ac_darkhorz
#1
My latest map. Setting: an industrial property by the coastline. Go ahead and judge by the screenies but I don't think they do this map justice. Suits all game modes.

Here's the download link: http://www.mediafire.com/?9zcgxw1d1r01874

Enjoy! Feedback is welcomed but if you say you don't like something, please tell me why and how it could be fixed :)

[Image: 20121030030706skycitytd.jpg]
[Image: 20121030030913skycitytd.jpg]
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#2
[Image: 20121030_04_50_05_ac_darkhorz_TDM.jpg]
Didn't mean for the second one to be so similar (didn't realize until now)

Comments will come later tomorrow (it's 11:56am and I work at 7:30am) but good work :)
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#3
The thing that really kills this map is the awkward clipping on the edges. That is a huge no-no for maps. The second screenshot is centered directly on one of the areas that I am talking about.

The edges are really cool looking besides that. You need some reason for the player not to be able to move past the edge though (even if it is a small fence).
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#4
Good work. Make now a competitive map :)
[Image: hey.png]
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#5
Improving quickly. Much better size for ctf, and the layout looks very interesting. I find having simply a small fence mapmodel and then the floor cutting away into skymap looks weird, and in the second screenshot the clip sticks out a bit much maybe. Higher wooden walls such as in other areas would work fine there.

There's a wooden wall left of the rvsf base exit, which is bit high and you cannot scale it unless you can crouch-jump. Try and be more noob-friendly and just add a few boxes/barrels or some other way they can climb up onto sections like that.

Lots of very interesting ideas and I like the section in Felix's second screenshot very much.
You're improving well so keep at it and try messing around with a few different themes. glhf.

Edit: Removed derp.
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#6
(30 Oct 12, 07:10PM)Z3R0 Wrote: Improving quickly. Much better size for ctf, and the layout looks very interesting. As rr has already said, having simply a small fence mapmodel and then the floor cutting away into skymap looks weird, and in the second screenshot the clip sticks out a bit much maybe. Higher wooden walls such as in other areas would work fine there.

Not sure what I said, but that isn't what I meant. I liked the look of it visually, just the clip there makes no sense and is really confusing. You need some reason (however stupid) for the player not to be able to access those spots.

(30 Oct 12, 07:10PM)Z3R0 Wrote: There's a wooden wall left of the rvsf base exit, which is bit high and you cannot scale it unless you can crouch-jump. Try and be more noob-friendly and just add a few boxes/barrels or some other way they can climb up onto sections like that.

That was one of the positive points about the map to me :>
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#7
thanks for the input guys. and thanks Z3R0! i do think that ive made some big strides in my map making skills as of late, especially if you compare this map with ac_rerailed :)

both of you concentrated on the thing i knew was going to be looked at most, and im glad because i kinda wanted feedback on that part of the map. i wanted to create a "view" like that because i find that if i want these maps to stick out more than the rest, i can't rely on clean and strong mapping alone (i.e structual integrity, which is something i do struggle with). so the "view" was meant to be a way to open the map up more. looking through all the official maps and other official-esque maps, i found that all of them are more like big rooms than parts of a city or desert.

but as you noticed, RR, the clips are very far out. i placed them there for two reasons:
1. i noticed that the benches at each "view" (i found placing them there necessary to establishing that one is looking at an ocean) will not let a player walk past even if he is 3-4 cubes behind the bench. it is almost as if an invisible and permanent clip has been set up behind the bench. i couldn't move the bench forward because i was already at the edge of the map and therefore could not move the skymap forward a bit
2. if i had not clipped the "views" at all, i feel players would camp behind the walls and make for an unrealistic map.

the idea of a wall or stupid obstacle to keep the players from moving towards the "views" is something im going to add. thx!



about the fence at the left of the blue base Z3R0, i kinda agree with RR :D . you should be able to climb over the fence but perhaps at the expense of a couple AR/smg bullets. i was trying to give the player two ways to travel with the flag: the long but easy way or the quicker but more riskier way. i built the fence thinking of how the pros would react to it. it kinda puts a little more stress on the gameplay but not so much that they couldn't handle it.

on second thought, i think i will add a knocked-over barrel or cinderblock at one side of the fence to make it easier to scale but a little more inconvenient :D
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#8
(30 Oct 12, 08:28PM)Ronald_Reagan Wrote: Not sure what I said, but that isn't what I meant.

Sorry, I kinda skimmed it and I figured that was the area you were speaking of :> I re-read and I agree about the clips, yes yes.

As for the wall, I understand what you mean, though even a jump you can do normally can be an inconvenience if you're in a hurry and you mess it up, but it's purely your choice ;)
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#9
Pretty good map here mercy, my first thought though is that you shouldn't be using the same concrete bland textures for the ceiling and the floor..pick one and change it to have some more variety! :D

I also agree with Hurp and disagree with RR in that the wall in the middle of the map seems a bit odd to me, like hurp said try and make it a little more friendly to jumping over and creating faster gameplay.

Another aspect of making it a faster and more fun/interesting gameplay is by moving the flags and not having them in the absolute corners. Even just moving the CLA flag into the opening of the room its in would make it a funnier and more interesting ctf game, as well as moving the rvsf flag up above the stairs, and you can replace those flag positions with either helmets/the like or mapmodels..which you don't have to much of.

I agree with RR and Hurp as well that simple having a clipped area for no reason always feels awkward, but I like the idea of having benchs looking toward the ocean...boardwalky feeling..even a simple railing would make it better or you can do a fench or even some cubes coming from top to bottom with some pillars and or fences...! Just SOMETHING there to show us a boundary is there.
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#10
thanks for the feedback dogdancing! sorry my response is late. i thought the idea of moving the flags out was pretty good but im stillk working on a spot to put the CLA flag.

i also lowered the fence a little and made it easier for players to climb through.

for the awkward clips, i have increased the map size (something i should have thought of earlier) and scrapped the idea of simply benches looking out at the sea. an updated version should be out shortly :D (for the few that care lol)
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