New Map: Ennepe Dam

(thrift) #1

Ennepe Dam

This is the first beta release of the map.

Suggestions, comments, bug fixes, flames, etc are all helpful.

If any clans can test this map out and get back to me that would be awesome.

Download:
http://www.mediafire.com/?2grzzgwwvm5

Slideshow:

HQ Screenshots:

This map has been something I have been working on for quite a while. Originally I
planned to release the map after I was sure it was close to perfect. This is pretty far
from perfect. Real life, data loss, and a lack of experience has lead to the realization, that
I’m not going to put out a perfect or even a good map until I’m the only one left playing ET.

In an attempt to compromise and do something to contribute something back to ET, and in an
attempt to not waste all those hours I took working on this map by never releasing, I’ve GPLed
the whole damn thing. See COPYING.TXT and GPL.TXT for more details, but basically other people
can change the map all they want in accordance with the license. So if the map is a good start,
feel free to suggest changes, maybe I will implement them if I have time, maybe someone else will,
maybe you can implement them yourself.

The map is based on the idea that allies are trying to break an axis dam to flood down stream
german industry. The allies need to use Airdropped bombs to break the damn, but the Axis have
two powerfull antiaircraft guns preventing them from doing this. Allies need to attack from
the bottom of the dam and dynamite both of the antiaircraft guns, then call in for air support.
Yes, airstrikes work, it’s some kind of paradox, I know.

Allies have one spawn by default at the lower West of the dam. Axis have two available by default,
one on top of the middle of the dam and another beside the East gun. If allies blow the West gun,
Axis will lose the East gun spawn. Allies can hasten their way up the dam by building a command
post on the western middle of the dam, this will lower drainage grates in the interior of the dam allowing
quicker routes to the top. If allies have a command post AND have the East gun destroyed they
will be able to spawn in the East gun. Constructing the command post also allows the construction of
a command post fence which can not be destroyed, protecting the allied CP, drainage grates, and spawn.
Once both guns are destroyed allies have to use the radio above the Axis middle spawn. (To use it
just hit the activate button on the microphone)

I’ve had a few people help me test the map, but not nearly enough exposure to find out what
happens in real matches. It could totally blow. If it does feel free to modify it or not use it.

Credits:
Thrift(Dan Oliver) - me, email:thrift24@gmail.com, aim:thrift24, xfire:thriftone …
Most of the work on the map.

SODSM Live - Fixed a lot of stuff that was plainly broken on the map. I would have been way
to embarassed to post the map in it’s condition before he helped.

!K: - The old clan, lots of help and testing from them.

Joeybags, Smerc, Chazz - pushing me to release it in the state it’s in as well as testing.

Flight, Dustin, Toxic - Play testing on early versions of the map.

BD|THEPONYFACTOR - Bug reports and suggestions.

SBG Fellowship - Played the map on their server for testing…really didn’t work very well
in pub imo, much thanks to them. Bunch of great guys. ET: 209.40.97.204:27960

WTF Clan - Played the map on their server in pub…once again it fails miserably at pub.
Very nice guys. Thanks Talon.

STA - Sorry for vanishing on you guys, rl, etc. Anyway in the captains forums noticing the
comments on preseason/beta maps for the new season pushed me to release.

Quite a few other people helped test the map, so thanks to all those that helped test the map in
it’s even earlier stages.

(sodsm live) #2

that’s a blast from the past thrift. looks like the easygen terrain texturing broke somewhere along the journey. hope someone picks up on this as it had great potential for good flowing battles.

i was doing some housecleaning and came across an early .pk3 and then noticed i still had ennepedam in my shaderlist.

(stebbi67) #3

Do not worry, there is nothing perfect in this world, just do your best. We playing ET appreciate your effort. :wink:

The screens look good and the idea sounds good. I will try the map out to night.

(DerSaidin) #4

Objectives layout looks pretty nice. Possibly a bit short for SW.

I think the objectives would make it a great 3v3 map as is, but I’m not sure for 6v6 SW.

The Bottom area opposite to allied spawn seems fairly pointless, except for the route through to the east stairwell. I think removing this area and replacing it with an internal middle level might help gameplay, especialy for 6v6.

Middle level could have pumps and stuff. Perhaps a forward flag for allies, since the original allied spawn is very low elevation, and would probably be fairly easy to spawn camp.

If theres a forward flag down there, and the west stairs remain open at the start of the map, then axis should have good access to the flag from their top spawn, so the defence wouldnt need to be too split up.

Having said all that, I haven’t seen it played, so I might be completely wrong.

Future versions need more variety of textures, a bit brighter lighting (nice dark atmosphere, but it needs more or brighter light sources), fix the terrain texture scaling

Good work, it has some nice potential.

(thrift) #5

SODSM!!!111one Good to see you. I never really got to tell you how much I appreciated your help with the map editing. So… thanks! Also ya I didn’t even understand how to get the map to compile with the custom shader stuff for a while, so I just got it to a level of compilation and went from there. Actually last person that played it was like, “did you lower the graphics on the mountains, because I kind of like them plainer like that”… not saying I wouldn’t be interested in fixing them if I knew what to do, but the brush work was what I was more interested in than anything.

stebbi, thanks :slight_smile:

Der’saidin, Thank you for your opinions on the map.

I think you are correct that it will probably work for 3v3 better than for 6v6. One reason for this is because I have never gotten to test the map in a 6v6, but I have seen it played several times in a 3v3 setting. Changes have been done to fix issues encountered in 3v3 since then. I have not actually seen the current iteration played in 3v3 or 6v6.

The area opposite to allied spawn was originally just there for symmetry. It does add the possiblity of an allied swim across the dam which could force axis to move away from the CP toward the gun, etc. All theory, don’t know if it’s really worth anything currently.

You have some interesting ideas that I’m sure if any major changes need made I will consider them. I would really like to see how it plays right now before changing anything play related though(don’t want to fix what ain’t broken right?)

Visuals could use improvement, I agree.

thanks again for your commentary.

If anyone plays the map in a scrim, please please please let me know how it went. If anyone has or knows of a server running the map i would love to spectate for hours endlessly :slight_smile:

Anyone that wants to make any of their own changes are more than welcome to.

(DerSaidin) #6

Absolutely, thats why I make a point of the fact that I haven’t seen the map played before.

As for swimming across the front (or the back for that matter) I doubt anyone would ever actually do that, since it would take ages and you’d be helpless while you did it. The only way I can think of that they might come into play (and the reason I didn’t suggest the water level doors at the back of the dam be removed) is that you could jump down from above.

If your truly interested in developing this map for SW with feedback from testing, I’ll see if I can get some people play testing it.

(thrift) #7

You are most likely right.

Play testing is like the #1 thing that needs done right now. If you know anyone with a team who can play it, a private SW server to host it on, a pub to host it on, or even people to just run around and speculate it solo, all that would be so helpful.

As far as this goes there is a possiblity it might be up on SNL SW for a day at some point. If that does come to be I’ll make sure to post in here and let you know.

(sodsm live) #8

if anyone was going to do anything to this map, i’d recommend a real terrain. the mountains i made for it were a one-shot, first time easygen use, test so we would know what to expect of the map(ie - frame-rate hit, visual difference, distraction, etc.) I was mostly concerned with the dam structure itself and rebuilding it onto the grid.

as for being exposed in the water, the map from what i remember was almost completely undressed, meaning no decoration or incidental additions that often provide cover or aesthetic appeal. the low-water side could have any number of cover items scattered about - like landing craft, shipwreck, flotsam and jetsam, safety buoys or even underwater caves or tunnels to connect one side to the other. the same goes for the high water side.

sometimes i get the feeling that, and no offense intended, you competition guys just want a perfectly symmetrical over-bright white walled tunnel complex.

(thrift) #9

I agree that any little details could make that side look more interesting. In all likelyhood there won’t be too much play on that side of the map. It was originally put there for symmetry and both sides were plain as can be. The ladders were added as a bluff for allies more than anything else. As the gameplay was thought about on the allied spawn side of the dam that side inherited objects for gameplay more than beauty. The netting to stop arty and airstrikes to spawn. The boxes to allow allies some cover. The grating to make panzer shots into the hall way harder and to keep axis from breaking their ankles. The side opposite axis spawn had no functional use for any objects. That doesn’t mean it can’t be decorated at any point, or that it can’t be gotten rid of completely, although I don’t know if that will look any better. or even that gameplay could be encouraged to move that way, if that would be found to be helpful to the gameplay.

If anyone would be interested in cleaning up the terrain or textures or anything like that, that would be really awesome, but SODSM is onto something. Comp players, I think, value look less than other things like gameplay, FPS, lottoness, etc. However, once the gameplay and FPS all workout as long as what you are adding doesn’t adversely affect the FPS or gameplay, I think people appreciate a nice looking map…and it’s nice for the ETTV viewers as well.

Seeing how the map played currently would really show the problems the map currently faces and then once those were known, imaginative solution involving middle interiors of the dam, modification of the area opposite allied spawn, etc would all be very very usefull. Right now though if anyone can get any play testing on it that would be really exciting.

(SPU9) #10

Hey guys,

some minor bugs:

there was a red errorwarning in the console - no tracemap found or something and some textures were missing (see screen).

besides I went through the map with dersaidin and he mentioned some very interesting changes - he ll send you the demo.

additionally i will search for some teams to test the map in a few 6v6 wars - maybe i can give you the dates/times thus you can spec - or i ll just send you the demos :wink:

hope we can get this map into competitionplay :wink:

see ya next days - bye SPU9

(thrift) #11

The errors that you are seeing in the console are fine as far as I can tell. The tracemap would normally be used for rain or snow and makes the PK3 bigger, so I’ve left it out. The etpro/ennepedam_b1/gfx stuff are all just optional custom graphics I haven’t put in. And the levelshots_b1_cc.tga I’ve handled in a map name independent way. So they should all be ok, but thank you for pointing them out.

I received the demo from dersaidin and reviewed it. I am open to changes to the map, but as I have mentioned privately to dersaidin, I’m more in favor of smaller evolutionary changes or at least seeing the map in gameplay first to determine if changes to that degree are necessary.

Getting a 6v6 on the map or several in a row from evenish teams would be extremely helpful in figuring out what really does need to be modified in the map and why. There are some others that have mentioned wanting to see this as well on other forums where I have posted the map. Good luck arranging this and finding teams willing to do this.

My goal is definitively competition play, so if it can be done, let’s do it.

Thanks a lot for your interest in the map.

(kamikazee) #12

Bad thing. Mortars use it to decide if a shot is still inside the map or to check if artillery fire may be pointed to a certain place.

(thrift) #13

Bad thing. Mortars use it to decide if a shot is still inside the map or to check if artillery fire may be pointed to a certain place.[/quote]

Thank you, the place I got my information from didn’t mention that. I’ll pack it with the next release of the map after we see what other changes will need to be included.

(SPU9) #14

btw i cant callvote the map on my server - (ref) its in the list as ennepedam_a7 and if i press it i got the yellow text: server restarting but nothing happens…so i have to do rcon pw map ennepedam_b1 then server changes it - dunno if its server sided or only on mine server…

(thrift) #15

It’s a problem with one of the files in the map. It’s like a ten second fix inside of the .arena file. If that’s going to create any issue with gameplay testing let me know and I’ll pump out b2 with the .arena fix and the tracemap, otherwise I’ll wait for the gameplay test.

Thanks again.

(DerSaidin) #16

I doubt either of those minor issues would effect a gameplay test.

(thrift) #17

New release version B2

Changes:
-Refixed .arena file (Voting for map should work again)
-Included tracemap
-Transparency on Command Map

Downloads:
http://www.mediafire.com/?arnmyhz33ze
http://rapidshare.com/files/55423912/ennepedam_b2.pk3.html

May have another mirror shortly.

Still looking for teams to test gameplay…

(SPU9) #18

got 1 team already - other team went to qw ;((

its hard to find once more 6 player…but i ll keep on trying
and youst to remind you the levelshots/…tga is still missing as well as the 3 yellow etpro/… files mentioned in one of my previous posts (only to remind you to fix it for further versions)

good mirror:
http://www.et-cup.player-city.de/maps/ennepedam_b2.pk3

(thrift) #19

thanks for the mirror spu.

The errors that are remaining I am 99.99% sure are not a problem.

If anyone has an et server running the map, I might be able to get a team to scrim our team on it, although it seems like it would be better if it were a neutral team.

(Erls) #20

I’ll see about getting it running on one of Bunker’s. Any preference between EU and NA?