BR-AphelionWharf-beta

[Da Spadger]

[legacy-Eps]

ok here is the second beta, barring any showstoppers this will be the final version, still willing to make changes to weapon placement tho, is there enough ammo ? all feedback welcomed.

get it here

edit* link fixed

[legacy-FlyingPorcupine]

Originally posted by Eps
[B]FlyingPorcupine

The jump pads are not final, they have been driving me crazy, they are supposed to drop you gently, i can get them wokring how i want but then the next time i open UED they go back to flinging the player about. Gonna have to delete them all and remake them (and not for the first time).

Yep the solar arrays have no collision, still not sure how i am going to approach this, but I have a few ideas.

I really like you idea of using the elecfields sjybox, can see exactly what you mean, only then the map wouldn't be as dark as it is now, I would probably have to get rid or tone down the coronas. I will play around with it and see how it looks.

BTW I really wanted to return the feedback favour and give shockball a playtest but I cant find a download link, where can i get it from ?

Da Spadger

Your comments on hit scan weapons are interesting (I ssume you mean the shock, rocket launcher and flak gun ?). Personally I really enjoy those weapons however I am a little worried about whether i could include a shock in this map without making it incredibly difficult to score. It could get very frantic, any more thoughts on weapon placement ?.

Jumppads
HAve you messed with the JumpZ modifier property? it changes the arc to make it more or less springy.

Skybox
You could maybe change the skybox to a night time setting, but keeping it similar to elecfields. dunno how it'd work, but could be interesting without having to completely change the lighting.

ShockBall
http://www.cutlassweb.com/porcupine/...-ShockBall.zip
I'm working on remaking it though. Things that are going to be changed: Gravity back to normal, more weapon variety, more "stuff" in the middle of the map so its not so open, goals wont be as tall, and will have a new custom static mesh:


toying with the idea of having warpzones instead of teleporters, but i think it could be difficult to make them work with the current way the level is laid out.

I have some actors you may have interest in regarding the goals. Ive got something coded that essentially spawns the collision that registers the goal, but not the goal mesh. this leave you open to use whatever you want for the goal... and its setup in a mylevel package so you dont need to dl anything extra. It will be saved into the remake of ShockBall, which i'm going to call: TranquilChaos. If you wanna use them, holler!

Weapons
I don't think hitscan is completely out of place on your map, but shock, lightninggun, and minigun should be seriously limited. maybe weapon spawns for them, but have the ammo far away from the weapon. also, GRENADE LAUNCHERS=PWN for BR!!! you can stick them to the ball, and in turn make the ball into DEATH FOR YOUR ENEMIES if they touch it . not to mention it launches the ball all over the place.

[Da Spadger]

Originally posted by Eps
The ball carrier isnt supposed to get to the mega health (or the super damage), I like to have goodies in my levels, if he did end up down there standing on those pipes he could always pass the ball to a teammate and then translocate away.

*Sniffle*

Originally posted by Eps
Your comments on hit scan weapons are interesting (I ssume you mean the shock, rocket launcher and flak gun ?). Personally I really enjoy those weapons however I am a little worried about whether i could include a shock in this map without making it incredibly difficult to score. It could get very frantic, any more thoughts on weapon placement ?.

By hitscan weapons i mean the shock, LG, sniper. Every weapon that hits instantly is hitscan. It would be too difficult to get to another building of someone stays at home and shocks anyone incoming. Flak and Rocket launcher however is possible to evade and they should fit in better.

[legacy-Eps]

FlyingPorcupine

Thanks for your kind comments. The lights in the goal room were placed for effect, i did notice you could stand on them but i never thought about using them to camp, might be a little bit too sneaky, maybe i should inset the lights into the wall ?.

The jump pads are not final, they have been driving me crazy, they are supposed to drop you gently, i can get them wokring how i want but then the next time i open UED they go back to flinging the player about. Gonna have to delete them all and remake them (and not for the first time).

Yep the solar arrays have no collision, still not sure how i am going to approach this, but I have a few ideas.

I really like you idea of using the elecfields sjybox, can see exactly what you mean, only then the map wouldn't be as dark as it is now, I would probably have to get rid or tone down the coronas. I will play around with it and see how it looks.

BTW I really wanted to return the feedback favour and give shockball a playtest but I cant find a download link, where can i get it from ?

Da Spadger

Thanks for your thorough analysis, its nice to have a list of issues to go through.

I think I know what you mean about the solar array, maybe changing the brown texture to a metal one would help ?.

The ball carrier isnt supposed to get to the mega health (or the super damage), I like to have goodies in my levels, if he did end up down there standing on those pipes he could always pass the ball to a teammate and then translocate away.

the skybox does need a little work, originally i plucked it from dm-plunge and added stuff but it was never as seamless as it was in dm-plunge.

Your comments on hit scan weapons are interesting (I ssume you mean the shock, rocket launcher and flak gun ?). Personally I really enjoy those weapons however I am a little worried about whether i could include a shock in this map without making it incredibly difficult to score. It could get very frantic, any more thoughts on weapon placement ?.


Thanks for the feedback guys.

[Da Spadger]

---Part two of my feedback list, due to image limit---


---Weird things in the skybox.---


---A good thing---

Other notes: As red, you spawn in the blue base. :bulb:
Very low FPS when you're at the base and are looking at the other base's direction.
When you add the weapons, please leave out the hitscan stuff. This level is too open for it. Tbh, i think only non-hitscan weapons would work well.

[Da Spadger]

Woot, i'll download this later and test. :up:

---EDIT---


---Needs adjusting---



---It looks nice, but i don't think it fits into the level. Also, it looks solid, but it isn't. Talk about surprise. :bulb:---


---Flickering texture---


---Maybe you could add a jumppad or two to allow the BC'er to get up in the middle building.


---How is the Ball carrier going to get up from there?---

[legacy-FlyingPorcupine]

layout's cool. kinda what skyline could have been. IMO, if youre gonna have people bouncing around low grav, it should be wide open like this, but with some confined areas.

i like the goal placement, i could see some people not liking it, because youve gotta work a bit to score 7. i dunno if the lights in the pit were placed where they were for this purpose, but i kept myself from dying by landing on them. i could see some strategy in this, but i can also see this as a camping spot, right under the goal.

Again, dunno if this was intentional, but i walljumped of the glass by the double damage, right into the goal :up:. I think that some of the jump pads apply a bit too much momentum, like the one on top of the building that sends you straight across to the other side. BUT... you do kind of float slowly on the way down. I think im arguing with myelf.
I think the Solar Arrays need some collision, or some sort of something that blocks players from getting to them. It looks like you had started to put some sort of barrier there, with the vertical beams at the edge by the solar arrays. Maybe a shield type thing thats in between them? OR... I thought this could be interesting... a gravity volume that allows you to float out over the solar arrays just a bit, then kicks you up on top of the entrance to the goal room...

One last thing, the side paths to the goals are great. They are somewhat inconspicous, and definately a quick route to get a last second save. Gotta weigh the options when taking this path, get there quickly, or possibly fall to your doom!!! MWAHHAAAH!

One stylistic thing regarding the skybox. For some reason, I think something resembling the Cloud City from Star Wars would OWN on this map, or maybe something like electric fields. As far as framerates are concerned, They were good, but i noticed a bit of stutter when i was looking across the map from either base.definately zone the goal rooms if not done already(i didnt check the zoning).

Nice work overall
:up:

[legacy-Eps]

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Download: Name: BR-AphelionWharf
Version: first beta
Compatibility: only tested on ut2004
Description: space based br map
Comments: Looking for feedback on layout, no botpathing yet, lighting still needs work, any feedback appreciated.
Screenshot:
Credits:
Homepage: http://epscylonb.blogspot.com/
Download: http://www.btinternet.com/~pamela.bu...Wharf-beta.zip