Cool map remixes - updated examples!

[NIN-Kitsune]

Here's some nice examples to showcase map mixer possibilities, so here they are and most of these can be found on whale according to the listed orange titles which you can call up a vote on by entering "vote mapname" into the console!

Some things seen here may be only possible with unreleased version currently such as the ability to change already defined lights in the bsp, which can include sun. Beta mixer also features ability to convert any image quickly to a .wal texture and even can generate near perfectly tiled textures on demand with any image you supply with simple sliders in a menu! And there is much more to come! Also shown are new things you will be able to do with this tool once a public release of the latest wod module occurs as well!



atomic_smasher
mkrust by Killer to a reactor station









scifi_spacegun
big space gun by DMP to more modern sci-fi look







moon_alter
Arena map by whodini with redone texture and relit with sun effect currently only possible in the unreleased version of map mixer






fort_of_forbode
the great bk2 (author unknown) converted to a foreboding fort look right out of a fairytale!










fort_frog_pond
bk8 (author unknown) with night-time medieval overhaul










icy_shrine
q2ctf4a (author unknown) converted to a tank lords frigid lair where he punishes a berserker underling and vengeful spirits keep duking it out with each other after death!







echo_base1
campcity (author unknown) to a winter base theme






castle_peak2
city1 converted to cold medieval dungeon theme with imprisoned insanes











marics84x
marics84 by maric changed so dramatically as to be almost unrecognizable!





ghost_mansion
4u2map12a by 4u2 clan to haunted mansion theme






sea_megalith
wosdm2se by wos clan converted to daylight and ocean env along with timed lasers focusing on central area.





martian_canyon
stonemn2 (author unknown) converted to a martian surface theme






martian_dig
Rocknon by whodini converted to martian style terrain, light and env





biggun2x
Big gun altered to cleaner sci-fi style





arctic_outpost
bugdm7 by bugman to arctic outpost theme remake







arctic_outpost2
Another (original author, mart?) frozen ice base conversion aided by altered color of light emitting sky






sea_castle
semper06 by renegade to another alternate stone and night theme







kyuubi_king
4u2map5b by 4u2 clan to sea & night medieval theme






mars
marics105 by maric with the clock turned back!







timberwolf2x
Interactive mecha overhauled to fancier style





russian_arena_2
(author, Sergey Pukach) Highly experimental test of bsp element importing. A water prefab added to carena with no compiling instantly, this feature may not make it in the next mixer version or possibly ever due to the technical difficulties of this method with most maps.

[Wixen1 [Q2C]]

Woah...some fancy screenshot there, thanks!!
-W1

[NIN-Kitsune]

Thanks Wixen! I have personally done all of these, some come out better than others but overall despite the limit that you can only replace existing textures, the results can still be most impressive! And hopefully even that limit will be removed according to some tests I heard null has been working on!

One thing I should add for those who are just getting into this and would like to alter light a bit. Despite the fact that light entities already defined in the bsp cannot be altered currently, it is possible on some maps that have light emitting surfaces and skies to change the color of that light since it's not created by entities! Simply enable the relighting tab but leave nothing else checked and simply save the map with the new textures and any surface using a texture for light color will be altered according to the new texture's color. This goes for skies too in some cases!

Like in the arctic_outpost example, I replaced this texture in the list to a water texture to make the sky emit blue light, giving the map a frigid appearance!

[Deleted]

Wow, nice tool, totally different each map.
some mapz change so much that you want to download them again.

[Null]

Osusuke is our chief map remixer and it's clear he really loves what he does.
When he gets in the groove remixing his favorite maps, you never know what the end result will look like. I always come off pleasantly surprised and with a few fresh ideas of my own.
I usually go: oh yea, I see what you did there, I don't think I'd ever think of that!

Not having to dwell on the map layout has its advantages. It allows the remixer to focus solely on fine details. He can fully divert his attention and focus on other areas such as: lighting adjustments, entity placement, texture choice and location, sorta like with home decoration. This ability to quickly fine tune details without recompiling, often times results in a smug tailored fit for ours players while retaining and enhancing the overall server experience.

It's always great to see an oldie map reinvented and reinvigorated in a totally different light, opening up new possibilities for our players, who often times don't even realize they played it before. And if they do, the map begins to grow on them even more, allowing them to gain fresh appreciation for the hard work of the original author, as well as the new perspective cast by the DJs.

Currently the maps are only available for download via Whale Eye server, but soon enough we'll be providing download links along with screenshots.
I'm also hard at work developing a new version of Map Mixer and Model Mixer who's features will blow away the old!

Cheers,
Null

[NIN-Kitsune]

It sure is true that it helps being able to soley focus on textures, light and entity placement alone, it reminds me of my days making maps with Doom Builder years ago since in Doom making maps was a breeze compared to Quake II, and with the ZDoom engine it was possible to do all kinds of fun stuff, I hope Quake II some day can be brought to ZDooms level of customization, this game deserves it! And unlike Doom, multiplayer in Quake II is still much stronger to this day! I didn't like that no matter how good my work should ever become, that in Doom it would likely never see much action in multiplayer if at all, which to me is everything.

I could credit this tool today as having given me enough knowledge on maps to even begin creating basic maps from scratch due to all the technical know-how indirectly gained from this work if I wanted to, only I'd never have the time in the world to do it as even a good remix already can take me a day or two depending on how the textures are layed out, since replacing a texture in one place and getting a good result can sometimes have the opposite affect in another area in a map and look out of place, and when I got huge amounts of textures to change, well that can take a while to say the least ! But again hopefully that can change as well and things like surface properties and so on will be exposed as features we can use for further quick tweaking of any map!

As for downloads I will certainly provide a number that work out fine in normal Quake II, some maps might not make sense or be strange without certain wod-x exclusive features and elements not in the currently released module version. so I'll have to see what I can do when I can best get to it!

[NIN-Kitsune]

Another map that was complete not long ago! Yes I know, another medieval but this I promise shall be the last like it for a while as I have more themes planned! I also have not forgot the downloads, but schedule has been extremely tight, They're coming soon as some are ready!

lightning_libraryx
s2dm1 by sabotuer to library theme

[Le Ray [Q2C]]

Good looking stuff! Man, I wish I could still map, I really miss it.

[Sabotuer [Q2C]]

whoa, wth did you do to my map, that looks friggin amazing, nice work

[mrpker]

I want to download russian_arena_2. Where can I find it?

[Deleted]

Dec 27, 2012 20:57:01 GMT -5 mrpker said:

I want to download russian_arena_2. Where can I find it?

Here you go:

http.tastyspleen.net/~p1/quake2/weapons/maps/

[NIN-Kitsune]

Greetings everyone, due to being caught up in many things in life it has certainly been long time no see when it comes to me! But now I am working to make a full return to the Quake II community, and continuing in this hobby that I very much enjoyed doing.

But the means will be changing! I am most excited to state that I have been informed that Map Mixer is in the process of a complete rewrite and vastly far more powerful features than ever before will be available! Maps will be viewed in real time in Map Mixer, also basic features like override entity injection will be possible so even entity lights and sun lighting may be altered and finally available. Also the ability to rescale maps, change surface textures case by case and not just across the board instances of existing textures being replaced. And hopefully, even abilities such as turning deadly lava into safe water or vice-versa, turning any surface to sky, give surfaces light emission etc, hopefully all that can finally be possible! No time frame can be given yet as null is busy with many projects, but hopefully testing phase on my end won't be far off! This is not the earlier beta I spoke of before, this is redone and far better!

Look forward to being able to contribute to the community once again, missed you and all the players I've known for years greatly !

Edit: Btw, I realize I still need to bundle the maps for downloads, but I got a lot of sorting to do on my machine as well as moving many maps to another new WOD-X server and will be able to carry this out when I can get to doing it!