JB-Gravity Beta

[Hazel.H]

Hi

Here's something I've been working on for a few weeks. It's a small 6 - 10 player map for Jailbreak 2k4, with a hi-tech/surreal theme. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Known Issues:
- You can translocate onto the glass stripes in the roof of the arena.
- Projectiles can hit the sky in the arena.
- Red / blue trim meshes near the roof aren't properly lit in the bases.
- There is a lighting error on one of the grate meshes in the middle area.
- No panorama or loading screen yet.
- Framerates may go a bit slow for some people at the middle area.
- Level max. player count says 12, I might change this to 10.

Download:
http://sa.beyondunreal.com/hazel/jb-gravity-beta1.zip





EDIT:
Download links (updated full version):
http://hazelwhorley.com/downloads/jb-gravity.zip
http://nalicity.beyondunreal.com/map_hub.php?mid=8625
http://www.mapraider.com/maps/?fileid=3216

[RevBillyG]

I like this. I like this a lot! Great layout, clean gfx (I hate all too much pretty crap cluttering my screen).

Framerates are definitely an issue. They're not particularly low, it's just they should be a lot higher given the simplicity of the map.

Great job though. One of the most playable maps I've seen for a long while.

[tarquin]

Those shots look good

[Hazel.H]

Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the frame rate? It's all zoned, I've used antiportals and some mesh cull distances. It doesn't seem like there's anything in particular causing the fps loss, however it slows down when there are a lot of bots in the lower middle area. There are a few emitters at the middle area but removing them didn't make much difference.

[G.Lecter]

I am playing some matches tomorrow.
I had a look quickly in the editor yesterday and I don't know why did you put so many blockingvolumes around the meshes if their collisions are still 'on'.
Setting collisions of blockingvolumed meshes to false might help a bit in framerates.

[tarquin]

Oh I forgot...
Welcome to Jailbreak mapping!

(Maybe we should do a little banner for new mappers or something!)

[Trueblood]

Welldone, fun map
I didnt find any real problems in there, only the framerate in the middle which im sure you will fix some how
I played with 10 bots and captures were sometimes short; maybe because the first place the bots goto is the middle
keep at it Hazel

[CoolDude]

Great layout (a bit Snowdog like :P), I like it a lot.

Just some major standard Jaildoor issues (which seem to be overlooked by lots of JB mappers ):

Put the jaildoors on CrushWhenEncroach (otherwise you can stand under it when closing).
Put the dooractors on bBlockedWhenClosed=True (otherwise bots will try to walk through it even if the door is closed).

Welcome Hazel

[G.Lecter]

OK, I played it once.
- I think the 50shield and the BioRifle should be swapped. The high walkway is the best way to attack the switch, With a shield there is even more attractive.
- Remove the collisions of the volumed meshes.
- Add blockingvolumes to aviod what you said about translocating...
- The framerates brop a bit sometimes, especially during the execution. Are the movers in the jails too high-poly?
- You also can make the emmitters disappear in low world detail: Advanced->bSuperHighDetail=True
- The floors are using a shadder, aren't they? Check if the framerates go higher replacing the shader by a normal texture...
- The players that touch the jaildoor should die. Is possible making this?
- Picture 1: I think a lift would be better instead that jumpad.
- Picture 2: Bugs. Probably a card croblem. Check them out...

[Aersik]

Thats a card problem to do with the GeForce 440 MX, so its probably a shader issue (at least thats what usually sets it off). It's also the reason I finally switched round the graphics cards in my machines - I got sick of seeing that bubble texture all over the place. Play CTF-CBP1-Betrayal and you'll see what I mean.

[G.Lecter]

Originally Posted by Aersik

Thats a card problem to do with the GeForce 440 MX, so its probably a shader issue (at least thats what usually sets it off). It's also the reason I finally switched round the graphics cards in my machines - I got sick of seeing that bubble texture all over the place. Play CTF-CBP1-Betrayal and you'll see what I mean.

Yep, Betrayal is one of my favourites, I was so bored of those projectors that I finally opened the editor and removed them...

[Aersik]

Ohhh, so it was projectors causing that error. I thought it was the same old shader issue. Does that mean if I had disabled projectors I could have...ahm...avoided that issue?

[Hazel.H]

Thanks everyone, the frame rate got a bit better after removing mesh collisions, but i'm still working on it. I've fixed the stuff in the first list and what cooldude said.

- I think the 50shield and the BioRifle should be swapped. The high walkway is the best way to attack the switch, With a shield there is even more attractive.

I'll try it thx

- Add blockingvolumes to aviod what you said about translocating...

Did you find anywhere else apart from the arena where you shouldn't be able to translocate?

- The framerates brop a bit sometimes, especially during the execution. Are the movers in the jails too high-poly?
- You also can make the emmitters disappear in low world detail: Advanced->bSuperHighDetail=True

The movers are low poly. I could put that steam emitter in the pit to high detail. The big door movers use a shader, but it's hardly noticable so i think i'll remove it and use a plain texture.

- The players that touch the jaildoor should die. Is possible making this?

Yes but perhaps just on one side of the door because I don't want anyone running into it from outside

- Picture 1: I think a lift would be better instead that jumpad.

I think it would interrupt the map flow - if a defender is chasing an attacker and they use the lift, the defender is then stuck at a dead end for a second or two before the lift returns.

[Spudsy]

Just came from playing and woah! You got my attention. The layout is insane and defending is a challenge against an enemy rush. I love the map! The execution is genious! That has to be one of the best executions I've ever seen. It would be nice to have jailed players gib when they touch the dorr, but definately not non-jailed ones. The map is brilliant, layout is great. There are some door issues with the jails as already mentioned and FPS rates are a problem too. Overall, I really enjoy the map. I do not agree with replacing the jump pad with a lift, I think that jump pad can and should stay. The only part of the map I haven't run through yet is the arena if there is any.

[Hazel.H]

I've uploaded an updated version of the map (beta 1.3)

Downloads:
jb-gravity-beta1_3.zip(6.7MB)
jb-gravity-beta1_3_nomusic.zip(2.8MB) - A smaller download if you already have the music file

Fixed in this version:
- Added blocking and limitation volumes in the roof of the arena
- Fixed trim meshes which weren't lit properly
- Fixed error on grate mesh in middle area
- Changed max. player count to 10
- Added a mini map and loading screen
- The jail door now kills players who walk into it from the jail side
- Switched around the shield and bio rifle in the bases
- Corrected the door actor and jail door properties
- Stopped bots from shield jumping onto some jump spots in the arena
- Changed the textures on some of the movers in the jails
- might have missed some other changes

The frame rate still sucks a bit, but the collisions thing helped . I have tried replacing some shader textures, removing emitters, projectors, I even tried deleting all the static meshes in the map but it didnt make much difference. It's been like that for ages, maybe it's the skybox.

thankyou again, you're all really helpful here

[ZedMaestro]

Firstly, I too really like this map. I dont know what exactly, but it seems be similar to the original UT style of JB maps... and that's not an insult. The music too is excellent, and it makes me think, for some reason, of The Matrix series. I'm pleased to see a nice LoadingScreen and a nice PanoramicMap too

Anyway, I've popped into the editor...

• Antiportals
  
  • You have 14 antiportals. 6 of them are in the middle area. 4 of them are useless. The 4 antiportals at the bottom around the spinning pipey thing will rarely occlude anything more than a couple of polygons. Antiportals take time for the engine to process what is being occluded, and because almost nothing is being occluded by these antiportals they're wasting the engine's time. Delete them
  • 4 other antiportals are also wasting the engine's precious time. As you leave each base via the upward ramp that goes to the middle room, there is an antiportal beneath you. There is nothing to occlude beneath you
    Similarly above you; the antiportals above that ramp arent really helpful either.
  • The other antiportals are ok. While they don't occlude much they do at least occlude some stuff, so they can stay. That leaves you with 6 antiportals, and should help framerates improve.
• Argh! Pop into every NewWeaponBase's Display > Skins array and empty both the textures in that array now!
• UnrealScriptedSequences
  • I'd suggest putting an UnrealScriptedSequence in the little tunnel below the switch.
  • Also the side USSs don't really help at all as bots cant see through the big pillars. I'd suggest you remove the side USSs and put them infront of each of the ramps that lead to the middle room.
  • While you may think that 6 USSs per team is a few too many, its always best to have a couple more than the recommended number of players per team so that every defending bot always has a couple of options to chose from when he moves to a new defense spot.
• AssaultPaths
  • I see that you have AssaultPaths for the side routes but not for the main routes through the ramps that connect the middle to the bases. Put one in each ramp. Looking at the side AssaultPaths you seem to know how to set the values properly
• I assume that the LevelDescription hasnt been thought about yet
• Arena
  • Have a look at the WeaponLockers in the arena. There is an ExtraAmmo of 10 for the LinkGun. Thats an extra 5 plasma blasts. It'd be better to set that to 0 and place a couple of pickups in the opposite corners where the adrenaline is, but...
  • You cant use adrenaline in the arena so you can delete them and replace them with health vials
  • A minimum delay of 20 seconds for the arena is a bit short. I'd double that before admin-Sexmachine complains

Keep at it

[Trueblood]

Originally Posted by ZedMaestro

Argh! Pop into every NewWeaponBase's Display > Skins array and empty both the textures in that array now!

problems with anti portals? Zeds your man

[Hazel.H]

Originally Posted by ZedMaestro

Argh! Pop into every NewWeaponBase's Display > Skins array and empty both the textures in that array now!

wow I never noticed there was anything wrong with those weapon bases until you mentioned it
The music is from the matrix official sound track, but I borrowed it from the makers of the map ONS-Roadrage (with permission)

everything else works great you're a genius

[RevBillyG]

New POTW

[G.Lecter]

Tested the new beta.
- The small bugs in the centre room have been fixed. The texture bellow the switches still looks green though.
- I have trouble with the jumpad when I want to take the switches (I am kicked to the other jumpad instead to the switch), that's why I think a lift would be better...
- The 100KegHealth is too much I think, Maybe it should be replaced by a few vials...
- Same for the Amplifier in the arena, a 50shield would be beter in my opinion.
- I think the Minigun is too powerful to have it beside the jail, check how the map works with a different weapon there...
- The camerascreen is what is dropping the framerates in the jail. Remove that scripedtexture and add a materialsequence instead...
It's going very nice, keep working...