KF-London-Night

[-MGS- Sniper]

My modification was purely going to be a pm with a d/l just to illustrate another way of handling it.

Doesn't matter to me either way. I just know there are ways to address some of the feedback / make the skybox look a lot more natural and aesthetically pleasing within the map. It is outside of my control on whether any of the feedback is addressed or changed within the map.

Right now it isn't map breaking by any means but as myself and others have given feedback the skybox is still too close to the players, artificially lit / too bright and could use some additional fog/cloud type emitters to give it depth and help it fit into the map.

You make good use of volumetric fog and dust inside of the police station but it isn't used in a lot of areas of the map to add atmosphere. The map could even use a very slight touch of environmental fog to the overall map with it being rainy, in london and at night.


I would also make some slight adjustments to the rain emitters as well. It seems like the sprites currently overlap a bit and make the rain look artificially dense. Adjustments such as these would help improve the variation in the rain to make it more believable.

These adjustments would be:

- Slightly vary the raindrop sprite size so the raindrops don't all look the same.

- Slightly vary the raindrop sprite velocity so the raindrops have minor variations in their fall speed. I mean with gravity being -9.8 m/s^2 you are only given so much liberty with this. Right now the rain looks like it comes down in weird looking sheets with all the drops being the same size and velocity.

- Make sure the emitters aren't stacked so closely or that their x/y sprite spawn location varies. Usually you are defining a X / Y range in which the sprites can spawn. This is likely how they are configured in your map so there is only so much you can do regarding the the sprites overlapping.



You should be able to mask the origin of the raindrops through a number of methods / combination of these methods.

1. Increase the size of the skybox mesh.

Please take the time to open Volter Manor and look at how large their skybox mesh is. It is huge and encompasses almost the entire editor space. This is in order to distance it from the player.

You may not be able to increase the size of yours too much because in turn the assigned material / texture will increase as well and the size of the stars might increase a bit too much. I would tweak and adjust accordingly.

2. Add fog emitters / cloud emitters.

Volter Manor makes use of volumetric based emitters and fog emitters in the skybox areas to add 3-dimensional depth to the sky and to help mask the origin of the rain as you allude to.

If you created some various fog/cloud emitters in your skybox and set the source of the rain emitters to be above these the player will not see the source.

3. Place the rain emitter actors above the skybox mesh.

This is probably a collision issue. I'd have to see how emitter sprites interact with the meshes. My previous experience is emitter sprites collide with the first object it comes in contact with.

If you could turn off all collisions on your skybox mesh it would allow the rain emitters / sprites to pass through it and therefore the rain source would no longer be an issue.




I wish some other people would offer detailed feedback on the latest builds of the map so I didn't feel like I was the one harping on these items over and over. If feedback is only coming from one person or channeled through one person it makes it easier to tune out.

The main reason I've been providing so much feedback is because this map project is one of the best / better ones the community currently has out there and just trying to help you take it over the top.

Sorry Mate please do not take my reply as an insult Im happy for any feedback.


The rain emitters I will look at a bit more, the skybox I have had to make that colour the hide them as I could lift above skybox but would then mean more of them or more sprites which could lag, I have to look at this objectively so it plays on most/all systems.


I will lift the skybox and increase the size although a lot of decals have not been done yet but will come


I do did not want to use a fog volume as I did not want fog in the buildings etc.. also I don't like the "grey" look to buildings in the distance.


Props and things will come in the near completed version.


Also thanks for your final comment I appreciate it

 

[Oddjob82]

One thing you can do that will help the lag with rain emitters is make the drawsize/ emitter size just a little bit bigger and with less density.

Less density will be less taxing on the graphics.

Moving the rain emitters outside of the skybox mesh / above it shouldn't be an issue as long as you turn off collision on the skybox mesh.

I still recommend putting in clouds, fog emitters in the sky area. It looks strange now because its a clear night with no clouds above us but yet its pouring down rain.

It looks like you have a cloud layer when I looked at the map in the editor but they don't show up in the night time version. Using some fog / cloud / volumetric emitters in the skybox will make it more dynamic ( believable) and fit the rain better.

You can cut and paste the emitters from Volter manor and tailor them to your liking but it'll give you good base examples to work with.

 

[j0s3ph]

here is a gameplay video for people to get the feel of the map: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s87oi6Da788

 

[Oddjob82]

I played this on another server with 5 new people.

The only unsolicited feedback was in relation to the rain appearance and sound.

It could still use some Zed spawns on top of the overpass where the two police cruisers are. Zeds only come through the tunnel on this end whereas they can drop down on you near the other tunnel.

Looking forward to the next beta version.

 

[Gregs2k2]

Nice test this evening chap. Rain needs to go in its current form (as you know!). Found a few sticking points/blind spots, see below screenshots.

General flow felt good although there were a couple of straggler zeds remaining, which broke the flow somewhat. Had to either hunt them down or wait for them to find you to end the wave. I'm sure you can fix it.

If player stands here, zeds can't get to you (right where the dead crawlers are).

Spoiler!

Stuck zeds (above right)

Spoiler!

Night club music doesn't always play when you return.

If you hold out in the cafe, I noticed a couple of zeds get stuck behind the doors when things get really busy.

Can hunty shotty jump onto most of the wheelie bins (you know about this already, just to refresh your memory).

Big Ben's face light needs fixing.

That's it I think. The other lads didn't notice anything else untowards.

Loving the vista over the petrol station, really brings things to life (or death!). Danny suggested adding some post processing like DOF to that area, I think you saw his suggestion?

Anyway, awesome map, looking forward to final release.

Keep it up.

 

[Beardy55]

just gets better and better

just gets better and better

like a fine wine this map just gets better,keep up the great work mate

 

[-MGS- Sniper]

New version with multiple changes now live, some of the rain is from manor and is a bluish colour this will be fixed




Server owners update to : https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8idu2i6d1oq48d/KF-londonbetanightJ.rar?dl=0

 

[Oddjob82]

Skybox looks great now. Can't figure why you went from your rain + the volter rain. Its just a lot of rain rain rain.

Might even be worth removing the rain completely and seeing how the atmosphere is with just the night time lights and some general fog emitters around. That way it could be more patchy. Would be worth taking a look at. (I know you spent the time to add rain sounds indoors/outdoors so who knows and the rain spouts.)

Then you could add sound sounds like crickets and other ambience. The rain just distracts from the overall accomplishments of the map. Maybe it just needs to lighten up a bit.

 

[Gregs2k2]

Skybox looks great now. Can't figure why you went from your rain + the volter rain. Its just a lot of rain rain rain.

Rain is awesome and trust me, it's London, it rains like that

Might even be worth removing the rain completely and seeing how the atmosphere is with just the night time lights and some general fog emitters around. That way it could be more patchy. Would be worth taking a look at. (I know you spent the time to add rain sounds indoors/outdoors so who knows and the rain spouts.)

He did originally have a no rain version and it was ok, just the torrential downpour adds a ton of atmosphere and restricts your view, making being out on the streets a bigger risk.

Then you could add sound sounds like crickets and other ambience. The rain just distracts from the overall accomplishments of the map. Maybe it just needs to lighten up a bit.

It could add something, maybe have ambient like that start at the beginning, before the rain comes? Either way, I like the rain, it adds a ton of cool fx and atmosphere.

 

[-MGS- Sniper]

I may look to add rain that comes in later on the map but will not be remove it though as it's suppose to be how it is as players are more likely to head to other places and keep moving rather than camp the streets.

I'm not sure crickets etc.. Would it suit a town with no real fields around it?

Most people I have tested with has said they like the rain and do not find it that view distorting.

I added a small bit of manor rain to mix up the droplets.

The day and night is due to be released shortly and that has rain only at night so anyone not liking the rain can use outdoors during the day and indoors at night.

Fog volumes won't really do much here I do not want fog indoors and with size of the map it would not look right to have the far buildings greyed out, trust me I have tried a few things and was not happy with them.

That said there will be a few more decals added which have been already to both versions

Cheers

 

[Oddjob82]

I wasn't suggesting fog indoors. That would just be silly

Well it sounds like everyone's mind is set so I'll leave it be.

The two times I played the map with full people comments were made about the rain either being too heavy, distracting and the sound being too loud / overwhelming. Doing what I could to relay the feedback.

 

[-MGS- Sniper]

I wasn't suggesting fog indoors. That would just be silly

Well it sounds like everyone's mind is set so I'll leave it be.

The two times I played the map with full people comments were made about the rain either being too heavy, distracting and the sound being too loud / overwhelming. Doing what I could to relay the feedback.

I know you did not mean fog inside but fog covers all areas although it can be set in the distance I do not think it would improve the map,


In regards to the rain in this new version out of the 20 beta testers everyone said they liked it but again its personal preferences. Also the rain volume has been decreased and I have tested on 3 separate systems using headphones/speakers and laptop speakers and volume seemed about right and not too loud.


I believe the rain does its job, there are many areas to explore and makes you sometimes want to get out of the rain and inside meaning you venture. Others (myself included) like to be out in the rain


Adding things or making things is not a problem I am experienced in UDk and the features but when you start adding too many things or doing things certain ways it excludes the map for some people with laptops etc..

As ALWAYS I appreciate the feedback and will also look to improve the map the best I can, this map will not be to everyones liking I doubt any map out there can please everyone


Some believe this is a good copy of Westlondon and some do not, I like to consider it an "upgraded" version of Westlondon personally as in new areas and updated textures.


Also Oddjob I take all your feedback seriously as you have provided some excellent feedback and I really do appreciate it.

 

[Gregs2k2]

Some believe this is a good copy of Westlondon and some do not, I like to consider it an "upgraded" version of Westlondon personally as in new areas and updated textures.

It's more than that, you're too modest. The day/night version is a marvel and shows incredible commitment and talent. All one guy's work too. Hope to see more maps with this kind of innovation.