Feedback on my map

[sgt_goomba]

http://www.2shared.com/file/4211678/...L3publish.html
(look for "Save file to your PC: click here" near the bottom)

Hi everyone. I'm applying to a school that requires building a map in unreal. The assignment only requires "two rooms connected by a corridor" but I tried to stretch that simple base requirement to make the map as interesting as possible.
The first room is a "mansion" inspired foyer and the other room is broken sunroom. There is an upstairs and downstairs corridor connecting the rooms, and from those corridors you can view a courtyard.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Even if someone could confirm that the map loads, that would be tremendously reassuring. The map is "built," but I get an error when I try to "cook" it. To be honest, I'm not clear on what cooking does or why it's important, so I'm tempted to skip that. Can someone shed some light on what that does.

Thanks for any help!

*Edit. I intended for this thread to be in the beta section. Sorry about that.

[Thaur]

great start. I like the broken windows+trees and falling leaves. The lighting of the main fireplace and lamp are very nice also.

The 2 windows when you enter on your right are floating in space.

The entrance area is very clean compared to the rest of the house. It would feel more cohesive if you added a pile of rubble or two at least against the walls to break up the perfectly clean floor.

There are two spots where there is absolute darkness that looks out of place. In the downstairs hallway and the back of one of the columns in the statue room.

I would add some wall sconces in the first room and hallway with spotlights pointing up against the walls to add some variety in the lighting and wall space.

You might make small, quieter ambient wind sounds behind the windows of the first room so that they feel more like real windows and continue that lonely wind blown feeling in the statue room. Also there is a tree coming through the wall upstairs in a back hallway.

What school are you applying to? That is much too easy an assignment. I can only think it is either so easy to weed out completely lazy and worthless people that can't do five minute worth of work or show more advanced people how simple the program is.

[DivineWind120]

If I'm not mistaken, you're trying to get into The Guildhall No worries as long as your map functions and has the minimal requirements. That section, as far as I know, is to ensure that you are capable of working in a 3d editor. All the techniques and intricacies will be taught to you once you get in your level design classes, the main concern is whether you understand the basics of BSP brushwork. But obviously, if you can make it sweet, it'll look much better by comparison. If you want my advice, put at least as much time of not more into the 2d map. That's where you want to get the most creative, but stay within guidelines.

Good luck

[DivineWind120]

Also, cooking the map basically optimizes it. At least, as optimized as you can get with an automated optimization routine :P It also compresses any packages you may have with your level, which can include custom sound, models, textures, etc. Cooking it compresses the size of those packages tremendously, especially sounds.

If for some reason it doesn't cook, you'll be ok if you just copy and paste it into your published folder. It just runs worse on slower machines.

[DivineWind120]

I just loaded up your level and for a first level, I am extremely impressed with the visual quality. A few things you might want to consider to show more competency with the editor:

Play around with lightmap resolution on BSP faces (Or even static meshes. You can override their lightmap, but the funny thing is on BSP, lower number on lightmap = higher quality shadows. On meshes, higher number on lightmap = higher quality shadows O_O. wierd.)

Show some competency with scripting in Kismet. Add in some triggers, AI factories, and a pathnode grid. Maybe some kickable doors via Matinee. If you can show you can use Kismet, that would probably be the most impressive thing you have.

Throw a post process volume in and see what values make your map look the best.

Put some breakable prefabs in, or even create your own prefabs.

Finally, add in a level end trigger.



None of that is necessary, as you know. Just a few things that would definitely show you can use Unreal. Of course, I also don't speak for the faculty's selection criteria, so don't take my advice as the be-all end-all. I just go to class here :P

[DivineWind120]

Also, it crashed when I reached the middle of the first hallway and tried to walk outside O_o Just a little FYI. If it happens to you, just put a blocking volume in. It shows you know what a blocking volume is, and it stops a crash. Good deal