[contest entry][wip] pl_reservoir

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
i've got it built in a bare bones sorta way, so game play could be tested.
before i get any further though, i was hoping for some advice etc regarding layout and gameplay

also there seems to be an issue with sentries placed in water not shooting at people outside the water unless they are very close to the surface. i'm not sure what to do about that to fix it.

i'm terrible at ammo/health placement in general, and at working out how much time to reward the attackers with when they get a cap.

there is a couple of props and dodads on the map already - but that's cos i'm easily distracted, and it's very hard to resist the temptation to start texturing and detailing.

the premise behind the map was in part to explain why badwaterbasin has no water (at least an explanation in my mind) despite having water in it's name.

the map is at:
http://www.fpsbanana.com/maps/74724
 

Psy

The Imp Queen
aa
Apr 9, 2008
1,706
1,491
You could of at least thrown in some basic lighting. :(
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
it's not at lighting stage yet... i don't do lighting till i've textured 1st...

or is that bad practise?
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
just checked... i see what you mean... i accidently compiled it with vrad and vvis turned on ¬_¬ ok i'll just fix that
 

UKCS-Alias

Mann vs Machine... or... Mapper vs Meta?
aa
Sep 8, 2008
1,264
816
Are you just saying you are going to turn those off and then compile? They should be on normal for releases. only for testing you can choose to have it off or on fast. Having vvis off or on fast reduces the map performance and vrad takes care of light. If there is no light you can keep it off.

Still, just as texturing lighting is important. if either one of them is bad the map will look bad. And unlike texturing lighting has a bigger impact. Bad textures can be covered, bad lighting is easy to spot.
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
however, i'm not even ready to do either. afterall right now it's relatively easy to change the map.

i basically don't want to repeat what happened with the ctf map i made. i built and released it without showing anyone, and then had to spend a couple of days rebuilding it which would have only taken a couple of hours if i had done it at this stage.


as you said - for testing.


but to diffuse any possible issues, i've updated the download on fpsbanana so it has vvis on but vrad off
 
Last edited:

Psy

The Imp Queen
aa
Apr 9, 2008
1,706
1,491
What? It takes <1 minute to get the settings for a light_env.

Copy some settings from here and there you go.
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
... i already have a light env on the map...
i haven't put lights on the interior
you complained about it when i compiled it with lighting so i changed it...

regardless. this isn't the reason i put it up... i'm worried about gameplay. and by extension item placement and time rewards.
 

Chilly

L6: Sharp Member
May 3, 2008
326
127
But people won't try it for you unless you put in basic lighting so it looks halfway decent. I load a ton of alpha and beta maps on my server but refuse to put anything on where the mapper couldn't take the time to put a light_env and build cubemaps. Many other servers are the same. Basic lighting does affect gameplay, so please add your light_env and we'll have a go at it. :)
 

Ida

deer
aa
Jan 6, 2008
2,289
1,372
Ezekel, you don't need the lighting to be nice for the first test. It's not a matter of "being ready" to take a big step in the design process, it's a matter of making your map look decent. Maps with no lighting are confusing to play in.

As long as your light_env and other necessary lighting entities work (which I assume they already do, since you're saying you've got it in your map already) and don't make the whole lot look completely screwed, all else you'll need are some light entities (those named simply 'light'). Just pop some in there, place them somewhere in the middle of all your indoors areas, and you're ready. Lighting can be updated later - this process takes two minutes and will make everyone happy. Not to mention it will make us shut up so we can comment on the map itself. :p
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
Ezekel, you don't need the lighting to be nice for the first test. It's not a matter of "being ready" to take a big step in the design process, it's a matter of making your map look decent. Maps with no lighting are confusing to play in.

As long as your light_env and other necessary lighting entities work (which I assume they already do, since you're saying you've got it in your map already) and don't make the whole lot look completely screwed, all else you'll need are some light entities (those named simply 'light'). Just pop some in there, place them somewhere in the middle of all your indoors areas, and you're ready. Lighting can be updated later - this process takes two minutes and will make everyone happy. Not to mention it will make us shut up so we can comment on the map itself. :p

well, i'm way ahead of you. i've just updated and was about to come here to say so. it's the same fpsbanana link.
i think i missed 1-2 rooms out by mistake with the lighting, but it's late here, and i'm tired, and don't want to wait for it to compile again.
 

Ida

deer
aa
Jan 6, 2008
2,289
1,372
Why do I always write the longest posts when they are useless?

Anyway, I'll go ahead and comment on the pictures then. I like the first picture, the idea is great. It seems like a very long stretch with too little cover, though.
I couldn't help but notice that the water tower in the fourth picture looks like a skybox prop. Maybe I'm wrong, but it looks odd.
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
it's not the skybox version. it's just the smallest water tower model (not counting the skybox models ;) ).

i'm gonna be adding more cover to the last stretch - more of the barriers from hydro.
for the 1st stretch though, there is quite a bit of cover regarding the rocks and the water pools themselves.
however, i've noticed a trend in payload for blue to push hard and bring the kart up afterwards. the 1st stretch requires the attackers to either push hard and bring the kart up in this manner, or to work as a team to bring the kart up as fast as possible.

the obvious sniping spot for red on the large rock is also very exposed, and a sniper standing at the far end of the long straight is very open to a flanking maneouver through the rocky area.

at least, those are my thoughts on it. but of course i'm biased somewhat, which is why i like hearing other people's thoughts.
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
i've updated it to Version 0.9

-basically more details, more lighting, etc.
 

Rexy

The Kwisatz Haderach
aa
Dec 22, 2008
1,798
2,533
Hey nice work, the map climax was cool, nice job on the explosion. Here's the screenshot I said I would post:

This is RIGHT outside of red spawn, and the two walls keep players from squeezing between that space, when it looks like you should be able to. That's just something that will drive players NUTZ, especially when they are trying to get out of spawn and stop the cart.
pl_reservoir_1_0b0000.jpg
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
thx rexy. i knew there was something i had forgotten that was mentioned
 

Ravidge

Grand Vizier
aa
May 14, 2008
1,544
2,818
The track covers a ridiculous distance at the last capture when it spirals down to the center. BUT as you said, your cart moves at insane speed when there enough ppl. So I guess only more testing will prove if the size is right or wrong.

Nice explosion at the end, add in some env_shake, or if you already have.. bump it up a few notches :) And since it's toxic, maybe you could trigger some green fog or something? idk, would be cool though.
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
there's a green glowing ilusionary in the water, but you only notice it if you're underwater/looking at it.

the env shake is there, using the same values as on gold rush, but i have it also flagged to shake people in the air too.

i could put an additional point, in the building at the 1st corner on the ramp down if it turns out to be a problem.
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
after the test i remember 2 things that people mentioned:
nineaxis was hopping onto that ladder with a demoman, and the blu spawn had unclear signs to the exit.

was there anything else?
i think someone said something about red spawn, but i forget what it was.
 

Rexy

The Kwisatz Haderach
aa
Dec 22, 2008
1,798
2,533
Found a few more things for you to fix!


Just a small visual thing, just push the displacement back down a little bit.
pl_reservoir_1_80002.jpg



This is a minor thing, where the ramp does quite meet up with the side of the wall, just a minor aesthetic thing.
pl_reservoir_1_80006.jpg