alpha shopping center for testing

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 10:55 pm

Here's a pre-beta version of my upcoming shopping center
Please take a look and tell me what you think! The 2nd floor is still empty and there's still enough to do but maybe I'm running in the completely wrong direction!?

New version online, works with old MOHAA, but gun shop is almost empty

Yarik · Post by **Yarik** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 11:04 pm

im DLing it right now.

Post by **Bjarne BZR** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 11:20 pm

Its for Spearhead only... right?

( When are they going to learn that the only cool thing about the Spearhead addon is the smoke greanades? The rest sucks... Its laggy, they added a hord of the same weapons that allready existed. OK, some new maps is great, but they werent that great... OK the smoke nades make up for all the flaws in coolness... but still...

Ohh... did I think that or actually write it? )

Yarik · Post by **Yarik** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 11:35 pm

Even the smoke grenade doesnt produce enough smoke. CT smokes are more. PLus the only thing I like in SH is the wacking with the gun. (And the russian voices since IM russian)

Post by **Bjarne BZR** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 11:47 pm

I agree, but lets not clog up Wacko's topic with this discussion

And by the way Wacko: I dont mean to direspect your map, it's just that I cant test it when it requires Spearhead...

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 7:02 am

I'm sorry for not having told that it's for Spearhead

I even wanted to 'downgrade' it, but I couldn't! This damn map can be opened, edited and compiled in MOHAA-radiant, but produces crash, when MOHAA wants to start it.
I'll kick Spearhead, when this can be avoided.

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 8:59 am

I deleted everything in the gunshop and now it works with MOHAA, too. Soory again for this inconvenience. As I said, a alpha-version

pk3 in first post is okay now (hopefully)
here is it again

Post by **Bjarne BZR** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 10:13 am

You R a genius.

The map is SO cool. 8)

The crisp, clean, new, fresh feeling is brilliant. I've seen this clean feeling in other maps, but it has just made them look artificial. But this is a shopping mall and the mood is perfect.

I don't play DM a lot, but from a quick runaround I get the feeling it is really well designed. Can't comment on the spawnpoints, but remember to keep them a bit out of sight so the evil spawn killer won't start to enjoy your map

. One thing you will need to think about is snipers: there is a good chance that any map will be overrun by snipers. And this map is rather open in its design ( a sniper may overlook large parts of the map and get an unfair advantage ). Nothing wrong with this if you want it to be this way. But if you want it to be more even for all weapon types, you can do 2 things ( probably more, but my head is filled with mashed potatos this morning ):
1) Make it less open ( I would not recommend this, as it would remove some of the shopping mall feeling ).
2) Make it possible to access most places without crossing large open spaces ( You already have some of this in the back rooms that access other floors an areas ) .

The lighting is very nicely done and adds to the mood of a shopping mall at night ( I LOVE the neon signs, not sure how historically correct it is however

)

There is one thing wrong with the map: Darkness
There are numerous places that are pitch black... Its NOT fun to play in complete darkness: U loose track of where you are, it draws out camper n00b's and it makes people not see the exelent brushwork

No place is ever pitch black with so many lights close by. So you should add some ambientlight. Not too bright, as U want to keep the gloomy feeling, but say, around ( 5 5 5 ) to ( 10 10 10 )...

So in conclusion: Wicked map! Add some ambientlight. Thats it... U rock ( can I have your autograph? )

/Bjarne
PS: The glass doors sound like wooden doors... but its a Beta so you just havent thought of that yet...

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 11:16 am

Ty, Bjarne for d/ling it twice! And for your comment, I didn't expect such a good result

The probs you mentioned I will surely consider and will do my best to delete them!
Thanx again 8)

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 11:40 am

I love that map, but you could need some ambientlight, too dark.

wacko · Post by **wacko** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 1:13 pm

The map will be much brighter in the coming beta: Especially in the upper floors there will be more shops which will add lighting to these darker places. The service-floor in between will get additional lights and if this is not enough, I will try some ambient light aswell!
Nevertheless, the map was planned to be rather dark so there won't be bright sunlight... The pitch black parts will be corrected!

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 1:56 pm

It would be fun if there's an elevator.

Post by **Bjarne BZR** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 2:05 pm

And working escalators! ( Is that the right word for "Rulltrappor"? )

panTera · Post by **panTera** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 2:21 pm

now this is the way I like to see new maps. Nice, clean, quite original and attention to the smallest details. (i like the glass shelves;) I won't comment on the pitch black parts as it's said before, but you could really make this map shine by adding some better lighting. Use spotlights on some of the walls, or perhaps even better add cool floorlights, you know those nice lights embedded in the floors.

panTera · Post by **panTera** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 2:27 pm

Bjarne, wacko already posted a question on working escalators, a coulple of days ago. (I wouldnt bother to get them to work, it's tough and I don't think it would add alot to the map, IMO)