DM-Bloods-Citadel

[DW_Ant]

This is feedback to a map that was sent to us awhile, but since I don’t see him in vent as frequent anymore, I’ll make a post, hoping he’ll eventually see this. Some easy fixes.

• Simplify the collision of the brick wall to prevent players from hiding on the outside of the wall. A simple rectangular blocking volume over the wall will do the trick. You don't have to block off the lava.
• Add some pathnodes to the cavern. It’ll be neat to fight monsters in them even though it's a small section.
• The biggest concern is that this map needs less pickups especially in the Egyptian room.

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[DW_WailofSuicide]

Running down my thoughts on this map:


The textures and static meshes from CTF-Citadel are really distinctive, and so I think this map needs to stick with that theme all throughout. The Egyptian room is out of place basically.
Textures: AbaddonArchitecture.utx
Static Meshes: Citadel_Static.usx

Try and use the textures and static meshes from Citadel and maybe some of the "Evil" static meshes, those also work decently well.


Overall the level needs more "gameplay" which is kind of hard to define, but at the moment it's a big empty room with bridges across it. I personally tend to think a level should have at least a couple major areas to fight in (minimum 2, 3 is better and strikes a good balance between spreading out monsters and just stuffing everything into one room). Pillars/columns are also nice to break up a room visually and provide cover. Variations in height are also another way to add interesting gameplay, but if they are too extreme then they don't do much.
For example, look at the main room with the bridges and the area underneath with the weird texture. I didn't even realize that lower area was not a death zone because the drop is so high. Further, there's no way to really travel between the two different height levels except by translocator or flying - It'd be much better if the height difference were less and there were stairs/elevators/jumppads to be able to get from the upper level bridges to the lower level. (Aesthetically the lower level also needs more work - One big cube is really bland, try to think about the 'theme' of your level and work with that. If you've got these four towers/spires in your level with the bridges passing in between, then maybe underneath it should be a ground level with like castle walls, maybe some kind of moat, etc.)

One of the things that can also add to gameplay is how you place things in the level. Adrenaline spots will usually have some natural player congregation. Weapons & Superweapons can encourage players to move around the map a bit as well. Overall your Egyptian room is too stacked on goodies, try and place things in a way that's going to encourage people to use more of the map space.



Regarding the Egyptian room you teleport into by walking "into" the towers - I really think your teleports should either be really obvious, or maybe just think about dropping that idea (the room you teleport into) entirely and try to focus more on breaking the main space up more. Teleports tend to break when played online with lots of monsters cluttering up at either end, so that's why I think they should be discouraged.


That about covers it - I don't know if you'll want to put in all the effort to do the things that I describe but I hope this feedback is useful to you in thinking about that map and future ones.

[DW_Ant]

Sorry for rushing this post, but I do gotta say that your newer version impressed me. I wasn't expecting such a drastic appearance improvement from this map. I was hoping this map was ready, but we did find a couple mistakes that can be fixed easily.

• Secret's teleporter doesn't take the players home.
• Lava volume needs bWaterVolume set to true. I can walk under lava.
• Blocking volume over the brick wall needs to be over the edge outside. I can still walk along the very edge of that ledge just over the lava.
• Align fire emitters with torch meshes.
• Jumppads in mid section are functioning properly, but the suspended supports of the bridges block the way.

Like I said, I rushed this post. Let me know if something is not clear.[/color]

[DW_Ant]

These problems still exist in the updated version. These are all easy fixes. You can do this under one minute if you tried.

• Secret's teleporter doesn't take the players home.
• Lava volume needs bWaterVolume set to true. I can walk under lava.

[Blooddemon91]

These problems still exist in the updated version. These are all easy fixes. You can do this under one minute if you tried.

• Secret's teleporter doesn't take the players home.
• Lava volume needs bWaterVolume set to true. I can walk under lava.

Ant if you are referring to the lava volumes in the labyrinth leading to the secret room those are supposed to have you be able walk really they arent supopsed to be lava volumes but i was too lazy to switch them over to pressure. other then that everything else should have b water volume set to true maybe i forgot one of em last change but this new one will have it on for sure.

[DW_Ant]

Ant if you are referring to the lava volumes in the labyrinth leading to the secret room those are supposed to have you be able walk really they arent supopsed to be lava volumes but i was too lazy to switch them over to pressure. other then that everything else should have b water volume set to true maybe i forgot one of em last change but this new one will have it on for sure.

Caverns are okay. I'm referring to the lava outside the brick walls (exterior part). If you type in god mode, and jump into the lava, you'll find yourself walking under lava.

[Blooddemon91]

I sent in the last version but I've gotten no news on it but there was something I found a day or 2 after sending the map in. There is a blocking volume that I mistackingly placed when blocking the brick walls so if you could delete that on your version thatd be great but if you can't ill send you mine again

[DW_Ant]

I'm not sure how you define latest, but we tested the version on the 26th (that was four days ago this post was written).

Comments as follows:

• Secret's teleporter doesn't take the players home. For example, I go through this long maze, then I get to this invisible teleporter. Takes me to an isolated room full of a bunch a stuff (directly copied from Crumpet, I can tell). When I go back, the teleporter takes me back to the maze. Meaning, your secret is completely useless the players suicide themselves to go back to the fighting arena. Of course this will waste players' time that do not have ghost. Lets avoid upset players, and set the teleporter so it'll return the players back to the field.
  
  To do this, place a teleporter in the middle of the arena. Give it a tag like TakeMeHome. Go to the teleporter in the secret isolated room. Open that portal's properties, and change the url to TakeMeHome. Do not touch the tag for that portal.
• Lava volume needs bWaterVolume set to true. I can walk under lava. Details were specified in my previous post in this topic.

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[Blooddemon91]

Yes i have already fixed tehse problems and sent the map to karma it must not have been put up on the server i'll wait for this week to see if anything happens and if not ill resend it or if karma tells me she never received it ill send it again but this problems have indeed been fixed.

[DW_Ant]

I can say that we are pretty happy with the changes you've done to this map!

The map looks fantastic and plays well only two minor problems that should be addressed before it goes live.
The adrenaline in the secret room needs to be turned down quite a bit (respawn time and quantity)
Also you should add some threat to the secret room since we don't want players to camp all ten waves to Lucifer.
Simply adding two-four pathnodes in the secret room should do the trick.

Last thing to mention is that you should avoid placing your name in titles. Do it for your own sake. It's much better for your reputation and how other players will view you.
You should use the map summary's Author property instead.