The Cage - Beta 1

[GlobalWarming]

Hello everyone!

This is the first map I ever created

I developed it in 4 days so technically I'm still a noob developing maps... Suggestions welcome 

I tested it under linux and windows and I have found no bugs.

My idea was to create a small, fast and fun map based in my experience as a Tremulous player... I hope you enjoy it!

Features:

* Balanced bases (Same for both teams)
* Close combat (Small Map)
* Around 9 different spots for OM/RC, per base
* A neutral "playground" between the bases
* No human or alien to-hide places: Any spot in the map can be accessed by Tyrants and BattleSuits.
* 3 different entrances for each base:
        1st floor entrance: Any unit can enter (alien or human)
        2nd floor entrance: Only Marauder and small aliens can pass through
                            Only Humans without BattleSuit can pass through
        3rd floor entrance; Any unit can get out (alien or human)
                            Only Tyrant and humans without jet-pack (e.g. BattleSuits) can not enter through it

Screenshots:

http://sites.alepe.com/trem/cage_1.jpg
http://sites.alepe.com/trem/cage_2.jpg
http://sites.alepe.com/trem/cage_3.jpg

Download:

http://sites.alepe.com/trem/map-cage_b1.pk3

NOTE: My intention was no to create a perfect-looking map with a lot of details but a fast and good-playability map.

Night all!

[Amanieu]

Pretty good for a first map

[Thorn]

Reminds me of quake2, except the textures are aligned less >.>

[Lava Croft]

Now my eyes bleed, thanks.

[amz181]

for the boxes that you have, texture lock them, so that the texture stays aligned wherever it is.
the texture lock button is on the right side of the toolbar, the icon is a padlock.

lol youve inspired me to even post my first map which im currently making, i was afraid that everyone would just say it was crap, but it seems only lava will be doing that

[Evoc]

* Balanced bases (Same for both teams)

A symmetrical map not always a good map.

Graphics aside, this is a decent map. I would assume it would be biased towards aliens, but for a first map, good job. =D

[Syntac]

Kewl, I like it.

[GlobalWarming]

Thank you for the comments... and sorry for my English

My initial intention with this BETA map is to improve the "game play" and not the design (at least if it is not affecting the game play).
Once the map achieve a good game play (if possible), I will spend some weeks to improve the details in the design (before releasing it as FINAL).

Why?, because (many people may agree with me) in Tremulous there are many really AWESOME and INCREDIBLE maps that have so much details that really  makes you feel that you are somewhere else... But what happen??? Most of those maps really sucks at game play (sorry, but it is true)... If there are many players, the maps lags as hell or if there are few players is so bored because the game turns so slow... and usually, even people say "Wow! how cool is this map!", in less than 5 min. they are voting to change for something like A.T.C.S.

So personally I think is a shame that all those people that developed those maps took weeks or months to finish them and no one wants to play on them... so there is almost no way to improve their game play...
So the idea with this map (The Cage) is to start from the end... first focus on the game play, and then worry about the design details... what do you think?

amz181: yes, thank you... If this game do not fail in the game play, I will definitely do that...

As Evoc said, I'm aware that symmetrical maps not always provide a balanced game... so I tried to create the necessary elements for each team so they can defend their base as balanced as possible... (also I'm planning to customize each base accordingly to users comments)
Could you explain why do you think this map is ALIEN-biased? (besides I usually play as alien? )
You answer may really help me to achieve my goal with this map...

To complement Evoc comment, from my point of view, this are the advantages in this map for each team. So, if any of you think I'm missing/wrong something please comment it:


ALIENS:

ADVANTAGES:

I think Goons will play an essential role in this map, because they can jump quickly from one floor to another, and they can attack from the 1st and 3rd floor.
Adv. Goons also can snipe from the 2nd floor entrance as well.
Tyrants can run freely on the "playground"
Wall climbing also may give Aliens some advantages in this map.
2nd and 1st entrances (mainly 1st floor entrance), are "trappers" and "acids" capable.

DISADVANTAGES:

Tyrants can not reach 3rd floor inside base so quick (see timings below), and can not enter from 2nd and 3rd floor.
All OM common spots in Alien base, are exposed to NADES (groud level only). 
3rd floor entrance is highly exposed to jet packers... It has not "trappers" spots (at least not so easy).

HUMANS:

ADVANTAGES:

In the case of humans, I think that jet packs will play an important role, because it gives you all the access to the 3rd floor from outside and for moving inside your base.
All humans can reach the 3rd floor quite fast using ladders (see timings below).
In the playground as from the 2nd floor entrance (1st and 3rd, partially), humans can fire without exposing to Goons or Tyrants.
Humans can fire from the 3rd floor to any in the playground.
RC may be better protected than OM.
Moving the base at the beginning to the 3rd floor, could be faster than for aliens.
From the 3rd floor, a human can jump in the middle orange squares without causing himself any harm.

DISADVANTAGES:

Getting in/out through the 2nd floor entrance is very slow.
Battlesuits can not pass through 2nd floor and can not enter to Aliens 3rd. floor entrance.


Note: All this ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES need to be tested in real combat games (for example, 5vs5) in order to know how much they weight in favor of a team.

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In order to know "how fast" someone can response to an attack from the 3rd floor being at the 1st floor, I did some tests:

TIMING (approximately):

  All humans (inc. w/jet pack): 5 sec

  + Dretch, Adv. Granger and Basilisk: 4 sec.
  Marauder: 6 sec. *
  Goon: 3 sec. *
 + Adv. Goon: 2 sec.
  Tyrant: 10 sec. *
  Granger: 12 sec.

*(depending of user skills, it may not be so easy)

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So please, test this map with other people... and if you think something in the map fails to provide a balanced game, please post it here... I will take it into consideration for sure, for the next BETA version, and I will give you credit for that.

Thank you all of you for your kind comments and I hope we can have some fun with this map 

Please help me with this, so we can have more well balanced maps in Tremulous! 


 

[GlobalWarming]

For those that don't want to download the map yet, here you can see 24 more screen shots (to get the full idea):

Some may be almost the same as the above ones... sorry.

http://sites.alepe.com/trem/

Name: shot0000.jpg to shot0023.jpg.

[Asvarox]

Details are important in Tremulous' maps because they are usually great places for trappers (a good example is Thanatos map, aliens default).

[your face]

good start.  As a suggestion, try using more textures from different default maps, instead of mostly ATCS, and of course, mooargreeblespam.

[Evoc]

I would assume it to be alien biased due to it's somewhat cramped layout - humans can't just always jump down without getting damaged, so they will walk all the way down on the paths. Aliens, however, can jump down AND wallclimb. Aliens will definitely dominate as S1, for sure.