Aether - New map in SVN repository

[favorito]

A new Tribes-esque map. Go nuts Arch.

Please test, offer feedback, and find texture/geometry mistakes.

[TheLastProject]

The texturing, I must honestly say, isn't really as great as the texturing of most newer Red Eclipse maps. Everything looks kinda... ugly. You will definitely need other textures all-round, I'm afraid.

I'm also afraid that the way the map is build, rifles will take the overhand, as there is a lot of open field and little place to hide, which would make for somewhat unbalanced gameplay.

Another balance issue is the reachability of the bases. The blue base is a lot easier to reach than the red one:
Blue: https://i7.minus.com/ibk0tJytIhS0nJ.png
Red: https://i3.minus.com/ibuDPzOCdGucsi.png

I'm sorry for the harsh criticism, and hope that someone more experienced in this can maybe give you some pointers (as I can't, I'm extremely terrible at mapping), so that you can improve the map.

[Evropi]

I have to agree with TLP here on the texturing. It could certainly be improved.

I reckon the field isn't *that* open, it's a bit like Centre and if you like that it should be okay. I actually don't, but I think it's no worse than Centre in terms of how 'open' the map is.

I like the Super Mario-like manoeuvres required to reach the two bases, but reachability is indeed a problem and it is an important factor in balancing the map.

Overall, I don't think this is ready for official inclusion yet. Mind, err, taking it off the Subversion repository again? Better to ship a good map than a broken one - it might cost you the map's long-term popularity if it's included now!

Also, wow, you are listening to Renard? That is awesome on so many levels. I can't believe I just came across another Renard fan! What a coincidence.

[favorito]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, the map was made in one sitting last night, I didn't expect brilliance. I was also experimenting with the terrain engine, which I find difficult to use (hard to make a pretty terrain maps).

Regarding texturing, I was trying to mimic the "Tribes" aesthetic by intentionally leaving it simple, but I might have overdone it.

It is an open map, but I was relatively conscious in how the layout was (both in terrain and architecture), and so I don't see it being an issue. I could be wrong though.

With the bases, I also intentionally made them different -- each has several ways to jump up. I can easily enough extend that ladder down though so that's one more way for the red one, ha.

[Calinou]

I MADE IT BUTTER:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/82342922/maps/aether.zip

- butter terrain (moar detailed)
- some moar lights

[D.A.M.I.E.N.]

I like open maps, and I like this Tribes-inspired layout as well, it should work well for gameplay, favorito. But as you say, if it was made over one night, some brilliance can't be expected. Entire map is underdetailed. If you need to make terrain (heightmaps) smoother, use the smoothing brush type. It is now very blocky. If you want an example, how to NOT make a terrain, you can look at map "Dawn". I know that with Cube 2 Engine you can't make terrain as smooth as with UDK, but it still can be done a lot better. Another main problem is invisible light source and it's unreal shadows. Tell me, if you want some examplary pics.

EDIT: Ah, Calinou right made the terrain more poly. Looks a bit better.

[greaserpirate]

I MADE IT BUTTER:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/82342922/maps/aether.zip

- butter terrain (moar detailed)
- some moar lights

I've added on to Calinou's imrovements:

-redid lights and added lights to unlit areas
-various geometry error fixes
-made the map play like Tribes by setting /aircoast to 50

Here's a screenshot with /bloom 0.2 (the setting that works best on a lot of maps):

Double rainbow all the way across the sky!

[qreeves]

Detailed terrain just means that occlusion is going to fail to improve the performance of the map. Calinou is the same person who thought the pipe in keystone2k needed an extra 10000 triangles so it looked better.

[greaserpirate]

Detailed terrain just means that occlusion is going to fail to improve the performance of the map. Calinou is the same person who thought the pipe in keystone2k needed an extra 10000 triangles so it looked better.

Performance shouldn't really be an issue for this map. It's 28k wtr and even with bloom I have a higher FPS on it that I do normally on other maps.

[qreeves]

greaserpirate's lighting is nice, but the open area still looks blah.

[ballist1c]

meh.

[Blindman]

Detailed terrain just means that occlusion is going to fail to improve the performance of the map. Calinou is the same person who thought the pipe in keystone2k needed an extra 10000 triangles so it looked better.

Nicely put.

[Calinou]

The map still has only 28k wtr, any graphics card made since 2004 or so can handle this.

[D.A.M.I.E.N.]

Yes, indeed. If it is chosen grid size as Calinou used, then it is no problem for fps. It has really a negligible impact at fps. Even some partial smoothing where it still looks very blocky to make it looks better, and it should be quite ok (except the terrain around the map).

Heightmapping in Cube 2 is an issue also because you need to use a mouse wheel and move at the same time, not just click and move, when having set a volume of pressure. And when using a smaller grid size on terrain made with a bigger one, it makes even geometry errors, because it works only in its area and doesn't automatically align the other angles and by that the allocation of the pressure (auto-smoothing), ALTERNATIVELY its diverse size of cubes. Yes, there is a lot brushes sizes, but it still just doesn't work too well and it's way too complicated to use. It works ok for terrain as rocks and such, because rock texture can cover shortcomings of the terrain and it's fine when it is jagged, but for smooth barren hills it's not any impressive. Better works more flat terrain combinated with natural walls for instance.

[Dratz-_C]

favorito
I find the efficiency refreshing because I play on a nettop. It makes room for 100k more triangles in tree and weapon models and coop and onslaught actors. It actualizes the starsiege: tribes feel quite well, I think. I like the underground area in the center. A trivial idea of mine is to add a downed dropship to both sides of the map, each with one (jet) engine that is still turning at full bore. The engine would push players far into the air and land them halfway across the map. When approached from behind the engines would act as traps, pulling players into death material. It is just an idea--one that could be avoided on the premise that it would not fit with the jetpack, electromagnetic futuristic theme of the map or any number of other explanations ranging from avoiding frivolity to the map author does not feel like doing it.
Cheers