New DM Map - Thirsty

[MadGypsy]

This will be my first map release ever and I want to talk about it a bit. When I generally start a map, I begin by trying to create structural theme. This always turns into a brush porn session and I never get anywhere. My approach this time was different. I made 1 room, that was nothing but a box. I then started thinking of how to enter/leave the room. That led to another room. Then I started thinking about how ambushes could be implemented between those 2 rooms. Actually, I can say it all like this. I built every part of it thinking about how that area could be played in.

This led me to create a map with LOTS of escape routes, ambush points and even an arena. The images below are of the arena area. It's 3 stories and there are tons of ways to attack from. If it's not incredibly obvious, the 3rd floor fell through the 2nd floor which in turn fell to the first. There is shit everywhere, it's a mess. Perfect for battle.





There is still a lot to do.

[Syluxguy28O3]

looks good. kudos for finally making a playable map.

[MadGypsy]

In my experience, players tend to avoid rooms like these because they are too blocky and have too many obstructions. It interrupts seamless fighting. Most popular maps tend to have large areas of "openess" which promotes quicker paced action and movement.

I am actually aware of this and was aware of it before I began, but I made an executive decision to fill up the room with even more debris because of it. I want this map to embody strategy. Most Quake maps you just run around in open areas shooting at people. I wanted lots of close quarters combat with ability to flee always present. I also wanted enough junk lying around to slow down the players. I also wanted to add an element of kung fu*, by having plenty of map chunks that can be used to gain an advantage.

You don't have to wait for a video walkthrough. I'll send you the map right now and you can run around in it all you like. There are quite a few unfinished areas, but the overall layout of rooms is probably not going to change.

splash damage.....

I did not know this, however I don't intend to change my map to accommodate it. For one, I would have to basically start over with a completely different theme. I can't have fallen in floors that leave behind no debris. For two, I really like my map. I generally make horrible maps and this is the first time I am not completely embarrassed to share my work with this community.

i love the lighting

psssh, sheer luck on my part. I put all those light models everywhere and then I put a light source in front of all of them, built the map, ran it and was pleasantly surprised that it looked pretty good. I lit the whole map in like 30 minutes on the first shot. Could it be better? Sure, but I'm afraid to mess with it.

--

*kung fu: One example of this is my angled crates. You can run right up them and if you press jump at just the right nanosecond it gives an effect similar to a weak rocket jump. I'm sure its a glitch in the physics and I am happy to exploit it. Actually those crates are currently the only way out of the flooded basement. I'm not sure if I am going to make another way yet. I understand what it will mean if I don't, but I'm pushing for the players to learn how to use the map. I'm not trying to make "another Quake map"...I'm trying to make a playable Gypsy map.

[MadGypsy]

looks good. kudos for finally making a playable map.

We must have posted about the same time (you right before me) cause I missed your post.

Thank you for the compliments. I intended to get you, JD, Mindz (whether he hates me or not) and R00k to test this map for me when I am done. I think I'm going to be done pretty fast. I put together everything you see and a lot more in 7 hours. All of this was done yesterday from noon to 7. I chose each of you for different reasons

R00k - server aware
Mindz - played more than enough MP Quake to give me a reliable opinion
You and JD - cause you're my friends and you guys are always supporting me

I would extend that list to
Golden_boy - established mapper
talisa - same reason as you and JD

some of my reasons could be criss crossed - like I'm sure R00k could give me just as reliable of an opinion about the playability of the map as Mindz could.

[OMacKnight]

Looks pretty rad if you ask me.

I'd love to try it out some time in the future.

[golden_boy]

Looks good.

Link plz.

+ What others said about obstacles. Might work better as SP.

[MadGypsy]

+ What others said about obstacles. Might work better as SP.

On the pro map builder level, you are probably correct. But, this will be a DM map. If you were caught in a real life battle in these circumstances it would be far more complicated to battle than Quake makes it. Quake maps are almost as a standard, geared to ideal fighting situations. My maps are different and I intend to stick with my style. I have run around this area enough to know that if you know this map, you won't slow down at all. You could almost literally fly around this thing. You can also traverse the levels quite quickly. I can get from the bottom of the arena to the top of it in about 1.+ second without a rocket jump. As a matter of fact, I don't even have rockets in the map yet.

@OMac - I'll mail you a copy when I mail it to gb later. I'm not stuck on this being some "release" and only chosen people blah blah blah -anybody that wants to check it out is welcome to, finished or not.

[MadGypsy]

Since, there seems to be a bit of interest in this - I am releasing the unfinished map here. There's just no point in me making a bunch of PMs and then more as more people have interest.

The download contains:

gyp.wad - this is a very stripped id.wad with one custom texture (black - which is just black and covers the entire roof of the map)

first.map - the radiant .map file

first.bsp - a quick and dirty build of the map

You can do whatever you want with it except finish it and release it as your work. As a matter of fact, you can't even finish it, release it and give me credit. This release is for demonstration and educational purposes only.

Gypsy_map.zip

Note: There is nothing but a world, lights and a player start. There is NOTHING else in this map. This is also very unfinished. Barring a cheat (no clip) you will not be able to leave the flooded basement if you don't learn how to use the ramp boxes. Press jump right before the "peak". It throws you pretty dam high and far.

[Syluxguy28O3]

so i went through your map, and i do have a few comments (i know, shocking)

1: as i initially suspected, it seems you can get stuck in that clutter of boxes on the first floor. the laser is pointing where you would have to be to get stuck. i had to hold jump until i lifted out.




2: once you are on the first floor, i found the only way to get back up is here:



it took me a few tries too many, so i would suggest adding something easier to use.

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now i know this map is still undone, and you probably have thought of all this, but im just telling you my first impressions. other than whats mentioned above, i found the map to be a nice conglomerate of twists and turns,and i look forward to seeing it with monsters!

[MadGypsy]

1) I know you can get stuck there. It actually took some time to make sure you would get very stuck.

2) that is not up and out, it is down from above. You aren't supposed to be able to get out that way at all.

I expect to hear the same things over and over about obstacles. The bottom line is, someone that knows this map will never get stuck or find the obstacles annoying.

If you were down there in the flooded basement being attacked from levels above, you are going to have to do some work to make it out alive. It is a challenge. You can use the obstacles to your advantage or you can let them become your weakness while others pwn you.

So I guess in the case of #1 - yeah, don't walk there noob <3 (I'm being playful, not rude)

[Syluxguy28O3]

showing your troll personality in the map....

[R00k]

maybe a clipbrush so u can keep the look but keep the player moving about

[MadGypsy]

How to get out oof the basement



use kung fu and a physics glitch. Let's say you were coming around that corner. Jump to the blocks, run without jumping up the crate, jump about where I have the dot and {{trumpet}} away you will fly.

Alternately you could skip the first curved line and just start on the blocks. I wanted to illustrate someone that is actually running to/from something.

It works on the other angled box as well but you have to be a little more pro to get the right angle.

I'm not saying I intend to leave a glitch as the only way out.

[MadGypsy]

showing your troll personality in the map....

No, I'm making it realistic(ish) if you were fighting on a bunch of stone blocks with varying spaces between them, you could easily get a foot stuck.

@R00k - no. lol - I want "you" to get stuck if you are clumsy or stupid enough to navigate into a clusterfuck of stone blocks. That is the only spot and I made it on purpose. Consider it a trap.

[MadGypsy]

If anyone decides to add to my map and you come up with something congruent and rspeed friendly, please feel free to share it here or in a PM to me. This is my fun little open project. I'm not determined to make the work all mine. Golden_Boy is the only one I will not accept map additions from. This is because, he is already pro. Of course anything he does will make the map better. That takes the fun out of the hands of the little guys like myself. Plus, anything he does to one of my rooms will [probably make the rest of my map look like shit...

I would certainly accept any advice/pointers he has though.