Map Testing Discussion

[ricky2442]

On Saturday 27th a group of people tested out a few maps, looking for features that would benefit the HellsGamers server for a future map design.

I created this thread so we could share our ideas on the subject; even if you didn't participate in the event please post your ideas.

 

I guess I'll go first...

 

 

Spiral Guard Tower :: I liked the idea of having a guard tower in the middle of the map with a spiral staircase, although it isn't perfect the concept in nice.

Opening Cells 1by1 :: The idea of opening cells 1 by 1 is a good concept, but it will obviously get abused by people spamming random buttons.

Realistic Appearance :: I remembered various people commenting on the realistic appearance, but then again, if we added rooms for last request then what's the point in thinking about realism?

Tunnels / Vents :: I like how instead of just having a basic boring vent, the mapper has actually added a series of tunnels that connect to all the cells.

Demolition Packs :: Not the first time I've seen this but I still love it. Instead of being able to knife through concrete that's about a metre thick, you can actually use a demo pack.

Courtyard :: I especially like the outside bit of this map, and I would prefer to have guard towers like this, covering the entre perimeter, than to have one spiral tower.

Generator :: Although we didn't see this map, I like this map for one main reason, the generator. I like how if you destroy the generator the alarm goes off and lights out. Maybe I could add that after a few seconds emergency lighting comes online.

Go / Stop Lights :: I like this idea quite a lot, and I'm sure a lot of other people do. Basically you press a button Green flashes a green line and Red flashes a red line. Green means go red means stop, simple enough.

Mini-Map :: I actually like the fact the mapper has found and had the time to create a mini-map, he has also labelled each area which is a plus.

Shooting Range :: Something fun to do when your're bored, if you miss you take damage.

Film / SlideShow :: I don't know if this is really good or bad, it takes up memory, it's out of sync and people would be bored of watching the same one over and over again. I got the one in Alcatraz to work, CLICK HERE to download the demo.

 

Main Vents Connection :: Basically all the vents connect to this sewer, the sewer had 2 sides to it, this one (screenshot) and another on the left.

Soundscapes :: Alcatraz is probably the only map I've seen that has soundscapes which is unfortunate seeming as they add a lot to the atmosphere.

 

Disco - Picking the Song :: First the type of song, then the song; don't tell me that's not sweet.

Decals :: I liked the custom decals for directions, but is it really work the time, patience and memory?

Rock, Paper and Scissors :: A new fun and entertaining game.

How To Play :: Basically around every game there's a button called "How To Play" if someone presses it, it will state the rules in chat as CONSOLE, I was in my lan server so it looks like I wrote it.

Roulette :: T's get in one of the boxes, either white, grey or black. The roulette then spins around and stops when you press the lever again. Which ever colour it's on is the area that dies.

Connect 4 :: Can be a bit long, but nevertheless fun for a custom lr.

Disco - Name of Song :: I like that it displays the name of the song, I would still make the writing a bit smaller and fit in the song and artist.

Last Reactions Colours :: Basically Lead CT waits for T's to get in each area / pod or whatever, and then CT picks a colour. One of the buttons then lights up for the T's and last person to presses it wins.

Joust :: A new lr. CT stands on blue and T stands on red. When there both ready CT pulls lever. Then they're both run parallel around the wooden plank.

Scoring System :: Well I don't really think I need to say why I like it, its a bit obvious.

Random Weapons Spawn :: Basically in the vents theres a plank of wood on top of a pipe. Every round a random bunch of weapons are spawned, I don't know how they did it but maybe when I find out I might be able to spawn weapons in random cells.

Icehocky :: A new game to entertain.

Tic-Tac-Toe / noughts and crosses :: A new game for lr.

Jeopardy :: I didn't add a screenshot because I thought the map made this look rather bad.

 

 

Links to Download the Maps :

 

ba_jail_desert - 1mb

ba_jail_foxriver_beta2 - 2.37mb

ba_jail_alcatraz_final_BETA - 47.5mb

ba_jail_mia_blackops_beta6 - 9.49mb

ba_jail_lockdown_b3 - 40.5mb

ba_jail_xd_v1 - 672kb

Edited February 28, 2010 by ricky2442

[PooPoo]

WOW, these are some damn good ideas!

[Papa John]

Did you get Slaz's permission to do this Ricky?

[Soccercrazy]

Did you get Slaz's permission to do this Ricky?

 

Why would he need Slaz's permission to post his opinions?

 

I like all of them except for the first one. It would take so long to replicate, and still not look that good.

[Seboard]

Did you get Slaz's permission to do this Ricky?

 

I hope you are joking right?

[ricky2442]

I like all of them except for the first one. It would take so long to replicate, and still not look that good.

 

Probably, but it's worth a try.

 

And thanks to whoever removed my post before this; I was writing my message while soccer posted his so I didn't see it.

Edited February 28, 2010 by ricky2442

[Dan1]

D: I can't believe I missed my invite. Stupid addictive Global Agenda

[ricky2442]

D: I can't believe I missed my invite. Stupid addictive Global Agenda

 

I'll upload the maps for you and add the link to my first post.

[motive]

Low grav basketball and the deathrun are pretty cool too.

[Papa John]

Why would he need Slaz's permission to post his opinions?

 

I like all of them except for the first one. It would take so long to replicate, and still not look that good.

 

Because its a secrete...

 

Area 51 has Martians.

Russia has Communism.

And we have supa secrete Jailbreak plans.

 

Anyways on topic, unlocking cells one by one seems to be the only one I don't like.

[Dan1]

Because its a secrete...

 

Area 51 has Martians.

Russia has Communism.

And we have supa secrete Jailbreak plans.

 

Anyways on topic, unlocking cells one by one seems to be the only one I don't like.

 

You can always make an "open all" button. With the numbers it's more controlled.

[JuIcY]

Did you get Slaz's permission to do this Ricky?

 

fail

[Slazenger]

Did you get Slaz's permission to do this Ricky?

 

I lol'd...why would he need my permission to make a post or even to make a map?

 

 

Good points Ricky, glad you got Llamas to work. =P

 

 

But you forgot my favorite aspect of all the maps we tested: Jeopardy!!

 

This is what the general collective liked about some of the maps we tested:

 

ba_jail_alcatraz_final_BETA - lights on cells/lights on floor, cells layout, OPEN COURTYARD, Disco, pool area/diving boards, TOWER, Minimap!

 

ba_jail_desert - Spiral tower, secret bunker operated by bookcase, underground/sunken cell layout

 

ba_foxriver_disco_b2 - multilevel cage, disco, realistic appearance, cells/how to open doors

ba_jail_lockdown_b3 - Purely the best map ever created. How-to button (timelimit to regulate use?), first reaction/last reaction, russian roulette, labels, pool, joust,POOL, POOL, POOL, POOL *jizz*.

 

ba_water_prison - concept of water, separation using the retractable bridge, "popup" tower.

 

ba_jail_mia_blackops_beta6 - JEOPARDY, hockey, basketball scoreboard, tic tac toe, realistic textures but high fps?

[Epic Vagina]

i like the water prison because it is just so simply good and so much different it looks so nice and the CT main island looks more like a water front then some rusty old jail

[Blade]

I think all the ideas are good for separate maps - its impossible to fit that all in 1 map and would take too long.

I suggest you pick 3 - 5 ideas that youd really really want within the map

[Siphaed]

Is that last reaction thingy exploitable? By that I mean that the Lead CT says something like "Last Reaction Yellow" and instead hits the Red button? Is that legit or is that giving false orders or baiting or what?

 

 

Jousting was okay, but it moves the characters WAY too fast and causes it too take too long. If implemented, it should be 1/2 the speed as the one we experienced in yesterdays testing.

 

 

Roulette is great!, I loved it and think it should be put in. The way it cages the T's so they cannot switch positions or run away when their color is up is great as well.

 

 

The reason the tunnels were better than vents was only because they had series dividers that basically could hide a player from bullets. This is different because most vents/tunnels have long straight paths that can get a player shot some 50ft in, giving them no chance in hell of rebelling!

 

 

 

 

As for the custom DECALS, have the community submit them and then just take community submitted ones and upload it to the server. It's a hell of a lot better than the current blocky, choppy signs that look like a 3rd grader put them there (no offense). Besides, over 1/2 of the areas in our current Jailbreak map have no signs on them and newbs have no clue where "face kitchen" or "face pool" is unless there's signage on them.

 

 

 

 

EDIT: P.S. I gave this idea out yesterday when testing, but on our Mini-games server there is a small map piece called "Death Race" or "Death Room" or something like that. It's a long red hallway where everyone but one person runs down to the end while the one person is on the other side of a one-sided glass wall triggering traps against the runners. My suggestion was to take this whole map model and somehow put it into our Jailbreak server as a sort of T-race obstacle bonanza! It would be very interesting and very, very fun. Besides, since it's already part of a HG server map, then it's already fully HG designed so there's no need to worry about that part.

Edited February 28, 2010 by Siphaed

[ricky2442]

So you guys liked the idea of having a theme to the map, almost like a story line in some way?

[Papa John]

You can always make an "open all" button. With the numbers it's more controlled.

 

But still would people really use it.

 

@Juicy Don't even get me started....

Edited February 28, 2010 by Papa John

[ricky2442]

I think all the ideas are good for separate maps - its impossible to fit that all in 1 map and would take too long.

I suggest you pick 3 - 5 ideas that youd really really want within the map

 

Well I guess it depends on how you create the map, but I guess your right. If we implemented all these features the map might be a bit too big.

 

 

Is that last reaction thingy exploitable? By that I mean that the Lead CT says something like "Last Reaction Yellow" and instead hits the Red button? Is that legit or is that giving false orders or baiting or what?

 

No, basically this is how it works. When the CT picks the colour the colours then infront of T glows depending on which one the CT picks. Say CT picks red, then the red block infront of T's will glow red, last person to press it dies.

 

 

The reason the tunnels were better than vents was only because they had series dividers that basically could hide a player from bullets. This is different because most vents/tunnels have long straight paths that can get a player shot some 50ft in, giving them no chance in hell of rebelling!

 

Yeah, thats exactly how I feel about it.

 

 

As for the custom DECALS, have the community submit them and then just take community submitted ones and upload it to the server. It's a hell of a lot better than the current blocky, choppy signs that look like a 3rd grader put them there (no offense). Besides, over 1/2 of the areas in our current Jailbreak map have no signs on them and newbs have no clue where "face kitchen" or "face pool" is unless there's signage on them.

 

Yes I agree, but 2 problems crop up for me with this. Firstly decals would be to small, so would we be doing more harm than good? And secondly look how big that map was, with all the decals and good looknig textures etc. it was 65.9 mb, that takes forever to download.

 

 

EDIT: P.S. I gave this idea out yesterday when testing, but on our Mini-games server there is a small map piece called "Death Race" or "Death Room" or something like that. It's a long red hallway where everyone but one person runs down to the end while the one person is on the other side of a one-sided glass wall triggering traps against the runners. My suggestion was to take this whole map model and somehow put it into our Jailbreak server as a sort of T-race obstacle bonanza! It would be very interesting and very, very fun. Besides, since it's already part of a HG server map, then it's already fully HG designed so there's no need to worry about that part.

 

Oh I see what you mean. Basically a deathrun map, T's try to make it across while lead CT controls the traps, something along those lines?

Edited February 28, 2010 by ricky2442

[Darkplanner]

Here is a link to download most of the maps used if you want them:

http://esbf-clan.com/cstrike/maps/

 

All are Jailbreak maps.

[ricky2442]

I thought of a few themes, tell me what you guys think about them.

 

 

Snow Based Map:

• Snow everywhere outside (courtyard)
  
• Snow storm, low visibility after certain distance outside
  
• Snow based games, maybe we can think of some new orignial ones?
  

I got a few ideas for the snow based:

 

Jousting - Icicles for knives?

Deathrun thinger/Obsticle - Avalanche with obsticles to avoid like trees.

Cells - Igloos!

 

Desert Map:

• Building structure surrounded by stan
  
• Wooden Outposts
  
• Rock/marble textures would go well with the sand
  
• Sand Storms from time to time
  

 

Oil Rig Map:

• Possible, don't know if its the best. This idea just popped into my head.
  

 

Space Type Map:

• Would be hard but by far the most original
  

I was actually making a Space jail map. With airlock chambers. Windows with health, when broken alarms go off and whatever room it was in, people in there started to lose oxygen/health. I was also attempting to make a "docking station infirm".

But my games and maps got wiped :/

 

Half Life 2 - Nova Prospekt:

• Take the ideas from Half Life 2 campaign when you go through Nova Prospekt
  
• Textures would be easily attainable
  
• Incorporate some of the elements for campaign that made the level seem dystopian
  

Edited March 3, 2010 by ricky2442

[motive]

I got a few ideas for the snow based:

 

Jousting - Icicles for knives?

Deathrun thinger/Obsticle - Avalanche with obsticles to avoid like trees.

Cells - Igloos!

[ricky2442]

I got a few ideas for the snow based:

 

Jousting - Icicles for knives?

Deathrun thinger/Obsticle - Avalanche with obsticles to avoid like trees.

Cells - Igloos!

 

Sweet, I like those.

 

Not really sure about the knife thing but I could think of something.

I got an old map that I made back when I started mapping I could use for the deathrun.

As for the cells I love that idea

Edited March 1, 2010 by ricky2442

[Dan1]

I thought of a few themes, tell me what you guys think about them.

 

 

Space Type Map:

• Would be hard but by far the most original
  

 

I was actually making a Space jail map. With airlock chambers. Windows with health, when broken alarms go off and whatever room it was in, people in there started to lose oxygen/health. I was also attempting to make a "docking station infirm".

But my games and maps got wiped :/

[Lee Lemon]

The one by one cell opening is a good idea. I also like the Generator idea. Lights out sounds like it would be fun time for the Ts