Digital Paint Discussion Board

Development => Mapping => Map Graveyard => Topic started by: Burt_Gummer on December 13, 2005, 11:57:49 AM

Title: Castle Wars
Post by: Burt_Gummer on December 13, 2005, 11:57:49 AM
I'm almost done with this map.  I have been working on it in my spare time, and here pretty soon it should be finished.

You can grab it here (EDIT - now points to new map file):
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/castle_wars_beta2.bsp

Downloads should be pretty fast and dont worry about using up my bandwidth.  I have plenty.

EDIT - Got the screenshots done

http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot003.jpg
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot004.jpg
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot005.jpg
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot006.jpg
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot007.jpg
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot008.jpg
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot009.jpg
http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/sshot010.jpg
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: jitspoe on December 13, 2005, 12:55:29 PM
I think you need to download the build15 BSP pack -- the reflected light is too bright.  The old pack had that problem.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Eiii on December 13, 2005, 07:58:33 PM
Also, I'd make it more than just two bases facing each other.
Title: _
Post by: Dirty_Taco on December 13, 2005, 08:49:20 PM
Post removed
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Eiii on December 13, 2005, 09:11:10 PM
To define DT's 'stick with it', keep the bases but add paths between them. Multiple paths.
Title: _
Post by: Dirty_Taco on December 13, 2005, 09:44:16 PM
Post removed
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Burt_Gummer on December 13, 2005, 10:57:48 PM
Yeah, I planned for everything to be centered on the middle, with separate paths (hence the crawlspace and special jump spots) between each base with some more stuff in the middle.  I just have the basics for now, I have not added in any barrels or boxes or anything yet.  Those are coming with the next release.  Now refresh my memory, does vis conk out when you have over 6000 portalclusters?
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Eiii on December 13, 2005, 11:27:39 PM
VIS conks out just as you finish your map. Remember to use lots and lots of detail brushes.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Burt_Gummer on December 14, 2005, 09:39:18 AM
As of about 3 pm this afternoon, it has been compiling for an entire day, and I am afraid that its gonna take a day and a half just like the last time. :(
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Eiii on December 14, 2005, 09:59:02 AM
Make sure you have LOTS of things detail brushes. Anything that doesn't significantly block your view (crates, trees, barrels, short walls) should be detals.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Termin8oR on December 14, 2005, 12:04:20 PM
Yes, having a small map like your smashed together when exits for each base are right there it is an easy Spray & Pray map... But Nice Though...

-Termin8oR
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: jitspoe on December 14, 2005, 02:40:20 PM
Actually, I think detail brushes are a bad habit and should only be used when absolutely necessary.  It's better to design your map in such a way that they won't be needed.  If you design your map well, or rather, to be compiler-friendly, you should be able to run vis in just a few minutes without having to detail anything.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Burt_Gummer on December 14, 2005, 05:55:54 PM
Ok, after another long compile, here is the version compiled with the build 15 BSP pack:

http://www.taloncomputing.us/files/paintball2/castle_wars_beta2.bsp
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: loial21 on December 14, 2005, 07:13:08 PM
I will lok at this tonight. good job so far.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Eiii on December 14, 2005, 08:27:08 PM
Jtis- people's computers can now handle more than 2000 r_speeds. It's possible.

Also, if you don't like r_speeds, how can you not like detail brushes?
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: jitspoe on December 14, 2005, 09:52:34 PM
I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say there, but detail brushes usually increase the r_speeds.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Eiii on December 14, 2005, 10:58:16 PM
I mean VIS compile time. I died. Please concider the previous post by me non-existant.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: jitspoe on December 15, 2005, 03:37:29 AM
If you design your map well, you won't need detail brushes to have fast vis times.  If you design it very poorly (or use a crappy editor), even detail brushes won't save your vis time. *cough*twilight*cough*

As for the map, I just took a look at it.  It's not bad for a first shot, but like most first maps, it should really be chalked up as experience and left alone so you can work on new, better maps.

Some things to avoid:
- Ladders to flags / as the only entrance to a base.  Ladders are far to easy to defend as the attacker almost always has his back to the defender.  In this map, it would be far to easy for somebody to just sit at the top of a ladder and spray, making it impossible for an attacker to come up the ladder.  There should always be multiple, easily accessable, able-to-reach-blindfolded-while-running-backwards paths to the flag.  This keeps the gameplay flowing and makes games more interesting.
- Box maps.  Box maps are boring.  We have hundreds of them already.  Even though they may be "different", they all tend to play about the same.  Instead of making a big box and putting stuff in it, plot out an actual map layout.  I'd actually suggest looking at Counter-Strike Source maps for inspiration.  Take a look at some of the top-down views here: http://www.lfserwis.pl/infopage.php?id=110
(http://www.lfserwis.pl/mapy2d/de_tides.gif)
- Overlapped brushes.  It's OK to overlap brushes in some cases, but not if you have two different brushes with faces on the same plane.  The end result is messy.  Sometimes you just see one of the textures.  Sometimes it tries to draw both of them and you get z-fighting going on where 2 different surfaces flicker into view.
- Unlit / Overlit areas.  Under the base there's no lighting, while the area by the flag has tons of light and is super bright.  Get a nice balance of light/shadows, but don't make areas too bright or dark.  It looks bad.

Also, grab that bsp build15 pack.  I'm pretty sure you compiled this with the old one.
Title: Re: Castle Wars
Post by: Eiii on December 15, 2005, 09:38:53 AM
http://www.lfserwis.pl/mapy2d/cs_compoud.gif?PHPSESSID=40d26e26322894be27479bb3d56d75db
Best. DP map. Ever.