[BestViking]

Aleks, on 13 July 2023 - 10:50 AM, said:

Make sure to keep incremental backups of your maps (e.g. BestVIking001.map, BestViking002.map etc.), creating a new version like every day you start working on the map/before making any significant/more tricky effects. This way even if some glitches do happen, you should be able to trace it back to an uncorrupted version easily.

Thanks for the advice. I do this. I have about fifty of them just to be safe.

[Mark]

I usually keep just one extra copy. I don't make mistakes.

[Mark]

zykov eddy, on 07 July 2023 - 02:50 PM, said:

This looks beautiful, especially considering it's a EDuke32 project. The full bright tree model on the background spoils the scene, but can be fixed easily.

The tree is far from full brightness. The reason it is brighter than the surronding area is because this scene is a large cave with an opening in the ceiling where light is coming in from. I might darken the tree and place another faint light above it to illuminate only the top. I'm trying to keep framerate playable so if I can afford another light I will add it. Otherwise I'm ok with the compromise.

I started work on a potential 2nd map if I can't fit this into the first.

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[Aleks]

A few more screenshots of the oilrig map. I don't want to rush it for BattleDuke contest thing, so it'll take a bit longer, I'd say it's about 75% completed right now, but still need to make some effects which I'm not too sure about and design a few locations. The large drilling tower is WIP right now, so it's not completed, and the white building is barely touched so far really. The central crane can be rotated around, helicopter and tug boat are circling around the area.

[Seb Luca]

Hi all !

It has nothing to do with Duke3D or Build, but I'm happy to present it to you anyway!

Here are some screenshots of a recent project: "Le Tueur 0". A prequel to the adventures of "Mr The Killer". The graphics are made with a pal of only 20 colors to look like an old GameBoy game.

[Mark]

I'm almost afraid to ask. Does the character say meep meep like Mr. The Killer?

[Seb Luca]

He does : 'cause it's the same character

[zykov eddy]

Aleks, on 11 August 2023 - 04:24 AM, said:

A few more screenshots of the oilrig map. I don't want to rush it for BattleDuke contest thing, so it'll take a bit longer, I'd say it's about 75% completed right now, but still need to make some effects which I'm not too sure about and design a few locations. The large drilling tower is WIP right now, so it's not completed, and the white building is barely touched so far really. The central crane can be rotated around, helicopter and tug boat are circling around the area.
duke0022.png duke0023.png

Love the helicopter! Can't wait to take a look at it up close.

[Graphics]

I spoke about this on discord. But since mentioning the "final" palette change. I ended making one more 8bit software mode color palette. Now, I was going to showcase this on discord. But I've been posting to much on this subject. Realizing I haven't share this on here. I thought I'd share this truly final color palette with you guys. Now what I said on discord applies to here. Only, there will be slight changes from what I said before. Because that's what I did to the palette, studdle changes.

This palette is not an emulation of any other 8bit palette. I created this one from the ground up.

First, I created tiny rainbow palette with black on one side and white on the other. Capturing the 3 base colors and the 3 in between. Then I stretched that out the palette using bilinear filtering. Making 12 core colors. After, I did some math. At 256 colors. I came up with a number for the shades and grayscale. 12 core colors at 5 shade by 4 grayscales, equals 240. Leaving 16 spots to make 15 shades of grey with and 1 see through color. Then I did more math. A grayscale is all the colors just with less salutation. So for the first 60 color spots, I left that at 0%. Then -25 salutation for the next set, then -50% and finally -75 salutation. Making the grayness, an even value. This time, I created it from scratch.

It's not perfect, but it can handle 24bit textures with pretty good accuracy. The King's Field and Temple maps are playable and visible now. The NES maps have on point coloring and the SNES maps now have all colors accounted for. But off tint (I can't win them all) a little bit... Not bad for an 8bit color palette.

Here are some in game screenshots. The last one isn't my Google search. It's just random artwork using my color palette in software mode. To show what it can do.

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[Graphics]

This whole 256 color palette editing is becoming a headache. Everything that could go wrong did. From simple things like putting the black in the wrong spot. To missing a core color and having the wrong color. I've had to convert all the textures about 7 to 10 times. Because something would come up. For example, the most resent thing to happen was having a wrong core color. I couldn't understand why everything was off tint. So this last time, I just said F it and did a lot of number crunching and made sure each color is proper. I also gave more shades to what meets the eye more. Hard to explain. But in short the greyer it gets the more shades. Because rich colors don't hit the eyes like black to white does. Now here are the numbers to this color palette.

15 shades of grey. From black to white.
9 shades of 12 colors at -80% saturation.
6 shades of 12 colors at -50% saturation.
5 shades of 12 colors at -00% saturation.
1 see through color. If you can all it a color.

Equals 256 combinations. 8bit color.

Fun fact, 8bits is a reference to the ones and zeros in a computer. 8 ones and zeros are 8bit of information. That equal 256 combinations.

Now, I have to get back to work on converting the textures for probably the 9th time in the last few days. I'm hoping this final color palette will be the last one. Because I'm getting really tired of working on it. Please God let it be the last. I have to get back to mapping. Please note, I have to finish converting all the game textures before I can showcase in game screenshots.

But here's a screenshot showing the newest color palette in action.

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[Graphics]

Good news everyone. My mod will now support software mode. And that's one step closer to a DOS port.

Just wanted to share some screenshots of the lighting with my latest color palette. I'm really happy with the results and proud to say, my mod will support software mode now. I do realize I've been working on this way to much. But last time the tint was off. It was because I put the wrong color in one spot. After fixing that, I'm pound of the results I can show you. It's designed to handle any 24bit texture, with 8bit accuracy. But most importantly, SNES textures with spot on accuracy. Something the Duke3d palette couldn't do in software mode. So it's perfect for my mod... Lot's of hard work went into this one.

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[Graphics]

This will be my last post on here for a while. I don't want to over do it here. But here's an update to what I've been up to.

During my conversation with oasiz, I showed him this palette meant for photos. It had 1 set of 12 colors with a lot less saturation then my current work. It was meant for skin tone and all that. He recommended to keep the saturation. I assume he meant keep the saturation the way it is. But for the NES maps, I couldn't go without bright colors. But I didn't take what he said lightly. Because I believe he worked on Ion Fury or so I think. Well, keeping to the accuracy design. I made one more palette. This time, I made one set of 12 colors at 12 shades. Gave that a -75% reduction in saturation. Because of what oasiz said. Then, to make sure the colors where not to bright, but bright enough. I added 12 colors at 8 shades with only -25% reduction in saturation. The math to this color palette goes as followed.

15 shades of grey. From black to white.
12 shades of 12 colors at -75% saturation.
8 shades of 12 colors at -25% saturation.
1 see through color. If you can call it a color.

Also I did find one use for the color palette that expands into 32bit OpenGL. Accurate camera display monitors when looking at them. I think I'll make them a resolution of 512x384 or 1024x768. But I can't figure out why NetDuke32 has such a low framerate when looking at them. I might need to mess with the settings.

PS: Thank you oasiz. It looks awesome and I think can finally I put this color palette stuff to rest... Time to work on other things.

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[lllllllllllllll]

lllllllllllllll, on 01 April 2023 - 11:48 PM, said:

something based on derelict

This is shaped enough now that an overview would spoil it

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[Mark]

Ugh, all that overlapping would drive me crazy.

[Graphics]

I know I said I wasn't going to post on this. I honestly thought it was over. But I'm a perfectionist and it sucks sometimes.

After playing color wrack a mole for a few days. I finally got fed up. This time, I did the colors with math. Each color should be evenly separated from saturated to unsaturated. For example, purple is on the RGB scale R255 G000 B255. If I tried to move that up or down the brightness. It would change one of the numbers from (255 or 000) to something else. So those colors, should be unedited. But purple with -90% saturation is R140 G114 B140. Meaning, if I move all the number up or down. Making them brighter or darker well keeping the color there are over 10 shades there. Well, depending on saturation, there are more or less shades. So I went though all 255 colors and separated them evenly.

The resalts, is very good to say the least. Still limited by 8bits of color. I can show pictures from live videos, copy almost any 24bit texture (with great 8bit results) and it even do cartoon textures. But most importantly, Super Nintendo and Nintendo textures without playing color wrack a mole. I realize it'll never be perfect. But with math, I know it's about it good as it'll get.

I also waited a few hours before posting this. To make sure I would keep the color palette and not change my mind and work on it over and over again. I've made over 100 palettes looking for the best well rounded results and this is about as good as I can make it. Also to everyone here, thank you for putting up with me. I posted the wrong screenshot in Discord. But they're almost the same looking, so I didn't update that.

PS: I'll be updating my mod as soon as I've finished converting all the textures.

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[DNSkill]

I released my first user map for Sanek's BattleDuke Contest. It's a very small circular map set inside a lunar crater where a terraforming operation is taking place. Duke starts in a space shuttle and must take out the battlelords that have landed via a new alien stealth landing bomber, then take this alien ship back to Earth for reverse engineering.

I am now working on a stand-alone version that will be redone from the ground up but still follow the same general concept.

[Graphics]

Here's something else I'm working. Just finished adding some textures to make this map stand out. And yes, this is running in software mode.

Some details about the map. It's something that was planned for the AMC mod. But I might make it an online 16 player Duke match map for my mod. Depending on how things go.

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[Graphics]

Well, I guess because the AMC project is underway. I might not have this map for the mod. But that's okay. I believe the AI wouldn't play as well as 16 player online would. So I'm going to add this map to my mod Retro Deathmatch. And that's not a bad thing. You guy gave me inspiration and I'm thankful. Thank you to the AMC crew.

So here's a little update to that map, running proudly in software mode. It's almost 1/4 of the max sized grid map now. Plus using True Room Over Room, I made a tunnel into a mountain, that works as a start point. Finally, I expanded the map and changed the textures. They come from an offroad game. I'll leave the credits to that game in my mod's read me. The read me of the textures says they're free, but I'm putting credits to them anyways. To play it safe for my mod.

PS: I'm going to cut back from posting here for a bit. I don't want to over do it.

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[Mark]

" PS: I'm going to cut back from posting here for a bit. I don't want to over do it. "

too late for that ...sorry, I couldn't resist

[ck3D]

Nah, this may be the only thread where overposting can't be a thing unless it's not content-related.

[lllllllllllllll]

 lllllllllllllll, on 28 August 2023 - 10:46 AM, said:

This is shaped enough now that an overview would spoil it

Some teasers for not-derelict

[Ninety-Six]

 lllllllllllllll, on 07 September 2023 - 11:47 AM, said:

Some teasers for not-derelict

duke0012.jpg

Man, that black glass texture for what I assume is the bridge is really screwing with my brain...

[Graphics]

 ck3D, on 06 September 2023 - 01:37 PM, said:

Nah, this may be the only thread where overposting can't be a thing unless it's not content-related.

Then in that case. Here's some more pictures running in software mode. It's a work in progress (of course). But one side of the map is almost done. Also, here's a fun fact for you guys. I happen to be the only mapper who is able to make landscapes like this in the Build engine. Even with me explaining things on ModDB with a tutorial on how to make them. I'm still the only one. It's nice knowing I do something no one else can do. Does that make me special? No, because I'm sure with some programming a graphics generator could make landscapes much faster. But for now, I'm proud to be in a world of my own.

Not saying you guys produce bad stuff. By no way am I saying that. Because I might be good at one thing. But you guys are good at almost everything. From William's use of TROR to Mark's real 3D work. Even that map that Ninety-Six is talking about is mind blowing. I have something good to say about all of you. I just realize, I'm the only one making these landscapes. And I plan on making things like floating volcano islands one day.

PS: It's my birthday on the 9th. Not sure what I'll be doing. But mapping probably isn't one of them. Expect delays on my mod.

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[Graphics]

Hey guys, remember when I said this color palette business was done? It felt like yesterday. Well, the thing is I'm a perfectionist and the shade values looked off. Because of how the Trasnpal program made the shade values. So I decided to make my own in Photoshop (2008 ed). Well creating the shade values, Photoshop offered me some optional 256 color palettes. Then by looking through and selecting the best option it came up with. A new color palette was made. After testing it out... I've decided to once again edit the whole game's color palette. On the plus side, it hits all the needed marks within an 8bit range well also doing shading properly. I'm still going to need to fix the color palette codes. But seeing it's meant to work along side 24bit textures and those have no pal codes. It's not going to be hard to work around.

Here's the test results of that color palette with a NES map with shading turned on and finally, the color palette it self.

PS: It's amazing to think what game companies did back in the day and they never had Photoshop to work with. All this work gives me a new found respect for the aspects of game development I might never have thought of. As a result of this, expect some delays in my next update. But for the software mode fans out there, it'll be worth it.

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[Graphics]

I've been taking a break from converting textures to work on something else. Once the textures are converted I'll compile an update to my mod and post it.

I've been experimenting with prebaked lighting effects for a rather bland area of the King's Field map. I feel like this lighting in the second screenshot (without red) is more in line with the original game. As much as I want to add cool lighting. I should probably go for the original look whenever possible. But I will admit the red lighting looks awesome and I will use that in a future project. For now, I'll just settle on the screenshot without the red lighting.

Also sidenote, I'm planning on playing around with the Quake engine. Because I ain't afraid of no Quake. It should be fun to work on 3D games again. So I might be tossing my time between both engines. But I do plan on getting more work done on my mod. I want to fix the bugs in it and make it way more playable. Plus some maps will need some serious work done before they're playable.

PS: I'm also reaching out to anyone that has remade a map for Duke 3D. That's anything from another game. So we might play it in my mod. All credit to the mapper/s of course. For example, I have a copy of Counter Strike Dust. But I can't get ahold of the originals mappers for the Duke 3D game. And I really want to have that map in my mod. Does anyone know what happened to those guys and would they approve with credit to their work on me having it in my mod? Basically is that map free to the public?

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[Aleks]

Graphics, on 19 September 2023 - 12:24 AM, said:

PS: I'm also reaching out to anyone that has remade a map for Duke 3D. That's anything from another game. So we might play it in my mod. All credit to the mapper/s of course. For example, I have a copy of Counter Strike Dust. But I can't get ahold of the originals mappers for the Duke 3D game. And I really want to have that map in my mod. Does anyone know what happened to those guys and would they approve with credit to their work on me having it in my mod? Basically is that map free to the public?

IIRC it was Brullov that remade de_dust and it was just like last year or something.

Also you may want to get in touch with ToiletDuck64 who's remade a couple maps from Mario games and Doom.

Then there's ck3d's latest Pac-Man map...

[Graphics]

Aleks, on 19 September 2023 - 12:56 AM, said:

IIRC it was Brullov that remade de_dust and it was just like last year or something.

Also you may want to get in touch with ToiletDuck64 who's remade a couple maps from Mario games and Doom.

Then there's ck3d's latest Pac-Man map...

Already messaged ToiletDuck64 on the forums a few days ago. I'll message Brullov ASAP. I'm within contact of ck3d on Discord. Pac-Man map sounds awesome. I'll ask him about it next time.

Thanks Aleks, I'll probably see you on Discord. Been noticing the maps you've been working on. One of them looks like a good Battle-Duke map. We should play a multiplayer game in it sometime.

[ck3D]

I started a new map the other night that might take a while to finish due to my current schedule:

[Ninety-Six]

 ck3D, on 25 September 2023 - 04:10 AM, said:

I started a new map the other night that might take a while to finish due to my current schedule:

At first glance I legitimately thought the walls of the featured building was a new texture cropped from AWOL or Ion Fury or something like that, before a longer look revealed it's all stock DN3D.

[Graphics]

That's a cool building design. It really goes well with the lighting. Looking forward to seeing this when it's done.

PS: I gave it a well deserved "like". I can already tell you've put a lot of work into it.