Proof of Concept map work Set in Laos

[nubishdubishbone]

notes taken from last comments, i may add a waterfall/ vine climbing thing to the spy spawn so ill leave it as -is but you actually spawn down a ravine into a bigger river... is it only spies that can hop fences cause that would take 2 days off the spawn zone completion...

ill build a couple shacks but tbh i think the interactive foliage and fencing can take care of it, not sure how well the foliage will act though. ill still have the meshes ready tho :P.

btw i already started handplacing the foliage actors that will collide and tip over when players contact them, just playing in the viewport feels alot more realistic.

Teaser for some of the meshes so far (thats duct tape under the slice so he can say it was like that when he got it haha):

[DreadStunLock]

Is that like cocaine? You should make a bomb objective near it! So all of it burns, Spies are the good guys this time :P

[nubishdubishbone]

yup i did that with my greenhouse map in CT, bomb the bushes mannn , oh wait i got a contact high lol.

[EDIT] about random respawning, i can make it so you cannot pin down the spies, i already have fencing around their spawn area, which could span the entire length of the river... the thing is the map is semi-linear, where you have to go straight across the river to bomb the drug lab, then proceed down-stream to a small airport, then probably into an office or electrical house to disable all power, alternatively you could send 1 or 2 spies running down to the electrical house to shut down their searchlights, alot of ideas floating around and im only 5 days into building the map, so theres room for suggestions and changes.

[nubishdubishbone]

Ok for anyone wondering (wanted to send the map files to someone who could give me pointers but this clears some thigns up): an Overview of the entire map:
http://www.24-game.org/Laos_Overview.jpg

think coop could be done to grab the ledge of a watchtower and grab 'em... also i want to add some mountainous cliffs and maybe a zipline from the bottom of the image to the power station, probably wiring from neighboring areas to the generators.

[B1nArY_001]

Frvge is right, if you don't put enough LoS objects in, this map will be a sniper's heaven. The problem with relying on the foliage is once a spy is spotted, with nothing to break line of sight, the merc will quickly kill him by simply shooting through the plants  ;)

Edit -

Some things that will help in maintaining balance -

Timing: How long does it take a Merc to patrol to each objective, how long does it take a spy to reach each objective, are these two factors balanced against each other when also factoring in ambush locations and bottlenecks where the spies or merc can utilize their gadgets/abilities to slow down, disable or kill the other team?

Line of Sight: Does your map provide enough objects placed in the right locations so as to not give the spies to much cover but still enough that they still have a chance to stay hidden if they play smart and work together. Does your map layout create locations where a Merc can guard one or more objectives while remaining out of harms way or by quickly being able to get within line of sight of multiple objectives and snipe or grenade them? (Note allowing this can either achieve balance or break a map, each map will be unique in this respect)

One could easily write an entire book on achieving balance in this type of game but these two factors are among the most common things to make a map unplayable. Carefully consider anything and everything that could impact these two things and make every effort to carefully balance them out.

Good luck on your map and just let me say, I don't envy you the task of balancing such an open map. It looks fantastic and the idea is great, execution will be rather difficult though maybe not impossible :)

[DreadStunLock]

I think, IMO, there should be like a Mine Field or Trip wires, where Mercs and Spies get 1 shotted, they should be detectable via Thermal and EMF but not to naked eye.

[nubishdubishbone]

here's a re-worked spy spawn, this is the clearing you find when you hop the spawn-protective fence:
http://www.24-game.org/PS_Wallpaper_Laos2.jpg
in short yes i need to continue to make the ground work as perfect as i can then work on warfare next, the nature has to be true and present to ever host battle you see.

BTW Binary do you have the new UDK release installed? i'd love to say i am good enough but i havent played enough to be as knowledgeable as someone like you or any of the other legends... i can wrap up the map, .upk and the foliage .upk (im keeping that bad larry lol)... btw i relooked the pic i poste you are correct i think adding paintball style props would work ill look them up soon.

[tigaer]

So far, the map doesn't seem to have an actual layout with different paths and lines of sight, it just seems like an open field with random buildings and rocks thrown around it. I'd definitely make use of some metal fences and bigger huts to give the map some flow, and limit the movement of the players a little like a normal PS map would. The theme is good, but once you start designing your map around your theme and not actual gameplay, that's where you mess up. It's relatively easy to keep a theme once you get your layout done, it's just a matter of being creative.

Can I get an overhead, unlit screenshot? I just want to see the actual layout you have.

[nubishdubishbone]

http://www.24-game.org/Laos_Overview.jpg
thats the plan, paths are not made right now i have the task of making it similar to an authentic woodland scenario, so it seems uninteresting as-is atm because all that is there is uninhabited nature, and i value the input you guys have to help make this Every one's map, i dont take credit, same as i cannot copyright nature.

needed you guys anyways for help with implementing the systems i used in CT, but never did anything very complicated with them.

[nubishdubishbone]

updated overhead its taking more direction , or is more obvious about it...

http://www.24-game.org/Overview_Upd.jpg

ill probly build some prison camp fencing with barbed wire soon too.

Also i could use help figuring out how to implement the search lights properly, and also they should stop on a target and move till it is out of range following the target. Rain actors would b nice too lol... such a nub, but while i have a second, building tools for your modders just makes it more accessible.

[Farley4Fan]

I think it needs a main base of operations kind of like polar base.  Like a central structure.  You already have the tower  ;D

The shacks can be scattered around it.

[Spekkio]

Frvge is right, if you don't put enough LoS objects in, this map will be a sniper's heaven. The problem with relying on the foliage is once a spy is spotted, with nothing to break line of sight, the merc will quickly kill him by simply shooting through the plants  ;)

Edit -

Some things that will help in maintaining balance -

Timing: How long does it take a Merc to patrol to each objective, how long does it take a spy to reach each objective, are these two factors balanced against each other when also factoring in ambush locations and bottlenecks where the spies or merc can utilize their gadgets/abilities to slow down, disable or kill the other team?

Line of Sight: Does your map provide enough objects placed in the right locations so as to not give the spies to much cover but still enough that they still have a chance to stay hidden if they play smart and work together. Does your map layout create locations where a Merc can guard one or more objectives while remaining out of harms way or by quickly being able to get within line of sight of multiple objectives and snipe or grenade them? (Note allowing this can either achieve balance or break a map, each map will be unique in this respect)

One could easily write an entire book on achieving balance in this type of game but these two factors are among the most common things to make a map unplayable. Carefully consider anything and everything that could impact these two things and make every effort to carefully balance them out.

Good luck on your map and just let me say, I don't envy you the task of balancing such an open map. It looks fantastic and the idea is great, execution will be rather difficult though maybe not impossible :)

best post evar

[nubishdubishbone]

nobody liked polar base, i like the fact that the airport runways are far enough from both Main power and their base, none of which are acceptable losses then it expands gameplay.

its good avice, but there no boundaries but a few fences is all i need to say this is rough but there are some screens in there that ID it as what im trying to achieve, as per the title of the thread,.

[Zedblade]

nobody liked polar base,

thats because it was a buggy unfinished mess, however everyone loves UMP polar base and it's a pretty good map and one of my top 5 favorites.

as for the map i can't say much about layout right now, but It really needs better lighting (mainly a nice cool blue for the moonlight) and you should be using speedtree for the trees and foilage. For some add coolness you can open up your dominate light and check lightshafts on.

[nubishdubishbone]

i have DominantDirectionalMoveable Light as moonlight, personally i dont like processing colors moonlight is generally white especially in the wilderness... the trees are in fact speedtree, seeded, and thinned. all the foliage reacts to wind that has been added and all InteractiveFoliage actors tip slowly when yo move over them, if you bump into them they mve slightly until you move away... Also there will be Prison Camp fencing around the perimeter of "the compound"... here is a better idea of why i left it so bare, but i will definitely add more LoS objects like sandbag bunkers and other stuff:

http://www.24-game.org/LS_Entrance.jpg

Anyone remember the "Low and SLow" mission from AA 2.x? this is what i have in mind only not aI defined how you coulod get caught...