ARENA Length

Moonrat

nothing left
aa
Jul 30, 2014
932
585
Life is short. Everyone will come to terms with death. No matter how long you try to stave it off, it will come for all.

But some people try to defy the curve. They go against the rules and attempt to make their own way.


Length is an Arena map that is all about short, fast rounds! Despite the name, the whole point of Length is to be short. The round are fast, the map is small, and it is pretty simple. The point unlocks after 40 seconds, and only one team will win. There is also a health kit under the capture point, along with 2 small ammo packs, one for each team.

Also, it has no skybox box around it. Berry is now jerking it somewhere nearby.

So, download it and give me your complaints.
 
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Moonrat

nothing left
aa
Jul 30, 2014
932
585
I've been messing around with an A2, This is what has been improved so far.

- Some minor textures around mid
- Changed the lighting
- Made the buildings a bit brighter
- Added fences to the Playerclipped area
- Added awnings to mid, so that explosive jumpers can't instantly go out
- Added a small ledge for each team at mid
- Changed the small health kit to a medium to compensate for the major height disadvantage
- Added some crates to the team's buildings

These are some things I might do

- Shorten the cap time a bit
- Add some height into the team buildings
- Add a flank route that goes to mid
- Add weather
- Maybe some more ammo kits
- Water pools to put fires out
 

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
Well, based off of the screenshots, I'm a bit torn on my opinion.

It looks like a good enough size for an arena map, albeit a bit small... but it's a little TOO simplistic. I'm all for effective simplistic design, but the this is just a little bland and straight-forward.

Real quick, I'm gonna tell you the most important piece of design philosophy in an arena map: It HAS to make a complete circle. If it is a death match-based map, then it needs to make a complete circle to keep the flow going. Look at ravine, lumberyard, watchtower, all of them! They all make a complete circle. You on the other hand, have designed it like a small koth map. It's a common mistake, it's easy to see how arena is just a weird little version of koth, but you have to understand that the 2 designs of the gamemode are VERY different. (P.S. It works a bit better when transferring arena design to koth gamemode than transferring koth design to an arena map) Here, players will just run into the center and hit the wall that is the other team and die.

So, here is your challenge: Figure out a way to design the map by flowing the players AROUND the point, not tossing them into it.
 

Moonrat

nothing left
aa
Jul 30, 2014
932
585
Well, based off of the screenshots, I'm a bit torn on my opinion.

It looks like a good enough size for an arena map, albeit a bit small... but it's a little TOO simplistic. I'm all for effective simplistic design, but the this is just a little bland and straight-forward.

Real quick, I'm gonna tell you the most important piece of design philosophy in an arena map: It HAS to make a complete circle. If it is a death match-based map, then it needs to make a complete circle to keep the flow going. Look at ravine, lumberyard, watchtower, all of them! They all make a complete circle. You on the other hand, have designed it like a small koth map. It's a common mistake, it's easy to see how arena is just a weird little version of koth, but you have to understand that the 2 designs of the gamemode are VERY different. (P.S. It works a bit better when transferring arena design to koth gamemode than transferring koth design to an arena map) Here, players will just run into the center and hit the wall that is the other team and die.

So, here is your challenge: Figure out a way to design the map by flowing the players AROUND the point, not tossing them into it.

I agree with your point. Though I'm trying to experiment with making rounds faster. Arena often ends up with one player going around and around the map, due to the circle design of them. I wanted to try and experiment with making the teams meet up earlier and have a big battle, and not having one kid survive and run around the map for like 2 minutes. That is why I am funneling players towards the point. Will it work? Maybe not, but might as well try. I am adding a flank for A2, so there will be another way to the point though.
 

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
I agree with your point. Though I'm trying to experiment with making rounds faster. Arena often ends up with one player going around and around the map, due to the circle design of them. I wanted to try and experiment with making the teams meet up earlier and have a big battle, and not having one kid survive and run around the map for like 2 minutes. That is why I am funneling players towards the point. Will it work? Maybe not, but might as well try. I am adding a flank for A2, so there will be another way to the point though.

That's what simplistic design is good for.

And if you want them to have a big battle, you need big room to fight on. Also, even if you want to do that, add a smaller circle that's in the same general area as the point, as it will keep players having fun on the map.

What you're trying to do is what I like to call the standoff affect. What that is, is both teams go to the exact same spot, look each other in the eye immediately, and then stare each other down until one dies. While this is okay for things like 5cp, this is a disaster on arena, where the goal is to balance kills with staying alive.

And NO, the flank alone won't fix that. That'll just create 2 smaller standoffs.