UT3 WAR-Maelstrom]i[ [PC][Pics][FINAL]

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Sos_your_face

how you become manta?
Dec 8, 2008
76
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S. Florida
www.clan-bge.com
[screenshot]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/bclagge/MaelstromRC2-1.jpg[/screenshot]
Name: WAR-Maelstrom]i[
Version: 1.0 Final
Compatibility: Patch 2.0
Description: This is a remake of a UT2004 ONS map by Hunter Wiebush. Maelstrom features 23 intermediate nodes between the two cores. Each node constructs twice as fast as normal nodes, but are destroyed twice as fast as well. This change, coupled with the number of nodes results in massive alterations to gameplay mechanics. WAR-Maelstrom]l[ is like no other UT3 map made - it is a new kind of Warfare.

There are three link setups available with this map. The default setup includes a mixture of Axon and Necris vehicles. Default also has orb spawners at all center nodes. Classic delivers just what it promises. It has the same vehicle loadout as the 2004 version and no orbs. The NoVehicles setup of course has no vehicles and also no orbs.

Comments:
In 2004 turrets could not strike nodes. In UT3, they can. So to keep the turrets in the map, I had to block line of sight from the turrets to the nodes.

Known bugs:
-Bots won't use teleporters and consequently Raptors.
-Bots get stuck leaving the base. They find their way out eventually though.

*Note: This map REQUIRES ConfigPowerNode.u. Keep that in mind if you distribute this map.

Screenshot:
[screenshot]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/bclagge/MaelRC1-3.jpg[/screenshot][screenshot]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/bclagge/MaelRC2-1.jpg[/screenshot]
[screenshot]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/bclagge/MaelRC2-2.jpg[/screenshot][screenshot]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/bclagge/MaelRC2-3.jpg[/screenshot]

Credits:
Epic
Hunter Wiebush - The creator of the original
Remus - The creator of the beautiful skydome texture
CaptainSnarf - The creator of the ConfigPowerNodes
MapMonkey - A veritable font of UE3 knowledge
Oldskool0482 and Empty Soul for listening to me yammer on about maps
Zeus for all the feedback
Much of BGE for helping with play testing

Homepage: www.clan-bge.com

Download: www.clan-bge.com/Downloads/WAR-Maelstroml.zip
 
Last edited:

Sos_your_face

how you become manta?
Dec 8, 2008
76
0
0
S. Florida
www.clan-bge.com
I have fond memories of this map from 2k4. You never have to travel very far to find some action. There's plenty of fire power to keep everyone happy. There's also plenty that nubs can do to help the team even if they can't hit a player point blank. I also think that as one team begins to control the map there's a good balance between a slippery slope and positive feedback.
 
Nov 4, 2001
2,196
0
0
36
The Kitchen
My god this map is HUGE! And also quite good. I admit I was pretty skeptical at first when I saw the node layout, but you surprised me! I thought this was going to be some ridiculous spamfest where each node is only 20 feet apart, but instead there's tons of variety in their spacing (especially on the z-axis), which is nice. For a map of this size, the amount of vehicles is pretty good, but I found that you don't have to rely on them to succeed, either.

I played the normal version of the map, so I don't know if it's different in the Classic or other versions, but I have a couple criticisms to mention: one is that the prime nodes are sometimes REALLY hard to get ahold of if your base becomes vulnerable. I'm not sure if you plan to make any more releases of this map, but I think you could mitigate this by not awarding Darkwalkers at the primes; maybe have them stuffed more into the middle like the Goliaths are.

Another thing you could do is leave the Hellfires outside the actual core area, tucked back behind the entrance ramps, and shielded a little by some extra terrain. This could give defending players a needed boost, and it would probably make it easier for bots to not get stuck in the Hellfire. I noticed bots getting stuck in there quite a bit. I also noticed bots getting stuck in Scorpions and the Nemesis inside the core area, trying to drive straight into the wall. Needless to say, when your base is under attack, this isn't particularly helpful!

I'm guessing you left the Nightshade in each base for the sake of defense, like being able to lay spider mines and shields around the core. This can work, but it can also become awkward and slow down bots if they grab the Nightshade early on instead of a faster vehicle and heading straight for the nodes. This could probably be fixed by putting the Nightshade up top where the Raptors are; I'm pretty sure it would float down to the ground neatly without taking damage. This would also help un-clutter the core area a bit, as would moving out the Hellfire.

Other than that, though, I think the person above me said it best: "as one team begins to control the map there's a good balance between a slippery slope and positive feedback." You did a good job on this. I've had games where the node map was alarmingly not in my favor, yet I still managed to reclaim territory and win. Bots also handle the midfield areas really, really well. I had a few cases where I respawned a few times in a row and got killed by the same Nemesis each time, but I'm not sure if you could do much about that other than adding more spawnpoints to each node. I also really like how quickly you can cap and destroy the nodes; good choice there.

And I'm usually kind of a stickler against maps that mix up Axon and Necris vehicles together for both teams without at least putting different factions' vehicles at different nodes, but for the sake of this map--which is mostly a gimmicky (but good!) map--it plays out quite well and keeps the gameplay interesting. It also looks really nice, a lot better than expected, especially near the water. Nice job!
 

Sos_your_face

how you become manta?
Dec 8, 2008
76
0
0
S. Florida
www.clan-bge.com
I really appreciate all the feedback! Unfortunately, the UT3 community is shrinking so fast, constructive feedback like yours is few and far between.

Maelstrom is a remake of a 2004 map. I used the terrain from that, and then built everything on top of it. So, I can't take any credit for the crafty and intelligent node layout. But thank you anyway. :D

The bots.... the base.... the things I would change if I were willing to go back and redo things! The base is a copy of the original using UT3 assets. The bot pathing in the base is extensive and about the best it can be. To solve the problem of bots getting stuck, I would have to redesign the base and put everything above ground - which is what I should have done from the beginning. But, I really wanted to try and stick to the original design. Unfortunately, the bots have difficulty navigating the sharp corners and steep slope. :(

Thank you for all your feedback regarding vehicle placement. I only wish I had spoken to you before I finalized the map. In four months of development over at the Epic forums, I never received a single comment regarding vehicle placement. I wished I had, because I just went "oooh, this would be fun here! oooh, I want one of these here!" Mostly just because I wanted a link setup that included all the fun vehicles that UT3 brought to the table. But, all the people that gave me feedback were 2004 carry overs, and only played the Classic link setup - which required no thought on my part because it was a duplicate of a previous version.

It also looks really nice, a lot better than expected, especially near the water. Nice job!
Thank you! Honestly, it was a huge project, bigger than I imagined when I started it. If I was willing to put in another 30 to 40 hours, I could have made it so much prettier. But, I just wanted to be able to play the map. Sadly, by the time I was finished UT3 was largely dead and custom servers don't exist in NA anymore. I'm really hoping there will be a UT4 I can port it into and pretty it up some more, and maybe actually play it with a couple dozen real people.

Thank you for your extensive and thoughtful feedback!
 
Nov 4, 2001
2,196
0
0
36
The Kitchen
You're welcome. And I wouldn't worry too much about the community being small; it's still a lot bigger than even the Unreal singleplayer community, and to this day that is doing quite well for a game that's slightly obscure and about 12 years old. Plus, there are still people entering; I only got UT3 a few months ago and have been playing the hell out of it ever since. If you make it, people will play it.

I would like to see a UT4 as well, though!