FreeGameDev

Here's the next map.
It's a large bridge with two small bases and two stairs with platforms covered by huge rounded walls. You can use pushers to get across the map, so you don't have to walk too much. To avoid the other team's players you can wallrun on the side of the bridge.
team/multi DM, CTF, DAC, BB, gauntlet

update: v8
-added again big walls (like in v6, but smaller)
-changed pushers at alpha and omega base
-added 6 pushers (4 in the center and one at kappa and sigma base)
-added 2 swords and 1 plasma on top of each of the walls
-some texture changes

update: v7
-removed the big walls (back to v4)
-added a wall in front of the alpha and omega base
-at the center two walls are longer and two walls are shorter now
-removed many details (geometry and textures)
-changed most stairs to slopes
-35k less verts !
-added alpha/omega/kappa/sigma signs (mapmodels only visible in team/multi)
-changed some textures
-removed some kappa/sigma playerstart ents and added a missing one for omega
-increased lightprecision (same file size because of less details)

update: v6
-geometry changes at the walls
-added two pushers at kappa and sigma base
-added 4 pushers near the center
-clipping

update: v5
-added huge walls / many geometry changes
-texture changes
-removed 8 pushers

update: v4
-removed water and placed a pipe with grates instead
-added sounds
-changed few textures
-lowered lightprecision (30% smaller mapsize)

update: v3
-texture changes
-clipping
-added higher walls in the middle

update v2:
-texture changes
-added some details
-fixed clipping
-reduced strength/direction of pushers

As always, I'm amazed. This is a nice map, as usual. It seems like a good map to join the likes of canals, so we have more maps which support a high amount of players.

The only things I personally am disagreeing with is the texture choice on two places and the scrolling direction of 4 pushers.

First off, the scrolling blue tiles with a white edge feel... out of place throughout the map, from my view. Secondly, on both the non-base sides, there is this round-edged... not-sure-what, which suddenly gets interrupted by a dark, harsh texture, to be followed by the object again. I personally think the texture doesn't fit there. Also, the pushers on one of these sides, although they both push you forward, do not actually point forward, which is weird.



My tip to you is to slow down, and give each of your maps some more love, as they're all of the quality where they can almost be included, but just need some polishing (in my view, at least), so give your maps what they deserve!

Sorry for taking a while to reply about this;

The map looks great overall, and the gamplay is good, but /numplayers definitely needs to be higher (12 to 14 is good IMO). But I would definitely change the strength of the pusher in the middle, since you can just jump from the top of your base to halfway across the map.

Also, there's a block of default texture in the red base.

Have to agree that some of the texturing choices are a bit "meh", but with a bit more work I think this map could be release-worthy too.

ty for your feedback
I fixed the problems and added some details. I think the texturing could still be better, but I'm too impatient.
This is why the next version is released

This is a nice map with many details and good use of lighting. Flow is excellent as well, but the framerate is kinda low once you're in the central area. This could be because you split everything up in quite small cubes by using many different textures and because there is little geometry in the middle blocking view of other parts of the level.

Texturing is dubious... I find that you combined many different textures from different sets successfully as the ensemble looks nice and detailed, but there is so much going on at once on the screen and all those colours make it hard to focus on where you want to go and who you're shooting at

Ulukai {l Wrote}:Texturing is dubious... I find that you combined many different textures from different sets successfully as the ensemble looks nice and detailed, but there is so much going on at once on the screen and all those colours make it hard to focus on where you want to go and who you're shooting at

I haven't found one texure wich I looks good so I took different textures and in the end there are too many. I think I will remove some textures.

v3 released
I added higher walls in the middle. Big walls doesn't seem to fit well.

v3 tested. Looking great, good job on the textures. I like it. The only texture I would really like to see changed is the scrolling one on top of the green and yellow bases, used for the pushers. The scrolling concrete looks really out of place to me.

I think the higher walls are a good touch, but not good enough to get the framerate up to an acceptable level. In my eyes, the little pools of water next to the entrances of the blue and red base are the culprit here, although you might think they are not always in the view because of their small sizes, but I did the test by removing them and the framerate was A LOT better once you got out of the bases. Oh and lower the lightprecision to 64 or maybe even 96 to save some space in your mapsize. It will still be good enough.

This map shows again that the Cube 2 engine can still pull off some very nice stuff and I would be very happy if this map makes it into the next release.

Ulukai {l Wrote}:v3 tested. Looking great, good job on the textures. I like it. The only texture I would really like to see changed is the scrolling one on top of the green and yellow bases, used for the pushers. The scrolling concrete looks really out of place to me.

I think the higher walls are a good touch, but not good enough to get the framerate up to an acceptable level. In my eyes, the little pools of water next to the entrances of the blue and red base are the culprit here, although you might think they are not always in the view because of their small sizes, but I did the test by removing them and the framerate was A LOT better once you got out of the bases. Oh and lower the lightprecision to 64 or maybe even 96 to save some space in your mapsize. It will still be good enough.

This map shows again that the Cube 2 engine can still pull off some very nice stuff and I would be very happy if this map makes it into the next release.

I almost forgot about the water. The fps is indeed better without it.

v4 released

This map is now in SVN. It might need some help to get it over the line, especially with regard to the terrible lack of adequate occlusion for complex geometry.

Congratulations on this milestone Unnamed! I will access it with the SVN when I have time.
Cheers

About the terrible lack of adequate occlusion, here is a picture of a clothed "Condensation." I will let the image do the talking because it is 1:35 am and I have to work this morning.Cheers

Dratz-_C {l Wrote}:About the terrible lack of adequate occlusion, here is a picture of a clothed "Condensation." I will let the image do the talking because it is 1:35 am and I have to work this morning.
Cheers

looks interesting

edit: Here is what I have.
My framerate is now 200 in the most parts of the map, but still a bit low in the middle of the map. You can get on the top of the new geometry now. The map is big enough without it.

In multi, the map appears biased against yellow/green. Red/blue can get on top of their bases, take the center launch ramp, and boost to start about halfway up the pillars you're supposed to kick up to get to the rocket, while the other two bases offer no such shortcut to ease the trip up there.

Also, the jump pad shown in the crosshairs here (and its mirror image off screen to the left) is prone to act up. Especially if you try to grab the grenade on that platform first, and approach the jump in that direction, it shoots you into the ceiling formed by the platform overhead, instead of letting you make any progress. I doubt that's how it was intended to work.

radiant {l Wrote}:In multi, the map appears biased against yellow/green. Red/blue can get on top of their bases, take the center launch ramp, and boost to start about halfway up the pillars you're supposed to kick up to get to the rocket, while the other two bases offer no such shortcut to ease the trip up there.

This problem is solved with the huge walls wich will be added I think. The 2 pushers on the top of the alpha and omega base and at the kappa and sigma base will be removed.

radiant {l Wrote}:Also, the jump pad shown in the crosshairs here (and its mirror image off screen to the left) is prone to act up. Especially if you try to grab the grenade on that platform first, and approach the jump in that direction, it shoots you into the ceiling formed by the platform overhead, instead of letting you make any progress. I doubt that's how it was intended to work.

Will be fixed.

I'm unsure about adding huge walls.

Unnamed {l Wrote}:

radiant {l Wrote}:In multi, the map appears biased against yellow/green. Red/blue can get on top of their bases, take the center launch ramp, and boost to start about halfway up the pillars you're supposed to kick up to get to the rocket, while the other two bases offer no such shortcut to ease the trip up there.

This problem is solved with the huge walls wich will be added I think. The 2 pushers on the top of the alpha and omega base and at the kappa and sigma base will be removed.

radiant {l Wrote}:Also, the jump pad shown in the crosshairs here (and its mirror image off screen to the left) is prone to act up. Especially if you try to grab the grenade on that platform first, and approach the jump in that direction, it shoots you into the ceiling formed by the platform overhead, instead of letting you make any progress. I doubt that's how it was intended to work.

Will be fixed.

I'm unsure about adding huge walls.

Leave it the way it is, it's perfect.
Removing the pushers will just make the map more slower for playing than it already is.

The "clothing" should help balance yellow/green to the rest by giving them cover though, right?

The map looks good covered It makes it look more dynamic and less like a flat field.

v5 released
Occlusion for complex geometry was added.

greaserpirate {l Wrote}:The "clothing" should help balance yellow/green to the rest by giving them cover though, right?

The main reason is it increased the framerate, because the alpha and omega base and the stairs are hidden this way (I added many details there) if you are in the middle of the map.

I liked v4 better, you could snipe people without problems.
And the pushers helped to pass through the map.
The flowing was better that way.
Oh, and impropriate clipping attacks again >.>

I'm not a big fan of the covered version either... Despite of the framerate being a bit lower, v4 played and looked much nicer. The framerate of v4 was much improved over v3 already.

Please bear in mind that while you may not notice a difference in framerate, those on varying hardware do. Case in point: On my lower end systems, "Canals" is still unplayable (as were earlier versions of "Condensation"). I always use this as my baseline; if switching to a map online causes players to leave because of framerate drop, then we've failed. Big and open maps need less detailed geometry (see "Linear").

I understand and you are right. But I get the feeling that you are so trapped when you get close to the center or when you need to go from the green / yellow bases to the middle area. Maybe it needs a bit more polishing or a bigger opening to get through...

v6 released
I added 6 pushers. One at kappa and sigma base to get on the top of the clothing and 4 near the center.
I can't make the openings bigger without a lower framerate.