a little should lend itself quite well. I think already this is going to be another performance killing map, but I can't help but add detail.

@ET...yeah it looks a lot but in reality its more copied chunks of geometry reused over and over than anything else. Plus, where as the serious competition map designers spend a long time on layout, my focus tends to be on the visual.

Secret word

looks great! like quake 4 almost. i hope you add more lighting though.

Didn't have as much time as I thought I would over the weekend, nevertheless I did make some progress.
First the obligatory word of the week:


Then some progress updates...
spent a while thinking of a name for (what has ended up as) my CTF level. Was thinking along the lines of 'Chain Reaction', or 'An equal and opposite reaction', then had a moment of inspiration and came up with 'Duel Cores'.

@Pat, about the lighting, on both my laptops the level is sufficiently illuminated, but when I view screen shots on other devices, they do look very dark. Not entirely sure how to balance this.

Some further screens:

The below is one area in the centre ground I still need to work on. I need a lower link route between bases, either through the rock, or running around the side.

I need to fiddle with the waterfall sort value, as apparent in this shot, and others, it's being drawn on top of.

The below area is the more or less complete flag area (in this case red)

I like the idea of the flag placed over the reactor pit. Various barrels and crates make for some alternative attack routes.

The final shot for this update looks out over the centre area, which is the one section that still requires finalizing.

I have a lower route to build under the bridges.

After that I'm onto further minor detailing (breaking up some railings, wear and tear), more decal passes (direction markers etc), item placement,
then further optimization.

This looks really great dONKEY! But it is really dark - I understand it is hard to balance with laptop display. Maybe just make it overbrighted for you and it will be good on "normal" display.

BTW: I see Half - Life 2 barrel texture on some barrels - am I wrong?

I think you are right regarding the brightness, still plenty of time to tweak stuff.
On the barrels...hmm, I hope not! The were the one texture I sourced via the internet (apart from the glass I borrowed from another map). The site said they were custom made and free to use in personal projects...if the author 'stole' them, them I have inadvertently also ripped off HL2. I can make a new texture if that's the case.

Been thinking of busting up the two connecting bridges all day, the more I look at it, it looks too clean....

Oh I don't think you are thief. You can't know it if you have never played HL2. I only know this game very well and I think it is very similar:

Quick word of the week and progress update:


Most of my geometry is finished, the final pathway is done.
I have one (semi) major model to build, then on to polishing.

New pathway (and yes...still too dark I just realised)

But brighter than before
I like this waste theme.