Quake Live WIP: ABC_beta

[v1l3]

I downloaded Wolfcam so that I can run my Quake Live ... the update won't run on my comp =/ ...but finally got to play this map...which I really like!!, and I noticed that there is a little blue line thingy(dunno what it is) in the floor in front of the RA (took a pic of it) thought I'd point it out

[lvlshot]http://s17.postimg.org/jbysjqr9r/shot0000.jpg[/lvlshot]

[Eraser]

Looks like the placeholder for a missing model. That looks like the three edges of a cube in green, red and blue.

[xiripiti]

...I noticed that there is a little blue line thingy...

Tried to find it, saw nothing, no idea what it is.

[xiripiti]

abc_beta06.jpg

Hi all
This is the AB_ beta06.

After reading Aeon`s comments, some hours playing with bots and lots of tests, this is the result of my atempt to improve the gameflow and better distribution of items:

-Added 1 more small jumppad to improve the fast change from de midlle floor to the upper one.
-The RL is now on the ground of the small arena. This makes the player use more that part of the map.
-The 3rd floor YA (near the RG) was replaced by a 50h. No need of 2 YAs on a small map like this one. Near, the rocket ammo, on the opposite side of RL.
-Removed the 25h and armorshards near the stairs to big JP.
-A 50h is now on the grates platform between the 2 arenas.
-LG is placed on his own room near the top of the big JP. This room is not a dead end anymore, but is still a critical place.
-On the opposite side of LG, no more 25h.
-Removed the 2 ammo boxes on the central groundfloor and repositioned them.
-On the groundfloor on corridor with TP and JP, replaced the GA by 3 armour shards and added a 50h near the column.
-Some spawn points were repositioned.
_Some adjustments to the lights, and _Ambient was reduced from 15 to 12, making the shadows a bit more present.
...and other small changes/adds not realy important for the gameflow ( I think).

-Replaced the stone wall texture by another not so "medieval", and retouched some others.
I will try keep all textures as simple as they are now, and for sure, no use of fancy sfx.
My feeling is, after the gameflow improvement, that this map could be a bit bigger.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wp58oq6btwxsk ... beta06.pk3

My next post will be something very near of the final version, maybe with another name.

[AEon]

A few thoughts, still need to play against bots:

• I really like the flatter extra steps neat the RA platform, leading from one side of the map to the other, much better than the ramps previously there.
• Dropping the GA was a good thing, never really knew what to do with it.
• JPs look nice, since all of them throw you up and back when running into them, you might want to slightly give them an angle, hinting at the fact you will get hurtled back. Might not be easily done regarding brushwork though.
• Something I still find awkward: The proximity of items/weapons to the JPs.
  • The YA is IMO too close to the JP. In general I think it would be better to avoid close proximity to JPs, since it leads to "accidental stumbling" into them.
  • Above the YA JP you stumble into the GL... IMO the GL is also "in the way" there.
  • The 3x5 Shards at the foot of the other JP, and the PG at its top are all "in the way" IMO.
  Such proximity gives the impression there was not enough space in the map to put items.
• From the MH up the 180° steps, you may have noted that your steps are rather heigh, thus when you run up those there is quite a bit of head-bobbing for the player. It made me slightly dizzy. A few more steps, or maybe doubling the number of steps would reduce this effect. IIRC there are a few other steps that are this "steep" that you might like to look at.
• A few areas still feel cramped, e.g. the width of the platform with the PG. Maybe pushing the indented JP outward, would make the PG upper floor slightly wider. A few areas where the JPs exit cut into the upper floor paths, making them feel too narrow, giving the player the feeling they have to carefully tiptoe around the "holes" in the floor edges. Hope that makes some sense the way I worded it. In a home improvement show on TV I recently head someone say: "The corridors in a house define the overall feel or cramptness or luxuriousness regarding size of space." And I agree, presently there are still a few areas that needlessly are cramped, making the map feel cramped, but it should not take much to give the impression of "enough space" all around. IMO, it should be possible to move out the YA and the PG JPs slightly (by 64u?), to give that feel of extra space.

[xiripiti]

Hi Aeon
Sorry answer so late but I`ve been working hard on a commercial last days.
Your comments about the corridors, I think u are right and I will do something about it.
Next version will be the final one, imo is time to finish it and maybe start another (about this i need to think seriously).
Next and last step will be some work on textures and lights.