Full view:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/1192...rRoom1.bmp
This is the area I'm currently working on. It's a server room, in which I'll hopefully succeed in creating some interesting lighting. As it is now I still have tweaks to do and models to create, but I'm liking the way it's turning out!
A video of it here! Watch in 1080p.
I will dedicate below text into writing down some ideas sizzling in my head and how I go about creating my mod. I have a "backbone" story written down as well as a "backbone" maplayout. The story and maplayout provide a good flow and consistency for the main events. It's also a good reminder on what I need to/can do next. It's looking like this (don't go looking if you care about spoilers):
The maplayout spans "all of the maps" - I split it at parts where it would be natural for a new level or at places where it would be necessary (for performance).
I deviate from that layout once I get inspiring or interesting ideas, because they keyword in creating something is
fun. Such deviations are then fitted into the "main layout" at places where it would seem consistent.
I start out a new area by placing static objects; walls, floors, other obstacles. Once such things have been placed I start creating
the lighting. The goal is to create an interesting lighting. It should be scary (achieved through contrast - having some really dark areas) and showing my models as well as the intended paths the player may/can walk. I try to avoid boxlights. Mostly I work with a lot of pointlights to get the light to spread naturally. If called for I include some spotlights; that is in cases where the shadows from them can provide a feeling of "threat" in the environment.
In this mod
the puzzles and
story go hand in hand. I find it very fun to create challenging puzzles, but from previous attempts I have learned that too hard puzzles might cause a loss of immersion for the player. I have therefore elected to make most puzzles
non-mandatory for progression. Solving puzzles will instead provide interesting information on the story as it branches out in other directions. The set of "main-events/story" will still be given to all players simply through progression through the mod.