SolarAE - Solar - AEon's Edit - Final!

[cityy]

Sounds like a nifty idea

What about doing it like this?:

[lvlshot]http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/853/solarae.jpg[/lvlshot]

[Hipshot]

I can probably release a final of this map pretty soon.

Hipshot, would it be OK if I used some of your Solar textures in AEdm7? I noted that both maps have a similar theme, and e.g. that gate "5" texture and a few others would really help make the map more diverse. I'm also thinking of using "my" JP effect from SolarAE in AEdm7 as well, fans as JPs.

Missed this, if you haven't already - you are allowed to use all my released textures in any map of yours however you want. Anyone can really... the only thing that annoys me is when people mix up the shader files, but I don't think you will =)

[AEon]

cityy,
those "ledges" are a design element, probably added by Hipshot to make the footprint on the floor more interesting than some straight wall. And I agree, thus never thought of changing that. On the opposing wall I did cut away some of the wall "columns" to add more movement space... though rethinking it I am not so sure. It's probably a good thing to have waited on a final release. I learned some new interesting things, and after several weeks one tends to see the map with "fresh" eyes. I might even create a rock face under the walkways here .

Hipshot,
thanks... though the only thing that did "wander" over to AEdm7 were the JP effects. And I discovered Tabun's DOOM gates that fit AEdm7 qutie well. Incidentally, the fan driven JPs in AEdm7, were actually what I hat initially planned to do in SolarAE, but there I did not want to cut up the huge floor brush to make that possible, so I went for those "mobile" smaller JP models.

[AEon]

Taking a close look at the pretty finished version to released it on lvlworld, that way Hipshot's map will get a wider recognition it deserves... all be it in my "interpretation".

From a test run I do not really see what needs to be changed much. Looking into it now.

For those interested the Beta 3 download still works:

Solar - AEon's Edit - r116 Beta 3 (last beta)

Download:

• • map-solarae_r116_beta3.zip (8.21 MB) @ hugelaser.com
    (Install: Unpack the .zip into your baseq3\ folder, run the map via in-game skirmish button.)

Anyone know if lvlworld can also accept two names as map authors?

[phantazm11]

Anyone know if lvlworld can also accept two names as map authors?

Yes they can.

[Eraser]

Wow, I had never seen this map before. It looks really nice. Also love what you did with the jumppads.

[AEon]

Felt it would be good to finally release the map. It's my favourite Hipshot map (the original)... and I always loved to go back and play against bots in it.

[AEon]

I played beta 3 some more, there are a few things I think could use changing:

• I'd like to add some form of very low fog that looks like floating dust, to make the light cones more plausible for the lights in the LG arena. Trouble is I have no idea how. Suggestions appreciated.
• The Quad is still present in tourney, will have to remove it. IIRC that was possible for tourney only, or was it... forgot.
• The MH does not get collected by bots Anarki and Uriel. I looked into the bot files, and there is no entry to make bots go for the MH or RA specifically (will look into attractors again). Just generic Health and Armour settings (Anarki and Uriel have both set to 2). Tested Hunter (H2 A3) and Klesk (H3 A4)... but these played the map much weaker. So apparently the bots simply do not "trust" the AP in the LG arena to get to the MH. I noted that Hunter, always prefers the LG over the MH. Well to make the map a bit fresher, I am considering of adding some tubing up at the MH that lets the bots access the MH by "walking" there. Even a break in the wall near the MH is something I am thinking about.
• For FFA a third bot might up the action slightly, the LG obsessed Hunter might work.
• The TP room, IMO is too large, it is like a completely separate arena. Though the room is normally just used to grab the RA and then TP out again. Will make the room smaller.
• The water "puddle" near the RA, is another thing I am thinking of dropping. I never jump into the water there anyway, as a sound cue that someone is about to grab the RA.
• Some of the planks I added, that Hipshot never had, though I use them all the time, are are adding too much paths. E.g. those along the wall from the TP exit to the RG. In my mind a break in the MH wall might be a better alternate path.

Looks like there will be another beta ... when playing the map I always had the feeling the pathing was not quite there, even with Hipshot's original. Maybe I just want to tamper with the map some more to add a certain level of newness to play with :-P

[Eraser]

Do you have a link to the original, or was it never released?

[Theftbot]

http://ws.q3df.org/map/solar/

[AEon]

SolarAE - Solar - AEon's Edit - r128 (Final)

• [lvlshot]http://aemap.hugelaser.com/solarae_levelshot.jpg[/lvlshot]

Last changes:

• TP room was reduced in size.
• Added extra tube for bots to get the MH (and shards) directly. Bots now actually use the AP to get to the MH.
• Colour-coded the team location tags.
• Added Klesk as a third FFA bot.
• Removed the shortcut along the wall from the GL TP exit directly to the RG via metal planks. Messed with the layout too much.
• Fixed a few more geometry inconsistencies, clipping, texturing.
• Darker red sand textures are now the default ones.
• Updated readme.

Download:

• • map-solarae.zip (7.72 MB) @ hugelaser.com
    (Install: Unpack the .zip into your baseq3\ folder, run the map via single player menu, skirmish button. The BSP is named solarae.bsp.)

So, and another one of the maps I had pretty much finished editing in 2009, only took another more days to give it that final polish. The extra time might have been well spent to come up with those few changes... I hope.

Thanks for the support and feedback over all that time.

[Bliccer]

Just BEAUTIFUL!

[Infernis]

I didn't see this one before. Looks promosing. I will check it out later.

[Eraser]

I played it. Absolutely phenomenal map.

[fKd]

amazing map man, great work. the effort has been worth it. added to collection. small question, did you use a light fog? you could try a really light custom fog.

still 9.99/10

[AEon]

Hipshot never used any fog... I was thinking of adding very flat fog that looks like dust on the floor of the map, but then skipped the idea.

[fKd]

i'd go with a very subtle light redish brown total coverage fog if it were me. those visable fog layers sometimes look a little odd.

none the less, gratz mang

[Infernis]

I played it. I can't remember the last time I downloaded a custom map and actually played a full round with bots. This is amazing stuff. Visually stunning, good usage of textures, beautiful skybox, lovely jump pads with great fog effects and a very creative teleporter. Gameplay is excellent too, great layout, good pacing, great connectivity, nice item placement and the MH placement is a very nice touch. As you can see, can't say something bad about it. This one is a keeper for me.

[Eraser]

Oh yeah that's the only thing I thought was a bit odd. I was surprised to see water running in such a dry place (but that's alright) but I never expected it to teleport me away. It's no biggie, but to me it didn't look like a telep at all

[AEon]

Yeah... come to think of it... Why would such a dry area have a water TP? ... oh well...

Note: Most of the good things mentioned, the fundamental layout, texture design, geometry design are all Hipshot's original.

I tweaked and changed some of the geometry, and pathing but keeping in Hipshot's style. Double-TP was actually my design, and the JPs. I still love the "wushing wind sound" Pat borrowed to me for the angled MH JP.

[Plan B]

Looks great AEon!

I´m going to install Q3A on my new puter, just to experience it.
Consider yourself honored

[AEon]

Honored

[nitin77]

really like what you have done with this, in fact aesthetically I prefer it to Hipshot's beta.

[AEon]

That makes be blush slightly... then again one should be aware that his map was as you say a beta... who knows what he might have added/changed.

Anyway, as long as the map is fun to play all is well, and I think that was what Hipshot wanted, to get a "done" version out there, because he simply did not know when he himself could finish it.