I remember when a ctf_Death remake was implemented (didn't stop Death from having a rather questionable gameplay ^°), and I wondered how you'd think about a "lil" update on Voland.

The shape is basically the same, but it allows faster movement, easier base raiding and less bridge camping. Plus it has a new "dirty, shabby, muddy" look. You could compare this remake to the remake of B2b.

Atm this map is called "Xoland" and not waypointed. But renaming isnt a problem and the waypoints could be easily done within next week. The map uses a custom texture of mine (earthen.bmp) and one custom scenery (barbwire2.bmp) besides the default sceneries.

The map is now waypointed and considered final. Its also renamed to Voland now.

EDIT: Jetfuel decreased (Aug-3)

Overview (small):
http://www.denacke.net/Dibo/maps/ctf_Xoland.jpg

Overview (big):
http://www.denacke.net/Dibo/maps/ctf_Xoland_big.jpg

Download:
http://www.denacke.net/Dibo/maps/ctf_Voland.zip

So whaddaya think?

We can play it today yeah?

Sure, ill upload the map + tex and stuff to the sk serv

Edit: done

Faster movement, easier base raping? O_O Baseraping is very easy in the current Voland imho. I must say in cw's I don't like Voland at all, it's more or less a "lamer map", perfect for dooming non-sprayers/-campers. But let's see..

Baseraiding is easy in the current Voland? one Law and some nades and you can easily defend both entrances. Those on Xoland are a tad bigger, so its easier to get inside but outta the base aswell (basecamping with nades is more difficult now cause of the bigger entrance)

ill load this into the u13 beta server when i set that up again on my lunch break.

admin pass will be genericpass again

ive uploaded a bigger overview now

btw. in case you wonder what this "stack" is that sticks out below the map: I needed to place some polys there to fix bouncies in the map, and so I built this thing instead of just placing the polys into the air without any connection.

It is easy in my opinion, because you can just spam and spray the base with nades. Plus because of the easiness of the LAW you can also quickly kill 1 guy with LAW on the bridge, since you can't fly high anyway, so you can quickly get to the ground to shoot the law. 1-hit-kill-guarantee. So if you have some sprayers and at least 1 law-user you can easily own teams that don't practice such methods.. So if that's made even easier on your map.. :/ But yeah, let's give it a try, I'll see it then anyway.

After I added an invisible edge to the tex, recompiled the map, uploaded the new stuff and restartet the server, it worked fine. Might be a server issue if a map doesnt have an edge file fitting the texture?

Whatever, the map works correctly now :)

I'll scenerize the bases now.


EDIT: Update done, pls redownload

I think this one is better than the original Voland. If the sceneries will work I'll replace the map?

The sceneries will work, at least they work perfectly on the SK betaserv now. Btw. there might be a server issue with some custom maps with a similar phenomenon (gfx engine not loading some scens at first, but working when reinitialising, might be caused by a missing edge file, dunno). Ill try to waypoint it ;)

While we're at it, can we replace Kampf? it's an arse to play, and it isn't exactly 'beautiful'.

I agree wholeheartedly. Kampf is a pain to play, especially since those holes in the entrance to the bases were made smaller. You can rarely get out of your own base alive. much less get out of the enemy base alive.

quote:Originally posted by Chakra`While we're at it, can we replace Kampf? it's an arse to play, and it isn't exactly 'beautiful'.
No, don't replace it, just give it a face lift.

/me prods Grand Diablo.

Is it possible to add one exit to the base like in ctf_voland2 (if you don't have it, I'll post it)? There's still the spawnkilling problem.

I know Voland2 (the silver one), and this change was suggested before Voland received an upper base entrance. And I guess I can imagine why Michal did it in a different way, an entrance like Voland2 would lead to immense nadespam into the base and even more spawnkilling.

Now at first, update on the map:

- ive renamed it to ctf_Voland now
- it is waypointed now, the wps work rather good*
- ive fixed some polybugs
- some few more scens
- its final now

Please redownload.


*Bots use the lower route mostly. If it comes to using another route, red uses the upper way more often while blue uses the middle way more often. Bots have problems in getting into the upper ways, but once theyre in, it works fine. They dont use the roof cause they are too stupid and are afraid of the deadly spikes there.

Testmatch 1 (3on3, 10 mins, statguns enabled): 1-0 for red
Testmatch 2 (-"-, statguns disabled): 3-1 for blue



On the topic Kampf. Indeed it has different gameplay, and the tide can hardly ever be turned without luck or spray. This is the reason why it isnt played very often, and I see I need changes. Some months ago I emailed a reconception of it to Michal, that offered upper entrances to the flags to show how it could be solved maybe. Maybe he wants to change it like that, who knows. But I am not going to put my hands on Kampf, because I feel that I have contributed a lot to 1.2.2 already (htf maps, Voland remake, mapfixes), and I don't want this new version to wear such a huge footprint of me, there are other good mappers within the beta testers too who can do a great job on improving Kampf :)

Here is a screenshot of this reconception, maybe one of you can make sth out of it, just an idea though.
[IMAGE]

It's becoming trendy in the mapping scene to give maps uber smooth edges on polygon corners. This does not look very good and also is not very fun to play on. Personally, I like the old Voland better.

I usually dont make round maps, but here I did it for the sake of gameplay (quote: this is an "un-g_d" map), it makes the map faster + the other little changes.

I like the new voland guv. It's very spacious.

This is equally a good thing and a bad thing. I like spacious maps, but the only appeal the original voland had to me was that it was slightly confined with plentiful escape routes, making for (relatively) fast and furious gameplay.

But still, this new voland is great. Make it a keeper.



On the subject of Kampf and that screeny up there, that 'extra path from the top' thing looks a bit dumb. The first and most useful weapon used against anyone attempting to escape with the flag are grenades, and that just looks like a very easy way to drop a few in on someone.

The real problem is the tight entrance and exits between each base I think.

quote:Originally posted by SoapIt's becoming trendy in the mapping scene to give maps uber smooth edges on polygon corners. This does not look very good and also is not very fun to play on. Personally, I like the old Voland better.


As do I but I like that idea for an improved Kampf

How about we keep both the old and the new voland? See what people play/like more and eventually, if necessary, remove one.

That is a better idea alltogether :) I would be unhappy to see the old one go just like the old b2b :\

Yeah please keep the old one :/

I like the new entrances on Kampf.. And, I miss the old b2b ;<

mmh I'll let Michal decide. I won't be angry if he keeps the old Voland, which is a nice map too (and fixed now).

Your Kampf concept has one big problem: Shooting with Barret from the red to the blue base, or at least to the middle is simply no problem.

bleh, I just saw it needs more jetfuel and I got another polybug ^^


EDIT: Done. I fixed all glitches I found plus the polybug and I increased jetfuel.


EDIT2: Tested it on my public serv today. It (Please refrain from swearing)in rox, and the basecamping problem is really gone cause of the new entrance :D


EDIT3: After a few days of public testing, I can say it fawking rox. Im usually carefully with praising my own maps, but Ive fallen in love with this one :D
Any other opinions on it?

I'll check it out, are the maps on the beta server?

aye, Voland is, The Arena2 update isnt


EDIT: The jetfuel was decreased again, on popular request, please redownload.
Its already up on SK beta.