Using Materials
This page focuses on the use of materials and textures in a map, coming from a conceptual standpoint. For info about creating a material, see Creating a Material.
Careful selection and placement of materials within your map is of the utmost importance not only in making a map that is appealing to the eye, but complements the Gameplay aspect of the map as well. (see Map Design for more details).
Although it may not seem apparent at first, the use of materials in a map can have a tremendous effect on it's playability as well as its aesthetic appearance.
- choosing a material for a particular surface:
- Does this material suit the overall theme of the map?
- Does this material attract the attention of the player in a way that will cause him/her to loose focus and concentration on the game? - You might want to consider choosing a material that is more subtle or blends in with it's surroundings.
- Does this surface need to be distinguished as being different or more important then those around it? - In this case, it may be a good idea to have a material that is somewhat distracting...
- Creating your own materials:
- Does the reflectivity of the material suit the underlying texture? - For instance, it would not be a good idea to have a stone wall texture look shiny, unless it is supposed to be covered in ice or something.
- Food for thought
- If the map is a team-based gametype?, i.e. CTF or BR, it might be a good idea to use a material that has red or blue hues in it, in addition to red or blue lighting.
- For metallic materials in an outdoor location, it might be a good idea to choose a rusty texture.
Related Links:
Discussion:
Bob_The_Beheader: I'm assuming this page is about map design and aesthetics.
Category To Do – Needs more tips and things that mappers should pay attention to when picking a material. Could use a section on picking materials for various map themes, etc
