I have struggling a lot while doing non-linear layouts, since I don't seem to figure out right way to do it without confusing the player. How enemy placement is often made in non-linear maps, what are the best examples of good use of non-linear nature?

Does non-linear means you have alternative path to the same main main goals, or even side missions?, or entirely different paths to end? Can map be non-linear because of secrets or shortcuts that opens connections between areas, or is that kind a like "hidden" non-linearity that people don't see as an non-linear level design.

In socks maps if I remember correctly, he used multiple silver key paths, how did he managed with the enemy placement/spawning, is it possible to get 100% kills if choosing the one path over the other. Since I thought Quake players cares about completing the map 100%, that must be hard to make work in non-linear maps? 

Metal Monstrosity (or arcane) is a good example. If you choose to not look around and explore all of the various ledges, you can make out a pretty clear virtual path up the stairs to the gold key. Without exploring all of the nooks and optional sections however, you weaken yourself for the final battle. Player's choice.

Swampy has the main goal to get to the exit, but you can also hunt for secret tomes. Once you reach the exit, the entire level is up to you to freely explore. Even when the exit is reachable there could still be fights, rooms, weapons to collect. The Blood and Purple key doors are a good example of non-essential secrets. I love the ability to have custom keys in AD!

Interconnection also helps because one can approach a room from another angle...and from that angle reach a secret place that they saw from an opposing place. Just look at your current map and say to yourself: "What would you like to see in the map?" 

Custom keys?

Do they even have own unique models?
You mentioned "The Blood and Purple key", are those actually red and purple colored?

"Interconnection also helps because one can approach a room from another angle"

That also might create the situation, where you face enemies that are way too hard to beat with the current ammo/weapon situation. I'm planning having a couple secrets where you can get "Early Access Weapons", so in that sense maybe even having "Secret Paths for Early Access Weapons". At least that sounds nice on a paper.

And if you choose not to find secrets, you will use the default path and get weapons much later. But should there be separate path that isn't secret.. maybe that might be hard to create, if you face the same areas from the different directions you have to make fights more flexible closer to that main route. 

Yep, there are numerous skins for different key colors and keycards. You can also make models be keys and have doors acknowledge them as such. Inspect ad_swampy, ad_crucial or ad_magna on their uses. (Although be sure to play through first!)

Your layout plan sounds right to me...that's how a lot of people do it with early access to weapons and such. The dilemma you posed is just another map design challenge! I'm still learning myself, I am doing the: "Main route is clear but you deviate from the path multiple times for goodies/secrets. 

The Ivory Tower
One Thousand Cuts
Slave to a Machine
Stark Monstrosity
Well of Wishes
I Don't Mind If Your Hands Are Cold (jam1_skacky)

And, of course:

The Necropolis
Gloom Keep
The Ogre Citadel
The Palace of Hate 

 

Hi guys, after a weeklong break from making my map im back at it again.

I feel like there are not that many textures in the vanilla quake. How do I add new textures in trenchbroom? what is the best resource to find new textures? What are the best regarded texturepacks out there. Daz talks about IK white and IK blue in his videos, where can i find those?
and last but not least how do i create my own textures? 

Lots of textures are at:

https://www.quaddicted.com/files/wads/

Check out the knave texture set, as well.

https://www.quaddicted.com/files/tools/

Download Wally to help you make textures. Download TexMex to extract textures from .bsp files. Both tools do much more than just that, so look into the help sections and such as well. 

In TB2:

Face Tab, click show in the Texture Collections section at the bottom.

Click the + icon and select your chosen wad file(s)

In TB:

It's like Edit > Map Properties > and then select your wad(s).

Which one do you use? 

i use tb2 

Is there a specific folder i have to place the textures into? 

It worked! thanks Mukor and Bloughsburgh 

So ive been doing alot of work on my maps, and im setting func_detail to details in the world, such as arcs and tiles that are broken etc. and it really brings down the vising time. Still I dont actually know what func_detail is.
What is it and when should it be used? 

The func_detail entity is excluded from the compiler portalization phase and then becomes structural with collision afterwards. (@Sock)

It is simillar to func_wall, except the viscompiler shut out all func_detail entities you made. It should never be used for outside walls or walls that touch the void.

It could be possible to make a level with only hard core walls and full of func_detail ents.

Func_walls are entities and come with several issues. like OTP said, no shadows. Also, stock engines have limitations on edicts and models present in a bsp, so using lots of them (or in a larger map) can lead to needing to perform balancing acts if you want to stay under those limits.</> Scampie.

Func_details are not actually entities, despite being used like them in an editor. They are world geometry, and cut the world geometry as normal, but are not considered while calculating the PVS. 

Is there any way I could make the Golem in Arcane Dimensions NOT fire projectiles when attacking the player?

Restrict him to melee attacks only? 

Thanks for the reply madfox! :) 

Func_detail are not like func_wall. Func_detail can be used to seal the map. They are normal walls for all intents and purposes except compile time. 

are you sure? 

func_detail & void?

>.< 

I started a map in Valve texture mode. It was just meant to be a little test. Now its...huge and I wanna convert it to Standard...is this possible?

Even if its hacky as hell and I need to realign textures. 

Scratch the last question...

http://imgur.com/r0QLDRz

anyone have any clue why when i do the "sky" cvar in quakespasm it says my sky is "moonrise_" but it doesnt match the one in my ad/gfx/env:

http://imgur.com/2B9tWlS 

your should specify the sky name in worldspawn 

It's the same skybox but obscured by fog. 

OTP had it. Not sure why that didnt occur to me, thanks! 

I have a very long train that acts sort of like a battering ram trap in my current project. Once triggered it travels from one end of a long hall to the other. The goal is for the player to ride atop of the trap. To do this the player must backtrack through a portion of the hall to get aboard. It seems as though the sound of the train emanates from the "front" of the brush. When that portion of the train is down the hall the train is basically silent to the player. Is there I sound setting that will allow the sound of the train to travel farther? It's not the end of the world but as the player is backtracking this giant battering ram is silent.