Date: 15.May.2001 (rev 1.1) ----- Instructions: ------------- Unzip the .pk3 file to wherever your /baseq3 folder is. Enter the game. Pull down the console and type "map q3_via_arena" or use the in-game multiplayer map menu to find it. Information: ------------ Title : Q3 Via Anera Filename : q3_via_arena.pk3 Author : Josh Holmes (Borg) Email Address : borg@bigpond.net.au Additional credits : id Software for making such a cool game and their generosity in making the engine and assets available for editing. : Yves Allaire (aka evil lair), for creating some of the sweetest custom textures I could find. I'll certainly be using more of his work in the future. It's all great stuff, and you can find it here: http://planetquake.com/hfx :Iikka "Fingers" Keranen, who's also responsable for a couple of the custom textures. This guy makes cool textures and DM maps, and he's been at it for a while. Dig his handywork: www.digital-eel.com/surface/ : http://www.quake3world.com and especially the guys who speak out in the editing forums there. I lurk there often, and learn heaps there. Although they don't even know it, I owe many thanks to Paul Jaquays for his many insiteful postings there, as well as Claudec (http://www.claudec.com) and SPOG (http://www.planetquake.com/spog/). : John and Fiona Gatt from VIA Australia, for giving me a lot of the inspiration and the opportunity to make a map like this (it was fun, and very educational), and also for supplying the assets from which I made the required custom textures and shaders. Not only did they allow me full creative freedom, they also gave me some solid direction (it always helps to know exactly what you're strying to create). Gameplay Specifics: ------------------- This map is a heavily renovated version of the original via_arena, borrowing some of the concepts I experimented with in 'fightclub1 and fightclub2'. Adding some 60% extra worth of level, q3_via_arena has been made specifically with gameplay and action in mind, unlike via_arena, which was made primarily to look good and stress systems. q3_via_arena features the same areas as via_arena, although they are not the prime hot-spots of the level. Focusing more on 'king of the hill' style DM and 'domination' style team DM gameplay, q3_via_arena suits 4 - 12 player DM games and anything from 2 Vs 2 to 4 Vs 4 Team DM. Bots also work reasonably well, and are smarter here than in via_arena. Unfortunately, however, due to the larget spaces and overall complexity of the level design, cluster portals have only been so effective in reducing CPU overhead. Thus, more bots in game, the more frame rates will be affected. I find anymore than 4 - 5 bots causes noticable slow-down on my system (and it's no slouch). Veteran Q3 players may raise their eyebrows at this level for a couple of reasons, so here's my response to what I know will be some obvious reactions to this level as a DM map. After playing it for a while, I think (and hope) most players will agree my excessive use of items is actually a good and refreshing thing. Reading the rest of this document will help best appreciate it (and win in it). - There's a BFG there. Yes, I included a BFG, and it's right in the heart of the map. it only spawns every 15 seconds, and I've modified it so that it only spawns with 10 ammo. It's also located at the most dangerous part of the map to be in (due to the rocket shooters). Ammo's hard to come by though, and it's no where near the BFG itself. Even with a BFG included, this map still favours rail experts. Besides, most maps just don't have BFGs so I figured at least some of you would welcome the addition :D - Rocket shooters. Each tower of the main area has a small square switch located there. These switches activate rocket cannons, which fire dual rockets into the tunnels below. One rocket will fire from the closest cannon (the red beams coming from the holes in the walls below) to your immediate left, and also from your immediate right. So if you see a player run down one of those tunnels closest to you, or simply know there's players down there, run up to the switch and activate it. This is a good way to deter BFG hungry players. Shooters seem to be used rarely in DM maps, but they definately add to the intensity of this one. - Frame rates. Due to the size, detail and most of all, execssive use of high quality shaders and textures, this map is best played on a high end system. Scaling back screen resolution makes a huge difference to frame rates, so if you're unhappy with speed, try lowering that first. If you're still unhappy, use 16bit textures instead of 32. The best overall cfg for high speed and visual quality seems to be 800 x 600 in 32bit. My next project will be to convert this map to Voyager Elite Force. With the special effects, larger texture set and most of all, broader range of weapons on offer in EF, I suspect it will turn out great (especially in light of the new expansion pack). Some feedback from anyone who plays q3_via_arena will assist me in making sure it's even better than this one. Construction: ------------- Editor(s) used : GTKRadiant (TA beta 1.1) Build time : 3 weeks approx Compile time : 6.5 hours approx