Doyora's Maps.

[Doyora]

The blocking volumes must stay. The map won't work otherwise. But, I understand that some areas of the map are confusing in terms of access, in particular the orange-red room at the bottom of the staircase. I'm going to make it more obvious, the only reason I've not yet was I was more concerned in completing the playable areas of the map first. The next version will make it more obvious. For now, though, it's playable, whaich is how I intended. That way, you can get first impressions on how it plays, and point out any major gameplay problems.

Thanks for feedback btw. Any more comments on wasteyard?

[darkonxy]

hey Doyara could you put that map in zip format please

[Doyora]

What's wrong with winrar? It's a free download. It'd be quicker to download winrar than for me to upload the (bigger) .zip file. I'm on 56k don't forget.

[darkonxy]

i cant seem to download it

[kyben]

I just checked the map out, the amount of blocking volumes is painful on this map. I'd say some rails or something to block the person from going into the water would be better. Maybe you get hurt when you walk in the water? What would be cool is if the specimens came out of the water at ya.
All the entrances to the buildings and bridge that had blocking volumes made it very confusing on where you could and couldn't go.
There were many deadends and only one way to get from one side of the map to the other making it very linear.
Your bridge is floating on the opposite side of the map from where the playerspawn is.
Although it wasn't exactly scary looking, I like the look of your map, you made fighting under a bridge interesting. If you've ever played Half Life 2, it would be cool to make the bridge look alittle like the one from that, catwalks, supportbeams and such overhead, maybe a second floor you can go up to.
Keep up the good work. ;D

[Doyora]

Well, I recon I need to work on the smaller walkways more. They need to look temporary, or at least hastily constructed. I'll look into that area. I thought about the water, but this is the thames river, and it's deep. The specimens would need to swin, and the AI can't handle that. I aslo thought about adding physics to make you get swept away, but that would be more annoying than anything (I tested without the BVs and I was always falling in to the water). The rule of thumb, is basicaly you can't walk into the water. The same thing was used on KFSP1, iirc. As for the doorways, I'll definatley work on disinguishing the useable ones from the non-useable ones.

EDIT: A search for a picture of a temporary bridge gave me this:-



unhelpful.

[Dragontear]

I've played on your map several times, and i must say it is brilliant.

About the temporary bridge;

Some of the rickety_fence staticmeshes, and some of the manor rafter statics, and there's your bridge.

Just a idea.

[Doyora]

Don't worry about that. I've done something quite similar to what you said, and it looks and works fine. I'll put up a pic or two if you want.

[Dragontear]

Ok, keep up the good work

When you were creating the map, did you have the idea that people had been there before or not?

I mean like a previous squad or somthing.

[Doyora]

I assume you're talking about thamesbridge. In that case, yes. But it's at such a basic visual stage, it's not noticable. The bridge is meant to be an important escape route out of the city, and a survivor stronghold. I intend to make it look like it has been recently inhabited, with makeshift shelters etc. Perhaps if I could remember who it was who made those dead body smeshes, I could ask to put them in. Anyone?

[Doyora]

I don't belive it. There's an exploit on wasteyard, and I didn't know about it. That's not cool. I hope this doesn't mean another version is required.

On a lighter note, a newer version of thamesbridge should soon be ready. Kyben, check your mail in about an hour (after I post this).

[uwasawaya]

Doyora... I had no idea you released a new map... w00t, playing after work!

And the exploit on Waste... is it the little... ahem, roof thing? If so, I was actually going to PM you about it... I might be wrong though, I get attacked there.

And as for the Bridge... can you make it so that they can go a little way out of the water? Might make it better then roping it off... just like knee-high in the water before you stop or something. Then again, I haven't played it yet...

[Doyora]

That's a nice idea, and wherever possible I have allowed the players as much freedom in terms of reachable space as possible. However, the terrain I have used makes it hard to apply the same method everywhere. Sometimes there is a bank and small steep drop into the water, so the volumes stop you from leaping to your death. Other times it is more like a beach, sloping gently into the water. Here, I have allowed in some cases players to walk a (very) small distance into the water. It's quite difficult adjusting the voulmes to do this without making areas where players get stuck, so It's not perfect yet. I'm going to keep at it until everyone is pleased (unless you plan on swimming, the water hurts you to stop specimens spawning under the terrain hanging about for long).

[Doyora]

OK Kyben, mail has been sent. sorry about the wait...

[uwasawaya]

I like how you guys are working together on these things... it's a good inspiration for the rest of us

Hmm... talking about water made me think, how about a map based on either a cruise ship or a derelict oil tanker? Something like the ship from Virus is what came to mind, or maybe a battleship. Wonder if you can design the physics to react as though the ship were listing, so at some points you might have trouble walking one way because of the tilt or something.