XtraLinX: extra node link setups for Warfare [version 2]

[Xyx]

This package of configuration files will add node link setups to most of the stock Warfare maps. The node link setups feature two separate paths to the enemy core to give you more options and prevent choking and stalemates.

Your map list will contain extra entries. For instance, under Torlan there will be a Torlan [TwoPaths] entry. No mutator required.





Link setups

The following link setups will be inserted in your maplist:

• Avalanche [TwoPaths] (see screenie)
• Downtown [NoOrb]: No orbs!
• Downtown [TwoPaths]: Standalone primes, one path along the tank node, the other along the center node.
• Dusk [TwoPaths] (see screenie)
• Floodgate [NoOrb]: No orbs!
• Floodgate [SpareNode]: Standalone center node.
• Floodgate [TwoPaths] (see screenie)
• Islander [Conquest]: No center node (cores are connected), no Redeemer, no Shaped Charge. (see screenie)
• Islander [OneOrb]: Only the castle gets an orb.
• Market District [Corners] (see screenie)
• Market District [TwoPaths]: One path through the center, another zig-zagging through the corners.
• Onyx Coast [TwoPaths] (see screenie)
• Power Surge [TwoPaths] (see screenie)
• Torlan [Titan]: As Torlan, but without pre-built prime nodes (requested by Titan Onslaught).
• Torlan [TwoPaths] (see screenie)

Have a good node link setup yourself? I'm taking suggestions!

Offline installation and use

• Installation instructions provided in the Readme in the download.
• Basically, dump the config files into your My Documents\My Games\Unreal Tournament 3\UTGame\Config folder.

Server installation and use

• Install the configuration files on the server and only on the server. Ditch your local copies or the name won't show up right online in the vote menu.
• Players connecting to the server don't have do anything and don't have to download anything. They will just see a new version of the map to vote for in the voting menu.
• Maps will show up a bit weird in the vote menu. You will see Torlan?LinkSetup=TwoPaths instead of Torlan [TwoPaths]. Courtesy of Epic.

Credits

• Epic for the maps
• Me for the extra node link setups.
• R.Flagg for figuring out server support.

Download

• PC: MediaFire

(and all that for only 5 kilobytes)

[Xyx]

Update! See first post for details.

Additions

• Downtown [NoOrb]: No orbs!
• Floodgate [NoOrb]: No orbs!
• Islander [Conquest]: No center node (cores are connected), no Redeemer, no Shaped Charge. (see screenie)
• Islander [OneOrb]: Only the castle gets an orb.
• Market District [Corners] (see screenie)
• Torlan [Titan]: As Torlan, but without pre-built prime nodes (requested by Titan Onslaught).

[R.Flagg]

Thank you for the effort Xyx. Most of these are running on the Chaotic Dreams server right now.

And just FYI - with the [BIA]Vote mutator that is currently in beta testing on our server (and others), we can even have these listed without the weird naming issue;



(sorry for the ultra-low graphics settings )

He's got it set up so you can have them read any way you want. I just went with that style. Seems to get the point across, and it fits.

For suggestions, I guess I'd like to see maybe some more No Orb options. And I know you said you can't add new stuff, but if it's possible to swap vehicle types, I think an all Necris version of PowerSurge would be way cool.

Thanks again for your time on these!

[Xyx]

Thanks for hosting!

maybe some more No Orb options.

Sure, which maps in which setups?

if it's possible to swap vehicle types, I think an all Necris version of PowerSurge would be way cool.

Can't swap. Only disable. Otherwise you're looking at a new 50+ megabyte map.

[Laggard]

Some random thoughts:

Torlan: 2K4 setup (Borlan Classic + Linked tank nodes)

Floodgate: Core to either center or flood, stand alone prime

Islander: Both prime and air link to the core, both teams' orbs spawn at enemy bases.

Power Surge: Keep the node or keep the nodes? (Count Down node link to everything else, include the cores)

Tank Crossing: Prime node -> Countdown node, direct link between cores (still need tank crossing)

[Xyx]

Torlan: 2K4 setup (Borlan Classic + Linked tank nodes)

I never liked the 2004 setup. It was fun for 2 minutes and then devolved into a protracted prime node battle into overtime.

Floodgate: Core to either center or flood, stand alone prime

Will keep in mind.

Islander: Both prime and air link to the core, both teams' orbs spawn at enemy bases.

I can't move stuff around with just config file editing. That would require a new 60 megs map file.

Power Surge: Keep the node or keep the nodes? (Count Down node link to everything else, include the cores)

Linking everything to the countdown node feels a bit unnatural. I'm all for experimental gameplay, but I'm not sure about this one. It would mean that whoever holds the countdown node gets to damage the enemy core in two ways (by completing the countdown and through directly attacking the core). That's a lot of focus on one node. Why bother attacking the other nodes?

Tank Crossing: Prime node -> Countdown node, direct link between cores (still need tank crossing)

Will keep that in mind, though it does mean that you have to actively get rid of the tank that's pwning your core even if you retake center. More focus on the tanks, less on the node. Might work.

[Doomgiver]

I miss a node setup for torlan in which you have to attack over the center node.

A funny node setup for dusk mine would be crossed primes. (east and west nodes over-cross linked)
Or mid primes would be cool for dusk mine, too.

I also would like a torlan setup, where every team starts with a leviathan at his base.
More maps with leviathan would be cool. For example avalance, power surge or dusk mine, would be good maps for implementing a leviathan.

[Xyx]

I miss a node setup for torlan in which you have to attack over the center node.

Just like Torlan Classic? Or with both cores attached to the center node?

Sounds like a recipe for stalemate either way. I'm not spending any time on that, but if you send me the required config file I'll include it in the next update.

A funny node setup for dusk mine would be crossed primes. (east and west nodes over-cross linked)

That might be interesting. Dusk doesn't offer much in the way of alternatives anyway.

Or mid primes would be cool for dusk mine, too.

You mean in addition to one or both side nodes as primes? Or as in "dead end" nodes connected only to the core?

Or do you mean as the only primes? That would cost you the match as soon as you lost one.

I also would like a torlan setup, where every team starts with a leviathan at his base.

Can't do, but I can (and will) add the campaign "Leviathan versus Vipers" Torlan.

More maps with leviathan would be cool. For example avalance, power surge or dusk mine, would be good maps for implementing a leviathan.

Sure would, but unfortunately I can only take away vehicles.

[Doomgiver]

"Leviathan versus Vipers" sounds interesting.

With mid primes I mean that each team's core is linked to one of the center nodes (prime node). And the red teams prime node is linked to west tank and west manta and the blue team's one is linked to east tank and east manta and then west tank linked to east manta and west manta linked to east tank.

[Xyx]

That still doesn't tell me what you mean. There is only one "center" node and that is the one in the center (under the tower - Cicada and Scorpions). The others are "tank nodes" (corners - Goliath and Manta), "road nodes" (center west and center east - SPMA and Manta) and (for lack of a better term) "river nodes" (center south and center north - Scorpion and Manta).

Maybe I should try a Manta-free Torlan...

By the way, I could use suggestions for alternative Confrontation, Hostile and Cold Harbor links.

[Doomgiver]

Sorry for the confusion, but in my last post, I was taking about Dusk Mine.

For Cold Harbour I see no good further node setups. The same is for Hostile in my opinion, too.
For Confrontation, you could set the top node as the prime node for one team and the node at the bottom of the map as the prime node for the other team and link the two nodes.

[Xyx]

Problem with the Dusk center primes is 30 seconds into the game one of the teams will lose theirs, and then it'll be over.

EDIT: Confrontation... uneven setup, with two nodes? The cores are already pretty hard to damage. I'll try a two-path version; north node and south node linked to both cores.

[Xyx]

Right, I made the two-path Confrontation setup. Works well. You finally get some serious incentive to go south.

Hostile can't really be changed. The second node only enters play once the Axon team has captured the first, and the Axon team cannot win without that second node. I cannot change the way this works by making a new link setup.

For Cold Harbor, I guess I could link one air node each to the cores... but that would remove the last shred of gameplay from the harbor.

I'll also try a Torlan setup that links just the corners to the cores, with the rest as standalone nodes, and no Mantas except at the cores.

[Doomgiver]

Sounds good. I really want to try this Torlan "Leviathan versus Vipers" map. When are you going to release the next version?

[Xyx]

Update: version 2.1 is in beta, featuring four new link setups, including the infamous "Leviathan versus Vipers" Torlan campaign mission.

[Doomgiver]

Good to hear that. Then we'll have in a short time the final 2.1 version.

[voila]

Salute, Xyx!
I need help with my own link-setup. I cooked ONS-Torlan lay-out - true crossfire scheme (config). It works good but some upsetting glitches with nodes are annoying yet. So this need your advice.

Also check PM plz.

[Whom massacre you]

Sure would, but unfortunately I can only take away vehicles.

In Dusk, remove Cicadas except the one from the mine nodes it will feel more unique,
or replace this one with raptors (in Spanish, the campaign tells you owning both nodes you get a squadron of Raptors lol).

[hybridworld]

Your work has really interested me. I saw your post about removing vehicles.. and I'm not that big on the ut3 configs, but was wondering if it would be possible to make a no-nightshade floodgate setup that we could play in things like pickup games. Just identical to normal floodgate but minus the nightshade?

[voila]

hybridworld, just open Editor, select a vehicle you wanna off, press F4 and get its ID (e.g. UTOnslaughtFlagBase_Content'UTOnslaughtFlagBase_Co ntent_3'). Then put it into DeactivatedActors=() - next to node link scheme in map.ini.

BTW I cooked my custom ones: WAR-Torlan Crossfire (ONS-style lay-out without Orbs, updated) and MarketDistrict Z (path through all the nodes). Testing now, prob. 'll publish it afterwards.

Thanks Xyx for the idea and support!