JB-Egypt

[The_Head]

Mwahaha me gets there first....
No Idea how to fix myself. Jrubzenuf seems to know coding fairly well, see if he can perhaps see something that you can't.
My coding skills are at the swap numbers and see what happens stage, or trial and error.... UT99 I had a better idea....
Hope you get it working mate

 

[The_Head]

Ok heres a beta for you to test out.... there is bot support (there was last time i looked )
Also the jail now works, courtesy of some loverly coding by Nova / jrubzenuf

Download Link - UK

Download Link - Germany

 

[Jrubzjeknf]

TeamTeleporters AAAARRRRRGGGG

Perhaps try to combind a team specific teleporter with a team specific fearspot?

Working on a SharedJailExtension. Should be possible to kill enemies with all weapons. Other details soon

@Head: looking nice

 

[CoolDude]

I gave it a quick 15 minute run, and it looks good.
Some points:

- Divide your playerstarts around the bases. Bots are kinda stupid, you know. I saw one round where six blue bots took exactly the same route, right until the supershield in the middle, where they encountered six red bots, which exactly took the same route on their side.

- Bots (at least the blue ones, I haven't seen any red one make that mistake yet) intend to go for the wrong door sometimes in jail if opened. They probably go for the closest door, even when that door is not opened (messed up door-actor?).

- Why am I blocked in between those pilars (see pic)? The gaps seem to be wide enough.

- I would put a blocking volume at all the open top area's, to avoid that people can get up on there somehow and use it as an exploit (transloc, quadjump, shieldjump from somewhere).

- Don't forget the loading screen / JBPanorama.


Lol @ "do not enter" signs
I will give it another run when I've got some time left.

 

[CoolDude]

I just checked the jaildoors.
To fix them, do the following:
a) For both doors, put bBlockedWhenClosed = True
b) For both doors, remove the DoorTrigger=jailinfo ( so DoorTrigger=None)
Then they will work OK.

- leave the doors open a bit longer, bots which are on the other side of jail when the door opens won't make it through the door.
- I would change the arena timings to min. 60 and max. 90 (now it's 30/60 which is too frequent for this size of map).
- don't forget the level description.

 

[The_Head]

Thanks for the feedback mate.
Playerstarts will be moved around by the time of the next release, they suck where they are... its just thre out of the way for now.
Bots going to the wrong door will hopefully be fixed when i get around to it. Just need to play around with the settings.
Those Pillars are using the default collision, which are terrible... will replace them.
I will put blocking volumes over the top iof the whole map, or perhaps killing volumes, will be more painfull
Will get panorama, loading screen and screenshots done for the final release, once everything is complete.

Thnx for the jaill door stuff, i guess that is the fix for the bots being dumb.
Timings for the doors will be tweaked, same with the arena.at the moment I'm just trying to get the level to work on a basic level.


As with the screenshots etc, I'l get the level info done, just need to think of something good. Not all that **** about an abandoned place found by Liandri to be used in the tourney like a lot of people have used (not in JB though iirc)

Has anyone else tried it other than Cooldude?

 

[The_Head]

Sorry for the lack of updates. Been busy with other things - installing new computer being one - its nice

Got some new pics for you to cast your eyes over.

The Map is pretty much finished. Just need to tweak a few things, like bots, bit more optimising and then the fun bit, the Panorama might also change the death a bit If I can make it like the one I have in my head.

 

[Spudsy]

Woah, the maps looks freakin amazing now! Now, just one thing; you said the map is almost finished, so why don't you finish tweaking it, release it as a beta, and we will test it to find out if it needs anymore fixing. After that, well, a full public release can be done. Kepp crackin at it Head, you're doing great. Also, its nice to hear you got a new comp.

 

[Kantham]

That is a cool shot. Also , nice change on the skybox i see. I am a master of terragen

 

[Spudsy]

Yeah the skybox looks beautiful. Man I can't wait for the next version, I'm practically drooling over how beautiful the map looks.

 

[The_Head]

Thanks you two.
The Skybox is actually very simple. I will be adding some extra details for the final version. I'm currently adding a bit more bsp just to keep it looking nice. Its starting to take some serious time for a rebuild with all the lighting now

@ Kantham, on the subject of terrain. I havent used it on this map yet (other than skybox) as it never works as well as I want, and crashes my editor every 2 minutes.
I'm thinking of having piles of sand around the level just for added detail. Might not be worthwhile though, terrain doesn't light too well either, just like Static Meshes.

I'm getting problems with some Zoning. The large Arched doors at the end of the main room are giving me some grief. No matter how I put a portal there it always turns into a hom...
Luckily fps is still doing good. well have to test it on my old computer, if that can handle it most people's should be able to. - Can anyone with a computer worse than these specs : AMD 2100+, 512MB RAM, Radeon 9500pro - tell me what there framerates are like?
I get a minimum of 100 fps without bots. maybe dropping to 80 with 15bots and full settings in 1200x1024 resolution. <- I like my computer

 

[Kantham]

What you can do to add more life to a skybox is adding a terrain of 32X32 (or less) inside your level with the textures that fit the terrain you made inside terragen, and put some light around it. And of course, removing the visibility for the center.

If you want a good skybox or some better visuals, just tell me and you could hook me up on a IM.


But the way , i am having trouble aswell for the moment with a map, and it kinda look like what you just mentioned. Odd.

 

[Spudsy]

When mappers collide!

 

[The_Head]

@ Kantham: Not sure what you mean with the first part. Do you mean create terrain around the playable bit of the level that looks like a sort of skybox (but isnt) with the real skybox behind that? - for better visuals?

Thanks for the offer on the visuals - thats one part I am already happy with If you know how to make bots much smarter let me know

You got the hom problems aswell?? its really starting to irritate me. Everytime I rebuild the map I find a new one.



@Spudsey:


@ All:
Should be able to release Beta3 later, unless something goes horridly wrong (touch wood)
How many people would object to having blue spawn points next to red ones and vice versa. This would mean your almost certainly going to get some deaths at first and then have a reason to attack the release switch. (In competative matchs its tempting just to camp)

 

[Kantham]

@ Kantham: Not sure what you mean with the first part. Do you mean create terrain around the playable bit of the level that looks like a sort of skybox (but isnt) with the real skybox behind that? - for better visuals?

Thanks for the offer on the visuals - thats one part I am already happy with If you know how to make bots much smarter let me know

Yes , that is what i was talking about.

And yes, i know how to make bots play well, pretty much on foot and with vehicles.

 

[The_Head]

I've got a lil' present for you all!

JB-Egypt-Beta3

Enjoy and post loads of response please. As stated in the readme I want feedback on:

1) Excecution Sequence, shall I work on something more interesting and original
2) How is the map running on your computer? is it really bad fps?
3) How dumb are the bots. Will put more work into making them better for final release, for now I just wanted to hget a beta out
4) DO you like the looks of the map?
5) Does the music fit in well?

ofcourse anything else in addition will be lovely.

ENJOY!!

 

[Kantham]

Very nice map. Liked it alot. The lighning is a bit cheap, but it looks great at some places. For the bots, they are doing well.

-I had a big lagout in the middle, i guess it's due to bot CPU calculation or somthing like that. Don't mind if no one else talk about it

-Yes , good music

-The jump pad are not pushing me where i am suposed to go. I need to push foward to reach it....

-Biggest bug : it happen that i/or a bot spawn Sometimes inside our/their base. That should be fixed!

 

[ZedMaestro]

• I think framerates could be better. I'll have a peep at your zoning and antiportaling at some point.
• I got a bit lost occasionally. The team-coloured chevrons would be nice in a few places, or even custom arrows if you want something less common
• Yeah. As Kantham said the jail-exit jump pads dont push you out... you have to be holding down Forward to get out.
• For the execution the flies may as well be set to Dormant (in the JBMonsterSpawner's Object properties) as they are in an enclosed area before being released. It looked a bit odd seeing a teleporter effect around them all when they appeared.
• Also, the delay before the execution doors opens seems a bit too long where nothing happens.
• There didnt seem to be much health around.
• Your JBGameObjectiveSwitches must not have an ObjectiveName. If you look at the scoreboard you'll see that underneath each player it says, for example, "Attacking red_release". You must remove the "red_release" and "blue_release" strings from the JBGameObjectiveSwitches' properties.
• The LoadingScreen is in desperate need of an anti-aliased screenshot.
• The Panoramic Map seems a little unclear. I mean that you can't really identify any routes in the map. If possible try and get a closer shot and also try and get a clearer view of the paths.
  A great trick with minimaps is that you can always set any annoying surfaces to Invisible (and similarly static meshes can be hidden) if they obstruct a view of a particular area. A marker for where the switches are could be a good idea too.
• And again as Kantham said, fix that spawn bug
• The level description text is almost an essay. Any chance of making it shorter?
• The map is called JB-Egypt, but the map Title is called "Tribute to the Sun" if I remember correctly. Thus, on the scoreboard and web scoreboard the map is "called" "Tribute to the Sun". It seems to me a bit weird to call a map something completely different to its filename (as, for example, the title "Abbandoned Heights" is ok for JB-Heights)

Those comments result from a 10 minute play. When I get the chance I'll dig a little deeper

 

[ZedMaestro]

• A fussy thing about zone names, "By the Blue Weaponlocker" just seems a bit odd. "Blue spawn room" fits better Imo.
• Your zoning is OK. If you pop into the Editor and go into Zone/Portal mode, find the big dark green zone. If you look at the zone top-down you should see where I'd recommend another zone portal on each side where the steps go through the arch.
• You need to fix the zone portals in the hole in the ceiling of each spawn location.
• The flames in each spawn location seem a bit crap. There's no variation of colour. A good idea is to set it up to range from a bright blue (or even white) to the darker blue.
• The small spotlights just above the floor under the pillar things on the wall dont seem right. Only the floor gets adequate lighting, but surely the wall would be lit too by those lights. Also, a teeny corona would be nice under there.
• There are very few PlayerStarts where one would expect; where the weapon lockers are.
• I personally find that WideScreen cameras look a bit odd; Probably because I'm viewing a wide-screen camera with a wide-screen monitor, so I might get extra stretching. While commonly used, the CameraFrame you can find in most maps is an excellent overlay if you like.
• Your defenses need a couple of modifications to work properly:
  • If you look at the Blue JBGameObjectiveSwitch's GameObjective properties you'll see a setting DefenseScriptTags. This needs to be set, for example in the case of the blue team, to something like "BlueDefensePoint".
  • Then, all the UnrealScriptedSequences which you want the blue defenders to use should have their Events > Tag value set to "BlueDefensePoint". GameObjectives need to be linked with USSs in this way so that bots defend properly. Currently they just stand near the switch which, while it kind of works, doesn't always result in bots with a suitable vantage point.
  • Also, don't be afraid to have loads of USSs. You've got 6 in the entire map. I'd aim for 6 per team to give bots plenty of options to go to and so that they move from one to another periodically. Maybe have two USSs at the top by the switch and one at the bottom of the steps. And then another looking down the corridors. However don't put them too far away from the switch.
• Your AssaultPaths need a little work: Firstly, none of them should have anything other than "AssaultPath" in their Events > Tag value. Secondly, lets take the blue team again for the example (which appear to be the large Assault Path actors):
  • There are two large Assault Path actors which are the routes the blue attackers could take; The top one's PathTag[0] should be set to BlueAttackTop or something (as its the higher route), and the other one should be something like BlueAttackLower.
  • In the AssaultPaths where the Position is 1, the PathTag array will contain BlueAttackTop and/or BlueAttackLower. If bots can get from the AssaultPath where you entered BlueAttackTop as the only PathTag to the AssaultPath you're looking at, put BlueAttackTop as one of the PathTags.
  • So if they can get to that AssaultPath from both BlueAttackTop and BlueAttackLower, put both those strings into the PathTag array.
• Textures
  • Your textures should be compressed, which will make the filesize much smaller too. For all textures where there is no Alpha Channel DXT1 should be ok. If the texture looks crappy at DXT1, reimport the texture with the same details and compress it to DXT3 instead.
  • For the PanoramicMap, compress it to either DXT3 or DXT5 (with the same determination as above). DXT1 compression will almost certainly remove the Alpha Channel (in some way; I don't know much about DXTs).
• And for the final bit of optimising: Antiportals. These arent easy to explain, so I'll just point you to an Antiportal Tutorial.
  • As a suggestion for a position to place an Antiportal; if you pop into the middle where the minigun is, an Antiportal would be great on each of the slanted sides of that "lump". But ensure that it doesnt create a HoM on the Jail Exit tunnel side.
  • If you find you need to place others, whatever you do dont place lots of small ones and try not to place more than about 10-15. Defintely no more than 20. Primarily, only place them if they are needed.
• I always forget sounds and always give the excuse that I leave them until last... which I do. It seems you've done the same!

A big list, but most of which has to be done I'm afraid. Compressing textures takes seconds though, so some stuff wont take long.

 

[Aersik]

The level appeared very dark to me, which looked odd as the sun appears to be very high. As a result, some areas appear entirely unlit, and some of the pickups appear to be floating in mid-air as the platforms they are on can't be seen

It is still possible to get out of the arena, and for some reason you can walk through this pillar (and its counterpart).