Miauz55555 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 10:09 am
I like the map design.
And I like how you named the Zones you have right now in the map. =D
Some things to optimise the map, not gameplay, just performance and so on:
<snip for shorter reply>
I for sure forgot something.
But it should be some tasks already. =^_^=
Thanks for the compliments and huge thank you for those tips. Thats going to help going forward with other maps. The part about you forgetting something - your joking There is plenty to keep me busy for sure!
Enyo wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:53 am
After playing Hangar a couple times, some observations:
- The map seems to play very lopsided. Can't remember which side config has the advantage, but every time teams switched sides, the "advantaged" or "easy" side wins via total slaughter. This is the usual case with non-symmetrical maps and prob why there aren't many of them. One side is likely to have an advantage over the other, only way to mitigate that is symmetry. I'm not a big fan of non-symmetrical maps for this reason.
- Removal of all vehicles would make this a much better map, it's too small for them. Maybe one manta per team at the core. It's kinda ridiculous having any flyers, especially a Cicada, on such a small map. The badgers are also overkill and make it impossible to come back from no nodes.
Yeah it was chaotic for sure. The blue side of the map (initial start) has the advantage because they are closer to the bridge. Thats what makes it non-symmetrical mostly.
The badgers are too much I agree. They should go. The cicada can go too or get swapped for a manta. Though half the people on the server do not know how to enter a manta, jump, land on the train, jump and go top side. Soon as Joe&K sees you do it he'll call hax lol So maybe no flyer at all.
While working on Pooty's idea I am going to try and move the bridge. I'll have to move the road too but could be worth it. Thanks for the feedback and ideas. Im gonna try 2 mantas per side (1 core & 2nd node away near crane) and 1 scorp per side. See how that works out.
There's a whole slew of various scorpions in the loadout map...might be better than badgers and easier to kill. They likely wouldn't overpower the foot soldiers.
Maybe even a ramp or two they could jump the chasm...
pooty wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:59 pm
There's a whole slew of various scorpions in the loadout map...might be better than badgers and easier to kill. They likely wouldn't overpower the foot soldiers.
Maybe even a ramp or two they could jump the chasm...
Im loving your vibe here. Gonna go in that direction. Right now Im making the map symmetrical and Ive got everything relocated. Turns out two of the buildings werent sym.
Sadly in the process of moving things all the bot paths got moved out of place and some lighting also got moved accidentally. So I will be working on moving that stuff back while implementing the other ideas. Gonna try and get her done in time for the weekend, but this could carry into next week. I want to also make the warps one way so you dont accidentally re-warp.
Another tip maybe: Use the "Groups" function in the editor, with proper names.
Definitly group all ZonePortals into one group. Than all lights which shall have the same colour, and so on. For the ZonePortals, befor you build the map, when you have changed or edited BSP, sellect the ZonePortals, right click on one and "order -> last" .. that's important, so the Zones will not messed up.
Miauz55555 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 23, 2022 3:03 pm
Another tip maybe: Use the "Groups" function in the editor, with proper names.
Definitly group all ZonePortals into one group. Than all lights which shall have the same colour, and so on. For the ZonePortals, befor you build the map, when you have changed or edited BSP, sellect the ZonePortals, right click on one and "order -> last" .. that's important, so the Zones will not messed up.
Excellent tip thanks! As Im editing Im going to start creating groups so future edits are easier. Also I need to remember the order to last. Some things you just forget over time.
captainsnarf wrote: ↑Wed Mar 23, 2022 4:51 pm
I have not put any ZonePortals in my maps. I believe pooty deleted the ZonePortals in HomeSweetHomeXmas. It seemed to make no difference.
Are ZonePortals needed anymore in 2022? It seems like modern video cards can handle this old game even with poor optimizations.
From my shrunken memory from years back Zone Portals define an area. As an example, on ONS-Hanger-18 if you are inside the building named Snarf's Place when you pull up the scoreboard it will say Snarf... Near Snarf's Place. The area has to be zoned in and have a zone info actor placed inside to define the name of the zoned area.
Zone Anti Portal prevents the game from rendering things on the other side of it, unless/until whats on the other side comes into view. So one type can be used for location info and the other for performance.
Portals might have more purposes and functions. But thats all I remember about those two.
ZonePortals are, when you can add them, most important. AntiPortals and Invisible Collision Hull are for optimise things within a Zone.
First the render things TotalBurn wrote, counts also for ZonePortals.
But also the network performance, so the things which needs to send informations from the server to your client. Like spider mines, bioblobs, projectiles, collisions, players, and so on.
Modern VideoCards may make it, but is the Engine making it?
And the naming locations, as well as KillZ and StallZ for every Zone. That's important when you have stuff under the map where players can fall on, but under that stuff, a tunnel or something .. so killz all outsite the tunnel, but not insite the tunnel.
captainsnarf wrote: ↑Wed Mar 23, 2022 4:51 pm
I have not put any ZonePortals in my maps. I believe pooty deleted the ZonePortals in HomeSweetHomeXmas. It seemed to make no difference.
Are ZonePortals needed anymore in 2022? It seems like modern video cards can handle this old game even with poor optimizations.
I didn't specifically delete them, they were likely deleted from previous edits. Although that map certainly could use them especially with all the projectiles and separate rooms... as that map tends to get laggy with a full player roster.
Miauz55555 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 24, 2022 2:56 am
[*]Modern VideoCards may make it, but is the Engine making it?
Thank you once again Miauz55555 for providing some great information and insight. I appreciate it. I quoted this one particular line because I think most of us these days take things for granted. My PC's have upgraded and evolved over the years, but the game engine in frozen in time.
