Blockout — CS 1.6 Map Builder AI

[ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE]

Hello guys,

I am building an app using Codex (ChatGPT SOL 5.6) to one shot the build (ready to play) map using images references, can be any type of images even several.
https://x.com/zenith_apex__/status/2081878898883678609?s=20

I have weekly limit usage rate on Codex, but here is a first version I made available online:
https://github.com/ZenithApex/blockout-cs16-map-builder

This version is not ready yet for the one clip to play map.
I will keep it weekly updated as the goal is to one shot map building from 1 or several images references.

The prompt to use in ChatGPT to build the asset (attach 1 image reference):

Using the attached reference image only as visual and thematic inspiration, design an original competitive Counter-Strike 1.6 defusal map bundle. PROJECT NAME: de_[MAP_NAME] THEME: [OPTIONAL THEME] TARGET SIZE: approximately 120 × 90 metres GAME MODE: 5v5 competitive bomb defusal ENGINE: GoldSrc / Counter-Strike 1.6 Create a clean professional technical map-design bundle. The map must feel structurally comparable to classic competitive maps such as Dust2, Inferno, Nuke, Mirage and Tuscan, without copying their layouts. COMPETITIVE LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS - One Terrorist spawn and one Counter-Terrorist spawn. - Two clearly separated bombsites: A and B. - Three understandable primary routes: A route, middle route and B route. - At least two controlled rotation connectors. - Multiple strategic choices without becoming a maze. - Every main route must be continuous, connected and walkable. - No trapped spawns, dead-end spawn exits or isolated playable rooms. - Give every team spawn at least three wide exits. - Avoid long collections of tiny rooms. - Avoid narrow repeated corridors. - Avoid random pillars, fragmented walls and decorative geometry blocking movement. - Main routes must be 4–6 metres wide. - Secondary routes must be 3–4 metres wide. - Doorways and choke points must be at least 2 metres wide. - Spawn areas must be open enough for five players. - Bombsites must support entry, plant, defence and retake positions. - Include believable sniper lines, rifle engagements, close-range routes, crossfires, cover and utility opportunities. - Long sightlines must include cover or a way to disengage. - Do not allow one position to watch every route. - Include intentional diagonal walls, angled corners and curved or chamfered spaces. - Use cover sparingly and purposefully. - Keep all critical routes reachable from one continuous ground network. TIMING TARGETS - Terrorists should reach the first major chokepoints in approximately 8–12 seconds. - Counter-Terrorists should reach defensive positions slightly earlier. - Rotation between A and B should take approximately 12–18 seconds. - Do not place either team directly in an immediate enemy sightline. VERTICAL DESIGN - Ground level: 0 metres. - Optional lower routes: −2 to −3 metres. - Optional raised platforms: +2 to +4 metres. - Clearly mark every elevation change. - Use practical stairs or ramps. - Avoid excessive vertical complexity. - Do not place a spawn on a ramp, staircase, prop or elevation seam. OUTPUT A TECHNICAL BUNDLE WITH SIX SEPARATE IMAGES IMAGE 1 — IMPORTABLE BLOCKOUT BLUEPRINT Create a perfectly orthographic top-down blueprint with no perspective. - White or light grey playable floors. - Solid dark grey walls. - Blue CT spawn. - Orange T spawn. - Red Bombsite A. - Yellow Bombsite B. - Green cover objects. - Purple lower areas. - Light orange elevated areas. - Cyan ladders or vertical connections. - Clearly marked doors, stairs and ramps. - Use simple uppercase labels outside important geometry whenever possible. - Include a square grid where each square equals 2 metres. - Include a scale bar and north arrow. - Show the overall dimensions. - Walls must be continuous, clean and at least 4 pixels thick. - Playable floor regions must be broad, uncluttered and connected. - Do not put illustrations, logos, characters, text, arrows or decorations inside playable floor boundaries. - Do not use shadows, lighting, gradients, texture patterns or perspective. - Do not represent furniture or decoration as walls. - This image must be suitable for automatic computer-vision geometry detection. IMAGE 2 — COMPETITIVE ROUTE ANALYSIS Show the same exact layout with: - T routes in orange. - CT routes in blue. - Secondary rotations as dotted lines. - Expected first-contact areas. - Approximate travel times in seconds. - Important sniper lines. - Chokepoints. - Cover positions. - Plant zones and retake entrances. - Clearly explain the tactical purpose of each route. IMAGE 3 — ELEVATION AND SECTION PLAN Show: - Ground, lower and elevated levels. - Exact height differences in metres. - Stair directions. - Ramp directions and slopes. - Ladders. - Bridges, balconies and underpasses. - Several clean architectural cross-sections. - Minimum player head clearance of 2.5 metres. IMAGE 4 — SEAMLESS MATERIAL SHEET Create a neat grid of individual square, front-facing, seamless textures inspired by the reference image. Include: - 4 wall materials. - 4 floor materials. - 2 ceiling materials. - 2 ground or terrain materials. - 2 metal materials. - 2 wood materials. - 2 trim materials. - 2 hazard or signage materials. - 1 skybox colour reference. Each texture must: - Be shown as an isolated square tile. - Have flat, even lighting. - Have no perspective. - Have no border or overlap. - Be seamless and tileable. - Avoid copyrighted logos or readable brand names. - Preserve a restrained visual style suitable for Counter-Strike 1.6. - Be labelled beneath the image, never over the texture. IMAGE 5 — PREFAB AND PROP SHEET Create isolated orthographic views of: - Crates. - Barriers. - Sandbags. - Industrial containers. - Doors. - Windows. - Railings. - Stairs. - Ramps. - Ladders. - Lamps. - Bombsite markers. - Theme-specific cover objects derived from the reference. Use neutral backgrounds and clear front, side and top views. Keep props low-poly and appropriate for GoldSrc. IMAGE 6 — VISUAL TARGET Create several first-person concept views showing what the finished CS 1.6 map should feel like. Maintain the exact architecture and colour language defined by the blueprint and texture sheet. Emphasize route readability, clear silhouettes, competitive sightlines and restrained decoration. CONSISTENCY RULES - All six images must depict the same exact map. - Do not alter the layout between images. - Prioritize competitive gameplay over visual decoration. - Keep geometry simple enough for GoldSrc. - The reference image influences colours, shapes, materials and atmosphere, but must not become obstructive geometry. - Produce original assets and avoid reproducing protected characters, logos or existing game maps.

Zenith Apex,

[KiT_СaT#]

очень было нужно

[Zastels]

Just learn level design why would anybody want to play an AI map? I wake up and map with my coffee, why would I want to devolve into a prompter?

[ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE]

Originally posted by Zastels:

Just learn level design why would anybody want to play an AI map? I wake up and map with my coffee, why would I want to devolve into a prompter?

I am glad you found the path you desired to learn as level designer, and find joy at mapping every morning with your coffee.
I wake up daily doing the things I want in peace, isn't that what we all wants ?

[Zastels]

Originally posted by ZENITH APEX:

Originally posted by Zastels:

Just learn level design why would anybody want to play an AI map? I wake up and map with my coffee, why would I want to devolve into a prompter?

I am glad you found the path you desired to learn as level designer, and find joy at mapping every morning with your coffee.
I wake up daily doing the things I want in peace, isn't that what we all wants ?

Do you want me to teach you level design? I'm working on a new Day of Defeat map now.

[Teub de Shlag]

Originally posted by Zastels:

Just learn level design why would anybody want to play an AI map? I wake up and map with my coffee, why would I want to devolve into a prompter?

Why not ?

[hXe]

bruh making a map by hand is faster than typing all that crap

[K` sa.]

jasjdsja

[ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE]

I haven't followed up on this, because I'm on other stuff. I'm surely sure that it has potential with the newest models available now. Sol mainly or Opus.
Just wanted to share any hints to anyone who wants their creative power backs in hands.

[Renegade]

Originally posted by ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE:

I haven't followed up on this, because I'm on other stuff. I'm surely sure that it has potential with the newest models available now. Sol mainly or Opus.
Just wanted to share any hints to anyone who wants their creative power backs in hands.

I'm by no means ragging on what you're doing because at the end of the day there are far worse potential uses for gen-AI in gaming, but calling it creative is a misnomer. It's not NON-creative per se...but it's doing a lot of creative leg-work for you still.

Best of luck and I would definitely still be interested at taking a look at some of these maps that you or anyone else makes in the community workshop, but they will never come close to the actual creative heart and substance that built cult locations such as cs_rio, de_wallmart, cs_bikini, and de_scud. Those were creative.

I'd personally want to see AI implemented to create more realistic bots and waypointing pathways. Zbot and certain versions of POD's arent bad but could use a big improvement, I feel like that project would be pretty much universally well received. Maps...be prepared to get a lot of strong opinions from people who have been playing this game for 10+ years some good but probabaly mostly bad

Thanks for sharing though

[PhatinoLitz-Vzla]

xd

Originally posted by ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE:

Originally posted by Zastels:

Just learn level design why would anybody want to play an AI map? I wake up and map with my coffee, why would I want to devolve into a prompter?

I am glad you found the path you desired to learn as level designer, and find joy at mapping every morning with your coffee.
I wake up daily doing the things I want in peace, isn't that what we all wants ?

Whats even the point? You aren't a designer, artist, or creator.

[Zastels]

Is this idea still being worked on? I've recently adjust my stance on AI.

[ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE]

Originally posted by :

Originally posted by ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE:

I am glad you found the path you desired to learn as level designer, and find joy at mapping every morning with your coffee.
I wake up daily doing the things I want in peace, isn't that what we all wants ?

Whats even the point? You aren't a designer, artist, or creator.

No I am not any of this. I am a being of light and I am here to remind you who you are.
Other than that I am what you wanna tag AI Artist, I do create with AI music video daily and I am very enjoying it.

AI is creative when you know how to use it. But of course you might not know any of this as you might have not spend 3 years daily using it creatively like I have done.
I speak from experience not from ego, you speak from hates and brainwashing.
While you sleep I create, while you are awake I create.

AI is gonna stays, it is a very awesome tool for anyone who desire to create, certainly also for people who wants to make chaos, as you look you wanna to. Please restrain yourself to use, AI do not want you.

Originally posted by Zastels:

Is this idea still being worked on? I've recently adjust my stance on AI.

No I do not have time anymore to get back on the creating the tool.
I am using now my Codex usage for my music video production which what I do for 3 years.
My initial intent at the time I published this post was to create maps for the french community playing cs1.6. At this time, we did not had powerful models such as Fables, or Astra, what I am saying it might be better now. It was to find a purpose of my codex usage and make it available. If it led to anyone to inspire or whatever to create, map, skins, models whatever you wish, then just do.
We are humain being we exist to create. I wanted to share and bring the artist part inside me to create surprising maps.

Originally posted by Renegade:

Originally posted by ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE:

I haven't followed up on this, because I'm on other stuff. I'm surely sure that it has potential with the newest models available now. Sol mainly or Opus.
Just wanted to share any hints to anyone who wants their creative power backs in hands.

I'm by no means ragging on what you're doing because at the end of the day there are far worse potential uses for gen-AI in gaming, but calling it creative is a misnomer. It's not NON-creative per se...but it's doing a lot of creative leg-work for you still.

Best of luck and I would definitely still be interested at taking a look at some of these maps that you or anyone else makes in the community workshop, but they will never come close to the actual creative heart and substance that built cult locations such as cs_rio, de_wallmart, cs_bikini, and de_scud. Those were creative.

I'd personally want to see AI implemented to create more realistic bots and waypointing pathways. Zbot and certain versions of POD's arent bad but could use a big improvement, I feel like that project would be pretty much universally well received. Maps...be prepared to get a lot of strong opinions from people who have been playing this game for 10+ years some good but probabaly mostly bad

Thanks for sharing though

Check the first comment above, and additionally, you say IT WILL NEVER, never say NEVER, I proved wrong enough people on my YouTube Channel with my AI Music Video.
If you create things with good intent, whats inside you, the light and love you have to share and shine, it will EVER works. With or without AI.
Anyone can call anything AI slop, but let me question from what is AI built from ?
Slop existed way long before AI, we human just put words on what we can not grasp.

[Huguito]

Interesting! So are you making a "Valve Hammer Editor" AI map generator right?

[ZENITH APEX YOUTUBE]

Originally posted by Huguito:

Interesting! So are you making a "Valve Hammer Editor" AI map generator right?

What I aimed first was to bring a very handy casual map building automated by AI.
My goal was to one shot a map from a plan, assets, textures, all generated by AI.
You would simply describe the map you want, and AI automatically would make the build ready to play.
I made another trial with another tool I made, Astra did pretty well it had one shot the map and it was ready to play. It followed well, but it missed many parts, which I don't bring fault on AI, mainly always behind AI is a human, so here was my knowledges.

I d like to share a post I made on X, this is AI video, the map was intended to be built with a football gaming club thematic, for one guy in the french community: https://x.com/zenith_apex__/status/2081878898883678609?s=20

Assets, plans, everything automated by AI.
Oh, thinking now, also now we have the new image model in GPT, so I guess it might be even better now for making plans, assets etc.
But if you really wanna bring a creative / art world into a video game, I would consider Midjourney, which is my main AI Artistic tool to generated image, then cross it with GPT to generate the sheets.