Circle of Light DM BETA ready for testing...

Post by **Legbat** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 4:24 am

I've been working on a new deathmatch map off and on for some time now. It's called Circle of Light. It's a small map with a simple layout and great connectivity that should therefore offer fast and furious gameplay. I have the beta version packaged and uploaded to my site. It can be found here:

http://www.weylerworks.com/MAPS/NOLF/COL.htm

Let me know what you think!

Post by **Legbat** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:50 pm

I was just informed that I must have left some custom textures out when I rezzed up the map.

The sky won't look right until I have a chance to fix it and that won't be until tomorrow. I'll post here once I have it corrected.

Post by **Spawn** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:23 am

I'll check it out when I get back home from vacation

sounds like a cool map

Post by **Legbat** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:43 pm

Looking forward to getting your input, Spawn! In the meantime, I added the missing textures and raised the ambient lighting a tad. Corrected version has been uploaded to my site.

Post by **SPYDAVE** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:59 am

Maybe I'm the only one that would feel this way but ... since when you get to the water tower you're basically stuck there ... I mean sure you get the briefcase but atm it only has one round (might not have been your intention?). I would give it some more rounds ... not to many ... you don't want people hoarding the briefcase up there, but right now I feel that anyone in the tower is just a sitting duck once there's more than two players on the map.

I just don't think that one round in the briefcase is a big enough trade off to isolate yourself from the rest of the playing field ...

Another trade off might be to leave the briefcase at one round and place armor and / or bandages in the tower ONLY.

Just my 2 cents ... hope it's been some help.

Other than that i like the layout ... I think it will flow good. The sky looks really good. Spend some time experimenting with lighting and the map will be very pleasing visually ... Good job!

Post by **Legbat** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:43 pm

Yes - It was my intention to only have one round in the briefcase but altering that number a little isn't out of the question.

Maybe three or so would be better but I felt that, once someone made it up there, they would at an advantage...But then again maybe not. I've only played it with a max of three players up til now so I can only imagine how tough climbing up to the tower would be if you had 8-10 players shooting at ya from all angles! As far the lighting goes, I do feel more could be done. Just not sure what. Maybe some scale sprites?

When you getting home 'ol Spawny? - I got two cents from (dependable) SPYDAVE but I need some more change...

Post by **SPYDAVE** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 8:45 pm

Yeah I'm just not sure about the tower ... (maybe I'm being picky) ... I just know it's going to be a pain getting there and once there you're stuck ... just not sure if I would even enter the water tower area because of those reasons for one round of ammo ...

You mentioned scale sprites ... in the hallways if you intend on placing sprites there on the ceiling lights then I would also suggest editing the light fixture texture to be lit. (Actually that bothered me also, but I just told myself I was being to picky (again)). But the more I think of it ... For the ceiling lights in the hallways:

1. Edit that texture
2. Scale spites (optional - try it both ways)
3. Give each a DirLight

Then ...

Lower the ambient light (to me the sky conveys a darker atmosphere) ... and add some lights to the water tower area.

(Again just my opinion) ...

If you ever want to play test this let me know ... haven't played you guys in a very long time.

Post by **Legbat** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:23 pm

It's funny you said that about the ambient lighting. I had it lower to begin with and thought it was perfect but, after someone posted about the map being too dark, I upped it a little. I was starting to wonder if I had my monitor brightness setting different than everyone else's. I'd rather lower it back to where it was so long as the majority of players have no problem with it. In response to your suggestions, I'll attempt to improve the realisticness (is that a word?) of that light fixture texture, try out some different scale sprites and see what replacing those standard lights with direct ones will do for it. I just want the interior well lit, hence the name "Circle of Light".

Post by **SPYDAVE** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:21 pm

Legbat wrote: I just want the interior well lit, hence the name "Circle of Light".

Exactly ... with the amount of light fixtures you have in the hallways and lowering the ambient to make the 'circle' stand out ... it truly will then be a "Circle of Light" ...

Post by **Spawn** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 11:33 pm

tomorrow night would be the day I went home.. it think

I'll look for you on msn

Post by **Fatty** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 7:11 am

Nice map!

I think Dave covered everything as far as feedback goes. That sky looks cool. Is it a normal "box" shaped skybox or is it a "dome" one?

BELLAGE · Post by **BELLAGE** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 12:35 pm

Looking good as always Legabt....
The lighting fits very well and has a god contrast between inside and out and the map flows well which as you said will offer good fast game play.

But most importantly it's these little details that you always go to that get me..

Post by **Spawn** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 6:15 pm

Once again, great map

If I was gonna do something, I'd put in dirlights like Dave said,
and add the one sided blockers that we talked about to prevent the player
from getting back in

Post by **Legbat** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:19 pm

Thanks Fats, Bellage and Spawn!

Just to let you know, the latest version (which Spawn, Blackrain & I playtested yesterday) is MUCH improved! I added scale sprites to all of the lights and tweaked the interior fixtures themselves. I also added some direct lights casting down from the tower into the water and that did alot for the overall atmosphere! Oh yeah, Bellage, details are important! Thanks for noticing! The skybox is domed, Fats. It has two layers of clouds (using different textures) panning across at differing speeds. It happens to be the same one I created for Lavalicious! I should get around to uploading the newer edition tomorrow. I'll post here when I do. It will likely be the final as I have another map I've already started on and I'm chomping at the bit to work on some more!

Post by **Legbat** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:44 pm

The new and improved version is uploaded and ready for a test run! I think this will be it. Let me know if you find anything that needs fixing. Otherwise, I'm content with it and am ready to move on.

Circle of Light DM BETA ready for testing...

General Nolf1

Circle of Light DM BETA ready for testing...