MP_Checkpoint "Axis Rail Checkpoint" Released

(than) #1

NOTE: This was originally posted accidentally in the ET mod-making forum.

Ok, I’ve just released a new map. It’s actually a RTCW MP map, and doesn’t work with ET, but I thought maybe some of you guys might be interested too. The main reason being that I included the source and thought maybe someone might like to convert it.

The reason I made it RTCW only was mainly down to having started the map years ago, left it for a couple of years, and only recently finished it off. I didn’t really want the added hassle of converting for a game I don’t play - altough I no longer play RTCW either, to be honest.

Anyway, for information, screenshots and a download url, look no further than this link: http://than.spawnpoint.org

I hope someone enjoys it, despite it not being for ET.

By the way, the map source is there for anyone to mess with. I don’t care what people use the source for. Feel free to rip bits out for your own maps, modify the level for your own designs or whatever. If you do, all I ask for is a little credit in the readme of your map :slight_smile:

(.Chris.) #2

saddly i dont have RTCW but it looks rather impressive nice job
i think an ET conversion would be nice and feasable considering the objectives you got allready in there, maybe someone could do conversion for you as the source is available anyway i hope the map is a success in rtcw for you.

(mrfin) #3

v nice attention to detail going on here

  • good industrial architechture by the looks of the few screenies.
    any more screens?

I rekon you should convert it to ET :cool:

(carnage) #4

ok now having played the first map ill give u some feedback

the map is very astheticaly pleasing and does have the look of the rtcw stock maps, and thats very impresive for a first map

having ready some of ur info in the readme i have to agree with some of your points though, the maps definatly could have a been planed out better and there seems to be so many different rountes and no abvious chokepoints that the defence may strugle

you say your vis took 15 hours to compile with a map this size? did you contstruct the map entirely from structureal brushes or may be unaware as many 1st time mapper are of the imprtance of vis

still the map is of a very high standart especialy compared to the other custom rtcw maps, its just a shame its a bit l8 though as the rtcw isnt that popualr any more and may strugle to get even few servers to host ur map

plz dont convert this map to ET, They layout and structure doesnt seem right for it and would probably run into all manner of gamplay problems

some realy nice work though, and ime impresed by ur learning from ur map in terms of planning ahead in future, if u are considering sticking to making q3 maps plz consider joining the venom-studios map team we could use a mapper as talented as you

(than) #5

carnage: thanks for the in depth response.

VIS took only about 1 hour on the machine at work (p4 2.2, 512mb) but at home it took 16 hours. This was down to my pc running out of memory and using windows swapfile. I think probably over half the brushes in the level are details, and I used caulk on all non-visible surfaces. The actual construction of the map is a bit strange though, since the areas are not neatly separated - everything bar the very first section is under the same piece of sky - there aren’t any walls from the first cliffside to the end area. I hoped that all the buildings would block vis between the start and end of the map, and after some hastily placed hint brushes, they did (sort of.)

I was wondering about the layout. I thought maybe there were too many routes, but then I looked at the stock maps, and they seemed to be equally labrinthine. I didn’t get to playtest my map properly, since nobody really plays RTCW at work, so in the end, the map was mainly built for appearance and atmosphere.

The map is not my first map. I’ve made a lot of maps for Quake 1 and 2 and also one for Half-life. I’ve also started plenty of Quake 3 maps, but I really didn’t like Quake 3, so never finished one (that and the fact I wasn’t bothering to plan ahead.) I used to plan my maps on paper first, and I need to get back into the habit. The problem was that as my maps become more complex, the planning stage becomes more tedious, so I tend to skimp on it. I realise how important it is, so I will make sure that whatever I do next is properly planned.

I think you are probably right about an ET conversion being a bad idea - the scale doesn’t quite feel right for ET.

I’m not really considering sticking to Q3 maps, as I’d love to work with some of the fancier new tech available (buying a new pc in a couple of days.) I might make another RTCW or maybe ET map, but that certainly won’t be for a while, since I’m very busy with other things in my life right now.

Good luck with your mod, the screens are looking nice so far.

(Sauron|EFG) #6

Unless I’m misstaken it takes something like 40 seconds from allied spawn to docs, and another 10-15 or so to the radio. At the same time Axis spawn right next door to the radio and less than 5 seconds from the docs, and have the same 20 second spawn time as Allies. It’s possible you can cut down the allied run times a bit when you know the map better, but it’s still a huge advantage for defense.

It does look great though, and I think it could have been an awesome SP map. :slight_smile:

(carnage) #7

ime not shure about ur alyout being similar to a rtcw map, the passages seem much shorter so reducing the change of the defence intercepting someone moving along them

and as for the spawn loactions and timing, you can get an impresion of the map by using statistics butwith so many routes to the objectives and way to get to the radio it would require a incredable amount of orgonisation to defnd them all, and a skilled player could get luck and only meet two less skiled players

i gess we will never know as its unlikey that the map will be played enough to get a good idea of how the gamepley flows

thankx for the reply than, good luck with your future maps on the more advanced engines, and with your mapping career if your still folowing it

(fretn) #8

we played it with our clan on 3vs3 for several hours, and it was lots of fun (rtcw) good job

(than) #9

fretn: glad you enjoyed it

carnage + sauron: I’ll definitely pay more attention to the gameplay with the next map I made. As I said though, I have barely played RTCW MP (I used to play the old MP demo, and that was it) and have never played ET online at all, so the gameplay was a bit of an afterthought here.

(fretn) #10

I think its pretty balanced, only if the allies be stupid and dont plant the flag room after 1st spawn they will be pushed back to their spawn