[MAP] Trust

[dublpaws]

map url -> http://dublpaws.googlepages.com/trust (bigger images)
direct pk3 link -> http://thinkium.com/map-ctf_trust_v1r1.pk3

custom skybox, dry sparse soundtrack. lots of options for evading chasers. Look for secret cubbies and scooting over the top.

Thanks nex-devs for your hardwork, and thanks to the server people, Happy Thanksgiving everybody -dubl

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[[-z-]]

The skybox is pretty cool. It's nice to see something more abstract in Nexuiz, rather than the usual skys. The overall flow and item placement set the stage for some interesting battles. I don't however agree with the invisible floors. It's misleading and I don't consider it a 'fun way' to trick the user. I find it more "untrusting" than anything. The jump pads are just floating, it would be cool if they connected to the rest of the structure.

A technicality on the map packaging, it's best to copy the _v#r# to the bsp, mapinfo, etc as well to avoid possible confusion.

Overall it's a good map, very colorful with that skybox and you've built a fun playground. I can't wait to try some matches on this with other players.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

[dublpaws]

ok [-z-], thanks for the inspection. will consider changing the invisible floors. the floating jump pads, yeah, was conflicted about that - wanted to get the release out for thanksgiving. The problem was they aren't aligned with the adjacent posts correctly, maybe it would be better to attach them vertically to the underside instead.

[[-z-]]

It doesn't have to be a straight up and down column, in fact, it'd be cool if it had a kink with an item. So if you were to take advantage of the air movement on falling to the jump pad, you can grab that item instead of hiting the jump pad, if you get what I'm saying. (you may want to add a hurt trigger to catch the campers)

[Chubby]

Oef that's nice. Happy Thanksgiving Americanski's!

[divVerent]

[-z-]: Actually, the _v1r1 in the bsp name was not the originally intended way.

_v1r1.pk3 is meant to be compatible with _v1r2.pk3 and _v1r3.pk3, etc., and the BSP would be called _v1.bsp. That results in the map not being loaded or downloaded twice in the same game session.

When doing an incompatible change to the map, you start with a new major version: _v2r1.pk3, _v2r2.pk3, etc.

Compatible changes include:

• mapinfo changes
• entity changes (including light entities), except for misc_model
• texture or skybox changes
• shader changes

Incompatible changes are:

• changes of brushes
• changes of misc_model entities
• scaling the map

That way, unnecessary redownloading of the map is minimized, as the client does not need the mapinfo, the entities, and as texture or shader changes are minor and the map works with the old ones just as well. If you do that, the old map will be used when already loaded, but slowly phased out (it won't load the old one from dlcache, but redownload it then).

That is especially useful if you notice you made a mistake, and release a next update soon - that way, less people have the buggy version.

If you have no idea about what is compatible and what not, call the bsp file _v1r1.bsp etc. to be safe. But this will cause unnecessary downloading.

[[-z-]]

duly noted.

[Strahlemann]

Good map!
You have some nice clean brushwork going on in there. I really like the brownish touch. Looks much better with bloom activated then on your screenshots btw.
But to be honest i really don't like your skybox. It's very distracting, noisy and uses ugly rainbow-neon-colors that are in no relation to your map at all.

You have a strong and clean theme for the map itself; transporting this to your skybox would result in a much more polished look and would add to the nice clean look, instead of breaking it.

And give the players some hint if you can walk on the floor or if you'll fall down. Take a glass-texture or something else which allows the player fast to tell if he's jumping into death or not. Sure: players will get used to it and recognize the safe areas, and having items there helps to get things rolling, but as a player you don't want to enter a map for the first time and have to learn stuff like that. You want to play a fast-paced game and feel comfortable within the environment. And as a mapper it's your job to let the player forget about anything not related to the actual game, which involves not to have the player get stuck for even a millisecond to check out if it's safe to go there or if it'll result in your virtual death. You can do so in single-player games or in secret areas, but nexuiz is not the place for small riddles like that (at least not in a serious map, which yours is).

check out some of these q3 maps for some inspirational minimalistic clean design: http://nunuk.planetquake.gamespy.com/ge ... genews.htm

[dublpaws]

You guys rock.

my Todos for this map:
-fix naming scheme, thanks for explaining that, Div.
-glassify transparent brushes
-think about skybox, --maybe a mars rover panorama

Strahlemann: thanks for that link, lots of ideas there. BTW - I stole the stumpy jump gap ramps, the half-circle platforms at the center, and the ramp supports from Strength - that is a fantastic map, honestly makes me feel like I'm crawling with crayons.

[[-z-]]

I do like the evolution of your maps, it's nice to see you remixing some of Strahlemann's ideas. You definitely set a pace for your maps, they're always fun / interesting playgrounds.

Strength - that is a fantastic map

Seconded. So much detail in so many different directions, sharing with the player your deep understanding of the game.