http://spawnhost.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/bzzz01.jpg

http://spawnhost.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/bzzz02.jpg

This sort of just happened. I was trying to get back into mapping after a couple weeks absence (and loads of RL stress). I might take this idea and run with it for a while. 

 

Those lightning effect are awesome ! 

there is a lightning barrier being charged by shamblers?

or is it some sort of refueling station?

Either way, looks cool.
TM? 

It's a magical apparatus using Shamblers as power sources for doors or traps. At least that's one way to sell it.

In fact it is a small, useless setpiece doubling as a fancy shootable button and lightning turret. 

gb looks awesome, love to see this in a full map! 

http://i.imgur.com/Wec3w.jpg 

 

That's a windmill, metl. Looks cool tho. 

 

Are the wings turning ? If yes it is cool... if no... it is cool in anyway ;) 

not sure why i typed lighthouse instead of windmill... i guess it made me think about a lighthouse i built once, then when it came time to post the comment, the word "lighthouse" was at the front of my mind. 

The keys are like right next to each other. 

and that windmill needs to rotate!

some subtle triangle terrain wouldn't go amiss on that ground either. 

in general. 

i'd extend the wood to the bottom as well. looks a little underdetailed where the bottom bricks are.

don't like the 2 ground textures either, they look too different.

but otherwise looks very cool! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o17QzUd1aM

Still pretty much wip. Rocks need some love, especially near the house. Main thing I want to know is : Is the journey from the sea shore to the house boring?

I want to extend the sentry gun part to be more puzzle orientated, but I suck at designing puzzles so any ideas are appreciated ;) 

seems fine. the beach area isn't ugly, but it's not stand-out awesome either.
the area right after that (where the gun was) looks much cooler (and i wish you could explore more there, like be able to enter than building with the double-doors.

still, i mean, there's only so much you can do with a beach since it's just sand and rocks. i wouldn't worry too much about it. 

Looks cool, doesn't seem boring.

Allow the player to move something in front of the turrets to avoid their fire? Pushable box, activate a crane that lowers a container, shoot a wire that drops something on them. Stuff like that. Just random ideas. But like necros said, since this looks to be the start of the map, I don't see the need for more puzzling. 

Beach part does seem a little bit bland, at least the cliff view, but no idea what to do. Perhaps a few plants, logs, some grassy bits.

I don't like leech-infested puddles. Sure, it's part of the puzzle/careful approach, hmm...
The brick arches (or curved bits) look strange just like that. Trim or something?

For effects, perhaps have a burning headcrab climb out of the exploding missle near the stairs. And a single spider headcrab in the dark tunnel at the end for a brief shocking moment. 

Thanks guys. 

about the leech pools...
it kind of goes against how they are used in normal hl2, which may bother some players. i don't know that i bother me exactly, but it would probably feel contrived.

is this a mod btw? are the hopper mines instakill here? i mean, i'd just sprint past everything if i was playing.

if you want to puzzle it up... put in like loads and loads of solutions to the same puzzle. that way you can be assured that everyone will figure out at least 1 way to get through it.

ok, maybe not 'loads and loads' but like at least 2 ways, 3 would be better. 

i don't know that it bothers me exactly

keys got stuck there or something... 

The main idea with the hoppers and leech pools is to zone the player so that the beach doesnt feel like one large open empty space, but an area you progress through by exploring.

With that said, you are totally correct, you can basicly sprint through everything that is there currently, which is the fatal flaw at the moment. I think I need to create some artificial walls to help zone the player in better and keep things more focused.

I agree with necros also that more exploration of the house/combine fort area is needed, this will help make the level longer (5 minutes for 1 map in a slow playthrough is still ridiculously short for 1 map). The combine fort in particular is the visual focus of the map and yet you never really get near it.

Thanks guys, inspiration is acquired :D 

it would be cool if you could go under it and there's like rusty support structures and such... this is where you can put in some hard walls to route the player around traps and such.