SC2Mapster

Thanks all - fishy I actually followed that tutorial a year or so ago and it was giving me the problems then... I'm guessing user-error. I haven't gotten around to working on the water since the last post, but I'll report back here when I do.

Thanks again everyone!

Hi EivindL,

I will be posting another thread in the Map Feedback section when I release the beta - this was meant more for updates and what I'm currently working on. (but if people wanted to leave feedback here, they are obviously more than welcome to!) Having my progress public helps encourage me to keep hacking away at it too... I've been sitting on the idea since the D3 disappointment in mid 2012 and working on and off... (it originally was going to be a feature length film created completely in the CE - but after writing half of the screenplay I decided it would be better as a campaign)

Thanks for your interest! I'm hoping it can meet some of the high bars you and others have set! ;)

2/12/2014

I was able to get about 40% of the transition cinematic done - looking good... This coming week my plan is to finish the cinematic, get doodads and textures imported, and maybe begin terrain'ing the final part of the map.

@JacktheArcher: Go

Not working in game either... Ah well, I'll revisit this after I have other things nailed down and I'm in the polishing stage. Thanks again!

@Telthalion: Go

Thanks, I'll give it a try tonight!

And I'm working on the achievement in your sig... ;D

http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/through-dark-void-episode-1/

Greetings!

This will be the place to come get updates on the progress of the Through the Dark Void campaign. Stay a while and listen! ... and post questions, feedback, and/or encouragement... ;)

About Me

Let me start by telling you a little about myself: I am not a programmer, nor am I a great artist. I am a story teller and "Loremaster". I love intricate and finely crafted, detailed worlds. If there is a story I'm interested in, I want to know as much as possible about that world, no matter how unimportant the details may seem - it's still something that interests me. I'm one of those players that reads every quest in WoW in addition to the many, many articles on wowwiki, starcraft wikia, and diablo wiki...

I've created 1 board game with a friend that is in the final balancing phase now (DC Universe related), with another on the shelf (in my head) to be created next.

Professionally, I am a Project Manager in the IT sector. (I hope that will come in handy someday in this community...) Personally, I'm married with 4 little toddlers... so you can imagine the pace at which this project will go ;)

Through the Dark Void Campaign

My campaign aims to be a worthy story and experience similar to the WarCraft 3 and StarCraft 2 campaigns. I'm aiming for the level of story-telling quality that Blizzard has laid out... a lofty goal indeed... There will be cutscenes, fully voiced dialogue, and characters we care about in an engaging, universe-wide, epic story. The maps themselves will teach you new mechanics and systems so you don't need to read "How to play" instructions in-game or anywhere else - it all happens organically. Don't expect anything ground-breaking in terms of gameplay missions though! There are some new ideas here and there, but this is mainly about enjoying the ride. This campaign is being created for the story and world - and the gameplay mechanics are there to support that.

What's left for Episode 1?

Because of the lack of large chunks of free time in my schedule, this is a slow moving project... It's already been over a year, and I'm not even done the first mission! (I had an idea of the scope of the project, and I was in for the long haul...) I started with 0 experience in the Galaxy Editor, having to look up tutorials on every facet or nuance, but it's chugging along nicely now. If things continue at the current pace, I'm expecting the first map to be in beta by the end of April.

Here is the final to do list before/around beta:

• Create transition cutscene
• Import doodad models
• Import unit models
• Create/import terrain textures
• Terrain final 10% of the map with new models/textures
• Create end cutscene
• Record and attach rest of the dialogue (I have volunteer voice actors ready to go!)
• Add sound ambiance/effects
• Tweak Easy/Hard difficulty

I'm sure if some of you saw what I had left to do, you would laugh and could probably be done before the end of the week... ;)

2/11/2014

Story-wise, Episode 1 is already 90% playable now. Last night while comforting a colic-y baby, I was able to import some more doodad models. I failed again to tweak the DoF on a camera in a cutscene, so that's being moved to the back burner while I do things that I know will work. Tonight the plan is finish the first 50% of the transition cutscene... barring any unforeseen incidents...

Hm - good news is, I don't feel so crazy now - bad news is... it's still not working... At least not at first glance in the Terrain Editor. I feel like it's something simple I'm missing but I'm just not seeing it...

I'll Test it in about 2 hours after the kids go to bed to see if it works in game - thanks for the help Jack!

Huh, anytime I click on a new water type, it would change all of my existing water on the map... Same went for editing their height.

Is there a checkbox somewhere or something like that?

Thanks!

Is it possible to have 2 different textures for water and/or 2 different height levels of water in a map?

My campaign map starts in Bel'Shir and then... something happens... and the player wakes up in a new area (different part of the map) where I want to have a different texture on the water at least - and if possible a different height level. (I can work around that if not possible though)

The 2nd part of the map isn't long enough to demand its own map - that's why I'm having it happen all in one. If it's not possible - it's not the end of the world... I just couldn't make it happen with my tweaking.

Thanks in advance!

Ok cool - (I tried modifying the values little bits at a time but didn't notice any changes - prob just had some bad combinations) I'll do that tonight when I get home.

Thanks very much for your continued help Jack!

@RanchBurner: Go

Having the same issue - where do you download 7.0.5? Are you using one of the beta releases links? Which one worked for you? (I'm on Windows 7 64 bit)

edit: yes, same page - had to go back to "WoWModelViewer_0.7.0.5_mingw3.zip" to get to a non-crashing-on-export version.

Silly me - I should have clarified... Thanks for your continued help!

I've considered using the CE for some of the cutscenes in my maps - but it seemed like I would have to re-create my environments - is that the case still?

@JacktheArcher: Go

Hi Jack, I appreciate you checking this out for me. It could be like you said: nigh impossible I guess... I'm trying to get the foreground units in focus, while getting the background out of focus - so maybe I'm just outta luck.

All of the rest of the fields I can modify, I see the changes instantly. Those 4 Depth of Field fields, I can do whatever numbers and all it's looking like is reseting the animation playing on the elements in view.

Either way - I appreciate the help!

@JacktheArcher: Go

Not a prob at all, completely understand and appreciate the heads up!

Thanks!

edit: beautiful double post :)

@JacktheArcher: Go

Not a prob since I'm at work and can't do anything immediately anyway myself - thanks for the reply!

Hi guys - I'm having trouble getting a nice DOF out of focus look going on. Should the changes be updated live in the view of the map if I have the view set to the selected camera I'm changing?

I've just changed some settings to test, but instead of something out of focus, it just made that camera view very laggy in the cutscene. (I have since changed the angle so the camera didn't go across the entire map)

I can give more detail when I get home - just thought I'd ask if someone knows I'm just missing something simple...

Thanks in advance!