Talk:City17 Episode 1

Discussion

Note: keep all topics and articles in the this area so that it wont get confused with the MOD progress area.

Brightness

Funny. I'm watching the media now on a LCD-monitor and it's all much brighter then on my CRT. --dutchmega 03:09, 7 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Hmm, might simply have to do with the brightness of the monitors being differently tuned, but also LCD screens is known for having much better contrast between similar colors, yet perhaps this explains why the pictures are so dark: MrTwo has an LCD monitor. --Andreasen 09:33, 7 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Hi guys and yes thats true i have an LCD monitor displaying at 1420x which is widescreen. Oh thankyou Andreasen for letting me know about the talk page to keep everyone informed about the mod, so her by i will start the Progress area!

About the datacache error, have you checked the discussion on User_talk:Mdurand? --Andreasen 12:17, 7 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Light

Maybe a tip: I always like 1 dynamic light in the room, which would flicker a bit. Everything dark is not always fun. The player sometimes runs from 1 light to the another. --dutchmega

There are deffinitely lights that flicker quite a bit but the team chose not to put too much of that. It looks a bit funny in the map but theres about one or two thats there.---MrTwoVideoCards

It's dark

This is a talk page, so if I may cut in here: The two last of these three pictures are 95% black. Also, almost all players are aware that lack of detail can be covered up with darkness. That's the reason why dark maps are generally frowned upon, just so you know. --Andreasen 13:48, 9 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Yes im also quite well-aware of that. All though it is a dark Parking Lot the team is putting a ton of detail in it. I didnt mean for darkness to be an excuse for low detail i was just simply stating that dark covers up detail but the team didnt want to do that. Its dark but there is a LOT of detail hha maybe too much but so far the map runs very well and it doesn't go very slow either. Really it doesn't go slow at all. The average fps is 34 to 30 so thats quie well but that also because i haven't Visleafed everything yet by adding occluders and Hint brushs or even area portals.

It's weird.. It's not a zombie-mod but still so dark. Are you also going to use these maps in DM? Please note that is not meant bad.. we're just wondering why.. --dutchmega 14:01, 9 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Personally I have no problem with it, because you would probably still see the muzzle flashes of the Combine light up where they are, so it might be very effect-full. Zombies in darkness, on the other hand, could slow things down to a crawl. I just hope though, that he doesn't release the map as dark as his screenshots, because then the mod would be a LED monitor map only. He should probably adjust his brightness setting. --Andreasen 14:26, 9 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Haha yeah i know its a bit funny that ive been showing you dark screens however the begging og the MOD takes place at night however the rest of the MOD is morning and daytime and just a bit more night and thats it. Im sorry for making everything so dark. And by the way yes ther are Zombies in the area as the way there are in HL2 EP 1 but not a lot. So i promise you guys there will be deffinitely a lighter more well-lit map to play in.

Ideas

If anybody has any ideas or anything they would like to see in the game please tell! Just dont put nothing that would take months to make or anything that doesnt make sense. Thankyou.

Working together

How do you work together on the maps? Just plan like "you do that part, I do that one and you that other part"? --dutchmega 06:51, 24 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Actualy no its a bit different then that. Its a system we put together. What we do is pretty much talk about the geneal area and progress of the mod. After that we get a good heading of where we are going with the game. We pretty much all desing the maps but yet we stick to the story and dont stray off to far or anything.

Also i like to call it the "Team Lead Method"

Its where we all work in or on a certain map and change different aspects of it. One does the overall lighting. one on the enviroment, and one on the combat. Also any other area of that map is needed as well we will work on but its a odd process kind of. However we all head in a general direction to the same goal.

Afte thatn we decide what will go and stay of course and test different aspects of the game. Im lead level desing so i control what the final map will be but still i always ask the team does this look good and what your opion?

Also i like this method becaue we all desing the same thing. But with different point of views. Which is cool because then we can see he "that looks more realistic or maybe we should give more detal to this idea". Its not a compition to get their idea in the game but rather just different concept desings of the same object. Rather than one person coming up with all the ideas which is a bit limited.--Gear 13:49, 4 Oct 2006 (PDT)

MOD Progress

Work began on April 15th, 2006.

• There is no current log from that date i officialy will start it from the begging of August due to thats the date where the team knows where officialy everything is going and where the MOD is heading in its general direction.

August 2,2006 - Team

Today the team officialy decided to change the MOD's direction and in total the entire story. The original City map underwent some changes as well as adding verious types of game modes to the map including Arena and a Bounce to the map. So far the devolopement continues and the map isnt quite done but the team would rather concentrate on quality rather then quantity.

August 4,2006 - Cory

The map is going quite well and theres not much too report.

August 14,2006 - Cory

So the map is near completion now just a few more to add to it theres currently a problem where the ladder doesnt work so looks like things are gonna have to be changed. Also the team has created the main characters Jack and "unamed". Were looking for a proper name to call the character that helps the player along the way.

August 16,2006 - Cory

Voiceovers start, today were using a couple of programs to alter voice and to professionaly record better sound but we arent going to record yet we are still casting the actors. However we might do the voices ourself's.

August 20,2006 - Neil

City 17 is almost done. The team skipped to the Train Station while i work on the city map and the sewer area. Next week i will start the parking Garage map that lays underneath the Train Station. Its quite huge and filled with zombies but not to much thats just overkill.

August 25,2006 - Cory

Wow the Train Station is nearly done just trying to figure ourt how to get a train moving on a path. The path is quite long which will take the player father away from Gordon Freeman or at least a different area to be qauint.Also the sewre cocept art is about done i would put a screenshot of the art but its horribly badly drawn "haha".The team "me and Neil" have moved on to the Sewer while Kristin works on some of the modelling for Jack and the other character.

August 26,2006 - Kristin

Wow is modeling hard but it looks like i finished the model and now im going to work with some of the choragraphy scenes for the game also Cory and Neil are still working on the parking Garage.

Sep 1,2006 - Kristin

We ran into a mjor error with the parking garage map but Cory is trying to fix it up. Neil is working on that City map and changing the way it goes near the end.

Cory-Cant figure out the problem so im going to ask for help at the help desk.

Sep 6,2006 - Cory

Thanks to Andreasen we finnaly got rid of that error. So now i can continue working on it just need to find out whats with that dumb Datacache error.

Sep 7,2006 - Cory

Hey there again guy's and so far the MOD is going great. The team determined that the parking Garage deffinitly needs some more detail. Although its quite dark in there there are still some areas that seem to plain when the Player shines their Flashlight at a certain area.

• 

  This is how the map looks like in Fullbright with mat_fullbright 1 on. It looks like it needs tons of detail, but in the dark it looks much better. Less is visable and the dark makes it seem like it has a quite a lot of detail. Its a great technique to use when desinging

• City night sewer 010000.jpg

  Of course with lighting effects it looks better but also theres no need for tons of decals or any other effects execpt the static_props and other entitys as well.

• City night sewer 010003.jpg

  that light to the far off left flickers. And thats for you Dutchmega lol.

Sep 8,2006 - Kristin

Currently the Train Station is almost done im going to put up screens in a bit so we can finnaly show some lighter areas of the game rather than making the game look so dark.

• City 17 030001.jpg

  This is the front of the Train Station

• 

  Inside the Train Station

Also im preparing the area for a big Boss fight. You fight a strider and a Hunter Copter.The player doesn't fihgt them both at the same time however. There are two rebels with RPG's in the area.

Sep 9,2006 - Neil

Hmmm we've have just noticed that deffinitly a large map needs to follow the Train Station. It needs to show off more fo the forest as "unnamed" Talks to you about whats been going on in City 17 and that hes happy to get out of there but also at the same time a bit sad.

Large Mountains as well as large lakes surrounded by scenery and even some areas where you can see the City from a distance. However after that the train stops abruptly.

Sep 10,2006 - Cory

We are going to have the train crash and sort of drive down a hillside that isn't too steep. We want a Hunter choper to destroy a area of the bridge the train will cros causing it to drive or off-track down the hill. But before that the player will fight on the train while its moving. Theres a part of the train that loads cargo much like a carrier. A Dropship will be able to drop combine in the front area of the train and the back. Beside that combine can kick you off the train!!

Lots of work though.

Sep 10,2006 - Cory

The Parking Lot is near completion now. Just need to add more hint brush's oclluders, and some area portals and alot of nodraw but tell then i guess theres not much going on today.

Sep 11,2006 - Kristin

So far i've been messing around with the Strider's settings and some of the outputs and inputs to. We are changing around the A.I of the strider to have attack at certain times with more agressiveness and sometimes even calm down or if he wants to he will hunt the player down. Doing this causes the player to run around more and take cover plus it also gives the player a bit of time to think untill the player can find more RPG ammo and then attack the Strider.

Sep 13,2006 - Neil

Im going to go over all the maps today and the im going to optimize them all and see if anything is wrong with them. I guess i will be beta testing to day and thats about it.

Cory- Just adding more detail to the parking lot today. and thats about it. More detail like pipes and walls,supports,debris,phys props;etc.

Sep 14,2006 - Kristin

We're just taking the day off today and play a bunch of MOD's dont know but tell tomarrow.

Sep 15,2006 - Cory

Hmmm...... Outdoor areas are hard to hint but you just really can't hint at all so im going to use occluders and fog to optimize a bit of the outdoor maps and then thats it i'll move on to the train ride.

Sep 17,2006 - Cory

So far im in the process of making all the maps into HDR and whatnot its gonna take a while but thats okay though. I'm currently just making all the maps ready for HDR although by adding a few more stuff here and there and thats it really but not alot is required although it seems like alot.

Sep 19,2006 - Kristin

Right now im correcting some of the problems of the first level which is the city. Like the ladder error tha we had a while back. Also making the arean a bit less frantic. There was 30 combine but now 24.

Sep 24,2006 - Cory

These past days have been real tiring. I've corrected all the level changes which means we now have three maps to play on. Added music to all the levels and other details. Optimized all the areas with Areaportals and Hint brushes. HDR compiled the trainstaion level. Fixed some exposure settings. Worked on cherography scenes and thats just some but mostly i want to get together a demo of the game at the end of this month hopefully to see if people like what we are doing and if not thats gonna suck but thats why im trying to add a bunch of great stuff to do and also got rid of things that didnt make sense or anything like that. Hopefully all will go well and that is done for now!!

Sep 30,2006 - Team

Progress of the MOd is better then last. The last week provd quite good for it. We are sad to say that we might not hve a demo of the game untill the next two weeks or maybe three. Eithr way thata said to say right now but the MOD is doing Fantastic

Lately we added KGtheway 2b aka Kevin Whipp to our team so we would like to welcome him to the team.

His preavious work was on te Great MOD sourceForts for Half Life 2, a multiplayer game. So gaoing through about everything its difficult making a MOD yes but it sure is fun. City 17 is shaping into a better MOD than i ever though it would be hahha. A exact realease datefor the game it self has not been decided yet but maybe in a mnoth or two. But tell then work shall continue on the MOD.

oct 3,2006 - Team

We are finnaly happy to say that the first three maps of CIty 17 are now finnaly in HDR. It took a while but weve just added effects and some of a few new things to HDR. Also we are working on a Advanced HDR page for the wiki but level design goes very well so far.

The forest area of City 17 is now being created and also concepted however we are probaly going out on location for that to get some reference pictures. Also since the player is a rebel we thought about bring back the buggy since in HL2 its carried by a Combine Dropship and whisked away to somewhere. Well it turns out that somewhere was the Trainstation so there will be some buggy riding in City 17. We are though working on this idea so you tell us what seems more "funner"for the player.

HDR screens of the existing Levels in City 17:

We put the screens on the main page of City 17 after all it does make more sense there.

oct 4,2006 - Neil

Today I will be working on props, just regular ones for the player to fling around. Most of the props in Half Life 2 require the Gravity Gun to pick up and since the player cant use that weapon we need more stuff to grab and throw like knives and such. Also since the grav gun can throw things at a high velocity they can damage foes. Like grabing a tire and launching it at a combine. It would kill him but since the player doesnt have the grav gun he cant do that so we will be making things that are sharp, able to throw at a high speed like a shovel or a shard of glass and maybe even other existing props from Half Life 2.

oct 9,2006 - Cory

Through the modding process ive learned quite a bit. Running and directing a team as well as mapping for the HL2 world it self. The Great thing about making a MOD for HL2 is there are so many options. Too many to count even. But as the self-replitation and continous work continues on City 17 things go even better! Im sad to report though that i might be updating this log a bit less and maybe only down to two or three times a week but thats due to the stage we are currently within at City 17. We have a bit more things greatly added up together so we'll be a bit more busy on the MOD. I would also like to say we are preparing it to release a short demo. haha it took a while with all that HDR settings and such that were added to the maps and also tons of coding for the new props that require HDR reflection and shine as well as good lighting portrals. This is a long process but it really depends on the size and complexity of the model.

so far im also making a gameplay video to showcase a bit of the stuff we will have in City 17.

Also we are heading into the ep 2 area. We stalled on that because we wantd to create a good map for the train ride plus the level would have to be long so it required a lot of drafting and planning to get it where it will look great in the game. We also moved up the buggie maps to after the train crash in the ep 2 area of the MOD. However the buggie thing is still a bit of a fact to workout due to the fact that the player will have no Gravity Gun to flip it back over if it lands or flips upsidedown. Also thats something that takes a while to figure out cause i fear we won't be able to add the buggie in the game.

So far City 17 is doing great and so is G E A R.