Quake3World

hi, everyone.

after my last ctf layout kind of failed i switched over to an unfinished tourney map that has been collecting dust for two years. i'm rather liking this one so i thought i would put it up for some testing. it's called Echoes. i'm looking for any kind of feedback on tourney gameplay, just remember it's only a layout test. the map should show up in your ffa and tourney menu and bots are included.

thanks!
-pat

DOWNLOAD HERE (Latest Version, 0.4MB)

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3305662/screenshots/echoes/echoes.jpg[/lvlshot]

[lvlshot]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3305662/screenshots/echoes/overview.jpg[/lvlshot]

Some "early" comments:

• The overall scale is much more that of a FFA map than that of a compact tourney map, IMO. You may consider focusing on FFA more.
• The map has a "sewer" feel to it, probably the greenish wall textures. I find that less "appetizing" as theme. But several elements hint at a Roman thermal bath, with additional aqueduct theme. If you go for the latter the map could turn out to be really spiffy and unique.
• Water... I like it as deco, and your RA water looks nice... trouble, IMO, is that path-wise you will have to run around in it. The present water height will slow down players, especially in Tourney that is deadly. So the players will stay out of any water if they can avoid it. This also means your water areas might just as well be lava... thus making all the edge paths too narrow for comfort.
• Let the player run out of water without jumping. A 8ux8u cross-section player clip brush alon all the water edges will let the player "step" out of the water.
• The RA JP could have a bit more vertical bounce... you barely make it to the upper ledge.
• If you really want to build a Tourney map, I would suggest significantly reducing the size of many areas, plus shorten paths in corridors. E.g. the YA area.
• And then think about something like two paths, on the upper level and on the lower level that let the players move on different heights, interconnecting them interestingly.
• Not wanting to overdo it, but to get a feel what I mean about pathing, take a look at Jester's New Layout. I can very much recommend it. He really nails the concept of Tourney maps... interesting layout but still compact, plus vertical fighting that is not overdone.

Hope that was not too presumptuous of myself.

@AEon

nope, not at all. i appreciate your feedback. (also, thanks for commenting on my ctf layout a few weeks ago.)

to address some of your critique, let me start with the scale. i think you might be getting a little tricked by the door sizes. i haven't figured out what style of door i am going to use yet, so i just threw in some wide paths. it makes the map feel a lot bigger than it really is. tourneys need choke points though, you are absolutely right. so for now i have added in some simple arch doors that are tighter than the old paths. you can see them in the new screenshot.

edit: after playing with a friend i am beginning to see what you mean a little bit about the paths. i'm going to be scaling down a few areas just a tad here and there...

i have seen jester's new layout and i am digging it, but i am not going for that type of tourney here. i'm hoping to achieve something more like pro-q3dm6 with the large atria and longer paths.

it seems like you didn't like the water. that's too bad. i think it's different, and it adds extra skill to moving around the map. you never actually have to touch the water, that's what the stepping stones are for. i am aware that this will probably be a polarizing feature.

thanks again for the feedback. new version is up. let me know if you think the doors are any improvement.

Generally speaking it would probably be best that you continue working on sketching out the layout, until you think it is pretty much there. Heights, stairs, platforms, pathing, JPs etc... tentatively adding items. And then comment on the main ideas why certain layout choices were made.

Then everyone will be able to give much more meaningful feedback. I mention this because voting on layout will not work, usually, the vision of the mapping author first needs to be there, then tweaking can be suggested.

• textures/base_floor/tilefloor6.TGA is missing in the pk3.
• RA JP destination entity should be about 32u higher.

Hmm... Looks like an early alpha... What version anyway? Alpha #1?

i am working on compactifying the layout. update should come today or tomorrow morning .

@AEon

the tile texture is a standard quake texture i am almost positive. are you sure it's not a conflict on your end? my quakeclean sees it fine.

@CZGhost

it is an early alpha. i've only updated the link once, i guess you could call it version two.

Pat Howard wrote: the tile texture is a standard quake texture i am almost positive. are you sure it's not a conflict on your end? my quakeclean sees it fine.

Your clean folder does not seem to be very clean, even in my development folder textures/base_floor/tilefloor6.TGA does not exist. textures/base_floor/tilefloor7.TGA on the other hand does.

Update: Not sure why my Directory Opus search that includes archives failed to find the file: Quake3\baseq3\mapmedia.pk3\textures\base_floor\tilefloor6.jpg... but it's in mapmedia, not part of Q3A.

Good old mapmedia!

fun map man, looking forward to seeing the art direction.

few ideas for this room...



welcome back

Sorry, couldn't resist myself

new version up! check first post. thanks for the constructive feedback! (@pete, sorry, didn't see your post until just now, did not know of your suggestions).

changes:

-all rooms have been scaled down at least slightly.
-opened up entrances to the center, especially the one from the MH atrium.
-fixed low jump pad .
-added tele from RG to MH atrium.
-added a second RL, as that seems to be the style these days.

please comment! thanks,
-pat

Fjoggs wrote:Good old mapmedia!

way better scale.

seeing the ra/rl/rg in one view is a little concerning...
[lvlshot]http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/7986/shot0018kg.jpg[/lvlshot]

what kinda theme you thinking of using? wooo

@fKd

thanks, it's probably going to be a functioning sewer, with bath-type architecture, and some sky visible through ceiling grates . ledge by YA sounds like a good idea.