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[Sanek]

Hi bros!
I'm working on a new EPISODE called "Lunar Apocalypse". I think it will have about 5 levels in it, including the introduciton map, which is almost done. I want to add some kind of a story here, dialogs, sounds and music, new weapons, NPC's and even cutscenes, but without using any Duke Atomic textures and features, to make the overall episode like the sequel of the original "Lunar Apocalypse". I don't mean that I re-create the original levels, I mean that the action in this new episode takes place in the Moon years after the original game's story has ended.

Of course, such kind of a project requires some help. I want to make the maps by myself, but if you knew CON code well (especially to create texts/dialogs) and want to help me with this, you're welcome. I study some of a code myself right now, but I'm not sure that can make a good-working stuff, like the guys who did it for years.

Some screenshots. All, except the last one, is from the "INTROLAP.MAP".  Posted to imgur,  Commander.















I don't want to set any dates of release now. People say that I'm always rush my projects to release ASAP, so, I want to dedicate more time to this project than usual.
[re-posted from Duke4  ]

[Puritan]

I don't want to set any dates of release now. People say that I'm always rush my projects to release ASAP, so, I want to dedicate more time to this project than usual.
[re-posted from Duke4  ]

A wise decision.
Looks promising, though.

[Forge]

the first and third from the last look okay. needs wall & sector based shading. The rest don't have much of anything in them.

[Merlijn]

The screens look good, especially the ones Forge mentioned.

If I may give you some advice: try to experiment with different shapes and angles, most of your rooms remain square and blocky (even when they're designed well).

You can look at the original Lunar Apocalypse for inspiration: you will see that there are a lot of angular hallways, slopes and rooms with complex shapes in that episode. Just play through that episode and takes some mental notes about the design, shadows and layout. Not saying you should directly copy that style, but it might help you to take things further. 

[Forge]

even square rooms can look nice if you have the skill to disguise the blocky-ness with sector based trimwork, non-flat floors and ceilings, strong lighting/shading contrasts, good texture combinations, and some sector/sprite based detailing.

the first screenshot - the room looks boxy because of poor wall shading and the lack of trimwork/texture combinations to break up the wall's constant one texture (which isn't fitting the wall properly either). There are ceiling lights which are on, but cast a perfect square lit area below them. It just looks bad. You could make a concentric fading out rings of light which would look better. (example: start with the center square - shade it 0, put another square around it & shade it 4, put another square around that & shade it 8, then have the dark areas of the floor shaded 12. You'd have to start from the outside in though; putting stand-alone child sectors around the outside of other stand-alone child sectors causes visual clipping out of existence issues. If you're going to have objects like that crate cast a shadow behind it away from the light - shade it 16)

the third to the last screenshot is in desperate need of strong sector based lighting/shading contrasts to break up that big flat floor - you have those computer consoles in the wall with lights overhead - those could be casting a halo of light on the floor in front of them. If you 'turn on' those hanging lights you can put fading rings of lit sectors on the floor below them.

[Merlijn]

To be fair, that third picture from the last has some good trimwork. And you're right about wall-shading and well chosen textures, they do help a lot. And nothing wrong with having some square rooms, that's how human architecture often works IRL as well.

Just saying it would be nice to mix it up a little, a collection of hallways and square/blocky rooms will start to look dull after a while, no matter how well they're designed.

BTW, I wonder if that blue tube in the first screenshot is accessible? That would be another cool way to spice up the layout.

[Forge]

it looks accessible & there's a door right above the computer box & scientist.

[Micky C]

It's easy to add new sectors to the outside of old ones if they're drawn attached to the inner sector and then joined.

[Forge]

 
didn't say it couldn't be done; merely tossed out a small warning about putting child sectors around other child sectors

all that excess drawing, joining, and separating is annoying when it could have been done 'right' the first time (and in this instance it's easier just to stretch out the original child sector and start drawing new ones inside of it - adjusting textures & shading as necessary)

[Sanek]

I "improved" this room you're talking about a little bit. How about that?

[Forge]

not really any better. and you should fix the alignment of the panel texture on the ceiling.

[Micky C]

It is a little better, but as everyone keeps saying a lot of those screenshots are still quite blocky, while the original lunar apocalypse was anything but blocky.

[Sanek]

A little update: I'm still work on it, but a little slower than usual. The level #2 is only 10% ready, but I already can say that "Lunar Apocalypse TC" is going to be the most mediocore space episode EVER!!With every typical location possible, but in the double or even triple amount of it!!  But it's alright - I don't try to make a masterpiece, I just want to make a classic, 3DR-style episode...

See more shots from map #2 in the attachments...

[quakis]

Any particular reason you're calling this project "Lunar Apocalypse" besides being based off the existing one already in Duke3D? I've personally never liked the idea of naming projects exact to existing names in the same game, especially when they're brought up in discussion.  (i.e. There's an old user made Doom episode called INFERNO... 'Nuff said.)

I might be the only one bothered by this but why not seek a title that has its own identity? Doesn't even have to be incredible either; "Celestial Cataclysm"? "Crescent Catastrophe"? "Moonlight Calamity"? Just a few examples I quickly thought up. It can still be a homage to Episode 2 regardless. If you're desperately want to use "Lunar Apocalypse", try adding a subtitle if only to distinguish the two.

Considering you have intentions to create a classic 3DR-style episode you might need to examine the existing maps more closely to achieve that feeling. Judging from the screenshots I find that rooms do generally look far too boxy. Its worth mentioning that E2 levels tend to have fairly wide spaces and open layouts, perhaps experiment cutting back on doors to separate areas and see how that goes for you?

Look at this 2D view of a E2L1 segment below, notice how much shape and form it has from this alone?



Lastly, 3DR lighting often has sharp contrasts between light and dark which enhanced E2's atmosphere. The most memorable parts of design I remember from E2 is how lighting was handled, especially those times a dark room floods with light when you open the shutters like in E2L3.

That's my 2 pence piece. Good luck with the project Sanek.

[Captain Massive]

On my map the one thing I made sure of is that you never lost that sense of being underwater, I'm not feeling that here, the player needs to believe that your on the moon or space for most of the map with some sort of viewport or windows.

Also try mixing up texture 237 with 236 that should remove some of the flat blocky feel.