Multi Stage Chemplant a14d

Changes:

• Connectors to last are pretty new. Like, real new.
• Inside of last is smaller, brighter, etc.
• Clipping is back. Whoops.

Problems:

• Optimization might be starting to suffer.
• Lighting and signage in the new areas is crude.

Not really sure why I left the end of the stage the way I did; some obvious stuff was missing.

Mostly just added the missing left side flank, added missing signage, and cleaned up old propspam and signage that was left over in the map from older versions.

My guess is this'll just reveal a lot of other problems that were hiding in plain sight.

Watching the last demo, I realized I overcompensated for Red's underperformance at 1B. This is update is a series of small tweaks so that I can get a better idea of how the point actually performs:

At 1B specifically:

• The respawn time for RED was only 6 seconds(!?) I've moved this to 8 seconds, which is what it was originally.
• Health and ammo for RED consisted of multiple full kits. I demoted these to a single full ammopack, a medium health, and a small health.
• Health by the deathpit was useful, but not useful enough. I promoted this to a medium kit. Also, it's better-lit.
• The balcony should be a bit more difficult to rocket- or skill-jump into.

Back at 1A:

• Finally closed the leftmost staircase for accessing the balcony. This is experimental; I may bring it back.

For 2B:

• Nobuilded the alcove on the point because people were filling it with dispensers, which did nothing but prevent actual players from using it. It also looked weird.
• Restored a small health kit in the staging area outside the point.

Stage 1:

• Remade the back end of 1A so that there are stairs and that the top floor doesn't overlook the connector to 1B.
• Let there be light.
• Connectors are in caves now. I think they might be better.
• Sightlines at B tightened up.

Stage 2:

• RED spawns facing the rightmost door when defending A, but is split between both doors after A is captured.
• Health is less available in the flanks surrounding last. Previously, BLU would be pushed out of the building but immediately regain health and resume their onslaught.

Also a bunch of other changes; I started this alpha like two months ago and I've forgotten what I've changed exactly.

Didn't fix:

• Left route to 1A is still in. Sorry phi.
• Blue's stage 2 spawn may still have confusing respawn room bounds to some, pending a better realization of the surrounding architecture.
• There might be problems with optimization now that I've changed the connectors and the space between stages.

• Added a dustbowl-style shared red/blue spawn in between the stages closer to 1B. The old spawn area is now blue's setup area for stage 2. Blue respawns quicker when attacking 2A to compensate for the increased walk distance.
• Added cover around 1B and expanded the little engineer's hidey hole next to the point. Hopefully it'll feel more natural to defend around the point instead of trying to hang back and pick attackers off.
• Fifth Angel appears.
• Opened up the second story around 1A so that it's easier to understand the space. It may need to be relit; some sightlines may be more powerful now.
• Increased access to metal on the upper floor of 1A to make defending the area easier for RED, as well as BLU so they can stage attacks on the next point.
• Units 00 and 02 on standby.
• Detailing: Changed position of skylights and windows to be more architecturally plausible. Began adjusting materials for detailing in the first stage. Skybox adjusted for a sense of place in the larger map.

I also gave blue a bit more time to cap the second point.

I think 1B may need to be entirely remade, but I have changed the connecting routes once again just in case it can be solved in this earthly realm.

Oof. Repacked the map so that it would be smaller.

Weirdly, simply recompiling and packing was already about 5MB smaller.


Further minor changes reflect my work in the meantime:

• A couple of signs were added or changed to use less annoying assets
• Clipping lines up better with angled brushes now

• Clipped off a bunch of nasty things
• Removed Red's access to 1B's balcony
• Materials
• Adjusted health and metal some more
• Deepened 1A's canal beneath the point so players can walk through without crouching
• Some optimizations (detailing, nodrawing, lightmap scale)
• Added to the skybox a bit
• Added some supports to 1B so it feels more plausible

Stage 2:

• Adjusted availability of metal. Should be more common directly around last, and less common in the vicinity of first, except up in the balcony.
• Balcony window has reverted to being more open. You can crouch to walk out of it now.

Stage 1:

• Removed the fencing around the left-side ceiling flank to A, added lighting, adjusted geometry, added clipping, added signage. If this doesn't help attackers specifically, I'm going to take the route out.
  
• Underground space between A and B has another outlook for attackers, while a window that made them vulnerable has been removed. Combined with a more accessible flank to A, I expect blue to push further and quicker to B.
• Shortened the max round time by about a minute. It's a small round, and if you're not able to capture last in five minutes, it's probably not happening.

Both stages:

• Adjusted availability of health throughout the map.
• Spectator cameras should be enabled correctly depending on the active round. Some of the cameras were moved so that they won't clip anymore.
  
• Cleaned up brushwork
• Removed bubbles :'(