CTF-Face][2003 Beta1 released.

[DoctorNick]

Hi all,

After much annoyance and hair-ripping out, I've completed Beta1 of Facing Worlds ][ 2003. The design of the map is complete and I'm pretty happy with the way it has turned out, but any suggestions on trimming it up/improving it would be great. I would be extremely grateful for any feedback the community could give me to make it a better map before released (please, be as harsh and nitpicky as possible, I want this to be the best it can be).

One problem I am having is with the bots. They are horrible! They will attack perfectly through one of the 3 routes but when it comes to defending they are pretty useless. They never seem to go up the sniper towers through the warps no matter what I do and they tend to sit around with an assault rifle and look stupid most of the time :loopy: . If anyone with any pathing experience could give me some advice on what to do, I would be extremely grateful.

Thanks a lot

DOWNLOAD HERE (http://www.unrealplayground.com/download.php?mapid=2984)

(Uploaded new version at 19:59 to remove horrible HOM I didn't notice)

Here are some screenies-

http://www.planetunreal.com/lruce/face1.jpg
http://www.planetunreal.com/lruce/face2.jpg
http://www.planetunreal.com/lruce/face3.jpg
http://www.planetunreal.com/lruce/face4.jpg

[Kindness]

This is a beautiful salute to the original. And, just like its forebear, it's fun, too. :)

[Gui]

Really a cool conversion but some minor flaws IMO

For example, the concrete texture you used almost everywhere is a bit boring and monotonous: something more 'busy' may fit better the high-tech theme

Similar problem with the ceiling which are all very flat and empty: more decos/static meshes can be welcome to bring life to them. Up there, they'll not hinder the flow and can greatly enhance the atmosphere

In a different way, teleporters seem to be floating in the air, coming from nowhere: maybe a sort of device under them, on the ground, or behind them, on the walls, can help to make them more believable

Also, a pale yellow instead of the plain white can be more interesting for the local lighting: this will bring contrasts into your map and enhance the understanding of space and the 3D feeling

Flow-wise, the flat light static meshes we see in the third screen (above the Link Gun) would probably work better without any sort of collision effect. Atm, you can get stuck on them which can be annoying...

Looks cool so far but with some minor tweakings here and there, the map will really rock :)

[Cobra]

When you are done whit it. I will path it for you. They snipe real good. Your mistakes is in the AI Script and the pathing.

[Cobra]

;)

[DoctorNick]

Thanks a lot for the feedback so far, and I'll get straight into modifying the map to trim it up a bit as you said Gui, I was apprehensive about the lightning too before release, so I'll get it trimmed up. I'll also ramp up the ambient sound, I didn't realise it was so quite until I turned the music on. And thanks for your.......kindness, kindness :P

And thanks a lot for the offer Cobra, I know this map will play great with bots once you've finished with it :D, and I'll be sure to send it to you once its done.

Thanks again.

[DoctorNick]

Need opinions on the flag rooms before I send it to Cobra for pathing-

http://www.planetunreal.com/lruce/face6.jpg
http://www.planetunreal.com/lruce/face7.jpg

As you can see I've warmed up the lighting a bit with paler yellows (thanks for that Gui :)) and trimmed up the roof a bit and illuminated it with another panel.

I've also done a load of other tweaks to the lighting (what on earth was I thinking when i lit those walkways to the center, it must have been late at night :P), and I have left the center mainly as it is, albeit with some extra panels etc.

Also cobra, do you want me to email it to you?

[Gui]

Looks better :)

You should put another 12 or 16 units radius lightactor right above the flag pedestal to lit the ground under this static mesh light you added: that'd make more sense ;)

[SpottedTiger]

DoctorNick,
WOW! This is a great version of CTF-Face][, I really enjoy playing it.

Below I found that the Teleporters in the two levels above the Flag area, are missing the visual portion...I found it very confusing at first. Of course you may have already fixed this, in which case please disregard.


Keep up the good work!

[SpottedTiger]

DoctorNick,
Opps! I forgot to mention something else I found, which shows a difference between the UT's CTF-Face][ and your map, that seems to extract a strategy element from the original gameplay that UT had in this map. It might be something minor, but I'd like to point it out anyway...in the lower area where players start out in the map, and return to when they die, in UT a player could snipe players at the enemy flag base as they entered or exited thru the main entrance that's under the clear glass. I've taken a couple of sheetshots showing first the UT version and then yours. It would seem the middle bridge was higher in UT than yours. Maybe its not a big deal...but I'll let you decide.

[DoctorNick]

http://www.planetunreal.com/lruce/face8.jpg

Just for you ;)

The map is now 100% complete, and I'll get it sent off to Cobra for some super cool pathing before its release. Cobra can I have your email address?

[SpottedTiger]

DoctorNick,
Thxs! Twas very kind of you, and I'm sure others who are fans of the UT version of CTF-Face][ will enjoy this change in your UT2K3 version as well...for now I'll wait impatiently for the final release of your CTF-Face][2003 map. ;)

Thxs again! :rockon:

[graboid]

When a New beta is ready or the final version is done can you post a link? this is the best ctf-face I have seen since ut2003 came out IMO. Keep up the great work the bots r dumb but with cobras pathing it should be awesome. Great job on this map. BTW I'm new to the forums and hello everyone!!! :cool:

[DoctorNick]

Cobra informed me he'd take around a week, so thats when the map will be released :P

And cobras pathing will rock.

[graboid]

Excellent I guess I'll keep the beta until then.:cool:

[DoctorNick]

Would someone remind me what music track the original used please?

Since I don't have UT installed, I didn't really check, and I just stuck Sniper-Time in as a placeholder, and I thought it would be cool to convert the original over in the end.

Unless you like Sniper-Time? It is a cool track after all.

[SpottedTiger]

DoctorNick,
I loaded UT's version of CTF-Face][ into UED v2.0 and it shows that it uses the song "ForeGone.umx"...so if you were looking to stay with what the original used, that would be the one. :D

[DoctorNick]

Ah ha, that is the original Face 1 music too.
Any opinions on which to use? I always thought Foregone was a bit weak myself.


Update: Cool, I've just received Teddie's permission to use his cool phat version of the track he used for Face2003 in the map. Boo ya! ;)

[Gui]

Yep, Foregone.umx may be the most appropriate choice... Anyway, that'll not be a problem for me: I play without music :D