"Hydra" FFA [Final]

[Pat Howard]

Hydra by Pat Howard

Filename: hydra.pk3
Status: Final
Gametypes: Free For All, Duel
Recommended Players: 2-6
Bot Support: Yes

FINAL

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/hydra/ra1.jpg[/lvlshot]

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/hydra/mh2.jpg[/lvlshot]

Release candidate notes: I'm just posting this in case anyone wants the latest version of the map. If you find any bugs, please let me know because I'll be posting this to LvL within the next few days.

Notable changes:
-added two 5 health bubbles by RG
-made circle jump from behind RA to stairs leading to RG easier
-added intermission camera
-improved bot play. they should stay out of the water and use both rooms more evenly now.

---

Alright! I am hoping you guys haven't forgotten about this map by now . After about ten months in development a bunch of pauses for other projects it's finally ready for testing. Hydra is a small two-atrium FFA map. It also works well for tourney, but I think the simplicity of the connectivity hurts the replay value a bit.

A few notes for feedback: When judging this map, please keep in mind that the majority of it was made before my maps Goldleaf and Trespass and I've learned a lot since then. There has already been a lot of great feedback on the art direction for this map and I'm looking forward to more of it, but I may not be able to take too many more suggestions because at this point I am really just trying to finish this thing. For gameplay feedback, if you could identify which gametype (FFA or duel) you are suggesting changes for that would be great.

Thanks!
pat

---

Hey, guys.

I've got a new layout in the works that could use some testing. It's a two-atrium ffa/tourney map. Bot support is included. Can anyone help?

ALPHA

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/hydra/a3.jpg[/lvlshot]

---

Change log version 3 (March 2015):
- improved movement flow
- added more cover near RA
- changed around weapons so LG is now low and took cityy's suggestions on other items

Change log version 2 (August 2014):
- reworked YA drop down room
- separated RG hallway into two areas
- added lighting for your eyes
- put more thought into item placement
- added regen
- slightly resized many areas
- added shoot-through holes to MH bridge
- many other little structural tweaks
- fixed bug where bots got stuck in the lava

---

I'm looking for feedback on:
- Overall structure and balance
- Item placement (big or small items)
- Teleporter destinations
- Any interesting jumps that could be added
- Is it fun to play?

Notes:
- The spiral ramp will eventually be stairs

Thanks!
pat

[CZghost]

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Quake%203%20World%20screenshots/alpha%20and%20beta%20testing/alpha%20testing/pat%20howard/tba1%20a1/shot0000.jpg[/lvlshot]
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Quake%203%20World%20screenshots/alpha%20and%20beta%20testing/alpha%20testing/pat%20howard/tba1%20a1/shot0001.jpg[/lvlshot]
Personaly, I think this gets a bit weird. Ammo box in center of the room? I'm a bit skeptic about this item placed in that position. If there was the weapon which the ammo is related to, that would be better. In a place where the GL is now, there would be close to the wall grenades and bullets.

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Quake%203%20World%20screenshots/alpha%20and%20beta%20testing/alpha%20testing/pat%20howard/tba1%20a1/shot0004.jpg[/lvlshot]
Great positioned mega, cutting a hole and adding shootable through out grate here would be brilliant touch to improve gameplay flow as it would add to the riskness of the mega position

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Quake%203%20World%20screenshots/alpha%20and%20beta%20testing/alpha%20testing/pat%20howard/tba1%20a1/shot0005.jpg[/lvlshot]
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Quake%203%20World%20screenshots/alpha%20and%20beta%20testing/alpha%20testing/pat%20howard/tba1%20a1/shot0006.jpg[/lvlshot]
Maybe switching? Make RA spawn in the place of shards and shards (GA) place where RA is now. RA corner (the new one) would be raised up to make players need to rocketboost in that place (bots should do it as well, if you enable bot_rocketjump gameflag and add there also botroam goal item). Like it is done in Blood Run (there you can also normally strafejump for RA)...

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Quake%203%20World%20screenshots/alpha%20and%20beta%20testing/alpha%20testing/pat%20howard/tba1%20a1/shot0007.jpg[/lvlshot]
I'm not sure, but I think that there is momething missing, any holdable item, maybe medkit? YA is great, I would stay it here, but it feels a bit empty on the side I am standing in that shot.

I did not test the bots, maybe later

[AEon]

First off... took me while to understand the layout (this is usually actually a good thing, meaning the layout is not trivial), it is quite interesting though. Feels like the essence of good-old-times gameplay. Playing against bots is fun, they seem to make really good use of all of the map, which surprised me. They even take paths I had not yet taken, e.g. up the stairs at the MH.

• Over all I think you nailed quite a few things really well concerning layout. Good connections, good use of the vertical. So I'd be very careful when "trying to improve" the layout. You may be losing something special.
• What I noted running around for 10 minutes was getting snagged in quite a few places. Meaning in this case that I would want to take a shortcut, i.e. shorten the running path only to have a corner in the way. You did angle off a few corners, more of that should help.
• E.g. I would have liked to jump from the 5Ax5 ledge overr to the narrow ledge along the wall leading to the PG. A "shortcut" to the PG without having to use the bridge.
• Near the RA you cut off a corner (seen coming from the med level JP) by about 30°, I'd prefer a 45 cut to better get at the RA from there. Rounding off corners via patches might help, should you go for a roundish design.
• There is some variation in path widths... in a few areas I felt the walls being a bit too close, but from a tactical / skill point of view they may be fine. Just something you may think about.
• I noted that Anarki could not get out of the lava pool next to TP1.
• Generally speaking... you pretty much placed everything in corners. Especially the RG, the PG and the med level RL, and the LG too. I can completely understand this, you want the player to work more to get a weapon. But as someone pointed out in my AEdm7 map back when, this can annoy. Placing weapons more conveniently should be something to look into, IMO.
• Location of the RG is strange, stuck in the corner. You might like to carve out a 8-sided niche into that corner and put the RG there, to give the area more meaning, visually. And make picking up the RG slightly more risky.
• The PG feels pretty cramped where it presently is. In-denting the wall here for more space might help.
• I miss a Quad in the map ...
• The 3 bots work well... I would have guessed that more than 3 are required, but this actually works well. Enough action, but not too much.
• The TP1 (at lava) exit on the top level corridor is awkward. The TP exit entity seems to be way too high above the floor (you drop) , and right in the middle of the corridor you tend to have too many bots impeding the path when the exit. My first guess would be to build a niche into a the wall as TP exit, to get it out of the path.
• The med level JP to the RA has a bit of too much over-bounce, you fly into the wall, more room here could also help avoid that.
• The MH JP to the LG also feels strange. You enter from the front but get pushed up and sideways.
• The TP2 area: the stairs are too wide cramming in the TP too much. Indent TP into wall more maybe or make stairs slightly less wide. Area feels slightly inconvenient, since the TP is the only exit and you need to make a sharp turn right when you enter the area from the lava pools.

The items and weapons felt OK the way they were placed in the map. Would require much more playtime and tweaking in the geometry to be able to properly say if they work were they are or not.

I like the RA bridge area and the MH arena, though some more tweaking in the geometry could help smoothen out things more. E.g. when at the MH and wanting to jump down to the lowest level you smack your face into the stairs that lead up. Maybe hollowing out the stairs would help.

[Hipshot]

I liked it too, I played a couple of matches with bots now. Somehow, when I was at the top by the RA, it reminded me about that QuakeLive map, furious heights...

One thing I noted, but it's only bot related, is that some times, maybe all, the bots can't get up from the lava. I know this will be fixed and that's not the critique you want. But it was a bit annoying, even for an alpha =)

[Pat Howard]

@CZghost: yup, i will add the holes in the mega bridge. i was planning on it but i forgot.

@AEon: thanks i know that the item placement is pretty fucked up right now. there will definitely be some ip changes and tailoring to each gametype in the future. but i will save that for the beta when the map looks nicer and people care more to test it.

i know the dropdown YA room needs a little work, especially the position of the teleporter. i will try to find a way to make it more natural.

@Hipshot: thanks! i knew people would see the diagonal bridge between the two raised platforms in the middle and think, "furious heights!" someone else one the quake live forums even mentioned it too. but the map wasn't inspired by furious heights at all. that bridge was added in at the last moment. oh well, you can never be 100% original

so far the feedback has been great. i think i am going to keep the alpha phase short and sweet. i am only going to make minor changes and not release another alpha version.

thanks,
pat

[Pat Howard]

I didn't think I was gonna release another version of this layout, but since AEon is around I thought at least he might test it

I wouldn't say there are any huge changes, but it definitely plays a bit differently after reworking some areas and putting a lot more thought into item placement.

The link and the change log are updated at the top. Thanks in advance!

pat

[AEon]

Some thoughts:

• When moving I still feel snagged, but I cannot put my finger on it where exactly and how to "fix" that. Because in one run through that area I get snagged, and in the next through better movement control it no longer is an issue. Could be seen as a skill based handicap, a better player will know the layout perfectly and will void any issues.
• The bots play really well, and the 4 default bots really take advantage of all the map AFAICT. The JPs work well for them and they also use the TPs. At first I thought the MH arena was not played enough, but as we know, once a few bots die there all the others start to congregate there as well. The two high JPs in the MH arena create really nice fun vertical fighting. The RA arena also has very interesting vertical fighting and path alternatives. So that works well too.
• Personally not a fan of the Regen (in general), but here is seems to work. Though I am more for Quad mayhem .
• With four bots the map is actually quite frantic... in good way that is. Should you prefer to cool it down slightly, dropping one bot would be enough IMO.
• The grate slits under the MH... personally I never thought such "grates" were worth the time. They are a standard Q3A cliche, but never had much use for them, since you do not stand around in the map and look up that long to notice if the MH is actually up there or not. Maybe it helps more strategic players, but in FFA they are simply a visual element to make the bridge look more interesting (not that that is bad).

So on the whole the map seems to be fit for detailing... though I am sure once that happens and after playing it a lot more more pertinent suggestions can be mad.

[Pat Howard]

@AEon: thanks for the quick reply . it seems like the layout is about 95% there, except the movement could be better. people actually had complaints about the movement in my last map too. i guess i should take notes from q3dm6.

i played again and took note of all the places i got snagged. i actually feel like it's a pretty localized issue. for me, the movement is the worst in the RG & 5A x 5 hall. i have some ideas of how to open that up just a bit and i'll see if i can improve the movement there.

[CZghost]

I wanted to use attachments for my suggestions, but I see that I have to use external hosting instead as maximum attachments in one post are three and I need a lot more to show my screenies Here they are:

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_mega_holes.jpg[/lvlshot]
That grate is impressive, I'd suggest you to hold it during alpha and beta testing and include it in the final

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_mega_pillars_bridge.jpg[/lvlshot]
Bridges always need some system of support, so I'd suggest you for future to include pillars like in this image, it won't rush the gameplay and the bridge won't look like the weak one that falls under a ton.

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_mega_pillars_stairs.jpg[/lvlshot]
The same for stairs here, in real, I would worry about stairs falling under overweight and as I worry of heights, I would gonna to worry about falling off the ledge. The stairs now look so unstable I would worry about stepping on it in real. Add some horizontal pillars under and make solid edge of the stairs in future. Just for visual to avoid people worriyng

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_emptypath.jpg[/lvlshot]
I am missing something there. Usualy people make this deadend for some reason, holding any attractive item here, but this seems only to prevent fall damage and a spot camp-friendly. Narrowing the ledge would help to prevent camps, if you want to include here some attractive item (Railgun would be nice one to see there, instead the one now placed), then I would bump ledge for it from the wall instead of making a hole.

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_rg_weird.jpg[/lvlshot]
This is what I have said before. This location of RG looks weird for me, instead of that I'd just make there deadend with RL teleport exit.

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_movementkiller.jpg[/lvlshot]
In Q3, this step is killing movement flow. It would be steppable in QL, but Q3 feels rushed by this movement blocker. If you wish to make this map primarily for Q3, then I'd suggest you to remove the block, in QL it would work nice with PQL movement.

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_regen.jpg[/lvlshot]
Regeneration is well placed, I'd just add a riskness to the spot removing addition blocks that makes easy to use the route. Player then should be forced to jump here, maybe also raise the spot a bit...

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_ra_gl_switch.jpg[/lvlshot]
Switch the items? Personally, I think that grabbing RA and jumping down is better than grabbing RA, running over bridge, grabbing GL and jumping down. Maybe even better would be place RA in middle of the bridge to make risk of fall down or being ganged up by opponents. Then the RA spot that is now would wear some weapon or less attractive item...

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_sg_lava.jpg[/lvlshot]
Make an island with the SG in the middle of the lava?

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_ya_outlook.jpg[/lvlshot]
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_ya_overkill.jpg[/lvlshot]
This area looks outstanding. Reminds me one section in Overkill, where the teleporter was that faced, last I played Infected in QL there were hidden survivals

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_fallprevent.jpg[/lvlshot]
I might understand that this was meant as fall damage prevention, I'd just narrow it and make it slim at height, as a ledge to add riskess of use that slower

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_roundstairs.jpg[/lvlshot]
Suggestion for future: visually, it looks terrible, that weird distorted texture doesn't look ever nice, so for future, I'd use brushwork there instead...

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76484093/Quake%203/Maps/Testing/pathoward_tba/alpha2/pathoward_a2_skybox.jpg[/lvlshot]
Where did you get this skybox? It looks really nice

[cityy]

My first impression when running through the map was that it looks like a great base for a tourney map.
Trying to look a bit under the hood I'll stick to some ABC aspects for now.

1) Item setup: Move MH to where SG is
Right now there are 3 short connections from RA to MH and vice versa:
- low connection: is not going to be used a lot, SG is not very valuable to obtain and taking the YA/TP connection to get to MH is just slightly faster while being considerable safer, also you want to avoid being in a low position like that with 2 ways out one of which being a jumppad
- medium level connection: is a serious choke point, which is good to have between MH/RA because it makes the player vulnerable
- high level: levers out the medium level connection because it is not nessecarily slower to use but offers vertical ground and is wider (i.e. less dangerous to use), it allows the in control player to easily hold high ground and obtain MH and RA

- Moving MH to low ground turns things around:
- the low connection now is the fastest connection between RA and MH, it also forces the in control player to leave high ground and creates opportunities for ambushes when the in control player drops from RA to MH or uses the TP to get from MH to RA - however, the tele exit would have to be set back a little or get an extra niche to not make it abuseable, I could imagine it being situated in a water pit like the tele exits on QL's sinister
- the medium connection is the next best alternative to get from RA to MH but it is also dangerous to use as it is still a choke point, to dissolve it a little more, I would either extend its length so it ends right in front of the bridge at MH or move the bridge slightly to the left so you can't directly look/drop down coming from RA -- the hallway width now is 128 units, I would size down the door in the MH room as well to increase the choke point effect (128units - max 160units)
- the high connection is not as attractive anymore but it still holds LG so there is an incentive to move there[/spoiler]

- alternatively you could try increasing the time it takes to pass through the high route or make it really vulnerable (for example like the LG area in QL's furious heights which uses the height decrease with stairs and the low corridor width to make the player more vulnerable for rocket damage)

2) Item setup: There is too little armor on the map
- one YA is not enough, 1 player can easily time and collect 3 items which leaves little to no armor for the other player making games one sided
- I would change the 5 shards near MH to be a YA because they are going to play a larger role on the map for the out of control player, they are in an area that is probably not going to be heavily frequented by a player in control compared to others - thus the weaker player will have a realistic chance of getting it without taking tons of damage
- the low YA position is neat, the dropdown makes it work
- you might want to add 3-4 more shards either on the corridor that holds the low YA dropdown or on the gallery near MH (this might be optional)

3) Item setup: the RL near MH, SG
- I would move the RL near MH to a less vulnerable position, i.e. to the corridor behind it that holds the YA dropdown and place SG on the bridge (SG in that position would be nice as it is very effective in tight corridors like the RA/MH choke point or against players using a jumppad).

I think that would be it for now, I'd be happy to discuss any of the points mentioned above. Things are looking good already.^

Edit:
- I initially thought about moving RG to the low YA next to the tp
- right now LG and RG are both on the top level making them fairly easy to deny, however it is not thaaaaaaat bad, taking RG you don't make yourself very visible after all

[Pat Howard]

@cityy: thanks for this great feedback. i like your suggestions and i will definitely implement most if not all of them. much appreciated

[Pat Howard]

moving screenshots over to this thread, as suggested.

i'm playing around with slime now. i've tried a bunch of colors, but can't decide on one.

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/yellowjacket/shot0228.jpg[/lvlshot]

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/yellowjacket/shot0227.jpg[/lvlshot]

in the shots above i just used sumatra's slime from Toxicity and changed the hue to match my skybox. any thoughts? i know it's different, but the color scheme of the map is already pretty funky.

edit: comparison shot with the original lava here. idk, somehow i feel as if this map has just turned into a clusterfuck of colors.

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/yellowjacket/shot0231.jpg[/lvlshot]

[Hipshot]

Yea, doesn't really look good.
First time I see the level as a whole, I think you need to revise the colors of the sky and the lava when I look at it like this.

[Porto]

Though the little yellow lights look cool, they contribute to the fact that the map looks too colorful and maybe a bit chaotic (especially the ones on the stairs). The windows (I presume they are) are nice but really bright, maybe you could place metal bars in them or objects behind them so it'll be less bright.
Have you tried blue for the slime/lava?
Also the larger not striped yellow parts of the wall can distract and make it look really colorfull, although it's good to see repetition in color, the yellow may just he a bit too much.
But I love the skybox and overall theme and textures of your map, also the spot where the megahealth is looks interesting.

[AEon]

Hmm... well looking at the purple pool shot I was really surprised... and wondered what it reminded me of... I'd say something out of Arabian Nights... the exotic purple IMO actually works... a tad wild maybe. The orange lava looks pretty "boring" by comparison. Really interesting to see an industrial texture set being able to evoke some Arabian palace in the desert feel to it. And it seems to come from the purple pool and the skybox...

Maybe instead of the purple hue use a blue one, for water... would tone down the far out look and help consolidate the colours. Then again I like the purple and would like to see more of it as liquid décor in the map .

[Pat Howard]

thanks for the feedback. i was also planning to give the color blue a try. i changed the lava to water and used hipshot's miramar sky. i turned off the lights since it's day now. it's funny what an impact the environmental stuff has on the rest of the map. these shots have more of a realistic battleship/oil rig setting, which gives me more ideas for functional geo. i'll find a theme in this map if it kills me!

(sorry if i'm spamming too many screens today.)

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/yellowjacket/shot0234.jpg[/lvlshot]

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3305662/baseq3/screenshots/yellowjacket/shot0235.jpg[/lvlshot]

@porto: will add the bars. i heard that point from another critiquer.

@aeon: it's interesting trying all these colors. believe it or not i have never put slime or lava in my previous maps. i never anticipated the problem slime/lava clashing with a dramatic sky. lots of lessons from this map already.

[Porto]

It's like a completely different map! I love the shadows, they make it look very realistic.
Anyway, I think it's an improvement.
Also, will there be underwaterstuff to explore since it's going to be water, not lava?

[AEon]

I have just recently used the Miramar skybox in AEblocks. You might like to check the skybox shader I used, not for the settings per se, but for the orientation of the sun... I put in some effort in to exactly place the sun location in the map. Heck, here it is:

Code: Select all

textures/aeblocks/skybox
{
	qer_editorimage textures/aeblocks/skybox1.jpg	// Using skybox image for editor sky!
	q3map_globaltexture

	// q3map_sunExt [r] [g] [b] [light] [heading] [elevation] [deviance] [samples]
	q3map_sunExt 255 235 191 140 323 70.5 0.5 32	// Cream sky, 90->100 brighter, real sun's deviance

	q3map_lightmapFilterRadius 0 6				// <Self> <Other> (Placement: After sunExt before skylight!), was 8, 6 sharper
	q3map_skylight 100 3						// Amount iterations (Replaces subdivide & surfacelight), less stadium 3 -> 6 (was 6)

	surfaceparm sky
	surfaceparm noimpact
	surfaceparm nolightmap
	surfaceparm nodlight
	nopicmip									// New: HipShot Skies (ignore r_picmip, always hires!)
	nomipmaps									// New: Manual

	skyparms env/aeblocks/miramar - -
}

Code: Select all

 [heading] [elevation] = 323 70.5 

I rather like the very friendly new look too... looks very nice with the blue water.

Feel free to add as many screenshots as you like... love them

[Porto]

I've never done mapping before, but is there a lot of code like that involved? Or is it just like building with legos?

[AEon]

Porto,
OT: There is actually almost no coding involved in mapping. Only if you want your textures to perform in special ways... e.g. create a moving texture like a conveyor belt, or want liquids to work as liquids with animated surfaces or for textures to actually cast light do you need shaders. But even then you can usually fall back to existing shaders and adapt them slightly... so you normally do not have to invent the wheel again.

The brushes are your Lego stones, they let you create almost anything that is convex... but per se Q3A is not a modular building engine, like UT4 or Far Cry and the like. I recently did some modular mapping in Q3A, that might be of interest: AEblocks - Modular Mapping

[cityy]

thanks for the feedback. i was also planning to give the color blue a try. i changed the lava to water and used hipshot's miramar sky. i turned off the lights since it's day now. it's funny what an impact the environmental stuff has on the rest of the map. these shots have more of a realistic battleship/oil rig setting, which gives me more ideas for functional geo. i'll find a theme in this map if it kills me!

I like that lighting and the sky! I generally think that those friendly high contrast lighting setup give a lot more than dark/evil stuff.

I feel you can make more of that water pit to support your yellow main color. In the previous version you had lava giving that lower area a strong light which I think was a good thing since it did emphasize the importance of the area and extended the color scheme.
I can recommend tools like Color Scheme Designer for spicing things up/adding accents. Toy around a bit and try to find color families/complementaries. I quickly picked up the RGB of your yellow in photoshop.

Complementary
Triadic configuration

You can also toy around with the angles of the configuration to achieve something entirely different.
[lvlshot]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15072710/Junk/colorschemes/5.png[/lvlshot]

Those colors get close to the alternatives sock created for the texture set. The red tone could be your lava. Additionally, you could add green accents (cables, screens, instruments, crate labels, signs).

I always feel like using color is hard - very hard. My stuff often ends up looking like a rainbow.. :-) A lot of configurations [1] [2] can work. What you want to do is up to you!

Edit: Getting back to that water pit... If I'm not mistaken sock used a purple'ish tone for this fog pit in the bridge crane level. Maybe you can merry that with Fipout's toxic waste. Another way would be to just use lamps/lightspots or to go back to lava. You will come up with something!

[Pat Howard]

@aeon: thanks for the sky. i spent a bunch of time aligning my shader for the last skybox and was pissed that it went to waste! this helps

@cityy: thanks for the color tips. somehow i like that color tool better than adobe's Kuler. you're right about the green and orange being similar to sock's alternate colors for the set! i think i am going to change the bright yellow panels to either green or orange and narrow the use of yellow down to just hazard trims, pipes, bouncers, and other industrial accents.

i have to say i like the water more than lava/slime, especially because the pools are large and they occasionally got annoying during play tests. i'm gonna stick with water for now.

going back into my hole now. should have some new screens within the next week or two.

[AEon]

The upload of my cropped version of Sock's Industrial texture set contains, or should, my recoloured piping and crates... so those might give you more variability. Pipes in blue, red, green and orange... etc. Looked up the links for convenience, should you not already be using them:

• tp_industrial_1_(b+bl+g+o)_by_Sock_(sliced,_sorted,_TGA).zip (89 MB from Mediafire)
• tp_industrial_2_(b+bl+g+o)_by_Sock_(sliced,_sorted,_TGA).zip (130 MB)
• tp_industrial_3_(b+bl+g+o)_by_Sock_(sliced,_sorted,_TGA).zip (122 MB)

According to Mediafire, files will remain online for 30 days, after the last download.

[obsidian]

Complementary
Triadic configuration

The Youngling becomes a Padawan. Jedi Master approves.










However.....


[youtube]igx0nazlpfE[/youtube]

[Pat Howard]

ty, aeon.