Pyramid Map's a coming along

[Meanstreak(BNino)]

Lots of good ideas brewing, guessing/checking advice hearing and all. I think you all will REALLY like it.

However, I don't think it will be very tnag friendly. With the low grav, most of the point of the map (get to the top) is made far too easy. But it should prove nothing short of exciting for aug or 0 aug play.

I'd like some advice on the weapons. I want to do something more interesting than have them all available at spawn. I want the only spawn points to be outside the pyramid, or in the first level. All other levels or rooms will take some traversing to get to what goodies they hold.

My idea is to start off with ONLY the pistol, sawed-off and combat knife.

As you progress you slowly come across better weapons. For example, the main lobby will have a crossbow somewhere, maybe even stealth pistol. The assault rifle and shotgun won't be anywhere except the armory, and the plasma rifle and dragon tooth swords will only be found in research lab levels (under heavy lock and key of course.)

There will be a few secrets here and there that enable a few weapons earlier, depending on how good you are at exploration.

Also I want this map to be very team dependent. I find most DX players to this day know nothing of teamwork. For example, the armory will only be accesable by A.) Security pad door command or B.) 4 multitools, two for each door between you and the weapons.

This causes more than one person to hack the keypad, or perhaps a small strike team to fight their way to the proper security terminal to open the door for the rest of their team.

Also, security pad will be full force and very helpful. I want several of them, no more than four or five though, and each one controls not one, but two or possible THREE turrets, as well as opening some doors (or in some cases) hidden passages. The cameras will also be invaluable. Since most of the fighting will be indoors but on seperate levels, three camera views will do quite well in showing where the enemy is headed.

Also, I am thinking of a helicopter pad on the backside. Too much yet? :D

I'm expecting some screenies of just the rooms and such with no detail soon, to give a better idea, as if I haven't rambled on this enough already.

[chin.democ.]

I like the train of thought, however personally I wouldn't start off with the pistol as it tends to be a weapon that is used by the stronger players, thus giving them an initial advantage, perhaps the auto shotgun?

[Meanstreak(BNino)]

I like the train of thought, however personally I wouldn't start off with the pistol as it tends to be a weapon that is used by the stronger players, thus giving them an initial advantage, perhaps the auto shotgun?

I thought about that. For my purposes on this map, I have organized the weapons available in three categories:

Lvl 1:
The lower weapons, less damage types. In one spawnpoint, there may be a pistol and crossbow available, while in another only the sawed off and stealth. EMP grenades will be available near if not in spawn areas since I plan on many turrets, so in non-aug play it should be a given.

Pistol
Stealth Pistol
Mini Crossbow
Combat Knife
EMP Grenade

Lvl 2:
The more advanced combat choices, what most people will go for first to keep a good arsenal on them.

Assault Rifle
Assault Shotgun
Flamethrower
Throwing Knives
Gas Grenade
Sword

Lvl 3:
The good old high end weaponry, very special and powerful. Will be the hardest to acquire in game.

Sniper Rifle
GEP Gun
LAW
LAM
Plasma Rifle
Dragon's Tooth Sword

It is a remixed spin on the idea of increasing skills/aug as you kill, but rather that that, it is more the longer you survive through the level, the better equipment you'll come across.

Also I think if this map were to be non-aug play (not what I am designing it for, but if it were) then the idea of mid-level skills would add even more challenge as you are not master with skills on top of having to use lesser guns at first.

[~][FGS][Nobody~]

I demand a Lvl 4: Ultra powerful and potentially lethal.

Super-Rocket
Neutron Bomb

[Skilgannon]

If I'm imagining his map correctly, there wouldn't be enough room.....

[Kuchcik]

If I'm imagining his map correctly, there wouldn't be enough room.....

He will just make a square pyramid.

Egyptians will roll over in their graves when they see that.

[Skilgannon]

Aye, probably is square, but so are the Giza pyramids I think.....

[Meanstreak(BNino)]

/ \
/|_|\
/ |__| \
/ |___| \

There will be enough room don't worry. Plus, since the geometric restrictions will force each higher level to be smaller, the fact that there are several levels and rooms of play will not be a negative on multiplayer playability.

By the time you get to the top, you're only dealing with a single, central square room. If someone is in it, you'll know.

I have gotten lazy and hardly worked on in past week, but from the little I've done the shape will prove adequate.

[Skilgannon]

/ \
/|_|\
/ |__| \
/ |___| \

There will be enough room don't worry. Plus, since the geometric restrictions will force each higher level to be smaller, the fact that there are several levels and rooms of play will not be a negative on multiplayer playability.

By the time you get to the top, you're only dealing with a single, central square room. If someone is in it, you'll know.

I have gotten lazy and hardly worked on in past week, but from the little I've done the shape will prove adequate.

Lolz! I meant there wouldn't be enough room for the Neutron Bomb. It would kill everything in the pyramid. Unless of course, it's bigger than anything ever seen before. :shock:

[Meanstreak(BNino)]

Neu-... neutron bomb?! No I never said I wanted a nuke there.

HOWEVER while you've brought it up, I DID want to have a feature similar to Command_Post. Initiate a radiation meltdown of sorts that would incinerate everyone exposed to the outside, including the two highest levels inside the pyramid and everywhere outside. Blast doors and all.

I want the control center at the top to have a computer, behind a wall panel that requires a code (hackable=false) Then when you hack it, you have the option "Initiate Defcon 4." This will begin closing the blast doors within a few seconds and any entrance/exit to the pyramid. Then the areas I stated will be hit with several pulses or radiation damage. In 0 aug it will kill anyone, but in aug you can survive it with Environmental Protection.

When I talk to ppl about this map many say it may bot turn out well and I am thinking to big. I say I am trying to put the fun back in DX. Not only am I making use of tools, alternative routes and security, I am also forcing the player to rethink conventional play styles. Even the greatest aug player would NEVER use environmental protection, yet this map will change that. Many players haven't even fired a sawed-off. Not anymore.

My map will be the perfect cross between single player entertainment and fast-paced multiplayer style. Trust me :D

I've found the easiest way to go about mapmaking is to get the rooms and textures all complete before putting anything in them (save for lights, playerstart, levelinfo etc.) Putting objects in the world and setting them is easy. I am ALMOST complete in my architectural design, here is a virtual tour for those interested (skil):

Upon spawning outside i nthe middle of the desert, you cannot help but notice the large pyramid in the center of the wasteland. The entrance, a large stone staircase leads down a long high hallway through open blast doors. You emerg in a large, octagonal lobby with a scaled oct center support from floor to ceiling in the middle of it. Past this support unseen from the door, are two elevators. To the right of the entrance is the small security control room. To the left, however, is the far more interesting armory, down a protected hallway and locked behind blast doors of course.

Take one of the elevators up and you see yourself in a small landing area. To the left is a locked door, a storage room. Go straight and find you can go left or right, but they circle back around as it is a square room with a square wall in the center. To the right (the second level is reverse directionals, since you exit the elevator from the same direction from which you entered) is the barracks. Nothing special, two small private bedrooms, one large bunker-style room with several beds, and even a kitchenette and lounge, with a door leading to the showers.

Back at the elevators, in front of you, but behind the wall are two doors into the restroom. Enter either one and you have on your right the locker room, and from there the showers. Nothing too interesting here, yet.

Taking a left will lead you down another hall. Continuing straight through the blast doors will emerge you back outside, but higher up on the pyramid on a flat walking area that crops the waistline of the structure. Just a patrol area, you know?

Opt for another left instead of outside will take you to the medical area, which is also linked to the storage room from earlier. Going right, however, will take you to a secure elevator to the next level, containing the labs.

Follow the hallways after getting off the lift and you face a restroom. Go right and up the stairs and you're in the nanotech research area, the other is a weapons lab. :D

That is all I have for now. All that is left is the basement, central elevator and the command center at the top. From there, I put in ALL of my lights, do my movers, then add prefabs and decor, then weapons, security consoles/turrets and finish up with whatever is left.

[Skilgannon]

Neu-... neutron bomb?! No I never said I wanted a nuke there.

HOWEVER while you've brought it up, I DID want to have a feature similar to Command_Post. Initiate a radiation meltdown of sorts that would incinerate everyone exposed to the outside, including the two highest levels inside the pyramid and everywhere outside. Blast doors and all.

I want the control center at the top to have a computer, behind a wall panel that requires a code (hackable=false) Then when you hack it, you have the option "Initiate Defcon 4." This will begin closing the blast doors within a few seconds and any entrance/exit to the pyramid. Then the areas I stated will be hit with several pulses or radiation damage. In 0 aug it will kill anyone, but in aug you can survive it with Environmental Protection.

When I talk to ppl about this map many say it may bot turn out well and I am thinking to big. I say I am trying to put the fun back in DX. Not only am I making use of tools, alternative routes and security, I am also forcing the player to rethink conventional play styles. Even the greatest aug player would NEVER use environmental protection, yet this map will change that. Many players haven't even fired a sawed-off. Not anymore.

My map will be the perfect cross between single player entertainment and fast-paced multiplayer style. Trust me

I've found the easiest way to go about mapmaking is to get the rooms and textures all complete before putting anything in them (save for lights, playerstart, levelinfo etc.) Putting objects in the world and setting them is easy. I am ALMOST complete in my architectural design, here is a virtual tour for those interested (skil):

Upon spawning outside i nthe middle of the desert, you cannot help but notice the large pyramid in the center of the wasteland. The entrance, a large stone staircase leads down a long high hallway through open blast doors. You emerg in a large, octagonal lobby with a scaled oct center support from floor to ceiling in the middle of it. Past this support unseen from the door, are two elevators. To the right of the entrance is the small security control room. To the left, however, is the far more interesting armory, down a protected hallway and locked behind blast doors of course.

Take one of the elevators up and you see yourself in a small landing area. To the left is a locked door, a storage room. Go straight and find you can go left or right, but they circle back around as it is a square room with a square wall in the center. To the right (the second level is reverse directionals, since you exit the elevator from the same direction from which you entered) is the barracks. Nothing special, two small private bedrooms, one large bunker-style room with several beds, and even a kitchenette and lounge, with a door leading to the showers.

Back at the elevators, in front of you, but behind the wall are two doors into the restroom. Enter either one and you have on your right the locker room, and from there the showers. Nothing too interesting here, yet.

Taking a left will lead you down another hall. Continuing straight through the blast doors will emerge you back outside, but higher up on the pyramid on a flat walking area that crops the waistline of the structure. Just a patrol area, you know?

Opt for another left instead of outside will take you to the medical area, which is also linked to the storage room from earlier. Going right, however, will take you to a secure elevator to the next level, containing the labs.

Follow the hallways after getting off the lift and you face a restroom. Go right and up the stairs and you're in the nanotech research area, the other is a weapons lab.

That is all I have for now. All that is left is the basement, central elevator and the command center at the top. From there, I put in ALL of my lights, do my movers, then add prefabs and decor, then weapons, security consoles/turrets and finish up with whatever is left.

Wow, very good. 8) When you get the architecture and lighting finished, can I take a sneak peek? :P

[Meanstreak(BNino)]

Of course you can. There is one thing I am unsure of though: Since the farthest you get through is the "goal" each team kills over, i.e. more guns, turret/door control etc, I am unsure how to put two separate spawn points that don't give the other team too much of an advantage such as they appear in the pyramid and thus headstarted past the other team, til the games natural spawn point balance swaps. : /

[Meanstreak(BNino)]

I demand a Lvl 4: Ultra powerful and potentially lethal.

Super-Rocket
Neutron Bomb

Deal. There will be a hidden level 4 that contains the neutron bomb, JUST for you Nobody.

Someone post a link that either explains how to code a n-bomb or if there is any way to just get it as a file or whatnot so I can add it in.

Til' then, I will just use a stockhold of lams and a LAW to supplement the lack of neut's.

Also, I'll point out that while most bonus items (behind locked doors and such) are just enough for one person. Since I am putting ore obstacles between the goodies and the player, most of the rewards will not only be for him but for his whole team. Example: Once you get into the armory, you have basically unlocked the assault shotgun and some grenades for your whole team.

Love the sig as well, because indeed nobody is perfect. When you pass, you should put N.I.P. on your 'stone.

[Skilgannon]

Give him the links Noodles.

[~][FGS][Nobody~]

Deal. There will be a hidden level 4 that contains the neutron bomb, JUST for you Nobody.

Someone post a link that either explains how to code a n-bomb or if there is any way to just get it as a file or whatnot so I can add it in.

Omg, cool. I wouldn't have expected that.
Because the whole superrocket mod might be too big for your project, I just took some minutes to extract the neutron bomb out of it and compile it into a small separate mod.
View PM to get it!