DM maps

My levels, in HD please!

After the availability of DM-S.M.C. 65 I decided to modify all my previous levels prior DM-Kyron GrP. so that they look their best visually and the most effective way to achieve this is to uncompress the BC texture so that the texture is original quality. Briefly, I reset the diffuse textures to LOD 0 because that’s where it will make the most impact visually, leaving other textures like bump, mask, metallic, normal, occlusion, roughness, etc. to their LODs that I defined for them at the time. Setting them to LOD 0 would make the levels look even better, but the benefits are substantial over diffuse texture and the files would be 4x larger, so not worth it.

Now that the community is almost gone, most online players are happy to play shell or low detail levels, only me and a few friends play my levels, so there’s no reason to lower the visual quality and we can enjoy them to the fullest, so in HD 😀 When editing them, I also made improvements to AI, lighting, post-processing and then many other improvements, so not only they are prettier, but the bots make better use of the playing field and some issues have been fixed in some of them 🙂 In short, all levels are better!

I will not upload these new HD versions to UTCC, even if they are less than 500 MB as explained here. I will leave previous releases on UTCC, I consider them as SD, SD means Standard quality. If you want to get these HD versions let me know by emailing me or subscribing to my Facebook page, then PM me and I’ll share my MEGA link where all my HD levels and readme are.

Comparisons

Level / UTCC SD size / HD size / UTCC SD version / HD version

CTF-Ahead / 296 MB / 303 MB / 1.0 / 1.1
CTF-Infiltrate / 356 / 420 MB / 1.3.1 / 1.4
DM-Akar / 405 MB / 561 MB / 1.4.1 / 1.5
DM-Akar CE / 405 MB / 562 MB / 1.1 / 1.2
DM-Alpu 2050 / 369 MB / 811 MB / 1.0 / 1.1
DM-Aly / 1.22 GB / HD only / 1.5
DM-Aryth / 123 MB / 153 MB / 1.4 / 1.5
DM-Chroma / 135 MB / 308 MB / 1.1.1 / 1.2
DM-Chroma FPS / 132 MB / 304 MB / 1.1.1 / 1.2
DM-Coda / 246 MB / 496 MB / 1.1 / 1.2
DM-Cruel / 379 MB / 394 MB / 1.1 / 1.2
DM-CyberPunk / 649 MB / HD only / 1.1
DM-Dakylian / 438 MB / 564 MB / 1.3 / 1.4
DM-Delta / 417 MB / 506 MB / 1.4.1 / 1.5
DM-Dystopia / 1.01 GB / HD only / 1.2
DM-Elik / 287 MB / 452 MB / 1.6 / 1.7
DM-Fondation / 420 MB / 486 MB / 1.1 / 1.2
DM-FonDuality / 373 MB / 426 MB / 1.1.1 / 1.2
DM-FutureMine / 374 MB / 472 MB / 1.0 / 1.1
DM-Kyron GrP. / 1.11 GB / HD only / 1.0
DM-Lost In Time / 1.36 GB / HD only / 1.0
DM-Oblevia Part 1 / 166 MB / 178 MB / 1.1 / 1.2
DM-Oblevia Part 2 / 306 MB / 315 MB / 1.1.1 / 1.2
DM-Oblevia Part 2, Terra / 401 MB / 464 MB / 1.0 / 1.1
DM-Oblevia Part 3 / 374 MB / HD only / 1.0
DM-Oblevia Part 4 / 320 MB / HD only / 1.1
DM-Qu0 / 338 MB / 359 MB / 1.2 / 1.3
DM-S.M.C. 65 / 793 MB / HD only / 1.0
DM-Sarr / 325 MB / 414 MB / 1.2 / 1.3
DM-Thaq / 360 MB / 401 MB / 1.2 / 1.3
DM-Trivial / 487 MB / 618 MB / 1.0 / 1.1
DM-Valas / 478 MB / 641 MB / 1.1.1 / 1.2
DM-Y z e n / 452 MB / 897 MB / 1.1 / 1.2

DM-S.M.C. 65 now available!

I’m very happy to announce the availability of DM-S.M.C. 65 😀

For those who will ask for the level, I’ll be happy to share with them the download link by email or in PM to my Facebook subscribers. All info at the level page. Don’t hesitate to share the file with your friends 🙂

However, know that now I don’t try to drastically reduce the file size like in the past. As my levels are only played by very few players, I have no reason to cut on the visual quality. File weight 793 MB.

A short DM recording :

DM-S.M.C. 65, new level WIP

DM-S.M.C. 65 is my current WIP level. The page contain all info. For those who are following me on Facebook already know that since April 😉 I created the level page too since a while. I post different info here and on FB and sometime in both platform in case you didn’t know 🙂

I’m progressing very well. Only section that I’m focussing now is the Rocket Launcher / Grenade Launcher area which is done at ±50%. By the layout pic, you can see the level as much to offer and the gameplay is very fun 😀

DM-Kyron GrP. now available!

I’m very happy to announce the availability of DM-Kyron GrP. 😀

For those who will ask for the level, I’ll be happy to share with them the download link by email. All info at the level page. Don’t hesitate to share the file with your friends 🙂

However, please know that now I don’t try to drastically reduce the file size like before. It was possible to reduce de file by cutting on the quality of the textures. In the past, I did my best to limit the file size to a maximum of 500 MB since UTCC is limited to this size. As my levels are only played by very few players, I have no reason to cut on the visual quality. I still make a few cuts here and there, but never as much as before. So don’t be surprised by the file size. In case of this level, file weight 1.12 GB.

A short 8 mins DM recording :

A quick 5 mins TDM Rocket Arena match :

DM-Kyron GrP. (WIP # 2)

DM-Kyron GrP. dev is goign good 🙂

In this video, all BSP as been removed and all areas as been meshed. Brief, the basic geometry, the basic lighting are done and most blocking volumes too. I worked a lot on the lighting, replacing the UT2004 one but it’s not finished yet. Now, I’ll have fun with painting, adding decals, ambient sounds, visual effects, all fun stuff! 😀

So, how’s mapping Stevie?

Hey 😀

Simply put, I’m still making levels, for my own pleasure ofc since I love the game 🙂 My WIP level is called DM-Kyron GrP. It’s a old school style level base on DM-1on1-Roboto made by h0ok which belong in my long list of fav UT2004 levels. GrP. means Group.

The BSP from the original as been imported in the UT editor and I replaced all BSP brushes in the play area by static meshes. The basic geometry for the gameplay area is now done. Next step to do is the exterior of the play area and after adding details, work on lighting since it is the original one, add ambient sounds, VFX, etc. This little video shows my progress which is around 1 month of work.

Enjoy my UT4 levels

My last map for UT4 is DM-Alpu 2050. I now stop sharing any new maps automatically as I always have, not because UT4 is officially discontinued but rather due to the lack of feedback, appreciation and recognition from the part of the UT4 community towards them. I still create maps for my own fun and share them on demand only for those who kindly ask for them and appreciate my UT4 dedication.

Until DM-Alpu 2050, I shared any new map automatically with everyone so that way, others can play something else than stock maps. Yep, I was very generous because many maps I created cost me real money by buying packs on Epic Marketplace! It seems that even if I dedicated myself to creating awesome maps from scratch, on top of costing me $$$, doing it all on my own time and for free above that, players didn’t care. My maps was almost completely ignored and feedback was very poor on all forums combined. It’s quite the opposite, players should encourage the few creator that remains by giving their feedback, add their likes on videos, commenting them, sharing them, etc.

For a quick download, all maps are available on UTCC, under the ‘Stevelois maps’ collection.

For those of you who took the time to comment my maps, you will recognize yourself. Thank you, because it is thanks to you alone who encouraged me to continue sharing these. Thanks for all the support by commenting in the map pages, or on Facebook, or on YouTube, it’s a good way of showing your appreciation for high quality free content.

Enjoy them, have fun 😀

DM-Aly 1.4 update

I’ve made updates to DM-Aly.  There was issues I always wanted to fix that was bugging me that I couldn’t fix at the time. In all, the updates are :

  • Before the match begun, a close up of only half of the player near the Sniper rifle was showed for few secs. Now, it will show the player entirely at different locations.
  • Bots weren’t using all the lifts properly, they only use the Bio / Shock one. Now, they do use all 3 of them and even perform lift jumps to grab the vest or land at the highest floor. So gameplay is way better, more fun now playing against bots.
  • Bots didn’t use the jumpad that land at the Flak platform, now they do.
  • Made few subtle changes in the Post Process volume and in world settings.
  • Reduce the sun brightness from 200 to 100.
  • Tweak the jumpad particle.
  • Tweak the wood lift material.