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Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 5:48 pm
by rejecht
Coolness!

Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:31 pm
by rejecht
Problem: The map DM-AnataWa isn't compressed for some reason, so it takes an awful long time for it to download.
Anyone with access to the ons/sunday freon madness server, or know how to correct this, other than downloading it from here? I assume carn is out in the real world.

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:14 am
by }TCP{Coco
Hi!
Hmm, just checked the redirect server and your map is on it (UZ2 compressed, with correct size and name - just as your download in this thread).
Slow downloads usually have one of the reasons:
1. There is no redirect server (does not apply here).
2. The file is not on the redirect server (does not apply here).
3. The name is spelled differently (does not apply here).
4. The file on the redirect server is different from the one on the gameserver, e.g. has a different size or version (in that case the gameserver is sending the file itself - very slowly in order not to disturb the other players' traffic).
So as far as I can tell, case 4 should apply. Unfortunately, I have no file access to the FunHouse gameserver, so I can't fix it.

Let's hope, Carnage sees this soon.
Coco.
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 1:07 pm
by }TCP{Carnage
Sorry was my bad .. i uploaded it to the wrong folder
Corrected now .. bit l8 but better then never
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:01 pm
by rejecht
}TCP{Coco wrote:Hi!
Hmm, just checked the redirect server and your map is on it (UZ2 compressed, with correct size and name - just as your download in this thread).
Slow downloads usually have one of the reasons:
1. There is no redirect server (does not apply here).
2. The file is not on the redirect server (does not apply here).
3. The name is spelled differently (does not apply here).
4. The file on the redirect server is different from the one on the gameserver, e.g. has a different size or version (in that case the gameserver is sending the file itself - very slowly in order not to disturb the other players' traffic).
So as far as I can tell, case 4 should apply. Unfortunately, I have no file access to the FunHouse gameserver, so I can't fix it.

Let's hope, Carnage sees this soon.
Coco.
ah So it
was compressed, however, since the redirect didn't have the file, or the file names didn't match (same effect), the game server had to distribute the map instead, and throttle the download as not to ruin the gameplay. Yep. Understandable.
np Thanks for the troubleshooting, Coco. ^^
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:15 pm
by rejecht
}TCP{Carnage wrote:Sorry was my bad .. i uploaded it to the wrong folder
Corrected now .. bit l8 but better then never
np ^^ Some people managed to find the map here, though. The others came back later. ^^
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:49 pm
by }TCP{Snowbird
SOOOOO!!!!! How did it work out? Did people like it?
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:15 pm
by rejecht
}TCP{Snowbird wrote:SOOOOO!!!!! How did it work out? Did people like it?
lol I think I have to wait for the feedback to come in, since we barely played it. ^^ I got the impression that the visuals were OK, though Sinatra would rather see statues of Frank Sinatra replacing the typical wooden boxes, but anyway, it's too early to conclude anything else about it.
I'm aware of one bottleneck which I'm planning to resolve, though (how to escape from the Four Pillars area; you can safely drop down to the lava pool level and use the lift from there, but I want more escape routes). I also noticed that there might a bit too much open space at the top of the map, but "hitscan people" (lightning gun, shock beam) will probably love that. :S
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:23 pm
by }TCP{Snowbird
It is hard to make a map for all the peeps out there. Just do what your "gut" says, and let the peeps deal with it.
My opinion. Frank
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:28 pm
by rejecht
}TCP{Snowbird wrote:It is hard to make a map for all the peeps out there. Just do what your "gut" says, and let the peeps deal with it.
My opinion. Frank
Almost exactly what I am thinking. If it works for people, it's a bonus, and if some things don't work (functionality, possible obstructions, and connections between areas), I can have a dialogue about that--but if it's subjective, it's subjective, and case is closed, because the person has some assumptions about how a map should be that doesn't fit with the map they're playing.
In the end, I think it's mostly about the flow (how you get between the areas) and architecture (how areas connect), and whether people like open spaces (Pipeworks), a balanced mixture (Rankin), or insanely closed spaces (Oceanic

).
Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:12 am
by rejecht
OK, so I've been working about 14 hours on this map since yesterday (time flies), and here are a few screen shots with the results.
I expect to upload this version later.
Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 12:25 pm
by rejecht
Download DM-AnataWa-Beta2 (2,5 MiB zipped)
++ (DM) Moved the super health charger. All super items are now well separated.
++ Named zones. Main Hall (Low/Middle/Center/Top), Sphere Room, Bright Hall, etc
++ New lift and lift exits.
++Added extra bot paths so that bots have more choice/appear more interesting in their movements.
hf ^^
Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 4:07 pm
by }TCP{Snowbird
From the screenies, the 14 hours were well invested. Looks nice. Yopu just need the deco now, right?
Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:39 pm
by rejecht
}TCP{Snowbird wrote:From the screenies, the 14 hours were well invested. Looks nice. Yopu just need the deco now, right?
Thanks!

A lot of time gets lost in the black hole known as the Unreal Level Editor, especially building bot paths, which now takes almost two minutes each time. Can't imagine how long it took to make your Winter ONS map.
I hope it's mostly deco left now!--I've had my eyes on the "Iron Man" statue you've also used in RocktheHouse, so that might be used in the center instead of the wooden box, but then players could snipe each other between his legs. oO Decisions, decisions.
Beware the sphere.
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:19 pm
by rejecht
Lots of new stuff and improved visuals. I was supposed to release Beta3 last week, but there were many scripting attempts that took the most time (and that eventually didn't work the way I wanted).
DM-AnataWa-Beta3 (2,5 MiB zipped)
So, I played Beta2 once two weeks ago on freon madness (with real internets people). Some consequences of my observations/changes I've made since then:
1. Gameplay. Made lifts return faster.
Some of the lifts were too slow to return once they were utilized, making the lift a bottleneck in dispatching players. My first thinking was to prevent players that failed to Lift Jump from falling too far down, so the lift was timed for that. I think it's acceptable to simply dodge off the walls at the right time to dampen the fall somewhat.
2. Collision/Gameplay. The metallic border around the lava pool was lowered as I saw some people struggle to get out (bots can almost never get this right, not clever enough to avoid the lava). I referenced how high the border was in Deck17 (a highly played map) and lowered this border to match.
3. Gameplay. Added a new escape route from the lava pool which leads to the bright hall.
4. Gameplay. The top floor sides don't meet directly, so there's less direct contact there.
5. Gameplay. Redid the sphere hall. The cold steel style didn't go well with connecting the upper and lower floors. Also added more decorative touches in that hall (a glowing rotating crystal).
6. Gameplay. I replaced the main lift in the bright hall with a jumppad because lifts are too slow to dispatch lots of players quickly.
7. Gameplay. Removed the stairs and halls connecting the sphere hall and replaced with alternative routes.
8. Gameplay. Compacted the main hall. Shortened some stairs by half. Added "sniper protection fence" at the lava pool. The same idea is also used by the two jumppads in the sphere hall.
9. Visuals. Added an "iron man" statue in the middle, instead of the wooden box, and also did some crude attempts at making it look cool. haha
10. Added certain things that can be triggered. ^^ One trigger is very questionable for much use, and comes with a sacrifice of uncertainty.
hf ^^