AEtour - Beta 3 - d/l (2nd update)

Post by **AEon** » Thu May 18, 2006 9:31 pm

Oeloe wrote:I don't understand how you managed to get those skybox lines in btw. I still see them (not the usual black lines though) with conformant texture clamp off on my GF 6800GS...

They never were gone on ATi cards, supposedly Nvidia was doing something "wrong" in OpenGL, that fixed that problem. But the new cards seems to have the same problem now.

Post by **Oeloe** » Thu May 18, 2006 10:10 pm

I know, i've had (still have) ATi cards. On other maps with real skyboxes (lika your map aesafe) i don't see skybox lines, so something must be up with the skybox in aetour.

Post by **AEon** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:10 pm

Are you sure... that's very weird since I have been using the same q3map2 options since aesafe etc... and there I seem to remember the same lines as well. Very strange.

Post by **Oeloe** » Fri May 19, 2006 8:57 am

Just to be clear: the lines are there on aesafe on ATi cards and my GF6800 too, unless i disable conformant texture clamp. IIRC that was an openGL function that nVidia used in a wrong way, which id compensated for in the engine. Sadly the icculus build doesn't fully fix the problem, the lines are still vaguely visible (not if you zoom in on them for some reason). Hopefully they addressed it in a more recent build...

But perhaps it's the -skyfix that causes the lines to show up, because that parameter isn't enough to make the lines disappear. Try compiling without it. Otherwise it must be something Hipshot did to his skybox textures?

Post by **AEon** » Fri May 19, 2006 12:22 pm

Will try a compile without the -skyfix option for beta3.

Post by **AEon** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:17 pm

Anyone have a nice suggestion for a skybox?

Orangy... the one I am presently using I want to use for AEglow at some point.

[Edit] Found one... using Hipshot's Stormydays.

Post by **Hipshot** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:10 pm

I have a unrealsed sky that you might like, I haven't used it yet because the map I made it for was set to hold for a while. However, if you want you may use it. Pm me if so...

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/469/ ... re12dr.jpg

full res sample

http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/9762 ... 6009pq.jpg

(Edit: Maybe it will fit the DM7 better(?))

Post by **wviperw** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:34 pm

I liked the very circular flow going on, but I didn't like all the vertical jumppads slowing you down. Also, the top of the level needs to be ramped steeper so you can't play around up there and it also needs player clip so players can't jump outside of the level.

Post by **AEon** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:15 pm

wviperw wrote:I liked the very circular flow going on, but I didn't like all the vertical jumppads slowing you down. Also, the top of the level needs to be ramped steeper so you can't play around up there and it also needs player clip so players can't jump outside of the level.

Hmm... about the vertical jumppads, since there is only one left, IMO that one case should be ok. The other vertical JP is almost a AP since it is so flat.

The top of the map, if I read that correctly, simply needs to be totally clipped off. You will not be able to walk around up there at all, once I get to it. The "holes" in the roof, I am still debating with myself, they would let you get into the outer corridors from the arena via Rocket Jump.

While I am at it, a current shot of the Arena (lighting too bright at present):

Hipshot,
yo, I seem to remember Tempest? Nice skybox. See how you like your skybox I am currently using (in Beta 3), gives the map that more peaceful feel IMO.

Post by **wviperw** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:14 am

Hmm, well I remember at least one tall JP and then there was an annoying short one that didn't really make any sense to have in since you could just put a ramp/stairs there.

Regarding clipping the top of the map, be careful not to clip too much. Clipping should generally match the visual so if it looks like a player should be able to RJ over the wall to trick his opponent then he should be able to. Also, with those ramped edges up top I was saying make them steeper because it'd be more fun to get launched up to the top (say your opponent hits a midair rox while you're coming out of the tele) and to kind of slide down the ramps rather than hitting an invisible wall.

Post by **AEon** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:50 am

wviperw wrote:Hmm, well I remember at least one tall JP and then there was an annoying short one that didn't really make any sense to have in since you could just put a ramp/stairs there.

Regarding clipping the top of the map, be careful not to clip too much. Clipping should generally match the visual so if it looks like a player should be able to RJ over the wall to trick his opponent then he should be able to. Also, with those ramped edges up top I was saying make them steeper because it'd be more fun to get launched up to the top (say your opponent hits a midair rox while you're coming out of the tele) and to kind of slide down the ramps rather than hitting an invisible wall.

wviperw,
jo... will drop the flat one then... the tall one I need to get up there some where to the RL unless I completly close off that area up there. That would let you get to the RL via AP from the other side of the arena, a RJ from the central arena and the path from the GL. Hmmm...

Ramping off top... ah... would have to be very steep to not have footing... might be worth a try in clipping... and if that plays well, I'll change the roof tops to fit the ramping.

Post by **AEon** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:04 pm

Hopefully should have Beta 3 done today.

Had to rebuild the complete map with Player Clip... sigh.

Post by **AEon** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:33 pm

Finally cut a double-bevel Jumppad into the arced geometry. A thing of a few minutes when working at right angles, at an angle it really turns out to be a challenge:

[lvlshot]http://aeons.poweredbylasers.com/tmp/mapping/aetour-r75-jp1.jpg[/lvlshot]
[lvlshot]http://aeons.poweredbylasers.com/tmp/mapping/aetour-r75-jp2.jpg[/lvlshot]

Hope that helps make the rather high JP less of a gameplay problem.

I am still trying to understand why at times I can turn a 3x3 simple patch mesh into a "triangle", i.e. merging 3 vertices into one at one edge of the patch, and *not* have problems with the lighting. In other cases like the wall to the right (first shot), it turns out totally ugly. Any ideas?

Post by **Foo** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:41 pm

I dipped out of the last beta cause it's hard to focus on subsequent betas without losing perspective. In my experience.

I'll prolly pitch more thoughts with Beta 3.

Post by **AEon** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:34 am

Foo,
thanx.

Presently fixing the last few sparklies and other visual bugs and working a a few "decorative" goodies.

Post by **AEon** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:59 am

AEon's Tourney - Beta 3 - a FFA / 1on1 map for Q3A

Current Q3A Screenshots for Beta 3

Weapons/Items

RG, RLx2, SGx2, GL, LG, RA, YAx2, MH, and Quad (plus lots of health and ammo).

Changes since Beta 2

MH blocked off from one side. (Foo)
MH now also accessible via new TP3 in GL room.
The path under the MH, was lowered to avoid bumping head.
LG added on path under MH.
YA moved to upper RL path.
Central arena completely redone, med-high platform added.
Map fully player and bot clipped, .aas 30% smaller.
Added glow deco, spiderweb sky and edges.
JP now has a half-circle shaft.
Added more ammo and health.
Added to caulk hull, TPs now only visible when in line of sight.
Closed off the roof areas with extra geometry.
Added experimental rounded off boxes.
New skybox StormyDays by Hipshot.
Hopefully fixed all sparklies and ugly lit triangle geometry.
Removed unused textures from pk3.
Improved lighting.

Download

map-aetour_beta3.zip (d/l, 2.39 MB) @ hugelaser.com

Todo

More deco.
Possibly use rounded off boxes.
Optimize item placement.
Problem with light bleeding into the patches near the TP3 (GL Teleporter).

Feedback welcome.

Post by **Pext** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:39 pm

whoa! that roof structure looks awesome!

Post by **AEon** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:18 pm

I noted in Nunuk's "paintings" that he likes to use cloth-like drapes to add color to certain areas. Something we see in Star Wars Episode 1 at the Pod Races.

So I played around with some patches to see how that goes.

Alas may turn out that it cuts too much into the FPS quota.

Post by **Foo** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:24 pm

On the visuals front it would definitely need screens, flags or some other large feature pieces for the walls.

Might I suggest a large tech screen (dm17 style) but dished as a curve running in line with the curve of the wall?

Post by **seremtan** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:27 pm

AEon wrote:http://aeons.poweredbylasers.com/tmp/mapping/aetour-r75-jp2.jpg

whoa. i think i just felt my dick move

Post by **wviperw** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:27 pm

This map is starting to get interesting.

Here's a feedback demo.

...and here's a demo of Foo and me playing: http://wvw.planetquake.gamespy.com/othe ... .18.18.zip

Post by **AEon** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:16 pm

Foo wrote:On the visuals front it would definitely need screens, flags or some other large feature pieces for the walls.

Might I suggest a large tech screen (dm17 style) but dished as a curve running in line with the curve of the wall?

I was wondering what to do with the walls... and noted if I start placing things slightly in front of the walls, like the screen idea you mention, there would be no limits to that.

Tough, the DM17 screen I actually adapted in aedm17, was only marginally amusing.

What I want to experiment with is the "spiderweb"-ish design for some of the walls. As if some tech-organic thing is taking over the otherwise very clean and simplistic architechture.

What do folks think of the rounded off boxes? Not the placement

, they just happen to rest there for now.

BTW: For the JP I had to do quite a bit of patch mittering to get that sparklie free. Uncanny how things that look so simple can actually be a real pain to do.

Post by **AEon** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:22 pm

wviperw wrote:This map is starting to get interesting.

Here's a feedback demo.

...and here's a demo of Foo and me playing: http://wvw.planetquake.gamespy.com/othe ... .18.18.zip

Alas I seem to require CPMA to play the feedback demo. One of the reasons demos are not my preferred way for feedback.

What version of the mod would I need, and where would I get it?

Edit: Downloading the 123 MB v1.32 of CPMA... via ISDN... sigh.

Post by **AEon** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:30 pm

Some general thoughts, you might like to comment on:

a) The central area now has another height level around the YA. Since the ramps are always one 1/16th of a circle, the inner rings tend to make the ramps too steep IMO.

I am thinking of lowering the central platform by 1/3rd. That would make the ramps less steep there and also make it easier to jump onto the YA platform from the GL area.

Presently, if you are good, you can *just* reach the YA platform from the Quad pad and the GL exit in vanilla Quad. IMO interesting for the more skilled players.

b) The JP could be made less high, by ramping up from the RA area to the JP. Not sure that helps much.

Post by **Foo** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:36 pm

promode.org latest version