am_lavaarena & 2 CTF versions

[Neon_Knight]

Read the first post, now.
I will upload some mirrors for this file.

Hpe you like & enjoy it. ^^

[Neon_Knight]

No comments? No "close-the-editor-and-get-a-life"? No "great-map-!!!111!1!"? No "th15 m4p 1s 4 cr4p, j00 n00b m4pp4!!!1!1"?

[cosmo]

Hey Armageddon_Man.

It's pretty obvious that you come from Unreal as this map looks very Unreal-like. I like it. The map is themed and moody ('cept the outdoor area of your xl version). A few places are too dark (Rocketlauncher and Nailgun spots). For me the small (non-xl) version is more balanced and quiet fine for 2on2 or 3on3 matches although it's very fast. When I tested it the first time which was an earlier version you posted here I prefered am_lavaarena-xl. The small one was too fast for me. With a good placed rocket/strafe jump I'm sure you're able to capture in less than 5 seconds.

This is one of the rare maps where a BFG is well placed as there needs to be special effort to get it (although ppl might have problems getting out of the lavapond). The tunnel parts shine but the outer area lacks in a few aspects. The layout is poor and has a few texture issues (lava and sparkles) so the powerups you've chosen are kind of unbalancing. Several times I found myself with a quad powered lightning gun spawncamping in foes base. While Quad is nice in FFA / TDM games it can be annoying in CTF / Domination.

For me this outer area needs some redesign as it's way too open and some kind of rail courtyard with no coverage or you decide to go just for certain amount of players and drop the xl version.

[Neon_Knight]

Thanks for the comments cosmo.
I appreciate it. ^^

I was getting a lot of trouble (BSP trouble, to be more objective) with the old middle area, because every time I built it, it always comes up with another BSP error. -.-
The new middle area isn't exactly what I'd like to see of this map, but at least it doesn't generates that annoying BSP holes. -.-

The lava & BFG idea was an idea I've implemented for another Unreal map I've built, (I guess that it's still in Nalicity to download, was a very poor map :/) in which you must use the Asbestos Suit to reach the Redeemer and the Antitoxin Suit to reach the UDamage. I was thinking how to build that map for OA, but later I've had other ideas and less time, so maybe in a day in the future I will built it. :/

I didn't know what to put on the other platforms, and yes, maybe there's a lot of powerups there. :/

[cosmo]

We all appreciate reviews and thoughts about the things we do.

I'm looking forward to see how your map turns out in the end. If you have so many troubles with the outer area rethink about it.

[Neon_Knight]

Tonight I will upload the newest version. (Possibly the final one of both three maps)

[Neon_Knight]

I have finished, check first post.

[Neon_Knight]

Updated the map, I forgot to clip something in the DM version. I also will update the link at the SVN commits thread.

[Neon_Knight]

Updated map. In posts 1, 2 & 4 the maps are attached.
I've fixed some clipping and some other issues in am_lavaarena.
ATM there's no more changes to be done to that map.

[Neon_Knight]

Updated am_lavaarena, now with Domination support, (3 domination_points) so you can test the new gametype.
Head to first post.

[Neon_Knight]

Updated links in the first post, thanks to onykage for it. ^^

[Snickersnack]

I'm having problems downloading the lavaarena maps. I want to test out the single player campaign. Are they still available?

Thanks.

[Neon_Knight]

I forgot to change download links. My mistake. ^_^º

[Neon_Knight]

New version out there, as always you can find it at the first post. You'll have to wait for CTF versions.
Caca, you know what to do.

[sago007]

You should change the message flags on the domination_points from "1", "2" and "3" to something that gives more meaning like: "Middle", "Indoor" and "Outdoor".

EDIT:
I found the map quite entertaining in Domination (previously only tried CTF and it is some versions ago). The bots navigated really well and I found myself moving quite a lot too.

[Neon_Knight]

Seems like using item_botroam worked too.
I need to finish this map, soon or later. -.-

Changing messages at domination_points is made in the same way as target_location entity? I'll do it for the next version.

[Neon_Knight]

New version of am_lavactf. After it, I can make am_lavactfxl and finish once and for all (?) am_lavaarena. ^^
As always, you can find it at the first post of this thread.

- Made from half of last am_lavaarena. Only the body armor side.
- CTF, 1FCTF, Harvester, Overload, eCTF & DD.
- Only few weapons: Rocket Launcher, Railgun, Nailgun & Shotgun.
- Team Items: Guard, Ammo Regen & Doubler. Only works with Mission Pack, although I'd wish to play normal OA with these items and Kamikaze/Invulnerability... :/
- Combat Armor
- Separated North & South Hallway (the ones with computers) from Railgun area. I guess Railgun should have a defensive use here.
- Added some ambient sounds. I hope people won't hate me for this. Although I wish to find some volume regulator for the target_speaker entity.
- Included with map source, license, and pk3, is the model source for T.I.
- Minor details.

[Neon_Knight]

Re-uploaded screenshots of am_lavactf. It seems like some old screenies weren't overwroted, so I've uploaded them again.

[Neon_Knight]

Uploaded am_lavactfxl.
Based on am_lavaarena, plus am_lavactf bases, and a different weapon & item layout.
- Weapons: Shotgun, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Gun, Railgun, Lightning Gun, BFG10K, Nailgun.
- Powerups: Haste, Battle Suit.
- Other items: Megahealth, Body Armor, and the "reglamentary" health and armor shards.

PS: Don't suggest BFG to be removed. There aren't almost maps with this weapon in, only ATM oa_ctf4ish.

[Neon_Knight]

Hell... that was a lot of work done on these days...

Anyways, new version of am_lavaarena:

- Hinting! ^^ I've finally learned on how to hint, or at least, I guess that.
- Closed windows between Railgun and Body Armor, and put a Teleporter which sends the player to ceiling at outside zone, just after Battle Suit. Don't worry, that zone has a trigger_hurt which takes 1 damage per snap to the player. ^^
- Added target_locations to both DOM (there are DOM-specific ones) & other gametypes.
- Removed catwalk in Nailgun area.

I'll be committing this map to SVN thread. Link and screenshots, as always, found at the first post.

EDIT: I've updated am_lavactf too. It has some minor corrections as well as target_locations.

[Neon_Knight]

Reuploaded...

Basically I forgot to add the nodrop zone to lava pits, so items -specially flags- would stay at the lava pit until these automatically returned to their original place. With this I also made BFG will be floating in the lava.

[Neon_Knight]

Newer version of am_lavaarena.

Since now, I'll only upload maps to the topics, not in the SVNC thread, until fromhell say "the new version will be released on XX/XX/XXXX".

Changes:
- Enlarged center & right vertical passages.
- Fixed some misalignments.
- Weapon/item placement entirely redone
- Added Elimination team spawnpoints.
- Hinting, clusterportaling, clipping & botclipping redone.
- Raised a bit the haste platform in the outer zone.
- Due to the enlarging, the teleporter is now moved onto the end of a corridor.
- More changes that I didn't remember.

However, there's a nasty bug which I don't know where it comes... and I don't know how to get rid of it, a bad light which hasn't any source.



EDIT: There's also another bug on Elimination. I thought using team_CTF_***player would make players of *** team respawn there, but it seems like an info_player_start is still needed.

[sago007]

I downloaded it tested it. Are you sure you have the right aas file in beta 3? It didn't load for me and had a timestamp older than the bsp.

I actually opened the map file and made a few changes.

And here are my findings:
Remove the hint brushes. The map doesn't need them. Hint brushes should be used if you have a really good reason to do so (like reducing worst case tris count by 1000+). To justify a hint brush you must be able to say: "My map plays much better now" after you have placed it or it is a bad hintbrush.

Removing the hint brushes and compiling gave no performance change for me and worst case tris count was fully acceptable either way.

You appear to have gametype flags on all spawnpoints. If you don't need to disable a spawnpoint for a specific gametype don't use them. New FFA gametypes might be added later and the gametype flags will ruin them. I don't want you to remove all gametype flags as they might be needed to prevent a player spawning too close to a Domination Point in Dom or such but there should be at least some without the flags.

Elimination needs either a team_CTF_*spawn point OR a ffa spawnpoint for initial spawns. Removing the gametype flag from some of the ffa spawnpoints will solve it but adding team_CTF_*spawn points might feel better.

[Neon_Knight]

I've added 8 team_CTF_* for each team at separate sides. It didn't work.

[sago007]

I've added 8 team_CTF_* for each team at separate sides. It didn't work.

The version I downloaded only had team_CTF_*player spawn points in it.

The map crashes the game if gametype is set to 4 or other unsupported gametypes. Sure the map is not designed for CTF but it may never crash it!

The intermission point appears to be stuck in a wall. I cannot move as a spectator.