oa_black: Black Magic

First public testing release of oa_black. Need some gameflow tests and item balancing feedback.

This is going to be a small/mid sized tourney/tdm map with Domination gametype support. Don't be scared of by the low visual quality. It took me about 1 hour to create the upper parts and about 1 week to do the lower cave like basement. It is quiet possible to alter the layout in a big way. Spending time on details is not a good idea yet.

This is my playground for upcoming texture creation.

Download: http://cosmo.spaceboyz.net/openarena/oa_black_a1.pk3
Included is next public release of ctf_compromise with hopefully fixed fog density issue and improved lighting.

A testmap server is rotating just these two maps. (/connect spaceboyz.net)
And is running latest oaxB41 including brainworkz bots.

Thanks for testing.

teleporter model sketches

Update to my OA todolist. Time is short so do not expect a lot to be finished soon.
Two new sketches (concept) for two upcoming teleporter models which hopefully will replace my former one and will look way better.

ctf_inyard:
* replace teleporter model with a better one
* playtesting?
* new flag textures
* check for less camping possibilities

ctf_compromise:
* weapon balancing
* replace teleporter model
* lighting improvements
* rename fog shader due deploying issues
* playtesting!

ctf_gate1:
* weapon balancing seems to be bad. Put chaingun to a different spot?
* better: remove nailgun and replace it with chaingun. :)
* Weapon balancing!
* put GL to the sides
* replace Chaingun with LG
* Remove Nailgun from Domination gametypes
* put Domination Points to different locations

oa_koth2:
* new asset flag textures
* 1 additional rocket ammo in outer area
* check TDM gameplay
* smoother outer stonewalls

oa_koth1:
* retexture most of the crappy textures as it was intended originally
* add domination support
* replace teleporter model
* ask for player feedback

oa_black:
* finish cave brushwork
* do rough item placement
* release first gameplay alpha

slimefac:
* put respawn time for Haste to 120s
* remove randomized respawn times of items
* have Invisibility teamed up with Haste so they spawn in turns
* remove two staircases and alter lower rooms to have one additional big room
* put LG in new room
* move shortgun to where the large health powerup is located
* add megahealth to former LG position
* lava should not be a trap/thread anymore and be eyecandy only


playermodels:
* leather skin for beret
* ghost skin for assassin (like Q3A Bones)
* better Team skin for grism/sarge


powerups:
* model missing powerups and the ones schlorri created new 2D artwork

Planning and drawing

Although the pressure of creating better map models and textures is high, an idea of a temple based, fast paced tourney map was in my mind for weeks now. These stone monoliths are not the end of the line and better light and teleporter models will follow. I just cannot put myself in front of blender these days.

This drawing presents a rough shape of the mid level floor which has been created already. Alterations and new ideas went into it while I worked on it just for a few hours.

An alpha testing release will come soon together with an improved version of slimefac.

ctf_inyard_v3_b2 release

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changes:

• large health items replaced by multiple normal (+25hp) ones
• better jump pad behaviour
• domination gametype support
• double domination support removed (doesn't suit that map)
• missionpack gametypes support (one flag, harvester)
• additional spawnpoints
• added a torch at the now blocked hallways
• visual polish and other compile options
• rocketlauncher in the central yard near MH
• music (sonic1) meta entry in worldspawn
• alphamod yard ground texture, the evil skull is shown there
  
• roof to main platform added, it is becoming a balcony
• no railgun slugs anymore
• armor shards added to lower floor
• additional dom points
  

ctf_compromise V2 beta1 release

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Removed blue sky and skybox. The whole floor is made of brushes now because I hoped to have less impact on framerates that way. Removed patch meshes with decorative purposes only and added a few more hints which help a bit regarding to performance issues. Still a bit tweaking is possible.

An additional shotgun and the grenadelauncher have been placed in each base as well as support for One Flag CTF, Domination, and Double Domination gametypes.

The new passages could be improved by better lighting.

long time no see

Due only sporadic progress I was lazy adding my changes and ideas to this blog. Time to list up what has been done. This screenshot shows an experimental state of ctf_compromise. I am working on it at the moment to fix the sky clipping problem allowing players to exit the map and enter it at the enemy base. While on it I thought of improving the overall appearance and playability of it. Still it bothers me a bit not seeing it online at all.

Additional changes went into the other maps. See linked screenshots of ctf_gate1 and oa_koth2. I give a changelog below.

ctf_compromise:
-done

• ground patch meshes replaced by phong shaded brushes.
• renderperformance increased slightly but I am not satisfied yet
• many patchmeshes replaced by brushes
• nailgun replaces grenadelauncher
• additional way to every base added
• fog less dense now
• foghull removed (bad performance impact)
• skybox added (see screenshots) but it looks silly

-todo

• fix the sky bug - no clipping at the moment at all
  
• weapon balancing
• replace teleporter model
• reduce patch meshes or their visibility even further
  

ctf_gate1:
-done

• main layout changed, less pillars, less jumpy
• less obstacles, better reachability, faster
  
• additional ways to the sides of each base
• weapon spawn textures
• a trap
• texture improvements
• brush cleanup
• clipping bug fixed
• double domination support
  

-todo

• weapon balancing seems to be bad. Put chaingun to a different spot?
• better: remove nailgun and replace it with chaingun. :)

oa_koth2:
-done

• music (sonic1) meta entry in worldspawn
• domination support
• smoother outer stonewalls
• alphamod of outer groundtexture not looking like being cut with a knife
  

-todo

• new flag textures