dm_allegiance_beta1

I've been working on this map over the
last 4 months and the first beta is finally ready. Originally I planned
to enter Valve's HL2DM map contest to try and win the $5000 but I
didn't finish on time. The good news is the map has improved greatly
since then :smile:

I have spent a lot
of time making sure the gameplay, connectivity and performance in beta1
are all excellent. For the next beta I'll make additional gameplay
tweaks if needed and work on improving the visual detail etc.

For now though, I'm taking a bit of a break from mapping so I can actually play the map! Then I'll get back to working on beta2.

Critiques welcome, but please read the
dm_allegiance_beta1.txt file with the map first for more info on what I
plan to work on for the next beta release.

I'm more interested in comments on
gameplay/connectivity/performance for now. Improving visuals, adding
sounds etc are my next main focuses.

ive got a suggestion for the grassy areas: use displacement surfaces,
they will make your terrain both realistic and nice looking, hope this
helps! there are some good tut's on this site too.

[Edit - you lazy bugger Loz! :razz: Here's a link to those tutorials:
http://www.snarkpit.com/editing.php?page=tutorials&game=HL2&id=112

• Gwil :x]

Your map looks decent enough: I do have a few crits though.

It seems very bland, and the scale is way off. The grass in the 2nd screen needs displacement. It also seems pretty clean. Also, it lacks a certain bit of realism in places: particularly the explosive barrels. Would you mind telling me what on Earth they are doing there? :smile:

As I am judging from the screenshots, I cannot speak of gameplay or performance, but it seems decent, and you seem to think you have done a good job of it.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Edge3000</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>

Critiques welcome, but please read the dm_allegiance_beta1.txt file with the map first for more info on what I plan to work on for the next beta release.

</DIV></DIV>

please do not set conditions. allow people to look and judge for themselves. this way if they notice something on their own that coincides with your intent, you know they were not coerced into giving the comment.

when i decide to do a critique, i never read comments made by others. this way i know the idea was 100% mine.

i am not bitching at you, just advising you on how to obtain the best level of feedback.
/ 2 cents

Seems like a lot of work went into this although looking at the second picture I see buildings within a castle that look odd and does not blend with the environment.

Apart from that it looks good and I also noticed that the wires on the bridge are orange? perhaps it's my eyes but it looks slightly orange.

The explosive barrels although look out of place make DM more interesting because a lot of you remember the old DM for HL1 which had not much realism but had great amounts of gameplay well this map does it all!

HL1DM maps were not supposed to be realistic environments. HL2DM maps are based on realistic environments. This map is based on a realistic location, therefore, those barrels should not be there, as I cannot say that they make enough of an asset to gameplay to destroy the realism.

Wasn't meaning to set conditions just meant to say that this release is
all about gameplay and performance - not visuals or realism.

The visuals will improve later.

The idea is definitely interesting, as I've seen enough maps set around a dilapidated warehouse or parking lot.

But as others have already pointed out, some of the textures and props
seem out of place, and the draw bridge's chains indeed appear to be
glowing orange to me as well. The grassy area can be improved
with displacement surface.

Connectivity looks promising, although I haven't downloaded the map to test it out yet. Lighting looks good also.

It's a great start, and it won't take much more work to make it even better.

Critique is up

In deathmatch I think fun is more important than realism. That said I
still want to make it look as good as possible its just that I focused
on getting the gameplay and performance decent first.

The framerates are nice and consistent even outside which took a lot of
tweaking to achieve given the long sight lines and all the connections
to the main courtyard. I used hint brushes and areaportals as well as
good visblocking to do it. This also brought the full compile time down
to 14mins total.

Here is a link to the txt file with more info on weapon placements,
gameplay elements, and what I plan to work on next. I meant to post
this earlier so you can see where I'm at.

http://www.bladefire.com/dm_allegiance_beta1.txt

The explosive barrels are there to be used like a portable catapult...
you can throw a barrel from the front yard over the castle wall and
into the main courtyard where it can land on some poor fool going for
the RPG :smile: There are also a couple barrels on the castle walls you
could throw at the tower windows or down to the courtyard or
frontyard... sure its not realistic but its definately fun!

The drawbridge chains are just brown ropes. They appear orange because
its bright and sunny out. Anyway I'll see if the chains look better.

As for the warehouse and other things out of place for a castle: The
idea is that this castle has been around for hundreds of years, but
parts of it have been rebuilt and/or modernized over the years while
humans were living in it. The warehouse would have been the most recent
thing added - probablly by the humans for storage while fighting
against the Combine (before they lost the castle to the Combine).

and, you are welcome. :rolleyes:

do you have any idea how long it takes to do even a simple critique like the one i did?

i could have royally tore this map apart, but being its your first critique i went a bit soft and just comments on a few issues.

perhaps you just overlooked my efforts, after all it is just a link.

shrugs

perhaps i am just pissed about another forum issue and you are my current target. :/

[edit] screw it. /me goes back to bed.

Thanks for the critique Orpheus I appreciate it. (Nice format for the critiques btw)

There is a lot I need to do next to improve the visuals. As for
gameplay I put a lot of thought into the connectivity with most areas
having multiple exits but there are still some dead ends and empty
areas as you pointed out. I also want to try and get this running on a
dedicated server to get the best feel for how the current layout and
item placements play in a 16player game. TeamDM should be fun since
there are multiple strategic points to try and hold.

Replys to your comments:

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo1.html

• Yes I plan to improve the look of doorways.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo2.html

• Glad to see that the framerates were consistent for you. I hope they hold up well on all systems.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo3.html

• The towers are great sniping places but are meant to be dangerous for

the sniper. AR2 combine balls shot into the tower are VERY effective...
explosive barrels and grenades can be tossed at the windows etc. You
can jump from the window and land in the moat - since its water you
won't take damage. Its a little tricky to do at the moment I'll have to
make the water closer to the wall so its easier to land in.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo4.html

• yes, this area doesn't look that great now

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo5.html

• This is the murder hole... castles would have them to drop stuff on

invaders. Now there are a few reasons why it looks like a glass funnel
thing lol. The funnel shape is to drop grenades and slam remote mines
into so they fall down below. And the hole is just the right size that
you can stand over it and not fall in. BUT when you die your body falls
down through the hole along with your weapon - hilarious to watch and
great for the guy below who managed to shoot a rocket up at you and now
has your weapon :smile:

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo6.html

• I'm not sure yet what I'll add to these empty hallways inside the

castle walls. Maybe prison cells. Also I was also thinking of putting a
destroyed wall opening in the wall to give another way into the castle
from the frontyard..

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo7.html

• Thanks. Definately the grass looks bad without displacements.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo8.html

• It is large in scale but most castles are huge by their nature. They

have very high ceilings, high/wide doorways etc. I don't want narrow
hallways and doorways where you are constantly getting stuck trying to
move around.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo9.html

• There are 3 ways to get to the top royal bedroom area - the stairs

behind the office, the stairs from the warehouse, and the fireplace. At
the moment someone holding the bedroom only has to watch the fireplace
and doorway but I'm thinking of adding a link from the balcony to the
hallway so there would be 3 ways into the bedroom instead. If you just
mean to get from ground floor to 2nd floor theres the main entrance
stairs, a stairway near the generator room, one under the guest
bedrooms, fireplace, and the beams in the great hall can be walked up
to the office.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo12.html

• Supposed to be a barracks for soldiers. I need to rework this.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo13.html

• There is a lot of ammo there but it might be hard to defend because

the AR2 and AR2 energy balls arent far away. I'll probably need to
tweak it though and maybe add another entrance to the barracks.

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo14.html

• This area is the generator/boiler room. Not that realistic but should

be fun. You can shoot bullets through the grates. Someone going for the
SLAM can be shot at by the one going for the AR2 who can be shot at by
someone going for the shotgun, etc

http://www.snarkpit.com/pits/orpheus/critiques/dm_allegiance/photos/photo18.html

• Supposed to be the royal bedroom, I just made a simple bed for now it definately needs work.

/me feels better now. i can see this reply too a long time.

Orpheus I was actually working on my reply to your comments while you posted that :smile:

The previous post of mine was to reply to other comments eariler in the thread.

I just took longer to finish the reply to you because I was talking to
some friends on MSN at the same time.. I should have mentioned the
reply to your critique would be next.

forget it, i am currently riding my white horse at the other end of the forums.

i should have stayed in bed, i would have woke up to your response and all would have been well.

i blame my stupid sleep disorder. go figure.

no one should have to get up as many times each night as i.

The map is now on BadAss Nox's server hl2dm.badassgeeks.com:27015

Also on The Gamers Diner - 67.100.96.242:27015

Special thanks to both for giving my map a shot :smile:

I've played a couple games of my map on BadAss Nox's server so far and this is what I've noticed:

• Performance is excellent :smile:

• works fine on linux servers

• Map is too large at the moment, we had 14 players (2 teams of

7) and it was fun but often there was too much time between fights
because of the size. Seemed like we really needed to have 32 players
which isn't ideal.

A lot of reworking will be needed to make the map smaller and more suitable for 16 players.

Before starting work on beta 2 Im going to play the map some more and get more feedback.

It was nice being able to show you things with you in the [K-9] server. I'm still running the map in my two 16 person servers, even though it does not have that quality mapping/texturing/lighting, because there are only a handful of maps large enough for 16 players that don't cause a lot of lag.

It would be great to see you reduce the size, and finish the texturing and other things that you made it clear you did not focus on. This could end up being one of the more popular maps for large servers if those changes we talked about are made.

Thanks, I should get to working on beta 2 soon :smile: