UE2 - UT2kX DM-fudgrounds

So back when 2k3 first came out I started working on a campgrounds map. Close to the launch of UT2k4 I threw out my crap bsp and restarted basing my version of of an excellent existing version. Over the years I have expanded the playable area beyond it's Q3 sire. I have added booby traps both triggerable and stationary, secrets areas, health shrines. and other map based ways of expanding the stock experience of UT game.

This is a triggerable booby trap called the smasher. In the vid I kill both myself for the sake of demonstration and a dumb bot that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It took me a while to figure out how to give credit for booby trap kills.
[M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg_u-p7-EaM[/M]

This is the bum tickler it only does a miner amount of damage. I am thinking that the trigger needs moved to a more strategically accessible place.
[M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hVpXoWC2Yk[/M]

I am still working on this and recently have considered scrapping my existing custom textures for cartoonish cell-shader theme. Thoughts?

I am also wondering if anybody knows how to or has an idea how to trigger a lightning strike that will cause player damage?

EDIT---------------------------------------------------------------
The ceilings in certain areas are covered in spikes these spikes...
[SCREENSHOT]http://i.imgur.com/x9ehCqv.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]
These spikes deal encroach damage of 1/second so they are mostly just there to add insult to injury if you get bounced into the air below them.

NOTE: I use this map as a sort of test bed or think tank, a way to constantly push my comfort zones in making custom content. It is a novelty map mostly, I don't expect that it would see any serious play even if I was to release it, UT2k4 is well past its prime and though there are still plenty of people playing it they are mostly niche groups. Areas it wouldn't lend well too. If somebody is just dying to play it I suppose I could try and upload it somewhere.

So why the hell did I post this thread you ask? Mostly as a thought piece. With the development of a new UT underway I am looking to help get people thinking. Get people out of there box. My secondary reason revolves around the questions I posed. A complete reskin would be a somewhat time consuming endeavor, but it could be cool. Maybe? I am on the fence about it you could say... As to the second question... I haven't the programming chops to make something new like a triggered lightning bolt from the sky but there may be an easy work around that is escaping me. It seems like something like this could be achieved by scaling up a triggered Lightning Gun effect but even digging threw the actor classes and experimenting with tweaking several things has resulted in nothing.

Median12 said:

Booby traps are old school man, remember those UT99 maps when they had a room with a switch, killed all the players? I forgot it's name.

Booby traps annoy us ppl online so leave em out

EDIT: You still playing with UT2K3? damn

I make maps for UT3 nowdays.......and occassionaly UT2K4

Click to expand...

I realize that interaction is nothing new. cough Assault maps cough

The first map with this sort of thing in that I recall was Dm-HealPod for ut99 which if my memory serves me right was a cliffyb map that lacked bot support for the traps but the triggers were on the floor right on the bot paths which tended to cause issues.

I like to annoy people... Though it's not like players aren't notified about most of the traps, I added animated effects and/or on screen text prompts. As a point of reference there is at least one stock DM map in UT3 that has a trigger-able booby-trap and it is commonly in rotation on servers (commonly being relative to how active UT3 is atm). Your objection is overruled and as is due, dismissed.


I do not map for ut2k3 nor have I since the launch of ut2k4 in 2004, that is just when I started messing with this. It is also part of why I have never released it in 11 years since I started it, I use it as a sort of test bed or think tank, a way to constantly push my comfort zones in making custom content.

It is a novelty map mostly, I don't expect that it would see any serious play even if I was to release it, UT2k4 is well past its prime and though there are still plenty of people playing it they are mostly niche groups. Areas it wouldn't lend well to. If somebody is just dying to play it I suppose I could try and upload it somewhere but that is of little consequence as it is extremely unlikely.

So why the hell did I post this thread? Mostly as a thought piece. With the development of a new UT underway I am looking to help get people thinking. Get people out of the box. My secondary reason revolves around the questions I posed. A complete reskin would be a somewhat time consuming endeavor, but it could be cool. As to the second question... I haven't the programming chops to make something new like a triggered lightning bolt from the sky but there may be an easy work around that is escaping me. It seems like something like this could be achieved by scaling up a triggered Lightning Gun effect but even digging threw the actor classes and experimenting with tweaking several things has resulted in nothing.

I should probably update my original post with some of this I guess.