88 replies to this topic

[Instant Loser]

I think I've got the map ready for more playtesting, but I really think the stunstick metrocops need more health. This is nontrivial, as I've only managed to add health to the bosses with a bit of hacking. There might be a way.

In related news, I very nearly set an invisible antlion guard on the rebels. Whoops. Found and fixed just in time.

[Instant Loser]

How could I have forgotten about the "Fire once only" checkbox in the output tab? This changes everything! I haven't been using it so far. What sort of unnecessary pain have I inflicted upon myself? I am simultaneously happy and sad. Stunstick dudes now have +150% health.

[Instant Loser]

OK. Here's a BSP for my map. I'll take it down if I find I'm not supposed to put it here until the contest or something. This version SHOULD work, I haven't specifically tested this one, though.

EDIT: I'm taking this down. I won't get any useful feedback from this old version any more, and I don't want people stealing my traps (at least not until after the contest.)

[braddollar]

May I recommend that you come up with some sort of version system? Assuming there's a chance you may release more versions of the map. If you come out with an updated version with the same name it's tedious and annoying to have to go and delete / overwrite the old version. Something like owc_mapname_a1 for alpha, _b1 for beta. Perhaps even something as simple as just numbering it owc_mapname_X or owc_mapname_vX.

[Instant Loser]

I'm currently fixing some overall layout problems. I've already rotated the ENTIRE MAP 180 degrees, I'm now breaking up some of the symmetry near the beginning.

[Instant Loser]

New screenshot!

As you can see, I moved all the vents (and starting areas) up 32 units. What do you think? This area is no longer symmetrical, which is good. There's a spawn with a path through that control room.

At this point it seems that instead of having 25% of the map fully detailed, I have the full map 25% detailed! Everyone else seems to be having problems with the triggers, but I've been doing just fine. I think I'll work on the area in the above screenshot a bit more and add more stuff to the outdoors, since that's what people seem to remember the most. What do you all think?

If I had more time I would make the starting rooms a lot longer (6 cells in a block seems stupid), but that would require a lot of stuff to be rearranged.

I'm still trying to get liftable props working for the starting puzzles.

Displacements ahoy! Does anyone have advice for nice-looking rock clusters? Should I not use them? Is there a secret to arranging them? Mine all look bad...

[The Joker]

Instant Loser, on 10 December 2010 - 02:12 AM, said:

New screenshot!
As you can see, I moved all the vents (and starting areas) up 32 units. What do you think? This area is no longer symmetrical, which is good. There's a spawn with a path through that control room.

At this point it seems that instead of having 25% of the map fully detailed, I have the full map 25% detailed! Everyone else seems to be having problems with the triggers, but I've been doing just fine. I think I'll work on the area in the above screenshot a bit more and add more stuff to the outdoors, since that's what people seem to remember the most. What do you all think?

If I had more time I would make the starting rooms a lot longer (6 cells in a block seems stupid), but that would require a lot of stuff to be rearranged.

I'm still trying to get liftable props working for the starting puzzles.

Displacements ahoy! Does anyone have advice for nice-looking rock clusters? Should I not use them? Is there a secret to arranging them? Mine all look bad...

Might want to hurry, mate. The deadline is in three days, I would wrap up anything and focus on playtesting. And it depends on what style you want your prison to be in. Nova Prospekt had displacements, but only for antlion spawns really. Mine actually doesn't have any.

[Instant Loser]

I am hurrying! 2/3 of contests like these is simply having a submission. I'm making sure I don't get disqualified on too little detail. Anyway, I'll have some more pretty pictures in about an hour or two of the detailing I've been doing on the courtyard (if that's what we're calling it.) I've also been rebalancing furiously. I'll have the alternate respawning system up soon for testing, as well as a bunch of other things to make it easier on the rebels.

Does anyone know if I could use env_shooters to make the mines look prettier?

[Instant Loser]

DISPLACEMENTS!

Doesn't that look better, now?
Except I forgot to rotate those trees!

Just about ready for playtest #3, still fixing some stuff up. I hope it's not too easy to beat now.

If anyone has any ideas for traps to add, that would be appreciated (I like making traps!) although it's getting a bit crowded. I'm going to try to focus on traps that work best when you aren't expecting them, so the game is different every time.

[Instant Loser]

I have another version for testing up and running right now. It's named owc_outbreak_v3 now.

[Instant Loser]

More playtesting. The map is getting more and more balanced. Yay!
The level is now slightly too easy for the resistance, except for the finale, which is slightly too hard. I think this is because of the new respawning system I put in.
Are grates ever going to be fixed? I need them
Note to self: only mix bosses and soldiers very carefully. I will have to slow spawning for regular soldiers dramatically during the finale.
I thought I would have to provide an incentive for players to stay in the finale zone, but they seem to do it on their own.
I've mostly stopped adding things in preperation for submission. I still want to get it balanced correctly, though.

[Dancing]

I wish I could have played it Instant
It's looking better thoe and it gives those rooms variety and the courtyard isn't so empty anymore

[Auxor]

I love the awesome randomized mine-field. And the Antlion Guard boss fight is fun as hell.

[Instant Loser]

Auxor, on 11 December 2010 - 01:32 PM, said:

I love the awesome randomized mine-field. And the Antlion Guard boss fight is fun as hell.

What's your username? I don't remember you playing.

Oh, and I'm currently making custom button textures!

[Instant Loser]

I'm making very small adjustments at this point for balance. I've reverted the spawn times back to the way they were before, since the new respawning system makes everything easier. I've doubled the spawn time for the soldiers at the finale, though. 30 seconds is a long time, but I think it will work. I'd like some variety in the "annoying" enemies, though. Should I add more manhacks? Should I add cameras? Some enemy I'm not thinking of? I added a headcrab canister, but I'm not sure it fits.

Also, you can rocket jump 128 units in the air while taking less than 50 damage if you do it right. Has anyone had problems with this?

Also, it appears that my teleporters have never worked and I haven't noticed. I'll have to do some work moving them around, but it should be OK.

[The Joker]

Instant Loser, on 11 December 2010 - 04:11 PM, said:

I'm making very small adjustments at this point for balance. I've reverted the spawn times back to the way they were before, since the new respawning system makes everything easier. I've doubled the spawn time for the soldiers at the finale, though. 30 seconds is a long time, but I think it will work. I'd like some variety in the "annoying" enemies, though. Should I add more manhacks? Should I add cameras? Some enemy I'm not thinking of? I added a headcrab canister, but I'm not sure it fits.

Also, you can rocket jump 128 units in the air while taking less than 50 damage if you do it right. Has anyone had problems with this?

Also, it appears that my teleporters have never worked and I haven't noticed. I'll have to do some work moving them around, but it should be OK.

Headcrab canisters don't belong in a prison. 30 seconds is outrageously long for troop spawns. I suggest you revert it back to 15 seconds and find ways to make it more difficult for the Rebels. The way I made the finale really hard is that the Rebels had to go through and array of prison cells, as the main hallways were blocked off by the Combine. Indoor fighting was pretty intense, it would be insane if there were 7 rebels. I suggest you either add details or a structure or something or a maze/something complicated that makes the Rebels have to move as one unit, or to encourage them to move together. Something they would have to work together on. This ultimately depends on how team-oriented your map is. owc_prison is almost impossible to beat by yourself, but with a cooperative team, it would quite fun.

[Instant Loser]

The Joker, on 11 December 2010 - 04:49 PM, said:

Headcrab canisters don't belong in a prison. 30 seconds is outrageously long for troop spawns. I suggest you revert it back to 15 seconds and find ways to make it more difficult for the Rebels. The way I made the finale really hard is that the Rebels had to go through and array of prison cells, as the main hallways were blocked off by the Combine. Indoor fighting was pretty intense, it would be insane if there were 7 rebels. I suggest you either add details or a structure or something or a maze/something complicated that makes the Rebels have to move as one unit, or to encourage them to move together. Something they would have to work together on. This ultimately depends on how team-oriented your map is. owc_prison is almost impossible to beat by yourself, but with a cooperative team, it would quite fun.

It's not that long if you also have rollermines and a gunship, and the soldiers in question have AR2s. Fifteen seconds was way too short in playtests.
There's only one canister, and it's outside the prison. It's not very powerful, so I hope it won't be used in every game.
I already have a finale, and it's very different than yours. Thanks for the advice, though.

What do you all think about putting the finale on a coastal cliffside? I'm not sure where I'd put the spawns, but it would make the most sense.

[Jgoodroad]

add another headcrab canister. it makes little sense why the OW would only send 1

[Instant Loser]

Jgoodroad, on 11 December 2010 - 05:08 PM, said:

add another headcrab canister. it makes little sense why the OW would only send 1

OK.

Also, could anyone host my map really fast? I've figured out how to do it myself, but I'm behind a firewall with a slow connection for today.

[WAXT]

Instant Loser, on 11 December 2010 - 09:56 PM, said:

Also, could anyone host my map really fast? I've figured out how to do it myself, but I'm behind a firewall with a slow connection for today.

Ha, you and me both brother. The contest ends in less than 48 hours (i think. timezones remember.) and i've got no way of hosting a playtest server. I don't want to upload to the official server until i'm sure it will be a near-final build.