Map Name: cs_knifeedge_beta1e
Hostage Rescue Map

Author: Liberal.Nyulism
Release Date: November 13, 2005 
Number of Spawn Points: 64 
Size: Medium (but routes are simple, obvoious, and easy to learn) 

Credits:
Story By Brad Tuffendsam, Testing By Drew Hostetler

Screenshots: 
The web site includes a number of thumbnails and screenshots: www.screamingneurons.com/ignorance/knifeedge.asp 

Download: 
http://www.screamingneurons.com/ignorance/knifeedge_files/cs_knifeedge_beta1e_files.zip

Bug Reports: 
Please post bug reports on SteamPowered forums at http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=3746851 
or email them to liberal_nyulism@hotmail.com. 

INFORMATION

COPY PROTECTION
This map is protected and cannot be decompiled.

INCLUDES 
- All necessary files in one bsp, so it's a file-copy-installation 
- .NAV file for bots.  BOTS are GREAT on this map.  Limit is probably SEVEN.
- The overview map, despite that it costs a meg to do it. (these images should scale up from 256 pixels not use 1024) 
- A number of new textures, and a lot of blended textures 
- New models for Weeds, Shrubbery and Sheep, as well as roof tops 
- A new soundscape, but it uses existing sounds, not new ones 

STORY 
In the mountains of northern Afghanistan, is a small village of stone houses nestled up against the base of a mountain. It's early spring, and the snows that cover the mountains have started melting. The stream is still covered in a layer of ice, and just after dawn on this march morning, the air is cold and foggy. The sheep huddle together on the still barren fields, and the soft thunder of the waterfall can be heard from a distance. The village appears abandoned, and the area is quiet. But Terrorists live there, where they grow poppies, and make heroin for sale in the west, and they keep the village for use as a hideout and as a factory for their profits. Unfortunately, a spy has found the village, but he was caught, and is being held hostage in the center of the village. Now, Blackhawk helicopters have landed on the southern edge of town. The Terrorists know that a rescue mission has been launched. 

STRATS 
The approach routes are *very carefully timed* so that rushes result in conflicts in specific locations. And while the layout is deceptively simple, the number of strategies you can use is almost unlimited. In particular, how you split your teams will greatly affect the game play. 

The map's layout is a cyclone model with both teams spaced equidistant from the hostages, and rushing to a center arena. The village is constructed so that the terrorists come in either straight or to the high side, and the CT's either straight and to the low side. Both can flank the other team within the village, or by the ground route around the village. You can get in and out of the buildings, and easily onto the roofs, and there are at least three different ways into the village center for each team. This layout creates the effect of the teams coming out of the woodwork in a central arena, if they both sprint to the center. The teams can also try to flank the low route outside the village, and the timing is set so that smokes, flashes, and snipers all play in that tactic. 

Most of the routes that are interesting require you to break down a door or window, and this includes getting the hostages. The sound gives away your location. 

The web site has a full list of the different strats that I used to plan the game play. 

EASTER EGGS 
- There are four easter eggs on the map. 
----One about myth and heroism where you can get a grenade, 
----One where you can get an AK with one clip. 
----Two where your character will be commented upon.
----There is a poster on the map dedicated to tDp, a clan that I am loosely, but fondly connected to by friendship.

INSTALLATION 
- Copy the BSP file into you cstrike/maps directory 
- Start CS:S, select Create Server, and from the dropdown, select "cs_knifeedge_beta1d" 
- I recommend that you use seven bots (your processor will get eaten with more of them). 

PERFORMANCE
- I'm getting 140+FPS near the edges of the map, 100FPS in the center, 90 in the good areas, and 70FPS in the slowest areas. I think I can get the lowest spots up to 90FPS, but it will take some artistry.

TECH SPECS 
Build Time approximately 400 hours over six months. 
Compile Time: 55 minutes
Triangle count: 32167 
Optimized: 749 visible clusters (0.00%) 
Total clusters visible: 148738 
Average clusters visible: 247 
Average clusters audible: 435 
Overview: scale 11.00, pos_x -6623, pos_y 7109 

Minor bugs I know about:
 - the refection on the texture used in the model of the closed shutters is wrong somehow (normal map problem?)
 - Typical problem with waterfall sound not staying on during multi-player
 - goofy behavior of lantern model. I don't understand why this is happening
 - lantern spotlight not showing up.
 - bad vis chimney on nort approach to town

Things I did
 + Added third route out of lower conflict area up into the center arena
 + made lantern models with internal light sources
 + Added hay bales, hay and more
 + Added a little furniture
 + add structural damage to the buildings.
 + Trim overlapping brushes
 + The ice chunks need to be a single displacement that sinks into the water.
 + more props west of the well, so that there is some occlusion giving a better feeling of space as you look up the minor alley toward the mountains.
 + Verify all models are fading
 + finish stories in "books" easter egg- turn the fences into models
 + Create the drug paraphrenalia 
 + Fixed the minor holes in the displacements
 + Soundscape changes
	- make position targets for thunk sounds
 	+ DSP on sheep environment sounds, but not on thunks etc, and keep normal dsp on ambient sheep triggers
	+ machine gun and explosion sounds in distance
	+ up volume on running water sound
	+ increase minimum volume of explosion sounds
	+ decrease frequency of cough and sneeze sounds

Things left to do:
 - make the sheep model have a lowered head
 - many doors still need to be made into models, including little latches.
 - Bridge and Dam need to be made into models.
 - Add a white rusty pickup with crates of weapons in the back near the sheep 

Things I decided Not to Do. 
 # Add a few small, infrequently flashing lights on horizon for explosions
 # Add t-side EE. 
 # Add window EE.
 # Make the well cross into a rusty iron pipe model instead of wood brush








