JB-RimeValley

[ZedMaestro]

OK, its time for me to show the large vehicle map I've been working on for a while now

The dense fog and freezing temperatures combine to give this valley its name; 'Rime ice' is a type of frost that results from fog freezing. This usually forms on trees and buildings, but it can also form on corpses too.

This is a large snowy map designed for over 20 players. Note that the game will be very boring if you dont have enough players in, especially online, as bots will only make up the numbers to total 8.

The basic shape of the map is a figure-of-eight, with the bases being back-to-back, and a valley in between them. Each team has two jails. Within each base there are two switches, and something that must be stressed very strongly is that the switches only open one of the two jails, so if you wish to release your entire team, make sure you hit both switches in the enemy base.

Each base has: 1 Manta, 1 Scorpion, 1 Hellbender, 1 Goliath, and 2 Raptors. There is an East, Center (North), Center (South), and West Jail. In addition to the above vehicles, at the exit of each team's center jail there is: 1 Manta, 1 Scorpion, 1 Hellbender, and 1 Raptor. Its very hard to determine the correct number and type of vehicles given testing with bots alone, so these are subject to change.

I've tried to make a map where there's something for everyone to do, whether you're defending, attacking, roaming... or jailed.

• Attackers have a wealth of vehicles to chose from, and they can either go solo or join forces with other vehicles to provide a stronger attack. Raptors in particular can provide aerial support for ground vehicles, or just dive straight for the enemy base to get to the switches.
• Defenders have the option of indoor action or manning the outdoor minigun turrets, which are powerful, but exposed. Of course, defenders could sit outside their base in the vehicles for stronger defense, but this would sacrifice attack strength.
• Sweepers can roam the map to find numerous pickups, like Super Shields, Double Damages, the Grenade Launcher, and the Avril.
• Prisoners can monitor the game in two ways; Firstly by the regular cameras that can be triggered, or by the realtime preview map that shows not only the locations of their team's players but also the positions of the enemy players. Good communication can be a huge advantage.
  The display also provides (hopefully) n00b-proof information as to which jail they are in and which switch will release them. Follow the dots to see the locations. The first attachment of the next post shows an example of this for the East Jail, one of the two red team's jails.
  Alternatively, they could try and escape by the "not-quite-as-easy-as-it-looks" pressure burst. Hit the switch on the wall, and if you're lucky the pressure burst in the middle will fly you out of the jail. If not, you get a headache.

The map's arena is a Raptor arena, but with the current version of Jailbreak, JB2004b, it is not functional. Bots don't realise that they can use vehicles in the arena. However, this is one of the fixes in JB2004c, so bots will use the Raptors from then on. For now though, they can't. Only Mychaeel with a work-in-progress JB2004c can test this bit out.

Normally, my panoramic maps are actual screenshots of the map. Not long ago in an early alpha version it was determined that the map was a bit dull, which I agreed with. After all, it was just a dull grey-and-white texture. So I got creative, and because of the 5-attachments-per-post limit, you'll have to get the map to see it.

There's a final feature that hasn't been mentioned yet; the execution. That'll be mentioned in the next post.

And now for some screenshots:

• Pic 1 shows an air battle.
• Pic 2 shows a Hellbender and Goliath working together to take down a minigun turret.
• Pic 3 shows a Raptor above the enemy base diving into the action soon after the round begins.
• Pic 4 shows the central blue jail and its available resources.
• Pic 5 shows some indoor action.

[ZedMaestro]

Pic 1 of this post shows an example of the jail maps, which, via good communication, can be used to give free players advanced information about the current situation of the game.

The execution for this map is brand new; its the Freeze execution featured in the new a couple of weeks ago, and I'm pleased to say that its now fully functional.

• The execution starts off with a small burst of cold air (Pic 2).
• The prisoners slowly freeze in whatever position they were in. Ice crystals form on them. You cannot move or look around from now on (Pic 3). Pic 4 shows the HUD of a prisoner at this point.
• Then, after a short interval, the frozen prisoners shatter into fragments of ice which scatter on the ground. (Pic 5)

Each stage has appropriate sounds to accompany the execution.

So now its time for the first beta link. You'll have to manually add bots to make the total number of players more realisitic given the size of the map. If you don't know how, bring up the Console and type "addbots x" where x is a number.

Have fun

JB-RimeValley-Beta1

You also need the JBExecutionFreeze actor.

[Aersik]

UT2004 Build UT2004_Build_[2005-02-15_17.02]

OS: Windows XP 5.1 (Build: 2600)
CPU: GenuineIntel Unknown processor @ 2526 MHz with 511MB RAM
Video: NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 (7189)

Failed to enter C:\UT2004\Maps\JB-RimeValley-Beta1.ut2: Can't find file for package 'JBExecutionFreeze'

History: UGameEngine::Init <- InitEngine <- FMallocWindows::Free <- FMallocWindows::Free

I'm guessing a system file is missing?

[ZedMaestro]

Oh yes, JBExecutionFreeze is meant to be a separate file. Here it is.

[G.Lecter]

Interesting map:
- I think the indoors should be a little colder, especially the jails, the emmiters in the execution should be much bigger too...
- Some doors look too white IMO...
- The map is too big and I get lost easily, is it possible adding a radar map (with the teamates’ position)?
- I miss some vehicles of my team near the enemy base, my vehicle might disappear when I release… and it would be a pain going back on foot, so my only good choice is camping around the enemy switches and release again and again... . Add 1-2 opposite-team vehicles around the jails and/or make neutral the Scorpion and the Manta between the jail and the base...
- The minigun turrets are not team-specific...
- There is a hole in the jails and I could fall through it. Yeh, I smell it is a escape path, but could you make something to make possible escaping but not falling...?
- Bots sometimes get a vehicle and leave it too early, and they are not very interested in the Hellbender and the Tank... I have not seen them using the turrets either...
- Add more link ammo in the lockers, now there is not enough to heal big vehicles...

[ZedMaestro]

• OK I'll make it look colder.
• White doors? They don't look white to me.
• Erm, press F1 for the scoreboard map
• Yeah, its awkward. I'd rather that blue vehicles werent in the red base. What would you think of a teleporter in the red base that would teleport only blue players to the blue's center jail (obviously not inside, but to that area), and the same vice versa? Therefore blue players in the red base have an exit route to safety, but dont immediately end up back in their own base.
• The minigun turrets are team-specific; they are "unlocked" when the owner team enters them. I'd be uneasy about a permanent enemy team lock.
• No. You've got to be pretty stupid to fall into the jails anywa... Erm... Hmm... that could result in idiots intentionally jumping in... I'll fix that.
• That is bot code and nothing to do with the map. This is because bots dont think they can use vehicles while roaming... ie they only use vehicles when there is an objective to attack or defend. Mychaeel is working on this.
• Yeah, its actually really hard to know how much of what to put in the lockers. I'll put another 70 ammo in. Is weapon placement and ammo amounts for other weapons suitable too?

[G.Lecter]

OK, We'll have to wait for JB2004c for a better bot code. Anyway I played it again and the bots used the turrets and the tanks... So the bots are not a problem...

What would you think of a teleporter in the red base that would teleport only blue players to the blue's center jail (obviously not inside, but to that area), and the same vice versa?

Nah, I don't like transporters too much, we have the TeleportReleaser addon for that... I think what I said before about the neutral Scorpion & Manta would be better...

Is weapon placement and ammo amounts for other weapons suitable too?

I did not pay attention to that, I think it's OK...

White doors? They don't look white to me.

These doors look overlit for me...

[Aersik]

Originally Posted by ZedMaestro

Last edited by ZedMaestro : Today at 05:38 PM. Reason: Oopsie

*phew* I was worried there for a minute. Especially when it didn't run on my second machine either

The only place I managed to get stuck was in the shaft that the raptors use to leave the base. They don't open from the outside (presumably to keep vehicles out of the base), and it's impossible to get out of there without the xloc or a raptor.

It is also possible to get out of the escape just using the shield gun. However, it's far harder than the normal escape, and even if you make it you'll only have ~7 health.

And I'd love to see what would happen if you built a ladder on top of that air vent and then hit the release switch

[ZedMaestro]

I've fixed the doors by making them a DynamicLightMover.

The TeleportReleaser Addon is never used, and does actually result in a small complication in this map in that if one switch is pressed, the attacker doesnt get the chance to hit the other switch. Lets wait for other people's opinions.

I've already implemented the other changes too already, as well as more sounds.

Aersik... what kind of shield gun do you have? Its not possible to get out with a regular shield gun, which leaves you with 47 health after a failed attempt anyway.

About the Raptor roof... yes, its intentional that the doors dont open. I'll see if I can set up something that kills the pawns who are stupid enough to get there.

Another Edit: With the currently-available actors its not possible to fix that. I need a volume that can only damage players who are not in vehicles.

[Aersik]

Originally Posted by ZedMaestro

Aersik... what kind of shield gun do you have? Its not possible to get out with a regular shield gun, which leaves you with 47 health after a failed attempt anyway.

Then same kind as you...I just know how to use it

Personally I don't think you should do anything about it because of it's difficulty, but I was just pointing it out in case you wanted to remove it.

[ZedMaestro]

Now thats cheeky
Surely if I dont change it, you've (and anyone else who masters it) has a permanent ticket to freedom?
The best way to prevent such escapes would be to use a door of some sort that opened when the switch was pressed.

[Aersik]

Originally Posted by ZedMaestro

Surely if I dont change it, you've (and anyone else who masters it) has a permanent ticket to freedom?

Gaahhhh!!! My master plan has been thwarted!

If you just make the hole a little bit higher you'll prevent people shield jumping out. It's pretty much the maximum height for 3 shield jumps at the moment. Unless you can shield jump off people in a ladder, of course.

[Trueblood]

Originally Posted by G.Lecter

The map is too big and I get lost easily, is it possible adding a radar map (with the teamates’ position)?

Its not as big as you think, it has quite a simple layout
----
1: your probably aware bots dont like using Raptor in arena...so yeah
2: I did notice vehicles vanishing at red base, but not at blue
3:
silly tart got stuck a heafty kick up the bum does the job but if last"women" standing, dont know if she could move.

The execution is kinda cool though i was expecting it to be abit more...dromatic

[TheSpoonDog]

Nice Zed! Can definately see some good games on this one

I must admit though I agree with G.Lecter - this makes me kinda think we should add a feature in JB2004c to be able to use the radar map functionality (or maybe we can already?). I just drove around with the scoreboard open

[ZedMaestro]

There already is a Radar-Addon in development... its just not making any progress. You could pop into the Core Dev forums and you can pick it up from there.

[Kantham]

Very cool map indeed , i really like the layout and the bot played fairly well.
The new jail execution is cool also. I really like the jails, but i wonder what the switch is used to , pushing a player that stand in the midle to free him?


This map is good for alot of players. And it's your best map so far i guess.

[G.Lecter]

bots dont like using Raptor in arena...

I'd better see a different arena if bots can't play it. If you keep anyway the Raptor arena, you could add more interest adding a weapon (ShockRifle/LightingGun) on a cliff in the middle...

[ZedMaestro]

Originally Posted by ZedMaestro

The map's arena is a Raptor arena, but with the current version of Jailbreak, JB2004b, it is not functional. Bots don't realise that they can use vehicles in the arena. However, this is one of the fixes in JB2004c, so bots will use the Raptors from then on. For now though, they can't. Only Mychaeel with a work-in-progress JB2004c can test this bit out.

[Matthew Leech]

Alright, i'll give it a whirl and edit this post.

Edit:



In this pic, it looks like you've moved the door down too far to see the door molding, check to see the others ones that have this. thanks



This is what im asuming is what your aiming for. looks good

2. I'd also like to note that the bots (as mentioned before) don't really care about jumping into vehicles (much) like the tank for example

3. I love the arena (i kiss you on the cheek for raptor arena)

[ZedMaestro]

Originally Posted by ZedMaestro

This is because bots dont think they can use vehicles while roaming... ie they only use vehicles when there is an objective to attack or defend. Mychaeel is working on this.

The best thing to do is to keep the bots in the Aggressive or Defensive stance. That way, almost all of them will be either attacking or defending respectively, and very few will be in the roaming state.