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Meldert Castle Archive

11/06/2008:

As we're placing some last, but crucial details to the castle, the map is beginning to create its final shape. After the mapping is over, the BSP-compiling starts... and this can take a while. For now, we're just going to check if Radiant doesn't give an error after we placed the essential details.

We're not quite sure yet how to fill the up the castles' rooms ... or if we going to make it accesseble. Below you can have a nice view of the map in radiant style.

Click to enlarge. Left is aerial view , right is side view of the castle

24/06/2008

A good map needs a nice command map so the players would know where to go. Creating the command map, however , was quite another challenge. This time it was up to the game engine itself to generate it. The process was quite difficult, as your worldspawn (basically the "world" you're playing in) has to be square. After a lot of BSP'ing, we finally came up with some huge coordinates, which will certainly make a lot of difficulties in the future, as the VIS (visability) process still has to be done ! But these coords will do for now. W:ET generates a , so called, tracemap. It's like a X-ray of your map. In the following screenshots you can see the tracemap and the actual command map.

The game generates a tracemap

The actual command map which you'll see while playing (made with an editor program- Click to enlarge the screenshots)

07/08/2008

The last few days we've been working on the details of the map. The map is divided into two sets. There is the upper level set, which allows the player to either attack or defend the arriving tank towards the Castle Gates; and there is the 'Underground Basement' or 'Bunker', where the player can enjoy a medium pased frag area. This second set also allow the Allied team to attack the Castle by an elevator or the West Tower stairs which will bring the Allied soldier to the first level of the Castle.

The Underground basement is a maze of bunker rooms with extreme details and creates a unique atmosphere. We needed to create this bunker so the Allied team has multiple attack routes and to add a plus to the map.

Also, the map is now a full closed environment. We created a road in front of the escape truck (= end of map) with signs which will have the name 'Tienen' and 'Hoegaarden' on it. We still have to detail the edges of the map by creating the illusion of a forest.

Next thing to do: creating the caulk and the hint brushes.

29/08/2008

Although the space between the dates are rather big, we didn't have a break. As our biggest fear has become a fact (the MAX_MAP_VISIBILITY EXCEEDED error) we had to create a solution. With pain in our heart we have to say that we can't publish the map like it is in reality. It was a big challenge and we made it through the mapping wilderniss and therefore we shall publish the original map only on this site after the new modded one is released.

Big changes have been made, such as adding a terrain and new never seen before transportation! Here is a list with all the updated changes until now:

- Higher FPS (from minimum 13 (original map) to minimum 33 (new modded map) )
- Terrain hills to block the vis
- Never seen before transportation
- Great map atmosphere

We passed the reality limit, but the machine can't handle it. We learned a very valuable lesson: fantasy is unlimited, your computer isn't.

The map looks sexier and more professional. We hope to release the modded version at the estimated period of fall 2008!

Stay tuned for more updates!!

10/09/2008:

Days have passed and progress has been made. The map is only a few inches away to be published and beta tested. We got some good news from our befriended clan Gut-zu-Voegeln as they want to host the map on their server for a test ride!

The only thing that has to be finished is the new modded chapel. The original chapel has to many arbitrary sides. This means that the custom circles in the main tower have too many corners (every circle in radiant is made out of little corners) and this gives another error. When that is fixed, we only need to spice up the map with some great fun and we're ready Freddy!

Here are some Radiant Conceptarts from the map:

Click images to enlarge

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Project VS: Kha Ran Than Archive

Santa claus is coming to 'Nam

As Christmas gift, we are proud to announce the official mapname of project VS:

Kha Ran Than

The map is almost ready and set. Stay tuned for more updates yet to come!

Work in progress screenshots: (previous Vietnam mod)

The Kha Ran Than port:

Packing things up!

In just a few weeks, SMB will launch the Kha Ran Than © map and blast it off in the Vietnam Battlefields!

The map is as good as finished and only needs to be tested. Later on, we'll provide another count down counter so you can count down (...duh) every second with us 'till the release.

So, be sure to check out this site more often, to enjoy from our special offers we'll be sending to our loyal visitors!

Hellow you!

Say hi to your future environment on the VS -Veteran Soldiers- server.

Hard to believe you'll be fraging and (hopefully) having fun in this fishtank?

Click on the image to enlarge

This is an actual overlook of the map in the map editor. Of course, mapping magic will make sure you'll have the impression of playing in a local town surrounded by ... yes, by what actually? That's up to you to find out!

Exclusive - Readme

As latest addition to this site, you can already read the ReadMe file of the KRT © map. Who knows what valuable information you can find...

krt_readme.txt

This ReadME file is copyright protected. Since the official map isn't published yet, the ReadME file can vary in its final shape.

Count Down with us - From Zero to hero

After we get an A-ok from VS Borg (co-creator of VS mod) after his initial test, the count down counter will start dropping numbers 'till zero. From then, the map will find its way on the VS server.

Check back this site to see when the numbers will fall as leaves to the birth of a newborn map!

Countdown to First independent test closure.

Closed testing will end:

Testing Phase succeeded.

Improvement of FPS in progress.

Earlier Screenshots

Newsflash

Hey y'all,

here's a little update about the map. Our good friend, Sage, has handed us the -vis improvement for so far. Because he's also working very hard on his other map, Capuzzo (see partnersites), he could'nt finish it fully. However, we believe the FPS is high enough to release a first public beta version to check out the gameplay.

Do note that that version is still in progress, we want to have some feedback to continue our work.

Stay tuned to see a countdown clock coming your way.

First beta released

The first beta version of the map is now officially in the Vietnam Mod 0.0.1 rotation. Join the server to download the map.

We wish you a nice Kha Ran Than experience and thanks to our great helpers!

(map ONLY for VS server. Using this map on another server will only give you errors and complaining server visitors)

To do list

As the map is on the server, we already noticed some stuff to do for the next version (also thanks to feedback from the SD forums and of course server visitors).

Here's the checklist:

- Make tank depot garage door closed (dynamite objective)

- Improve FPS by adding fog (?)

- Handle Z-Fighting at cottage near obj.house

- Improving tank movement

- Improving bot movement

- Improve struct. of obj house

- Terrain blending

- Tank route for mines

- Better light compile

- First tank barrier start built

- Make TOI of town gate bigger

- ...

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