arena_stelae

ARENA arena_stelae b5

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
arena_stelae - Mayaaaaaaannnnnnnn!

Here is a Mayann themed areana map I decided to make, since I figured I would have a shot at the theme while the hype was around! ;)
Essentially, fighting takes place around several Mayan "stela" (fancy carved stone blocks) with a big one in the middle of the arena. When the point becomes available to be capped, the central stela explodes, revealing the capture point (we can assume the loosing team blew it up out of jealousy)!
Still need to repack the bsp to reduce the size. Help? ( @worMatty seems like the sort of person too ask)
This map is semi-detailed, and I'm not going to do a proper artpass until I have gotten it into a couple of imps or gamedays to make sure the gameplay isn't truly terrible.
Here are some screenies:
arena_stelae_0010000.jpg
arena_stelae_0010001.jpg
arena_stelae_0010002.jpg
arena_stelae_0010003.jpg
arena_stelae_0010005.jpg
Here are some screenshots of the explosion that reveals the point:
Before:
arena_stelae_0010006.jpg
After:
arena_stelae_0010007.jpg
arena_stelae_0010008.jpg
 

worMatty

Repacking Evangelist
aa
Jul 22, 2014
1,257
999
You called, Master?

Repacking is very easy. You do it in the game's console using the command bsp_repack. If your map is in tf/maps, then you would do bsp_repack maps/mymap.bsp maps/mymap.bsp to repack and replace it. Repacking should be the last thing you do before you distribute, and you don't need to put your map in a ZIP file or turn it in to a BZ2. It's as compressed as it's ever going to get.
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
You called, Master?

Repacking is very easy. You do it in the game's console using the command bsp_repack. If your map is in tf/maps, then you would do bsp_repack maps/mymap.bsp maps/mymap.bsp to repack and replace it. Repacking should be the last thing you do before you distribute, and you don't need to put your map in a ZIP file or turn it in to a BZ2. It's as compressed as it's ever going to get.
Thanks a lot! Just to make sure (I would be doing bsp_repack maps/arena_stelae_b1) which would compress the bsp file itself, which I should then upload?
 

worMatty

Repacking Evangelist
aa
Jul 22, 2014
1,257
999
That's right. Though you need to include the .bsp file extension, and you have to specify two arguments: The source map file, and the destination map file. You could repack your map and save it as a different filename, or in a different directory if you chose. But if you have already made a backup of it manually, it's safe to overwrite it.

bsp_repack maps/arena_stelae_b1.bsp maps/arena_stelae_b1.bsp

Be mindful that if a client and a server have the same map, but one of them is repacked and one of them is not, then the client will get a version mismatch error and will not be able to join. It's not a good idea to replace an existing map on a server or download page with a repacked copy using the same filename, unless you can be sure that no one has yet downloaded the map.
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
That's right. Though you need to include the .bsp file extension, and you have to specify two arguments: The source map file, and the destination map file. You could repack your map and save it as a different filename, or in a different directory if you chose. But if you have already made a backup of it manually, it's safe to overwrite it.

bsp_repack maps/arena_stelae_b1.bsp maps/arena_stelae_b1.bsp

Be mindful that if a client and a server have the same map, but one of them is repacked and one of them is not, then the client will get a version mismatch error and will not be able to join. It's not a good idea to replace an existing map on a server or download page with a repacked copy using the same filename, unless you can be sure that no one has yet downloaded the map.
Ok, glad that's cleared up, thanks a lot! ;)
 

Skullio

L1: Registered
Mar 29, 2016
48
54
You could repack your map and save it as a different filename, or in a different directory if you chose. .

Are you sure? I think I broke my cubemaps once by doing that but it might have been something else as it was my first time trying to use the compress feature

Cool looking map Aeix, I like the explosion but is that a wooden plank that survives it somehow? It's a fun idea I can't wait to see someone get blowed up by the point becoming available
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
Cool looking map Aeix, I like the explosion but is that a wooden plank that survives it somehow? It's a fun idea I can't wait to see someone get blowed up by the point becoming available
Thanks... I'll need to actually add a trigger hurt then :p
As for the plank... I felt the point looked really bare and weird without some sort of thing bridging the gap that is left by the stela. Also, there are two wooden ramps that lead up to the top of the stela, so it isn't impossible to imagine that they collapse onto each other and form a bridge (...somehow...because that's how physics works...right guys?).
 

DrLambda

L69: Teeheehee, Member
aa
Feb 18, 2015
458
475
Just as a general hint - You can create a repack.bat file that will repack a map that you drag and drop onto it, so you don't have to write it down manually. Mine looks like this (copied from somewhere on this forum, put into the map folder.)

Code:
"..\..\bin\bspzip" -repack -compress %1
@pause
 

nickybakes

You should've played Rumbleverse
aa
Jul 28, 2015
911
1,739
Thanks... I'll need to actually add a trigger hurt then :p
As for the plank... I felt the point looked really bare and weird without some sort of thing bridging the gap that is left by the stela. Also, there are two wooden ramps that lead up to the top of the stela, so it isn't impossible to imagine that they collapse onto each other and form a bridge (...somehow...because that's how physics works...right guys?).
You could make the wood plank a func_brush, name it, then when the explosion triggers kill or disable the func_brush to give the appearance that the planks are being destroyed or blown up.
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
You could make the wood plank a func_brush, name it, then when the explosion triggers kill or disable the func_brush to give the appearance that the planks are being destroyed or blown up.
That, my friend, is exactly what I have done with everything else that blows up ;)
Again, I just felt the point was too bare without something to bridge the gap left by the stela - I guess Ill just see how it goes in playtesting!
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
Just an update to focus on repacking (thanks @worMatty !) and clipping.
-Repacked BSP! New extra-small file!
-Added clipping ontop of buildings (still need to do the trees)
-Added trigger hurt for explosion (you now die if you are touching the central "stela" when it explodes, but don't worry - you have the count down to the point unlock to get off it)
-Changed timer slightly to have the "stela" explode slightly later (now sfx are: 5-4-3-2-1-point is now available!-*explosion* )
-Changed spawns visual slightly (now has no roof)
I have a few worries as too how mid will play out when all the people go there, but if 4-5 ppl from each team take the flanks, it should be fine (there are two flanks).

Read the rest of this update entry...
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
B3 changelog:
-Fixed missing textures (used sv_pure 2 to check)
-Massively increased the size of the flanks
-Connected tunnels to the flanks
-Added health and ammo pickups
-Stopped Z fighting with spawn doors and walls
Hopefully the extra space should help it play a little better now!

Read the rest of this update entry...
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
Some small things, I wont be re-submitting my map to a gameday/imp yet...
-Fixed a seam
-Fixed missing texture shards on floor after point explodes
-Fixed Z-fighting door with wall
-Added some more clipping in the sky (you can't escape the map anymore)
-Added various small clips
-Cap now activates after 45 seconds
-Made explosion radius taller
-Various small details
-Added a waterfall!
-Clipped trees so they are no longer exploitable hopefully
trees are a fucking nightmare
I still need to close in the skybox, and find a decent effect for the waterfall (at the moment its a really small, underwhelming, kinda shitty one).
Also @Lain I defiantly agree that I should lower the cap time (I may need to lower it further than I have in this update), but I doubt I will remove the explosion. I personally don't think it lends to bad gameplay, and I also felt that its an amusing feature that makes this map stand out. This isn't really a serious map, it was more me teach-myself-some-logic-oh-lets-have-a-go-at-the-mayann-update sort of accident :p
Also, the sightlines are a lot more disgusting and the layout is a lot worse with the center "stela/monolith thing" removed, so only doing it at the end of the game means it isn't such an issue in terms of gameplay.
@Berry the reason you get stuck walking around the stela out in the side routes are because there are block bullet clips around them, so that they act as an actual bullet-blocking "thing" rather than just a pretty function. (There would probably be some dumb start of round huntsman kills if that was removed).

Read the rest of this update entry...
 
Last edited:

zahndah

professional letter
aa
Jul 4, 2015
721
642
You better have not made the explosion radius taller, because then how will I clutch as demoknight!
 

Aeix

L3: Member
Feb 14, 2016
147
58
Ive made several changes following the feedback from the US gameday:
-Removed trigger_hurt from the explosion: the explosion is now purely aesthetic
-Removed the bridge that spawned in the wake of the explosion
-Added some foliage

Read the rest of this update entry...