VCTF-Skytown (Plus CTF-Throne)

**Squiggles** · 06-30-2008, 05:07 PM

A majestic city in the sky, long ago abandoned by an alien race. Sprawling chases through the streets and over the rooftops ensue! A tribute to Metroid Prime 3. Music from Skytown Elysia. I would like to thank Epic for the tools, everyone who beta tested the map, anyone who puts it on a server and everyone who downloads it. Thank you very much!

Note: Bloom has been toned down a bit since these screens, but bear in mind that the screenshots reflect the game running with post processing set to Intense.

PC Downloads: http://www.mediafire.com/?wgimu1ssy9c
http://files.filefront.com/VCTF+Skyt.../fileinfo.html

PS3 Downloads: http://files.filefront.com/USERDATAJ.../fileinfo.html
http://www.mediafire.com/?jmxjjm1mjqj

Please leave feedback

I had planned on entering this in phase 1 of the MSU but I forgot that the deadline was coming up and now it's too late :'(
And how come there were only three Warfare maps entered??? I could have entered a box with a Flak Cannon in the middle and come fourth >_<
EDIT: Naw it's ok, some more late entries.

BONUS! CTF-Throne
A sun-kissed mountainside, an eerie cavern and a mysterious forest. Capture the enemy flag! It's all out warfare out there. Courtesy of Sir_Squiggles (I invented Ghost Hat) Credits: Epic for the tools and the brill beta testers, who fixed everything I screwed up. those being: Grogan, osirisrt, SirTahngarth from BeyondUnreal and Setheran and MamiyaOtaru on gearsforums. I also want to thank theGoddamnBatman and Larry L for showing interest in a CTF version in the first place. Am I a bit late? I got sidetracked. Thanks a million! I also want to denounce John for attempting to steal Ghost Hat.

PC Downloads: : http://www.mediafire.com/?y0xyzixt3mx
http://files.filefront.com/CTF+Thron.../fileinfo.html

PS3 Downloads: http://www.mediafire.com/?wklo2heb9tj
http://files.filefront.com/USERDATAJ.../fileinfo.html

**Blaike** · 06-30-2008, 07:48 PM

Nice job. To get the bad over with, CTF-Throne is unpolished, I found some clashing textures, the bushes are oddly hollow, and a lot of the terrain is blocky and unrealistic looking (the trenches and riverbanks). Also, I don't see how the map can be fair with one flag in an open field and the other in a tighter enclosed area. This map looks really good though, so kudos for that. VCTF-Skycity is good. I had a lot of fun jumping across rooftops with a scavenger or hoverbike. The music sounds really good if you don't mind it being repetitive, and the ambience rocks on this level. The only bug I could find is that when you fall off the city instead of falling forever your ragdoll hits some sort of invisible barrier. Great map though, this might be one of those necris VCTF maps that the community has been waiting for.

**Azrael_666** · 07-01-2008, 12:35 AM

ok skytown is very nice, but its too green. im playing the ps3 version btw. its pretty green, which isn't bad but since this is a tribute to the mp3 skytown its alittle out of place. also the music on the ps3 version is close to something that would sound metroidish, but gets really annoying after a few minutes. the map has very nice lighting. its pretty amazing how the light from the sun looks so amazing on this map. but still the green tint kinda ruins it.

just tried out throne. and damn the music is creepy as hell. the feel of the map is pretty creepy too. its not bad, but alittle unbalanced. red team has the advantage if they're good snipers. also that little teleporty thing on the blue side is alittle unfair its a quick way of them getting up there, and the red flag is out in the open. that underground maze is pretty useless and tends to slow the red team down, hurting them more than helping them.

**Yoshi_last** · 07-01-2008, 06:24 PM

it looks buitiful from the screen shots downloading now

although my one complainet so far from the pitures is it looks a little....green...lol maybe you should name is GREEN town update: wtf? i cant even see the land scapeing i can see the static meshes and boxs and weapons vecs ect... but no ****ign terrain? o.o walking on sunshine? lol i know its claled sky town but this glitch redefines the meaning of the name XD

(censored by me

)

**CVROY** · 07-01-2008, 09:05 PM

Excellent map, very well done I love it! Added to my server

**Xerxes** · 07-01-2008, 09:51 PM

Good to see it in Final, looking forward to playing it in our Custom CTF server.

**MamiyaOtaru** · 07-03-2008, 12:03 AM

Hah I never knew you turned Throne into CTF. Is that in addition to DM, or is it just CTF now?

**Squiggles** · 07-03-2008, 06:32 AM

Nice job. To get the bad over with, CTF-Throne is unpolished, I found some clashing textures, the bushes are oddly hollow, and a lot of the terrain is blocky and unrealistic looking (the trenches and riverbanks).

A much earlier work

I hope people can enjoy it anyway.

Also, I don't see how the map can be fair with one flag in an open field and the other in a tighter enclosed area.

its not bad, but alittle unbalanced. red team has the advantage if they're good snipers.

Aye, twas a deathmatch map that I converted on request. It's assymetrical and for fun, but you sure red has an advantage? Thats a lot of open ground they have to cover to get to and back from the flag.

Great map though, this might be one of those necris VCTF maps that the community has been waiting for.

Thank you very much

ok skytown is very nice, but its too green. im playing the ps3 version btw. its pretty green, which isn't bad but since this is a tribute to the mp3 skytown its alittle out of place.

but still the green tint kinda ruins it.

But I like green
Ja, you are right of course, Skytown Elysia wasn't very green. It wasn't in the original plan, I just thought it looked nice.

lol maybe you should name is GREEN town

Having the word green in the name of a map is immature and beneath me.

wtf? i cant even see the land scapeing i can see the static meshes and boxs and weapons vecs ect... but no ****ign terrain? o.o walking on sunshine? lol i know its claled sky town but this glitch redefines the meaning of the name XD

OMG how did you do that O_o
Seriously, what did you do? Are you sure you are playing this version of Skytown and not the original beta. Is anyone else seeing that?

Excellent map, very well done I love it! Added to my server

Good to see it in Final, looking forward to playing it in our Custom CTF server.

Excellent, thanks a bunch ^_^

Hah I never knew you turned Throne into CTF. Is that in addition to DM, or is it just CTF now?

Hi MamiyaOtaru! Howerya. I was asked to convert it ages ago when the map came out and I said I'd look into it but never got around to it. I had a beta thread for it but no-one replied :'(
So this here final was finished just before I started Skytown but I figured it was too little too late so I held off releasing it untill Skytown was ready and had it as a bonus. And if I'm reading your question right, I think the answer is that you still need DM-Throne to play deathmatch on the map.

**Jake99** · 07-03-2008, 10:34 AM

Awesome map mate, nice and original.

IDK if it was just me but I found it really hard to get to grips with and find my way around at first though...

**Squiggles** · 07-04-2008, 09:22 AM

Thanks

For some reason I seem to know the map like the back of my hand, lol. I am a bit surprised though, the layout is very simple I thought.

C'mon peoples, gimme some more replies please

And mebbe rate the thread too.

**The7thCrest** · 07-10-2008, 12:25 AM

WOW, Skytown looks BEAUTIFUL!

**LtClifff** · 07-04-2008, 10:49 AM

vctf skytown is great! Ctf-throne isnt so great.

**Squiggles** · 07-09-2008, 06:33 PM

vctf skytown is great! Ctf-throne isnt so great.

Thanks for editing to soften the blow a bit lol. I'm happy you gave both maps a shot, cheers.

**Kibbler** · 07-10-2008, 04:15 AM

Squiggles: I just played Skytown and I really enjoyed myself. I like the totally fleshed out world, with buildings with stairs and detail inside. The music made me relaxed, and the general mood of the map was actually really peaceful. I had the most fun flying the Viper around, soaring off cliffs and suiciding.

One thing I'd suggest would be to play through your map some more and just run around on foot. I had a number of times I would drop off a ledge running to the base and... fall to my death. It would be a good idea to play through and make sure the player isn't falling off where he wasn't designed to, because it kind of caught me off guard and it seemed out of place that I'd fall there. The place I'm talking about, specifically, is the circular platform right outside the red base.

I like the 360 degree skybox a lot, but maybe find a way to hide the mirrored seam? It's totally minor, but would help.

I'd suggest adding a bit more pickups/content to the interior of the houses in the level. It's great you added the ability for players to go inside the demolished buildings, but there isn't much of a reason to go inside them. Even a small trail of healthvials up the stairs would be nice.

They are all picky critiques that are totally subjective, Squiggles. Ultimately, this is a beautiful map and is the most relaxing I have played so far (well, VCTF-FeelGoodInc is a close second ). Nice work!

**Squiggles** · 07-10-2008, 09:06 AM

One thing I'd suggest would be to play through your map some more and just run around on foot. I had a number of times I would drop off a ledge running to the base and... fall to my death. It would be a good idea to play through and make sure the player isn't falling off where he wasn't designed to, because it kind of caught me off guard and it seemed out of place that I'd fall there. The place I'm talking about, specifically, is the circular platform right outside the red base.

Really?

I'm not sure what spot exactly you mean. Is it the spiraling ramps around the circular tower? Do you mean falling straight through the floor

I'd suggest adding a bit more pickups/content to the interior of the houses in the level. It's great you added the ability for players to go inside the demolished buildings, but there isn't much of a reason to go inside them. Even a small trail of healthvials up the stairs would be nice.

That is a very good idea, there isn't much incentive to use them at the moment, is there...

Thank you for the compliments and nice feedback, both of you ^_^

**Kibbler** · 07-10-2008, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Squiggles

Really?

Do you mean falling straight through the floor

Ah, sorry Squiggles; I should have clarified.

I didn't mean falling through the floor, no. I'm talking about just running along and when I drop down from an edge, there is no floor to catch me. Like I said, I owe it to my own stupidity for not looking down first, but some of the dropoffs give the impression that there is a place to land below, but there is really a 10-ft gap to the next platform.

So you can chalk it up to my stupidity if you'd like, but the basic issue for me is that the layout is designed such that I get the impression there is land below... but there is not.

After a few tries I got the hang of it and figured out where it wasn't safe.

I'd suggest just taking a few passes at running around inside each base and dropping off some of the ledges without looking down. Watch your horizon and jump where you feel there should be a place to land... which I know isn't that easy, because every mapmaker knows their map like the back of their hand, so you probably already have this down. :P

Anyway, just minor suggestions to think about.

**Squiggles** · 07-10-2008, 02:21 PM

Phew

I was worried there was some glaring lack of collision somewhere.
I'll have a look round the bases and check it out. Thanks again

If it's possible to get the map better by phase 2 I'm definitely open to changes.

**[Apoc]Cerberus** · 07-18-2008, 11:16 PM

As the official beta tester for our clan's UT3 server, I get the job of pre-testing all vctf maps to ensure that they work well with our mutators; most notably, the Apoc MatrixMoves. I've had to blacklist many a map because the 'Moves allowed too many exploits. That said...

VCTF-Skytown: Holy Freaking Hell, Squiggles! 5 stars, baby! I have tested all of the full release VCTF maps available, and Skytown is in my top 5 favorite maps list. It is, by far, the best aerial VCTF map out there! Great job! And, on the topic others have posted; While green is not my favorite color, I feel it works well in this map. I get what you were going for: A serene, calming environ to offset the chaos that will ensue when battle begins. Personally, I think it was a nice touch!

**Squiggles** · 07-21-2008, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by [Apoc]Cerberus

As the official beta tester for our clan's UT3 server, I get the job of pre-testing all vctf maps to ensure that they work well with our mutators; most notably, the Apoc MatrixMoves. I've had to blacklist many a map because the 'Moves allowed too many exploits. That said...

VCTF-Skytown: Holy Freaking Hell, Squiggles! 5 stars, baby! I have tested all of the full release VCTF maps available, and Skytown is in my top 5 favorite maps list. It is, by far, the best aerial VCTF map out there! Great job! And, on the topic others have posted; While green is not my favorite color, I feel it works well in this map. I get what you were going for: A serene, calming environ to offset the chaos that will ensue when battle begins. Personally, I think it was a nice touch!

Thank you very much, you made my day

This is final? But it has a major bug. The music plays even though I have it turned off. I have to say it really bugs me when maps do this..

I'm sorry, I'll look into that >_<

Squiggles are the meshes all from the ut3 editor? Or are they created by yourself?

Everything is stock except the music which was taken from Metrid Prime 3 (unless you are playing on PS3, then it's stock music also :P)
I'm not talented enough to make my own

Squiggles, if you polish skytown up a bit, I could see this map being a classic.

Give me a list of things you want and I'd be glad to try my best.

**LtClifff** · 07-21-2008, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Squiggles

Thank you very much, you made my day

I'm sorry, I'll look into that >_<

Everything is stock except the music which was taken from Metrid Prime 3 (unless you are playing on PS3, then it's stock music also :P)
I'm not talented enough to make my own

Give me a list of things you want and I'd be glad to try my best.

Hey squiggles. How have you added your musix in. Is it an ambient sound or did you add it in world properties. Hourences made a tutorial explaing how to add it in world properties.

**Squiggles** · 07-24-2008, 03:32 PM

Yeah, it seems like it's an ambient sound. The music can be turned off by turning off ambient sounds. It's just that I used a music arrangment instead of adding it as an ambient sound so that shouldn't be happening

So it is using world properties. I'm not sure how to fix it.

**Pop!** · 07-19-2008, 06:36 PM

This is final? But it has a major bug. The music plays even though I have it turned off. I have to say it really bugs me when maps do this..

The map itself is not so bad though, But I think it might be better as CTF, or DM even, rather than VCTF. Could also do with better thought out weapons placement.
Nice enough general design and use of textures though.

Pop!