da_penthouse (release)

[Bine]

Hi all. About two weeks ago I started making a small map to play with my friends on DA:B. I've since decided to release that to you guys to do whatever you want with. That being said..



DA_PENTHOUSE

RECOMMENDED PLAYERS: 4-8
DOWNLOAD LINK: https://www.mediafire.com/?wt1nn8tiibqci9u

DISCLAIMER: I am not a good mapper (no shit, right?). I probably used a lot of horrible methods. If something goes wrong, I'm sorry! Let me know and I'll try to fix it.

I've tried to design Penthouse with an emphasis on playability and a somewhat destructible environment. For the curious among you, there are also a couple of small secrets that I threw in toward the end. Since I couldn't find a way of embedding thumbnails of huge images, you can see more hi res screenshots of the map at http://imgur.com/a/j2eEV.

Here's a short, 3x speed video of bots killing eachother, diving through windows and throwing themselves to their deaths:



Hope you guys can get some enjoyment out of this. It's been a bit of a learning experience creating it, as the last time I did any mapping was for goldsrc many years ago. Many thanks to firegod522, wizard of desolation, vino and dementei for their assistance and contributions. To those artists from whom I have used materials or models, particularly jahurr and misanq, my apologies for not seeking your express permission. Please let me know if you do not approve of me using your content so that I can fix the problem right away.

If there is a demand, I will continue to update and improve the map as and when required. In the mean time you may report bugs and issues in this thread, by PMing me or adding me on steam or on skype. I can't guarantee regular or fast fixes / updates but I will certainly see what I can do.

Additionally, pursuant to DA:B's philosophy of open development, feel free to dissect, modify, redistribute, study, etc. Let me know if you've made an updated version of the map so that I can update this thread.
VMF download: https://www.mediafire.com/?karciciq09mu890

Enjoy, have fun and let me know what you think. Cheers!

[Bine]

Known Issues:
I promise I will get round to sorting these out, probably in the next couple days for these initial points.

-Cubemaps in certain places reflect the wrong locations from the map.
-Shitty 3D skybox (sorry)
-trigger_hurt instead of trigger_kill (Not sure if this messes with "Worth it!")
-The ultra-shiny desk
-Getting stuck under certain props after sliding.
-AI nodes are kind of bad. I might revisit this when I know more about their nav meshes.
-Missing bed model / textures? Let me know if you experience this.
-Skybox trees and greenhouse plant models aren't lit properly.
-Some triangular glass panes in the greenhouse appear square when broken.

Thanks.

[Ott]

Cool! I'll look at the VMF and do some optimizations, then throw it in sync (unless someone else wants to).

[Bine]

Cool! I'll look at the VMF and do some optimizations, then throw it in sync (unless someone else wants to).

Great - I have a strong suspicion the map could seriously use some optimization. Pretty much the extent to which I've done it is func_detailing some things to reduce vis leafs and nodrawing a few faces.

Let me know how you get on.

[Dementei]

A++ map

[Wizard of Distortion]

I'm Hosting this map on Wizard's Server: Custom Maps

[Bine]

Thanks for the feedback guys, and for bug reports.

If anybody is working on the map at all (optimizations or otherwise) please let me know as I'm currently working on a fix for all the known issues.

Except maybe the skybox, because I'm a scrub.

[Vino]

Hey just had a chance to look at it, very nice. A great looking map.

I hope you don't mind a suggestion. The biggest one is that it's a bit claustrophobic. You did a good job in building everything to real-life proportions, but in a game like DA you actually don't want to do that. DA works much better with open maps, and if you want to build something that seems like it's indoors then your rooms need to be large with lots of head space for stunts. I would suggest increasing the scale a bit and giving the areas a bit of breathing room.

Great job, keep it up.

[Dementei]

Instead of rescaling everything (which would take pretty much forever in Hammer) put your efforts into a new map with keeping in mind a bigger scale for things, as well as the abilities to dive and wall flip to get across and over objects. I've been thinking forever about risk/reward functions in maps, the only one I can think of is diving over great heights which proves to be very stylish. Would be nice if we could think of other ways though.

[Bine]

Hey just had a chance to look at it, very nice. A great looking map.

I hope you don't mind a suggestion. The biggest one is that it's a bit claustrophobic. You did a good job in building everything to real-life proportions, but in a game like DA you actually don't want to do that. DA works much better with open maps, and if you want to build something that seems like it's indoors then your rooms need to be large with lots of head space for stunts. I would suggest increasing the scale a bit and giving the areas a bit of breathing room.

Great job, keep it up.

Thanks for the feedback! I definitely agree. Shortly after I started the map I kind of realized that the style doesn't lend itself well to fast paced movement, which is why there are so many skylights and big windows - I wanted to make it at least possible to move through the map in some small way.

Still, it's kind of difficult to play in. In the latest version I've been working on streamlining things a little bit so that it's difficult to get stuck on door frames, skirting boards, random props etc. That helps to a degree but in the end I think I'll probably end up working on another map altogether.

I enjoyed making this map but I definitely approached it a little too quickly and without enough forethought. I think given a little time planning I could produce something that plays a lot better. I think clankill3rs villa map looks like a lot of fun because of the mobility options it offers the players. I'll try to emulate that in a way that doesn't border on ripping off his ideas, and perhaps try to make a distinction between "playable" zones and smaller more detailed areas

Also, surprised that noone has posted about the secrets yet

[Ott]

Instead of rescaling everything (which would take pretty much forever in Hammer) put your efforts into a new map with keeping in mind a bigger scale for things, as well as the abilities to dive and wall flip to get across and over objects. I've been thinking forever about risk/reward functions in maps, the only one I can think of is diving over great heights which proves to be very stylish. Would be nice if we could think of other ways though.

Copy>Paste Special...

[Dementei]

Instead of rescaling everything (which would take pretty much forever in Hammer) put your efforts into a new map with keeping in mind a bigger scale for things, as well as the abilities to dive and wall flip to get across and over objects. I've been thinking forever about risk/reward functions in maps, the only one I can think of is diving over great heights which proves to be very stylish. Would be nice if we could think of other ways though.

Copy>Paste Special...

If you like things off grid sure

[Vino]

Don't be afraid to rip of CK's ideas, especially if you can take your implementation past the orange boxing stage, which CK hasn't.

Also don't be discouraged if you decide to scrap penthouse. This process of iteration in central to the development of a video game and game design. Your recognition of the problem means you're doing it the right way

[Ott]

Oh and I'd like to encourage you to use func_breakable in the future, we have some code that gives it extra gibs while func_breakable_surf is inexplicably left with no gibs.

[Black_Stormy]

From an art perspective, I like it. I especially like that you have used brushwork to make the models you couldn't make. That makes it easier for artists to go through and do an art pass closer to what you intend the map to look like. From a gameplay perspective, there are a lot of things that block the player from sliding and diving around the map. Dab is all about having room to breathe. For your physics props (if there were any) use prop_physics_multiplayer. It interferes with the players movement much less, at the cost of being much more pushable and having a tendency to fly around the map (although in Dab that's ok). I can make some models for you if you like, for instance the deck chairs would be easy to make, and I am sure there are other assets you have in mind. I'll add you on steam and we'll talk.

edit: What's your steam nick? here's mine