UT3 DM-VoidTemple 1.0 General Release

[DaJMasta]

DM-VoidTemple Mark 2 General Release

Name: Void Temple
Version: Mark 2 General Release
Type: UT3 Deathmatch
Recommended Players: 6-16
Compatibility: Tested and built using the 1.3 Official Patch (Cooked for PC and PS3 cook coming soon!)

Map Webpage:
http://www.medpants.com/UT3/DM-VoidTemple.html

Credits:
Level Author and Music Composer - DaJMasta aka Jonathan Zepp
Playtesting (Rage3D) - nutcrackr, klutzon, Anth Seebel, AluminumHaste
Playtesting (UT3 Community) - Sunshine1709Str, 4TX4, Lord_PorkSword, feisar32
Playtesting (Devmods) - S3anyBoy, HIZLO
Playtesting (BeyondUnreal) - Mclogenog, Trynant
Version 1.0 PS3 Cook (Unreal-Station.com) - Euchreplayer, The_Demon_Slick

Installation (PC):
Copy the contents of the downloaded ZIP file to \My Documents\My Games\Unreal Tournament 3\UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomMaps\ or wherever you keep your custom maps for UT3.

Features:
Huge rotating platforms to play on
Lots of Z action to keep up the pace
Custom music
Cohesive but simple style and ambiance
High level of polish and very few bugs

Screenshots:

Current Version - Mark 2 General Release - Download Links

http://www.medpants.com/ut3/DM-VoidTemple-Mk2.zip



OLD Version 1.0 Download Links
Download Links (PC):
http://www.medpants.com/UT3/DM-VoidTemple.zip
http://www.fileplanet.com/188614/180000/fileinfo/DM-VoidTemple-1.0-Release
http://www.mapraider.com/maps/?fileid=4323
http://unreal-station.com/downloads/?p=19

Download Links (PS3):
http://files.filefront.com/DM+VoidtempleFixedPS3zip/;11044524;/fileinfo.html
http://www.medpants.com/UT3/DM-VoidTemple_PS3.zip
http://unreal-station.com/downloads/?p=19

This Mark 2 revision has a host of tweaks, bug fixes, and small detail additions. While the previous version was somewhat polished, I got the map as clean as I foresee it ever getting with this release.

Enjoy!

 

[Peccavi]

Man... wish I had a net connection atm (apart from this phone) that I could dl it and give it a whirl... looks great.

 

[Mclogenog]

It looks a little on the light side for mesh work. Also there is very little color contrast, let alone color. It is also pretty dark, I don't have too much of a proble with that, but some people do. Good job and keep up the work.

 

[DaJMasta]

Thanks for the critical words

Do you mean that there isn't many meshes and a lot of flat space? I'd tend to agree.... while it's somewhat intentional, it isn't entirely. I didn't end up making any custom meshes for it so I found doing a lot more than geometric patterns to be somewhat difficult while still maintaining a temple kind of feel.

As for the lighting, there is slight variance, but yes.... I tried to add a couple of colors of light sources but given the theme of the map had difficulty varying them. Perhaps the little fires on the floating things could be red or something to add more color.... In terms of texturing I feel that I did at least a decent job though, as I varied a few core textures to several colors and styles to give some landmarks and variety while still keeping it very consistent.

Finally.... It is supposed to be dark, and I play on a system with fairly low gamma so I don't think that this will be a huge issue in gameplay, but it may be. Is there a specific place that's too dark? I tried to set the default lighting to be just enough to see the stairs on the outermost ring, but it could still be too dark for very high contrast monitors or very low gamma monitors..... or even playing in a room with too much sun shining in.

 

[neilthecellist]

Reminds me of that one popular Halo3 map (the only one with proper map design). Only this one actually KICKS @$$ !

:tup: +100000000

 

[DaJMasta]

The map was just cooked for the PS3 thanks to euchreplayer of Unreal-Station.com

Hope everyone likes it.

 

[Trynant]

Jumping between rings was annoying as hell until I realized that I wouldn't get blocked by those spinning static meshes if I jumped in their direction.

I found no real incentive to go into the middle of the map. All the cool and useful items and weapons were on the sides. And since the middle of the map is the most dangerous part, well that really leaves it as a place to avoid. The big upper area was kind of too big; it deviates too far from the middle fighting area.

I don't like the symmetric layout in the map, it's easy to get lost in a map with identical features on each side.

This map is very original and unique, I like the concept. But the layout is not to my liking. I feel like I would have had more fun if the upper area was cut down some and there was more incentive to be in the lower areas and the middle area, which is the most fun (and deadly) part to fight on.

 

[DaJMasta]

Thanks for the input. I agree the top rings are a little large, I think most of my reasoning for that was actually visual more than gameplay and maybe that wasn't the wisest of decisions.

I originally had more stuff in the center as well, but especially in bot matches there would be too much action in the middle and every game just turned into a meat grinder. I spaced out the pickups to encourage full use of the space. I had the idea originally of using the darkness to you advantage and built up the outer areas to give some opportunities to slink around the perimeter.

As for the symmetry, I did make some effort to have asymmetric pieces, there's a staircase and the main entrance on the upper level, and the wall colors are actually different in the lower area, but I agree it could be more apparent. I did intend for the symmetry to add to the confusion of the game, but maybe I should place some markers or distinct features around to help people keep their bearings.


I've been considering changes for a new revision and think I will make one. All of the points you make are valid and I think I can incorporate them into a future version (when I get back to my desktop of course). I'm thinking about:
-Fallback materials for compatibility reasons
-Slight changes to the lower large tunnel ring to make it look more interesting
-Small markers to show you where you are, maybe statues or something on the upper level or a mark on the floor
-Shrink the biggest upper ring and the height of the center rotating pillar low enough for you to use jump boots from the smaller identical ring to the top ring
-Move one of the pickups on the main level outer area to the little spinning ring under the crystal
-Minor music timing tweaks to get it to overlap in a more sensical manner.

 

[Trynant]

Has a nice ring to it.

Before, what I meant to say is that I felt the perimeter area to be too big and too far from the center of the fighting (the middle). It has so many nice weapons and items that it became the main area to fight in, which diverts attention from what's IMO a great middle area. If there was a way to make the perimeter have a better connection to the center I think the map's flow would be greatly improved.

-Slight changes to the lower large tunnel ring to make it look more interesting

:tup:, it might also be smart to make asymmetrical changes to the tunnel ring (i.e. have some decoration that's on one side that isn't on the other.)

-Small markers to show you where you are, maybe statues or something on the upper level or a mark on the floor

:tup: :tup: :tup:

-Shrink the biggest upper ring and the height of the center rotating pillar low enough for you to use jump boots from the smaller identical ring to the top ring

I think it's a good idea to make it possible to travel from the bottom ring to the very top ring without ever having to step out onto the perimeter (with jump boots of course). That may make the perimeter more of a secondary area than the main thoroughfare that it was when I played it.

-Move one of the pickups on the main level outer area to the little spinning ring under the crystal

:tup:, the more incentive to danger the middle zone the better IMO. The twirling ring mechanic is a great one if it can be used properly.

-Minor music timing tweaks to get it to overlap in a more sensical manner.

Hmm I was noticing it having pauses of silence at certain points.

 

[DaJMasta]

Mark 2

This post marks the release of the Mark 2 version, hopefully the last needed update to the map.

This new version includes bug fixes, tweaks, and detail addition, mostly in line with what was discussed in the thread. Thanks for the playtesting help and enjoy!


(this release is 9 weeks after the original, the MSU contest has been quiet so far)

 

[SkaarjMaster]

took more than normal to load and interesting custom music. It’s an inside/outside circular arena/temple with moving/rotating inner platforms/circles at various levels; don’t fall down in center. I liked the arches, general design, flow mostly, z-axis, and skybox with floating lit urns. You can get stuck briefly running through several corridors and it may still be too dark, but I’ll have to play it a few more times to make a final decision on that. The bots tend for middle area too much, so maybe more paths or better paths are needed. It was a fun map and a pleasant surprise after all these years.