Map : ac_alcatraz

[SrPER$IAN]

ac_alcatraz by SrPERSIAN
Click to Download ac_alcatraz

Introduction
As the name reveals, the theme of the map is prison. Though there are several maps which are based on prison theme but in my opinion none of them could reach the atmosphere of a real prison inside and most have nothing about prison but their titles only. In this map two main goals have been followed, it has been tried to bring a new theme of maps for AC with considering highly realistic features and bringing a real atmosphere of a prison, plus focusing hard on the gameplay which leads to a well-played unbiased map. The final goal results in a new generation of the maps in AC.

Map Story
The real Alcatraz is an abandoned prison located in San Ferancisco Bay which is very famous for that no prisoner could successfully escape of it. Map is made based on the real story of prison break of two prisoners who tried to escape at 1962 (up to now nobody knows if they could really survive or drown in the ocean) .In the map it has been tried to induce a rusty and horror atmosphere of an old prison, since just the next year the prison got officially closed after about 30 years (1963). [More information @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz_Island ]

Map Gameplay
The whole map is based on a Core room at the center which connect s two rooms to each bases. There are three exits for each bases which make the Left-Right-Middle paths.(Picture below)


Map Details
Though all modes can played in this map, but basically Alcatraz is made for CTF war mode with at most 20 players for both side. The map consists of 10 main rooms such as :RVSF Base(Control Room),CLA Base (Prison Room). Rvsf and CLA courts, Execution Yard, Urban Area , Power room and so on.
P.S : The whole map rooms are just some inspiration from the real pictures of Alcatraz and other old prisons, though they mainly got edited according to the game play and mapping restrictions.

Map Screenshots

"CLA Yard with Watching Tower at the Corner"


"RVSF Base"



"Execution Yard"


"Power Room"


New features
It's been tried to use some most unused textures and mapmodels ,(thx to Fundog for his guidance about mapcfg stuff), in this map to bring an exotic atmosphere to the game. Plus one new mapmodel is added to the game, "the execution rope", thanks to my dear friend Cleaner who made this model. The new mapmodel is just got a decorative role , means it's obviously doesn’t affect the game play at all.

Appreciation
Here let me say my big thanks again to all the guys who really supported me from the begging to the end. My special thanks to "DES|Cleaner" and "fundog" and also AC godmapper, " Shad-99". Forsure without their help it was impossible to release this map, really appreciate them.

Attention : Accorrding to the name of one of the most famous prisoner of Alcatraz., I decided to put a picture frame of "Al Caponne" in memory of him, hided in the map at one of the bases, the first guy who finds it, will win 100boxes ;) [not too easy to find it though]…

[b]P.S : You need to Copy the new mapmodels into your AC in order to see the picture.[/b]
Load your Alcatraz now and Enjoy the game, maybe you'll be the guy who meets "Al Cappone" there too.

click to Download ac_alcatraz

Goodluck

[1Cap]

wow! nice map.. ill play it and report you!!

ps: hard to find

edited 4 fun:

[Shorty]

Thanks for making a map for our dear friend HyPE|Alcatraz!

[SrPER$IAN]

@1cap : thx and you got keen eyes ..hehe
@shorty: I dunno this guy but he owes me 100 boxes now for mentioning his name :)

[DogDancing]

Looks like a good map bro, I like the bases quite a lot. I don't have to much time right now to critic it, but I'll take a closer look/run through later, definitely a decent looking map though bro. Sucks though that you released it the same night I released mine, yours is going to eclipse mine! :(

[SrPER$IAN]

@ dogdancing yh I just saw your job bro, the coincidence was not intentionally though we can both rock.:) will be glad to hear your comments after checking the map, I always suppose ya as of one of my mentors in mapping.

[Xenon]

me like!

[Z3R0]

I really like this, looks really pretty and has a nice layout, I've not seen many prison maps but this is done really well. I love the guard tower, and the execution yard is nice. Looks like you worked hard on this, and I hope to see more in future. Gj. :D

[SrPER$IAN]

@Xenon ty.
@Z3RO thx for your support, actually I have tried to combine my occupation experience(architect) with my experience of playing AC for years. I hope I could make something worth of it. surely I'll try to continue it in future by seeing you supporting guys. thx

[Mr.Floppy]

That's quite a nice map ineed.

The layout seems a little complex at first sight, but I've managed finding my way around rather quikly. Most likely because you've did a great job in adding some real purpose to those rooms and areas. Also the sounds are fitting perfectly.

The lighting seems a bit too bright, while bright isn't really the right word. It's all nice the way it is, but I'm missing a few more shadows and contrasts. Especially on the outside area you could use some blue shaded dark "ambient" lighting and small but intense spots for those street lights.

The map is pretty colourful, which isn't bad in general, but it's a tad too much here and there in my opinion. For instance, you're using different rusty metal textures for those pipes running along the ceiling and also different textures for supporters and stuff on the ceiling, which sometimes makes things look a little mixed up and you can't really recognize where one starts and another one ends. Well,... poor explanation, but I hope you're getting what I'm trying to say.

Hope to find it on a server soon. Seems promising for TDM/CTF fun.
Keep up the good work!

One little hint, because I saw it on your map (the open fence gate) and dogdancing probably could need it on his map too, for his "fallen off" ladder. You actually can use negative elevation parameters for mapmodels on the config file. It's the third parameter. You will have to raise the model wherever it doesn't need to dive into the ground, though:

[SELECT ALL] Code:

mapmodel 0 0 -1 0 "some mapmodel that's positioned one unit below surface"

[Oracle]

Best newcomer in the 2013 mapping contest perhaps?


Nicely done, lad.




Edit: But actually though @ my first point^, this could work nicely...hint hint

[SrPER$IAN]

@Mr.Floppy First of all , my honor you checked up the map and thx for the comments and the critics.

about the light, for years i've been playing AC with +200gamma, guess my eyes are used to this brightness but when started lighting the map I had to set the gamme to its defualt 100, I might overuse brightness in order to I won't have change the default gamma anymore. maybe my eyes are just so used to brightness.

the ducts on the ceiling, they're are all supposed to start from the power room. perhaps I acknowledge it's alil bit exaggerated in some rooms such as the cell room next to the powerromm. Colorful ceiling was intentionally done since the AC mapping restriction with the light codding of AC which makes it impossible to implement shadows on the ceiling. I had to use the trick of using darker/lighter colors on the ceiling to make (the illusion of) shadows.i do agree it looks alit bit tod with the colors. perhaps large combination of textures is needed.

that fencedoor, take it as my lazyass, actually i did know about it when my map was almost done, and I was so lazy to fix it, so i decided to hide it with a brokenwood mapmodel...but had no idea a proffessional mapper catches me so easily with his keen eyes...hehe

I really appreciate for your comments, Surely I'll try to consider all your tips on my job. ty.

---

@shadowflames thx my friend. I appreciate.

[Andrez]

I do love prison themed maps, and this is damn good!

[Pi_Halo]

I must say, that for a new mapper that this was a pleasant surprise. The layout flows nicely and there is nice transition from one room to the next. As mentioned the lights could improve. Also, I feel as if the textures could as well. They aren't exactly consistent throughout the map and that can easily be fixed. If you would like, you can find me on IRC or AC and I can detail exactly what I mean.

I hope you don't take that too harass and I mean it only to improve and be helpful. Solid map nonetheless, keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing more from you in the future.

[SrPER$IAN]

@andrez thx
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@Pi_Halo thx for your comments. surely I've put the map here to use you guys comments and improve my job. will be glad to talk more about it in private. btw I dunno how to catch ya in IRC.

[Mr.Floppy]

...
the ducts on the ceiling, they're are all supposed to start from the power room. perhaps I acknowledge it's alil bit exaggerated in some rooms such as the cell room next to the powerromm. Colorful ceiling was intentionally done since the AC mapping restriction with the light codding of AC which makes it impossible to implement shadows on the ceiling.
...

Well, faking lightmaps/shaders by arranging different somewhat similiar textures on one item is quite a clever idea indeed. Never thought about that myself and when used in a more subtle fashion (ac_complex) I've always considered it to be texture mismatches, to be honest. Dear god, after all those years... :)

[SrPER$IAN]

@Mr.Floppy Well in my opinion, lighting is the main part of in mapping which characterize your map whether it's gonna have realistic feeling or not. Though there are some empty holes in this mapping tools, but the art of the mappers might fill it up.

[DogDancing]

but the art of the mappers might fill it up True words right there, expect for the might. Its all "art" after all right, made by you and is unique.
Like I said before one of the parts I enjoy bout your map is the bases they have decent layouts/desgin. I really enjoy the overall feel of the map, and all the cropped detail you have going on. The outside part of the map is probably my least favorite part if I had to pick, a weird part is on the part were your going down the stairs the wall outside of that, with the big flat rectangle in the wall the ones on the opposite side of the map work because of the lined textures you used but not that one. Also where those strips are the palette with 4 barrels on it seems pretty oddly placed right in front of a walkway/tunnel..since you have that ladder to no where you might as well put it infront of that more since doesn't matter, I'd even take of the ladder enity you don't need it. And I know I was annoyed the 2 times I went up there only to see nothing and hope back down ;) kinda pointless.

Also about the light, like others said it can be inporved a little. But what you have I like its not bad, your map is mostly grey textures(prison) so I think the use of the colored lights help break that up. That being said use it suttle and sparingly..your you've got to really think about complementary colors and the overall tone.

Is the part with the cobble stone suppose to be outside outside of the prison? If it is probably shouldn't be able to see people being hung from outside the prison. And if its not then the part with the small blockade might as well be a fence with barbed wire(only for realism's shitty sake) at the moment the white thing seems kinda out of place and you've already got nice wall designs I think repeating would work better. Also bug on the top of the stairs near RVSF flag, unless intentional.

It was really hard to think of things that I didn't like or think were good in this map, 93% of this map is very interesting just a few area's like the really narrow walkways..and maybe the hall with absolutely noting could use some work..you could just add a private sell in that hall so its not so plain.
Again, great map. Your already a great mapper SrPER$IAN I hope you keep them coming.

[SrPER$IAN]

@DogDancing first of all thx for the compliments and for sharing your reviews.

is the part with the cobble stone suppose to be outside outside of the prison?

yes it is supposed to be an urban area after prisonbreak.
Actually I think achieving to 100% realism in a map is kinda impossible or even if it was possible, it would be a big mistake to follow it only. since gameplay and also mapping make some restriction themselves, in my opinion it's not really good to have a natural-like map without considering about the gameplay(though getting closer to reality is always satisfying). so I believe, thinking about something like "why the hangrope is seen from the outside?" is kinda over splitting hairs.
about that road which restricted by adding clips, actually I did like the map seem be more realistic, plus stimulating the players' mind about what would be there and how will be look like the rest of the town, instead of facing to a window with the skymap view inside [actually I'm totally against of seeing the skymap's surface in a map, IMO it induces the feeling that the whole map is floating somewhere in the space, and makes it really feel unreal.] On the other hand I didn't like to block that way with fences, since with doing that I would make the whole urban area as a part of the prison. I do agree with ya something else would fit better. IMO a new mapmodel could work.(maybe something like those control gates at the entrance of Parking slots, sry dunno what they are really called in english :) )

Also bug on the top of the stairs near RVSF flag, unless intentional.

a weird part is on the part were your going down the stairs the wall outside of that, with the big flat rectangle in the wall the ones on the opposite side of the map work because of the lined textures you used but not that one.

actually I didn't get exactly where you mean or I couldn't find it. maybe cuz of my poor english. could you provide it with some photos plz.


again thx for your comment and surely I will take your advices to make the map better, specially about the light stuff. ty.

[SrPER$IAN]

The link and the Map got Updated :
-Visual Bugs Fixed
-Light got Balanced
-License Added to the Documentation section.

[R4zor]

Great map, you obviously know what you're doing, don't have to spend long on it to see it's quality. Well done.

One little thing - I'd personally fully clip off the cordoned off areas, the issue with clipping a thin barrier is sometimes players can spawn behind the fence and be stuck until suicide or killed. Great job though.

[SrPER$IAN]

@R4zor thx for the comment and also the nice tip. tbh you're my fav mapper. studied your maps and always adore them all.