Gravlab | Quadropolis

a turtle | 2007-11-23 05:00

Gravlab

[

points ]

(3 votes)

Blurb A second gravity-shifting map!

Screenshot Gravlab

Get original file (51KB)

Detailed description

UPDATE: I decided to touch up a few details in the map. Mainly, I removed some "double teleport" bugs, deleted teleports that did nothing, and made ammo much easier to find. I also placed bases, two in each dimension, just to see how capture would work out. Also added a couple of details to prevent some “accidental” teleports.

Overall, I think the update is good. However, due to the change in glass type in the new version of Sauerbraten, the map loses a bit of its looks, but there is not much I can do about that :(

Last note: I do not want to hear anyone say “I think it will not work” until they have actually playtested the map. Considering the concept, I think the map is surprisingly playable if one learns their way around it.
Original description follows.

This is my second gravity-shifting map, and this one aims to be actually playable. Be sure to check out my first, Dimensions (http://www.quadropolis.us/node/848). Several people have asked to see the concept applied to a "real map", and I think this is as practical as it will get.
The idea is this: walk into an arrow, and the gravity will switch to the wall at which it is pointing (actually, you will be taken into another dimension with the gravity in that direction, so it is not true multi-gravity). In an attempt to make the concept playable, I have made the map a small cube, a sort of "gravity lab". All the platforms are semi transparent so that it is easier to find other players to shoot at (this was a problem in "Dimensions"). I have also tried as well as I could to place platforms in such a way that the map is playable from all sides.
When you play the map, please PLAYTEST it! Do not just suppose that it is unplayable. Get a feel for the map (this may take a bit of time), then play with a friend so that I can find out if the map is at least somewhat practical.
This will be my last gravity map, but if people show enough interest in either gravlab or dimensions, I may update them to make them more attractive.
I hope you like my map. I spent a lot of time making it, and some details were a real hassle. I include a skybox with the map that I specifically made for gravlab (unfortunately, terragen couldn’t be used for this purpose), so make sure that it works. The map looks completely different without its skybox.
Hopefully, the map is at least worth a look. Keep in mind that making it was not as easy as it would seem.

Map file gravlab.zip (662.38 KB)

Rating

points

(3 votes)

Comments

Halleck | 2007-11-23 05:14

This map looks amazing but most teleports say they don't have a destination :/
I would rate this pretty high just because of how awesome it looks but i cant until the teleports are fixed.
Im looking forward to it ;)
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halo | 2007-11-23 14:44

great map,:) the textures are very well and the light to. 5/5

by the way you wanna finish spacebattle? cause if not im gunna make it a singleplayer map

!if to be, than be the best!

a turtle | 2007-11-23 15:38

The teleports that do not have a destination are not supposed to work because they are with arrows facing downward, which shift gravity toward the wall on which you are already walking. For example, if you are walking on the “blue” side of the cube and walk into a red arrow, you will start walking on the “red” side, but once you are there, red arrows will not do anything because you are already on the “red” side. The blue and green arrows will work, however.
I hope this makes sense, I know that my explanation is a bit confusing, but it makes sense once you think about it :)
I think if you play the map in instagib or in ffa default, the message “no teleport destination” will not appear.

JadeMatrix | 2007-11-23 18:40

Make the teledests in the same location as the teleports.

Wait, that may not work too well...

The teledests would have a different yaw than the player when entering the teleport... I don't know if that's a problem, though.

SheeEttin | 2007-11-23 20:04

Why not just not have teleports that don't do anything?

a turtle | 2007-11-23 21:01

Teleports that do not do anything are needed to keep uniformity through the dimensions. Otherwise, while you are walking on one side of the cube, you will see different things than you would if you were walking on another side. I cannot make the teledest in the same place as the teleport because then you would locked in a constant cycle of teleporting. Anyway, if you play the map in ffa default or instagib, the message about no teledest will not appear.
I hope that answered your questions. I personally think that the teleports are in order at the moment, but thanks a lot for your questions and concerns

DarkStar | 2007-11-24 14:28

I was left a little disappointed after your last map, which was excellent.
It didn't feel so much as a map, but a gimmick. Though I did like the little cube in the corner.
The textures seemed to be selected rather haphazardly, and the lack of lighting just made it more uncomfortable on the eyes.

You've got a great idea there, so use it imaginatively!

I found it difficult to imagine playing it on DM. Not to mention that every time you 'change dimensions' you're actually getting sent to a different map, meaning that you won't be on the same section as your enemies.
It's probably impossible or at least very difficult to fix this, so I can't imagine this map will ever surpass being a novelty.

a turtle | 2007-11-24 21:22

First off, thank you for your comment and input. This is indeed a very hard concept to apply to Sauerbraten. From what I've heard, some other engines, particularly "serious engine" (from Serious Sam) actually support multi-directional gravity, so perhaps that would be better to use.

I was very surprised by your lighting statement, however, since the map was definitely lit when I posted it. Or do you mean lack of completely bright lighting? Just to check, type "/calclight" and see if anything changes. If it does, then there must have been a problem in posting and I will re post.

Furthermore, I would like to say that the map was not intended to have any unified theme (if you were expecting one), just a gravity arena made for play, so the textures were mostly chosen just to look nice, and the map was lit with different colors on different sides to make it easier to find one's way around dimensions. I also made the map much smaller to make it easier to find other people to shoot at.

Finally, and most importantly, you said "I found it difficult to imagine playing it on DM". I apprecate your thought, and I admit that it is hard to imagine playing this concept, but I would still like to hear from somebody who has actually playtested it. The whole point of the map was to make this seemingly unapplicable concept as close to practical as possible. Thus, despite what it may look like, I would really appreciate if somebody actually PLAYED the map in DM to see if it is at least somewhat playable. If it is, then I will already consider it a success, given the difficulty of the concept.

Anyway, I have a few more practical ideas at the moment that I will be working on.

bigm0nkey | 2007-12-28 18:24

nice that you considered my capture advice

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