Mapping 04

Yes its true I have already got my fourth map ideas spawning fourth - thanks to some help from my ten year old son.  He loves the CS rats type maps and so do I so we have decided between ourselves to imagine what sort of one we would like ourselves.

The idea is currently called messy room so dod_mesroom_b_?.bsp seems like a suitable name for the map.  In order to make this map I will need to have completed the other 3 sinply because the ideas we are already discussing involve all of the methods and techiques I see being needed in those maps plus much more!

Imagine a teenagers bed room with the expected elements. 

• An XBOX 360 with working power button and of course red ring of death.  Probably even the DVD eject tray.
• A TV that works with the XBOX.
• A computer or laptop playing DOD.
• A messy bed with some sad loser type covers and pillows.
• Some lads mags.
• Some suitable wall posters.
• Some classic drug objects like a bong.
• Some toys including starwars (that way we can bring in the nice starwars models in HL2).
• Some working toys like a Dr Who tardis police box (bigger on the inside + can move/teleport from one part of the room to another).
• A walking kenny doll from south park that you can ride in (shooting from kennys brain would be cool) along with some way to stop kenny dead and destroy those riding his brain - so watch out campers.
• A train set (manily because I have some tran set models - sad).
• And any other stupid idea we can come up with.

The walls will have tunnels and ladders, the lights can go on and off, the general room objects like chair, book shelf etc is just like the way they work in rats type maps.  I would like some nice objects to get power jumps from although I need to work out how to do the power jump mechanism.  Anyway lots of maps to make and hopefully I will have this map done or at least half done in about a months time.  I would like to have 2 maps made every month - that way bringing in some variety.  I will stick to the 2 types of maps as well.  Proper battlefield type maps and also fun maps.  Don't even ask me about map 5 because I already reckon it will be desert-like or jungle.

Mapping 03

I have already started coming up with a basic plan for my third map which will be a bigger version of dod_para_s_3.bsp and will be called dod_para_b_?.bsp and will contain some of the following elements.

• A snow covered battlefield with a small town in the middle of the map - some place like bavaria.  It will be rough terrain with hills, slopes and cliffs.
• There will be a major tank battle taking place on the map between the two sides with panzer and sherman moving around the map, stopping once in a while to shoot their cannon.  These tanks can be used for cover, but can also kill anyone who gets in front of them.
• There will be some small trench systems.
• There will be bunkers allowing for long distance fighting.
• There will be flags at each end of the map but more in the small town where players will need to fight house to house to take the place over.
• There will be spawn points at each end of the map but also over the town to allow for paratroopers from each side.  The paratroopers will spawn in 2 planes and have to jump out the plane door.  The planes will also move around the map, and because of the thick cloud cover it will be very difficult for a player to know which part of the town they are over when they jump - making it possible to parachute into enemy held areas.
• There will be howling winds, driving snow and many sound effects and special effects including fires.
• There will be worknig mortars that can be used and will infilict damage on players if they are in a mortar area at the time.

This will be a very big map, that will contain many features rarely seen in dod source maps.  Expect a huge battle with some almost scinematic views.

Mapping 02

The following map adeal has been sidelined until I have more time.  I have decided to concentrate on dod_para_b instead (See Mapping 03).

The dod_chess_b_?.bsp map or chess for short is starting to take shape.  I have built the badic playing board and some pieces including Castle, Knight, Bishop, and Pawn.

• Castle:  An opening at the rear leading to a ladder that takes you to a middle room with a triangular window to shoot from that also has some cover and the top of the castle, battlements to shoot from.  I need to add in the buttons to move the castle and the mechanism to make it move but I believe that is very do-able.
• Knight:  An opening at the rear leads to a ladder that takes you to a middle room that has a square opening but no cover.  Higher up you can crawl to the eyes of the horse where you can shoot from.  The buttons to move it and mechanism has still to be built along with the glowing eyes and fire/smoke from the nose.
• Bishop:  A non-mover.  Some pieces cannot be moved in order to make the moving mechanisms operate well.  If I moved everything the complexity would become very difficult.  Right now the complexity will be hard.
• Pawn:  A moving piece with no way in or ladders.  I see these being used as blocking objects or squashing objects.  They can be used for cover by players or they can also get squashed by them.  Shoot the head moves the piece one space toward forward.  Shoot the body moves the piece one space backward.  There will have to be some sort of animation/ warning built in to alert players that the piece is about to move.  That way the have a small opportunity to get out of the way.  I might need that with most pieces that move.
• Queen:  Not built yet but will have a ladder, places to shoot from and buttons to move.
• King:  Not built yet but will not move, although will have a ladder and places to shoot from.
• Teleports:  There will be some teleports near eash sides spawn that will take players into the sky in the middle of a crazy bad storm cloud with lightning, thunder, weird lights etc.  They will then fall to their death from the storm unless they deploy their parachute (plugin for SM_Parachute).
• Conveyer belts:  I see a need for some fast moving conveyer belts so players can move along the side of the chess table quickly to get access to their tunnel systems.  This may be in the form of moving vehicles or the like e.g. halftrack or perhap something funny.
• Tunnels: There will be some tunnel systems built into the chess board that will allow players to come out somewhere near the middle of the board.
• Clocks:  There will be two clocks like the ones used in professional chess that will have rooms to enter and shoot from - another place for a battle.

Map: DOD Para S 3

First Map On DOD Source

I have not tried mapping in a long time but have recently had another go at it using the Source SDK.  My first map is called dod_para_s_3.bsp (Para because it would be good with a parachute enabled server, s for small and 3 for version 3).  I have uploaded the map to some places like filefront but the mapping activity was a few years ago.  I have a feeling that I am one of the few working on maps right now.

Below are some screenshots.

 

Axis Spawn Area and Bunker

 Axis Tower Flag

 Allied Tower Flag and Bunker Spawn

 The Moving Panzer Tank viewed from the Red Smoke Flag

 The open area of the map where heroes are made

 Axis Bunker Roof showing another view of the battlefield

This map is on the TFT (The Fighting Tigers - house of love) DOD Source Server 87.117.201.194:27017 and is being tested for playability and bugs right now.  I have rejoined the TFT after a break and am now tagged [TFT]Glassjaw.  It is also hosted on the Map Factory here.  The maps ia also ai MOD DB now.

I am already working on another map, even as though I have just completed this one.  It will be called dod_chess_b_?.bsp  The ? meaning no idea what version I will  end it at.  The map will be a big fun map containing a chess board and pieces.  Sounds crap?  Yes on first inspection it does but I will have gigantic chess pieces with the ability to have them moved by players that are inside them.  You can enter some of the pieces, find a place to shoot from and even move the piece to certain positions on the board!  There will even be some flying as some of the pieces will take to the air to get to their positions.  I am hoping to make the knight (horsie thing) breath out smoke or fire or something and have glowing eyes.  There will be some tunnels cut into the chess board to allow brave players to move around the board independently - but they will have to beware as pieces that land on you or hit - you will be squashed!  There will be some teleports on each side of the board that will allow players to appear in a crazy looking storm cloud system that will be above the centre of the map - they will fall to their deaths if they do not deploy their parachute (requires SM_Parachute SM Mod Plugin).  They can then sail down onto pieces that are near the middle of the board or brave heroes might even try to invade and take over the enemies pieces.  Many of the pawn will be moved by shooting them.  Shoot the head will move it one place towards the middle and shooting the body will move it back.  This way players can use them for cover or even be squashed by them.  There will be 2 stop clocks as in professional chess which will also have a few surprises.  I bet a chess map sounds better now!