[Sanek]

Hello. One month ago I began working on a new space map. I know that space maps is rarity nowadays, mostly because of it's generic nature but I decided to make one anyway, mostly because I rediscovered the greatness of EP2 and played some user maps along the way.
Zaxtoreon-64 is a huge moonbase, founded by Zaxtor Lutes in a year of 1996, who first decided to build a base here. 20 years later his creation was overrun by aliens, and Duke is the only man who can save the base! More story will come later.

I started some space maps in the past, but eventually scrapped them, mostly because of inability to make my maps as good as the ideas I have for them. In case of Zaxtoreon, I feel much more confident right now, because the layout and design of the map is more mapper-friendly. There are about 5 to 10 stations on the base, connected by the subway with a couple of trains around, and the design is mostly minimalistic.

Screenshots:

1.Here's your starting point.
You can see Duke's ship in the distance.


2. Typical subway station. Most of these will look like this (with another set of textures, of course)


3. EDF Bar.


4. Warehouse.


5. EDF HQ's


6. Random shot


If you follow my mapping history, you'll probably know that I stopped much of the projects I announced. I don't know whenever I finish this map or not, but I'll try my best to do so. The space maps is always a solid challenge for mapper, and making such map is sure not easy. This theard will serve as a diary for me, so I will prove to myself than I can finish the map I've just announced.
The current size of the map is 374 kbs. 3 stations is already completed, with another 2 mostly finished. I think it will be done by next year.
Stay tuned for more updates.

[Shawneth]

Looks awesome. I just started appreciating space maps a lot more recently. Can't wait to try this.

[Polunka]

Not bad, can't wait to try this out!

[Merlijn]

Looks good Sanek! Simple yet effective, like Ep2.

I can't help but to notice that each room is a square though. Perhaps it's a cool idea to experiment with different shapes too?
(curved hallways, height differences etc. Ep2 can be used as a source of inspiration for this as well)

[Sanek]

Thanks for A nice words, everybody!

Now...

Merlijn, on 03 December 2016 - 02:16 AM, said:

I can't help but to notice that each room is a square though. Perhaps it's a cool idea to experiment with different shapes too?
(curved hallways, height differences etc. Ep2 can be used as a source of inspiration for this as well)

I don't know if it can be seen cleary in the screenshots, but I actually use some curves in almost every room avialable. The question though is how many walls do you want so it can be called "curvy". Look at the shots below for example.

Attached thumbnail(s)

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[Sanek]

PROGRESS REPORT

Current size: 416 kb

Started another station, while still not completing another ones. There's 2 stations that got less progress than the other ones, and I think I'll come back to them after I've have the idea what to do with them next. I don't think it's the best attitude, but the main thing for me right now is to keep moving, or I'll close this project otherwise.

[Sanek]

ZAXTOREON WILL HAVE A DUKE3D BETA-INSPIRED STATION

During the last couple of weeks, I've spent most of my time on this forum reading about Duke3D's Alpha/Beta material. After I watched the video that Hendricks uploaded a while ago, I fall in love with original concept even more, and since I've been working on a space map, I've decided to pay a little tribute to something that we'll probably never see. To be more accurate, I've decided to recreate the Polaris station that we saw in that video.










Now, if anyone will make any comment on this, let me say that my premise is NOT to make a carbon copy of that level - I'm not even trying to bee 100%-accurate about it. What I'm trying to do is to pay a tribute, and I think I done a right thing.

[Jenz/Amaka]

Nice, love some space maps.

Is that a new Enforcer?

[Sanek]

Zaxtortown

Jenz/Amaka, on 14 December 2016 - 03:43 PM, said:

Is that a new Enforcer?

No, it's the old one just with another palete.

[Blue Lightning]

Umm how do I get that map? Is it called "enforcer"?

[Sanek]

I'm sorry, but I must say that...I lost it.
I like the idea of the map very much, and it looked like it gonna be a good space map, but in the last couple of weeks I added nothing to the map. To be honest, I feel like I began to lose interest. Each time I open the editor and look at all the things that I made and think about the things I should add in the future, I just feel discouraged. It's too late to close the project, but I'm afraid I can't finish it.
Right now, I have about 3 ways of how to hanlde this thing:

1. Just continue my work on it, regardles of how bad it turns out. One of the most constant criticisms about my maps and my attitude to mapping is that I always rush things, and I don't think it will be a good idea to release a rushed, lame map once again.

2. Asking someone to work with me on this map, so it will become a co-production with another mapper. If someone will continue this map, It eventually will be released, I'm 100% sure.

3. Just close the whole thing.

[Hank]

It's your decision in the end.
I started with four projects, lost interest, now my first project is back in full swing, way, way better than before until ....

[Zaxtor]

Don't scrap it, Finish it.
You've done a lot soo far.

[Merlijn]

I'd say don't force it, if you're out of inspiration just let it rest for a while. The file isn't going anywhere and you don't have a deadline to answer to.
Once you feel inspired again, you can continue with a fresh perspective.

For the looks of it, you already worked a lot on this map. So why wouldn't you able to finish it?

[Sanek]

I'm sorry
But I'm decided to call it a day.
I will not continue this map. I tried to return to it, but looking at my own abilities to make a map, I realised that I just can't make a good map with such a scope. Sure I can continue it, rush it into release later because I got bored...and then we have something like DoomBOX on our hands. And DoomBOX was a huge map that turns out not the way I wanted it to.
I have a big share of unfinished, unreleased maps lately, and the ones that was released becomes a dissapointment (well, except Winterfall, which is probably my best map since Bridge Between 2 Islands IMO). And you know what - I just don't want to have another dissapointent. I don't want to release I will not like myself.

[Merlijn]

That's a pity, but it's your decision.

You could also get rid off the the large city parts and keep the map small scaled, if you don't feel comfortable with the large scope.

Also, don't take this the wrong way but.. hyping up a WIP map by opening a special topic for it, then abandoning it might piss some people off.
I'd just use the general "what are you working on" topic for screenshots next time, or simply wait until you're almost done.
This takes off some of the pressure too.