MH-HoldTheLine

[Higor]

Looking forward into it, this kind of MonsterHunt maps is the one I enjoy the most.
DefendingMars also had a terrible waypoint setting (like 90% of maps around), if you would like, you may want to send a copy to me and I'll return you a ready to import t3d containing only waypoints (player starts are waypoints but you'll add them)

[JackGriffin]

I'll forward you the map to preview but my MH2 mod destroys monster waypoints at map load so don't worry about wasting effort. Instead this map uses a combination of continuous distanceviewtriggers and pathing to nudge the monsters toward the fort. Online it's not as streaming as offline so I'm thinking of altering the DVtrigger manually to send the monsters to the fort center location if they are >some distance away.
I'm struggling a bit with how to make the map friendly to 2 people as well as 8. I think I've found a way without altering the monster count and that's what I'm working out right now. I thought I had it but it spit a lot of errors online so I spent this evening redoing some code and adding a couple of effects.

I just wish the map looked better. I'm not very good at creative stuff like making a map theme and getting it all to look really good. I could use a hand too decorating. A crate here, a sprig of grass there and it makes all the difference. I just don't have the eye for it and mostly my maps come off as technically sound like the cinema in Salmagundi but visually blockish and frankly ugly.

[Higor]

I actually meant path noding inside the base, and towards the objective once the base is defended (if there is an objective outside of it).
Going back to DefendingMars (again...), bots would get stuck or simply fall down a hole in the middle of the fortress and do nothing.

Pathed versions of a couple of maps I keep on my UT for extreme Bot gaming:
DM-BBST-ThouarsCity:


DM-InfinityCity:

[Feralidragon]

Hmm, those bot paths look very well structured Higor. Perhaps some spots make the bots walking in a very linear fashion and be very predictable, but most of it looks really good.

[Creavion]

Maybe i should start a map for this idea... No offence JackGriffin, it can be done a bit better

Contest: Who makes the best line holding... j/k

[JackGriffin]

Contest: Who makes the best line holding... j/k

There's no need, I'm all but begging him (or anyone) to vastly improve what I've done and it's very little actual 'work'.

Higor, I'm going to bot test it today and see what they do. The actual area inside the fort is smallish so it won't need a lot but the area were you do most of the engaging is not really defensible for either party by design. I think the bots are going to get raped pretty hard as it needs some advanced tactics to be played (start sniping, switch to rockets at midrange, sweeping left to right, then falling back and lobbing over the wall or taking peek-a-boo shots with alt-flak.

You just gave me a good idea for the ending though. I wasn't going to have them leave the fort but I think I'll force that now.

[Higor]

I guess i'll start working in a map plugin for the BotZ to make them have a fixed 10 - 15 second camp setting for the map.
Good thing they swap defense points from time to time anyways.

Another idea... a core or central building (maybe I'm playing too much Siege and UT3), and monsters attacking it if they approach base to a certain point.
If it's destroyed, hunters lose the map.

[Creavion]

I guess i'll start working in a map plugin for the BotZ to make them have a fixed 10 - 15 second camp setting for the map.
Good thing they swap defense points from time to time anyways.

Another idea... a core or central building (maybe I'm playing too much Siege and UT3), and monsters attacking it if they approach base to a certain point.
If it's destroyed, hunters lose the map.

Sounds like a decent idea.

[JackGriffin]

That's actually where I'm going with this. I think I'll use the entry gate as a sort of defense point. If the gate falls then the dropship is called and you have to fight to reach it to escape. This will let the map go on for as long as the players want to play it and if they get overwhelmed the option to end the map is there.

Now I need to script a damage system for the gate and make it's health info available to players.

[JackGriffin]

Map update...

I've been working on this off-and-on as I get a few minutes here and there. It's about 85% done and I could use a couple of offline testers if anyone is interested. Higor I'll forward it to you for sure. It's still not polished yet but you'll get the general idea.

I'll add a readme so you know what to look for.

[Higor]

Check PM,
BTW, I can send you .uc files for code if you would like.

[JackGriffin]

Replied. Please make any changes you think are needed, it's all yours to do as you want. I outlined a couple of problems that have cropped up so be aware of them.

[Higor]

Working on a generic monster tasker, should have plenty of options and variations.
Combining 2 taskers + monster healers could potentially send monsters into charge and make those wounded retreat for healing.

Done, gonna test it on a copy of the map...

The DistanceViewTriggers greatly slow down the map when there are more than 30 pawns, each one performs a PawnList iteration.
I'll remove those and tell the tasker to Trigger() the monsters by itself.

[JackGriffin]

Guys, I'm very sorry to do this but I'm going to post this map as unfinished and give permissions to anyone to move forward with it. I just don't have time now (I'm involved in something else that takes much of my free time for the forseeable future).

Here's the current version of the map:

http://utrustedplayer.com/GP/MH-HoldTheLine3h.unr.zip

Things to add still:
Killzones around the perimeter of the base. You shouldn't leave the base until instructed.
An advanced timer control for the EMP.
A better way to compel the monsters to move towards the base.
There's no end yet, it will end at the dropship part (when it flies away) but I haven't gotten that far yet.

Stuff that *is* done:
You spawn into the map and get your orders. The defense cannons work from the security room and there is an EMP that blasts all monsters if you get overwhelmed. There is a generic trigger system of monsters already in a nice sequence. Once you complete these monsters the front gate gets blown so you can leave (follow the new path) and a dropship flies in out of the sky to rescue you. There is time for everyone to get to the ship before it flies away and you can get inside it to enhance the dustoff effect.

Anyway this was something I was going to finish but if there are any takers you may have the map with full permissions to alter as you like. If you like it then move it forward since I think the idea is a pretty fun one and with some evenings of work you could have a pretty fun (and different) MH reverse-assault map.

[Higor]

I haven't been able to work on this yet, but so far I've been looking on different maps and found something interesting:

MH-LostSouls
This map has a special Mercenary subclass which affects behaviour (friendly, patrol a dropship, fight a enemy horde).
Subclassing the monsters used in the map and making them behave like bots do on assault should be done to allow proper tasking towards base (Predator might give some problems).
In order to do this properly the monster's objective must be defined first, be it a central core or simply enter base.
Otherwise, tasking them properly is nearly impossible.