3 replies to this topic

[ScrooLewse]

OWC_Desparation

Concept:
Making use of the ability to control any unit, you experience a reversal of roles and play as the Antlions instead of the Combine.
Possibly having a three way battle between two Overwatches and the Rebels if coding could possibly allow it.
Multiple ways to win.

Background:
The Overwatch has failed irredeemably. Sent to clear an Antlion nest that was beginning to be a problem, they never expected a Rebel ambush. Overwhelmed by both sides, a large chunk of the invasion force has been separated from her all-seeing eye.

This Antlion nest is a major problem for the resistance, as well. And now that you have this Combine Unit cornered, you should finish them-off and bring back the battle force to get rid of this problem. Turning-on the dead unit's distress beacon should be enough to bring back the main forces. Who knows, you may be able to isolate another group to overwhelm!

But be sure not to let the Antlions keep those soldiers, those men would be valuable food for the weary nest that could power then through the Combine invasion.

Objective:

Overwatch:
Kill All Rebels
Kill more Combine Soldiers than the Rebels (Only if the distress beacon is activated)

Rebels:
Trigger the Combine Distress Beacon
Kill more Combine than the Antlions

Layout:

This map has four major areas:

The main chamber where most of the Rebel on Antlion combat will happen.
Two Combine holdouts on either side of the main chamber.
A small maze of tunnels on either side of the main chamber that connect the main chamber to the Combine holdouts. This maze is randomly generated out of several sections of tunnels.
And a smaller chamber that was a small Combine outpost now overrun by the Antlions.

Final notes:
This map will probably be completed. If this isn't WIP by February, I donate the idea to the community.

I'm very open to suggestions, its much easier to change a concept than it is to change a map. I would really like some input on making details for the map so have fun with it and I'll incorporate your input.

[Instant Loser]

I can't imagine two overwatches being used in more than one map, so don't get your hopes up.

Remember, you can't use EP2 resources! That means no antlion tunnels and no antlion workers. I really don't see how you could make antlion tunnels without EP2, and without antlion workers, the map will likely be boring for the overwatch. The main decision the overwatch makes is what units to spawn, and if there's only one, you have a problem. Anyway, according to another thread (owc_lab, I think), simply porting the content to HL2 violates copyright.

Truly generating a random maze is difficult, especially with triggers instead of code. Believe me, I've tried. Your best bet is to just have several predefined layouts to choose from.

Detecting who kills a unit is somewhat difficult, but possible. I'd try having each combine have an output to add one to the rebel score (math_counter). I would then have each combine also have an "OnDeath !activator FireUser1" input as well. Each antlion out have their OnUser1 output subtract one from the rebel score and add one to the overwatch score. There might be an easier way, but this would work.

True three-way battles are extremely hard to balance. This seems more like a two-way battle where the combine are a resource. Keep that in mind.

I wouldn't claim that a map will be completed until the whole thing is at least blocked out, but that's just me.

[ScrooLewse]

Instant Loser, on 16 December 2010 - 04:04 AM, said:

Remember, you can't use EP2 resources! That means no antlion tunnels and no antlion workers. I really don't see how you could make antlion tunnels without EP2, and without antlion workers, the map will likely be boring for the overwatch. The main decision the overwatch makes is what units to spawn, and if there's only one, you have a problem. Anyway, according to another thread (owc_lab, I think), simply porting the content to HL2 violates copyright.

Understandable. I don't need workers, I will have Standard Antlions, Antlion Guards, and a multitude of interesting traps to detract from the fact that that you don't have any range units. And if I can't port tunnels, I'll make them. Stare at the Antlion tunnels long enough to get a feel for them and copy the style they were made in. I know its a lot for a fist map but I've got a lot of time on my hands.

Instant Loser, on 16 December 2010 - 04:04 AM, said:

Truly generating a random maze is difficult, especially with triggers instead of code. Believe me, I've tried. Your best bet is to just have several predefined layouts to choose from.

That's what I had in mind. There would be two halves of each side of the maze that would have multiple configurations, making each bridge to the other side and the Combine holdouts feed from a different tunnel.

Instant Loser, on 16 December 2010 - 04:04 AM, said:

Detecting who kills a unit is somewhat difficult, but possible. I'd try having each combine have an output to add one to the rebel score (math_counter). I would then have each combine also have an "OnDeath !activator FireUser1" input as well. Each antlion out have their OnUser1 output subtract one from the rebel score and add one to the overwatch score. There might be an easier way, but this would work.

True three-way battles are extremely hard to balance. This seems more like a two-way battle where the combine are a resource. Keep that in mind.

I know that. I have a few major changes to the map if the Combine are playable. Until then, they're a resource.

Instant Loser, on 16 December 2010 - 04:04 AM, said:

I wouldn't claim that a map will be completed until the whole thing is at least blocked out, but that's just me.

I have backup plans. Plenty of them. I put this here because the ideas floating around my head are starting to feel stale. To me, at least.
I wanted some community input for interesting twists that I would never have thought of.

If you want to see a map I've blocked-out, look at the wall of text that is OWC_Extraction

[Reaper]

Tunnels are very simplistic once you get a hand on displacements. I remember one time I made trenches on a multiplayer map out of subdivided displacements. I passed the engine limits for displacements and couldn't make it, so be careful.