ctf_Pharaohs Spire Fix+Update

[Blacksheepboy]

Pharaohs Spire [aka Unknown Shrine]:
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I've had this map in my inventory for a long time, and never planned an attempt to finish it. I guess I decided against fate this time, and went against my urges not to finish it. I posted this up on the forums a long time back. The texture I got from my 3D modeling days when I used to texture hunt on the internet. I guess the texture was suppose to resemble leather...I don't see any resemblance. So much for a backstory. I have my a story on my old topic about how this map came to be.

Old Topic Link

Keron Cyst had some great ideas for this map, which I intend to use, so this is nowhere near the final copy although it says version 0.95. This is just what I whipped out using the old shell of the map.

Old Screenshots

Shrine
Islands
Old Overview




~Revamped Section~

All of the above information is old. I now have a new and revised version of this below. I didn't want to bother making a 3rd thread for this map, so this will have to do for the time being.

Here is my new and redone version of this map. I went all the way back to the original map idea, and restarted from there. I took the third extended island from the 0.96 version to add to this redone version since I thought that it was a nice addition. I redid the island to the left since the old bunker was pretty horrible. Now it just has some objects and a point where some death spikes will filter out zombies coming through the island region.

Islands

Tower

Unknown Shrine old remake overview

Obviously, almost complete tower redo. I hope that it is much better than the previous version since the last version had a lot of oddities and not very good structure. This version has no download yet, but I have new and updated pictures below of course. Now I have to completely redo waypoints of course, but it's all for the better. The trip up the tower is slightly shorter than the previous trip through the shrine, but that may be better.

Currently, the bravo side of the map is completely empty, save for the polygons and flag. The Alpha side was left almost completely the same.

<~| Pharaohs Spire |~>

Alright, this may be the last complete revision. I'll still maintain updates until this is complete. This has been the most work I've done on this map ever. Well, I changed the name because I was growing tired of "Unknown Shrine."

Basically, what I did was I saved the tower as a prefab (and the fixed islands) and carefully placed them back into my Unknown-Shrine [0.97] map. Then I slowly rebuilt the map to fit around the tower and new updates that I wanted to make. It's taken quite some time, but I think that I am done with the big updates and changes. Now comes the smaller stuff.

Still there is no download because I still have to revise the old waypoints to fit the new map, and I have to still fix spawns and powerups etc. I still haven't made a new thread because I've done all of this in a short period of time, plus it's all the same map anyway. At least there are new screenshots. I've left up the old ones so that anyone can compare what I've done so far to consider it for the better or worse.

Islands

Tower

Details:
Polygons: 2117
Scenery: 163
Spawns: 35
Colliders: 7
Waypoints: 150
Dimensions: 4603x2484


Click to enlarge

Dec. 26th, 2007: Fixed some small polybugs, so added a plus to the new download...

Jan. 8, 2009: Crazy-new update, but nothing else in this post is updated with new information. Just using this thread as a download-hosting area, as I do not want to necro-bump again. So yes, downloads updated as of now.

[numgun]

So I presume those are like somekind of floating islands? Make em have a dead tree or 2 on the surface and for the bottom of each island, make it something like it has a solid, rocky bottom that has tiny roots coming out of it.


Also change the big section to something else, it looks fugly.

[echo_trail]

Dude, that texture looks so awesome.. Like gold or something. make it like some old floating srhine of gold, with sand luying around on it. You know, egyptian style!

And I agree with numgun, that's big thingy looks rather misplaced.

[Suowarrior]

Erm, maps folder empty :S

[~Niko~]

Doesn't like me. The structure is so crappy... and those clouds will lag like hell. It's just made by polys... it's just that doesn't like me.

[pinOi32]

hmm...whats the point of the dead ends?

[Blacksheepboy]

Dead ends? There are no dead ends unless you mean the traps in the floors. Those walls are just there, I think one of them is "only players collide."

What big thingy? The tower thing? Well..It'still going to be a big fugly tower thingy, except taller and slightly harder to climb. I dunno...I'll update that somehow but basically, the flag will be up on a ledge that when you get to, you'll just be able to jump down back to the islands. That's my idea at least. It's susceptable to change.

Edit:

Doesn't like me. The structure is so crappy... and those clouds will lag like hell. It's just made by polys... it's just that doesn't like me.

Ah so you don't know yet. Matter of fact, they don't. Only slightly.

[1221995]

HeHe... Great Texture... Looks nice...

[Mr. Domino]

All zombie maps are linear; the better ones  (particularly inf_Cannibal2) simply disguise that fact. Maps need to be somewhat linear due to poor bot AI and to make chainsaw only bots more threatening than they otherwise would be. Based on the overview, I would say the tower is a bit too complex. It has too many routes. More routes lend the map to providing safer, bot-less paths for the player to take. You want your map crawling with zombies, and multiple routes do not help with that goal.

Likewise, be sure to spread the spawn points out enough to ensure the bots cover the map. You don't want the bots to release as one giant cluster. Likewise, you want ensure that the bots die swiftly enough so that the chance of a pathway to the flag completely safe and free of bots is unlikely. I tend to think in terms of the bots needing a short lifespan, where they run through a route and die within 10-15 seconds to ensure constant respawning to keep the map busy.

Given the apparent small size of the map, perhaps neither of the above will be a problem. I only mention as something to keep in mind. I do agree with the others, though, that the tower lacks style and coherent layout. That whole section on the lower left appears to be completely useless. I can't due to the lack of a map file in that .zip/.rar download.

[Blacksheepboy]

Really? Hmm, thanks for uh, pointing that out to me. I'll fix the downloads . Oh wow, I completely was oblivious to that...

As for what you say, all is true. Thanks for your great critique.

Edit:

I love this map. This always seems to be curse to my mapmaking and general Soldat playing. Whenever I start making this map, I get burnt out. I've been making maps pretty strongly for the last 2-3 months, and have now released something like 15 altogether. Maybe not much of a feat, but it is for me.

Just so I don't completely burn myself out on Soldat, (plus I just recently obtained a light sickness), I will refrain from mapping for the time being. I will reapear to the scene sometime later and will probably occasionally post, but I've been maintaining an average post of 1.6 posts per day.

I need a break from my Soldat forums and mapping craze. I'll probably come back with a new map, or an update to this one, but I don't promise anything. Just because I'm gone doesn't mean I'll be making a new "uberzors" map; not that anyone would think that, but you never know.

Cya around folks. I'll still be checking this thread to see if any new quick and fixable problems arise, and I'll still post too. Just, not and average of 1.6 posts per day, which is a lot considering that I'm not on this forums every day.

[Cookiegangsta]

Wow I see what you mean about lot of work. ;P

[El_Spec]

I suggest you make the bottom of the the two right floating platforms bottom be similar to the left.  Fill in the large empty space in the bottom of the shrine.

I don't know if this will turn out right, but try to make everything that touches the clouds transparent to help it blend in with the clouds.

Great map overall.

[Blacksheepboy]

Ah thanks Specialists. You've motivated me to work on this some more. I have several problems though. I'm working on three maps right now... I have the one based on my mod. I have some infiltration one... and have had this Zombie map forever. What to work on

Hmm, well thanks for the ideas. I was thinking about the terrain fading into the clouds but haden't decided whether or not to actually do it. You've reassured my position. Sweet, well I hope I can get through to finishing this.

I have a lot of work to do. I might make this similar to an easy climb map since I plan to extend the tower upward placing the flag in the upper regions. The path upwards would have little jutties outside of the tower, while then somehow going back in, so you have chances of falling off if not too careful.

[El_Spec]

Glad to see you've changed your mind and I've inspired you.  I suggest you work on the map that is closest to completion or you have most motivation.

There's no harm in trying the cloud idea.  But if you were to, the floating platforms may have to be rearranged, or the clouds can completely block what you can see.  I'm not so sure if this will make a good climbing map.  It'll be too easy.  They should have somewhat of a challenge.  If this was to become a Climbing map, it'll need a lot of work and I don't really see a point into doing that.  Zombie or Infiltration looks like the best bet.

[Blacksheepboy]

Glad to see you've changed your mind and I've inspired you.  I suggest you work on the map that is closest to completion or you have most motivation.

There's no harm in trying the cloud idea.  But if you were to, the floating platforms may have to be rearranged, or the clouds can completely block what you can see.  I'm not so sure if this will make a good climbing map.  It'll be too easy.  They should have somewhat of a challenge.  If this was to become a Climbing map, it'll need a lot of work and I don't really see a point into doing that.  Zombie or Infiltration looks like the best bet.

I mean, I'll leave it zombie, but add jumps here and there to make it a little more interesting, within reason since the main theme would stay Zombie.

[El_Spec]

I'll leave it to you then.  I'll be looking forward to it. 

[Blacksheepboy]

Version 0.96 Announcement

This map needed a lot of fixing up, so I did just that. I don't know if I'll doing a whole remake of the left side yet, so this just version 0.96.

Version 0.96 changes:

• Added third island to the left
• Fixed very buggy bridge
• Made the jump from the flag area to the bouncy platform better
• Revised spawns
• Added actual waypoints
• Fixed a lot of polybugs

This was a good amount of changing around. It needs a lot more, but it is getting there. The first post is updated with new screenshots, and a new version download. Also, I wrote a small changelog sort of thing below the screenshots.

One question. Does anyone think it necessary for a complete revamp of the left side?

Date Posted: December 01, 2007, 05:27:26 pm

Almost-Complete Revamp/Overhaul Announcement

Here is the almost completely new version. I didn't want to bother with the old map anymore, so I just redid most of it. Read the first post for all of the details. Download will be added eventually, as soon as I can get everything completely updated. I don't want to bother with a changelog sort of thing since the screenshots describe it all...

[El_Spec]

The old version was much better than this revision.  It's even more incomplete than the last.

[Horve]

make the bottoms of the islands 5% transparent- it will look like they vanish into the clouds *completely*

add more of those col sceneries to support buildings and bridges, you can probably guess where I'm heading.

[Blacksheepboy]

The old version was much better than this revision. It's even more incomplete than the last.

Yes, it is. I had an idea, although whether or not it's good...

My idea was to somewhat combine the last map with this map, so that the object will be to go through the shrine to get the tower above, then back down and out, making the escape route a little easier than the entering route by the use of careful maneuvering through sandtraps (teleporters essentially).

I want the map to be longer than this tower revision, and a little bit longer than the previous 0.96 version. Hmm, I still haven't tested this version with bots yet, and sadly enough, this revision doesn't have sandtraps anymore  D=

Edit:

I think I know how I'll do this.. Most of the top of version 0.96 is filler, so I'll remove the filler sections to find a good place to advance upward into the tower. Once that is done, I'll fix everything according to where I do the most editing. Of course...I'll add a few more traps as well, to make up for the loss of the old ones , and to filter zombies better at chokepoints.

Date Posted: December 23, 2007, 10:48:58 am

Pharaohs Spire Announcement

Read the first post for alll of the details and screenshots. Still no download.

Date Posted: December 23, 2007, 03:25:47 pm

Update and Download Now Available

I don't feel like posting the updates. The only main things that were changed: now Bravo spawnpoints are hopefully spread evenly throughought the map. Traps upgraded a little. Waypoints now added and working. Any last minute touches were made as well. Edited Alpha team's spawnpoints a little.

Download and new overview of map in the first post. None of the other screenshots were updated for this version, excluding the overview, because it's a good deal of work updating the tower screenshot. Since I'm using an odd resolution, I have to put together about three screenshots to fit all of the tower into one picture... something I don't want to do right now.

Enjoy!