==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Tutorials and discussions about Mapping - Introduce your own ones!
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Tyr
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by Tyr »

Sinnical: Your map isn't working. Can't find file or package 'Ambient'.
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by papercoffee »

Novaeon wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2019 8:56 pm Please tell me how I'm supposed to release beta maps with new textures in the future, if I can't update texture packages I make myself.
By using MyLevel to "bake" the textures into the map.
The map might get bigger ...but since we doesn't a size limit of the files in this contest would this be the best way.
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by darksonny »

Will be included in the mappack the climatechange's maps as well? they have the contest logo in it (I think I could have seen in 3 of them, I will check this tonight.)
Last edited by darksonny on Tue Dec 24, 2019 1:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by UnrealGGecko »

Yes, will add them as well. Just gave him a bit of extra time on Discord to remove the emitter dependency. As I don't want maps to cause problems when they're in the pack already.
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by Myth »

I made some reviews don't take it personally, I'm just pressing random buttons on my keyboard, typing down my impressions while playing the maps.


DM-20AC-Stalwart][

This map looks really good! This was my first thought when I launched the map. The brick and steel trims are the basic building blocks of the level, they flow really well, mixed in with artificial lights and industrial props really brings out the good side of these age old textures and models. There are plenty of details to get lost in! Love the crane with the box, it stand out it being yellow and all the blue in the background. Really love the use of the stock pipes with the red light behind, the way Unreal Engine 1 renders meshes is that they are slightly reflective and it looks really great on them! The cars and the tools and boxes everything are well placed.

Unfortunately there is a bit of a performance drop when the fog is in view. There is a slight fog in a few corridors. Fog + high shadow details is a bad combination for performance as the engine traces a ray for each lightmap texel, and raytracing is quite an expensive operation. The performance drop is really sad, the fog doesn't add to the scene, it's not worth the sacrifice.

Gameplay is very similar to the old stalwart, there is nothing too flashy in there, but just like its predecessor a really solid DM experience. The layout is simple, a bit of variation on the vertical axis but if you like the old stalwart you'll love this one.

I found the redeemer with some help, it's really sneaky, there are some secrets to hunt just like the old one. A few redeemer explosions keep the match fresh. The Udamage is a bit hard to get, the impact hammer jump is quite a big one and taxing on the health, it's a real tough choice whether to get it or not, I'd mostly stay away unless I know that the other players are on the other side of the map.

A well made map, well thought out with lots of tiny details, a worthy remake of its predecessor and a blast to play!


DM-20AC-CrypticDungeon

I love the lava, it's the best part of the map! They way it glows and the way it flows, the little islands, the lava waterfall, lava-falls, all that, great stuff, it adds a lot to the map, it's the most defining feature. It's very nice to look at, I'm almost tempted to take a swim!

Very very bad usage of fog, it's very subtle, it makes pixels just a bit brighter and the cost is a huge framerate drop that makes online play quite frustrating. I actually went in advanced preferences and disabled volumetric lighting during online play, this brings the frame-rates back to the 100s with some drops to 60-77fps due to high polygon count.

The crypt architecture, with archways and temple like rooms mix really nicely with the lava caverns, this is a very good setting. There is also a really nice backdrop with great colors, clouds and stars and also an awesome gas giant with ring. It's something like a cross between Saturn and Uranus. When you get a chance try to take a look at it since it's mostly hidden behind level geometry.

My biggest issue with the visuals is that all there are all these really nice details which are in the wrong places, the unreachable cells add a lot of polygons to the main room which also happens to contain an extremely detailed tower with archways and the fog.

The layout is alright for DM, there is a mix of open and closed spaces. There is usually an upper floor and a lower floor, allowing you to shoot down your enemies. It took me a while but I did find the redeemer, nice secret, I was surprised that a bot was able to follow me in there. He took me by surprise. Getting the shield belt is a bit risky and that's exactly how I like it!

The level is the most Unreal from the bunch. It's the most true to it's roots blending in the aesthetic of classic Unreal single-player maps with the crypt levels of Unreal Tournament, oh and amazing hot glowing lava!


DM-20AC-CorporateOffice

This map took me by surprise. I was not expecting to like it, I went in with low expectations and it turned out to be really nice. On paper it's a horrible idea! An office can be quite a boring place, most people can't wait to get out from there. But it works!

The office aesthetic is really good, it looks simple on the surface, but this is a very solid execution with all the elements in place and properly aligned, the seam between the wooden floor and the carpet, the abstract art hang up on the walls, the competition logos on screen of some of the computers, the chairs the meeting, the light switches and the freaking microwave oven makes it all all feel very realistic.

Lighting is well executed it adds a more to the realism. The placement of artificial and a few sky lights mix really well and bring the place alive. There are a few corridors with lights lacking, and is lit only by the ambient light from the zone, this looks a bit unrealistic in an otherwise very realistic map.

I had a blast exploring the environment, with secrets hidden inside offices, lifts and on top of the lights, this is a very good approach on spreading loot and rewarding the player for finding it. Bravo!

The gameplay is bit more on the random side of things. You need to be extra careful that you don't get cornered in a bathroom cause that shock combo will destroy you. You can run around randomly bumping into your enemies and flacking them into the face. Or sometimes you manage to notice them before they do, you can plan ahead and take them out with a shock combo. It's a bit different than the classic arena shooter, it's a bit more about being prepared to what's around the corned.

This is where the invisibility pickup comes in, it's really overpowered in this level. Since the walls are all bright and white, you really do blend in and become invisible, well, when playing against human players, bots don't care so much about you being invisible, but against human player it gives you first strike advantage in any situation, which is all you need if you combine it with the shock combo. Oh and did I mention that this invisibility has infinite duration?

You can find invisibility in the presentation room. It's on the speakers desk. I wonder, is it a subtle message that the person presenting is somehow being ignored by the audience? Corporate presentations are boring?

There is also a bit of stealth game-play involved even without the invisibility, your advantage is shooting first so giving away your location can be really bad. There is also glass which can be shattered around almost every corner works, the loud noise can give away your location, but shooting it also gives an extra path to take.

I've also tried the DOM version but it doesn't work as well, the confusing layout makes it hard to find the points, well after a lot of searching you do get a hang of it, but it feels like a chore getting from point to point, DOM is better suited for smaller layouts where you can actually dominate the arena and offers good access between the points.

Despite a 20 years old game, this map manages to hit a respectable level of realism, the lights and the props bring this maze to life. I had a lot of fun with this one and that makes it for me the winner!


DOM-20AC-IciclePyramid

Let's get the obvious out of the picture. The texture work is quite inconsistent, using the ice texture as a wall sometimes throws me off, sometimes the floor is shiny, sometimes its matte, there are a few cases of badly misaligned textures. lighting next to non existent, it's mostly there so that things are not in dark, but there is no clear light source except for a few lamps which are darker than the surrounding area which doesn't make sense from a photo-realistic point of view. Visually it looks unfinished at best. My advice here is to put a bit more effort into it. No need for any fancy design, just add light sources, align textures and stay consistent. It be practical.

I like the snowballs, the piles of snowballs and the ice at the edge of the ledges. These are all great little details and along with the ice floor it gives the map it's unique feeling.

Playing it as a DM map feels pretty random, essentially everyone is grouped into a single room which just happens to be on multiple levels. The sliding is annoying and the crouching speedup bug just adds to the confusion. The layout is simple and symmetrical, there is plenty of vertical axis, but since the level is so small you'll usually have to worry about someone shooting you from behind. It's very chaotic.

I also tried out the DOM version, and I was pleasantly surprised! I found it quite enjoyable. It better than the DOM version of CorporateOffice! Here the level is simple to navigate and get a hang of, you know where the control points are and how to get there at any moment. It's not a chaotic frag fest anymore, the control points give the map a purpose and they also break the symmetry.

What makes it shine is the variety of mobility options to get from point to point. From the top you can just jump down and from the bottom, it's easy to attack the mid level point with this tactic. The lower level is a bit more hidden but jumping down is still a good way to get it in sight. Now you're at the lowest level, how do we get up? Ramps? Nah, jump boots. There are 2 jump boots placed on the low level which makes it really nice to get up and take control of the points. In DM mode the jump boots are kinda useless, but here they become a key pickup that allows you to get control over the map.

And now for the fun part, the crouching sliding speedup bug also gets a purpose in DOM, you can use it to quickly close the gap and get to the control point. Just slide in there, take out the enemy and the control point is yours! What's best is that you can actually make use of the spiral curved slopes to propel yourself up from the mid level to the high level without losing any speed. You'll be approaching the speed of sound when you are getting up there. I find this quite a good use for the sliding mechanic!

This level has a few ups and downs, but it's quite good as a DOM map. The mobility options are really good and makes it makes getting from point to point a fun thing to do! Gameplay-wise this is the best DOM-map from the pack. Bravo!


DOM-20AC-CastleGeorge

This one has a very retro aesthetic, low poly count, quite blocky, very video game-ey, throws you back into the 90's, this is very much in contrast with the realism of the CorporateOffice map, but hey it works! If I can remember the textures used are from an early version of unreal?

I first tried the DM version, not a fan of the DM here, I find it a bit lacking. The layout is very minimal but functional, basically 2 levels and a basement, this is a lot more z-axis than CorporateOffice and makes the fights be a lot more arena-like. The tight corridors don't work well for DM.

I was pleasantly surprised when playing it as a DOM map. The lights around the control points that change color based on the team are amazing! I love this feature! And I can see a few changing textures as well! However it a bit lacking in mobility, getting from point to point is a walk. However team colored lights can save you from a wasted trip. The pads below the control points are also pretty with a bit of a mirror effect in there.

The lighting is unrealistic with a lot of light added in without a properly defined source just to fill in the space and make things visible, it makes it clear that we're in a video game. But I'd say a castle like this could use a few more shadow-ey spots instead of some ever-present light. Castles are meant as a defensive structure and have very small windows, so if you want to light it up, you need, torches, lanterns, runes, candles, chandeliers, go nuts!

This map is throwback to the 90s it's a throwback to the times when Unreal was just a tech demo, and all the games were just as blocky as this one, quite fitting for the 20th anniversary of the game.


CTF-20AC-BloodRush

I can see a lot of attention to details, the trims, small lights and everything work together to bring this map alive, the architecture is believable. The lighting is proper, every light has a source, there are is a lot of variation, team lights, laser lights, spot lights, small detail lights, I really appreciate this. Still, the map still feels a bit dark, I guess that's just the mood around here. This darkness and the tight corridors makes this level feel a bit claustrophobic, you do not feel home or safe in this place, it's a very hostile environment, one wrong move and you are dead.

On first play the layout seems very maze like, it takes a bit of time to get used to. There are several routes from the two bases to choose from and plenty of vertical space. The corridor behind the flag is really nice, the fans behind the grates look really nice. It's the most stylish corridor I've seen in a while.

Oh and I tested the lasers, yep, they zap you alright.

Bots can also see them translocate between key spots, which is a very nice to have. I spent quite some time on this for my map as well, it can be a tedious process, but in a real CTF game, players really do use the translocator quite a lot, so it makes sense to design your level with that in mind.

There is really not much else I can say, the map is a solid CTF map, its the classic Unreal Tournament experience, a bit darker and with some lazers on top!


CTF-20AC-Valhalla

This level is freaking huge! Throw practicality out the window! Let your imagination loose! The colors the rainbows, everything is over the top here! The insides of the great hall is badass! the shields, the flags, the barrels and the mead flowing out of it, the epic fireplace warms up the place! My only criticism here is that the layout does not seem to make sense as for such a hall, it's the layout is clearly that of an arena shooter rather than something that could exist inside that great hall.

The sky is nice and colorful but a bit too bright, one might expect that all that white would really light up the scene rather than leaving the mountains mostly dark and black, I feel that the sky should have been much darker, you can showcase a lot of colors with darkness. I've checked out the final version as well, the sky is a bit less bright, but it still feels a bit like it's not lighting the scene enough. Maybe I'm comparing it a bit too much with the skies from Skyrim, which is one of the most breathtaking visual experience I've had when I first saw them, that would be an unfair comparison.

The flag bases have a lot more subtle and functional design to balance out this madness. They seem to be sort of mountain crypt, and they mostly serve as flag room, spawn room and to provide several ways into the main area of the map.

The boats are somewhere between cute and hilarious, definitely a fun addition to this map, adds a lot of character.

Visually I have a bit of an issue with the textures. There are a lot of faces with small repeating texture patterns and the repetitiveness make the whole thing look a bit more dull than it really should be, the mountains look flat because of it where it should be really nicely defined and have all sorts of rock formations, the roof again is a bit too flat because of this, I would much rather have it scaled up and a bit blurry when players get close than to see this flat surface.

The rest of the lighting makes sense with torches and lamps lighting up the place, well, the rainbow makes no sense but it does not have to, we've left we leave the mortal realm when we enter this place

I went exploring and I was rewarded with an invisibility power-up! Nice, I really appreciate it with message and all, what do you mean I was not supposed to be here? I can so easily translocate up there!

I imagine this level would be a lot more fun with a lot of players, well bots can get from point A to point B, but players can actually abuse the roof, and those sweet grassy sniper spots at the sides of the mountain. With the amount of space this definitely feels like a sniper map, where the sharpest shooter wins! there are plenty of spots to be sniped or to snipe from, and if you're not very good with the sniper rifle, we'll your only hope that neither is your enemy team!

Honestly I'd play this one with the strangelove mod, riding the few high powerred rockets would be definitely fun around here with plenty of space to move around. If anyone here runs a strangelove server, please do install it, this is not something you can play with bots.

The setting is definitely the strong point of this map, it looks interesting, it feels interesting, I had a great time exploring every corner of the map. It's full of nice details and very rewarding.


DM-20AC-Recourse

Wow, this map came out of nowhere, I did not expect this bonus map. Very nice layout, a lot of opportunities to jump down on the enemies and flak them, a lot of skill jumps can be used to reach places which give advantage or a powerup. The armour pickup for example there is a long path, but there is also a ramp you can dodge against to jump over the gap and grab it more quickly.

Exploration is nice and rewarding, I found the redeemer quite easily, and the top view gives lots of advantages over the players navigating the maze.

The texture work is pretty nice, the way the different types of stone, the tiles, the cobblestone, the bricks work really well together to make it looks like believable architecture, and there is small wood bridging together the gaps, ramps, stairs, doors, it blends together well it makes sense and gives a sense of realism that even though this is clearly a fantasy setting, it might just be possible to build it.There are a few well placed details, such as the water fountain with the statues, lamps hanging in the air a few candles and plants bring this place to life.

The backdrop is really dark, and a lot of it is visible, this feels a bit empty, but it does make the moon stand out more than the usual, which is a nice effect, and the mist before it really cool as well, from design standpoint this is a lot of empty space which might be a good thing if you want players to focus on the action and not on the background, from photorealism standpoint, it's next to impossible to have such a bright moon and having nothing else in background to be lit, there are hints of some mist and clouds, this should fill up the entirety of the background.

The lighting work is solid, blue from the moon and yellow from the windows and lamps is a simple but effective light scheme, and all the small different colored lamps give add nice subtle details.

The level layout works really well for DM, its a bit maze-ey but well placed pickups make up for it, and there is tons of opportunity to jump on your enemy, which is works really well

This is the best DM experience from this pack! It's a well rounded and balanced map with good layout, it's a pleasure to play!


CTF-20AC-Foundation

Well I made this map, so it's impossible to not get biased. But I'm able to offer some insight to what went into it for those who are interested!

First of, I like how it turned out. I believe it's the best CTF I pulled off so far, it has a little bit of everything I've learnt over the years. Maybe I'll do even better in the future? Who knows? I've chosen to make a CTF map, since that's the one I find most enjoyable and prefer playing online. But you do need 2 proper teams to be able to play it.

My original plan was just to have an S-shaped level. This was my starting point. That's it!

I've chose this so that I can show off my not "necessarily aligned to the grid" geometry, but maintaining proper scale and proportions and everything so that it feels that it's the same old unreal. It gives it a nicely flowing organic shape instead of the thousands of blocky maps we're all used to. Even in modern games, most level design plays it safe and sticks to a grid, I feel that we can do better than that.

Next step is to decide on the setting. I've chosen it to be the lowest levels of a city, the place where the sewage goes, where you mostly only see concrete walls and bricks, and if you look up and far enough, you maybe get to see some buildings. My original idea was that when you look up, you see these tall building towering above you, making you feel small next to it. In the end this sort of did not really pan out, there are a few building but they are further away, and not really that huge. I wanted to make this arena feel like it was forgotten in the jungle, in somewhere in the outer edges of the city where some shady organization would run some matches from time to time, but there is not much hint of this either.

This is mostly a guide for me which allows me to make decisions, overall I took some decisions in favor of simplicity and game-play instead of sticking to a concept. The level should still be practical for online and offline play, and above else fun to play!

And so I've started, with the red flag base, the spawn rooms, the back room, and after that the fun began trying to figure out the bend. This was more complicated than I thought. I knew I wanted a sniper room in the bend so I did that, but for the rest, I got blocked. You see it's not very easy working with this bendy layouts, the in editor tools are rather limited, you spend a lot of time pivoting and cutting brushes, then re-doing everything because there was a mistake, or the curve is too large or not large enough. I could have finished a lot earlier if I did not choose this. I was regretting it at some point, but I wanted to pull through so I invested the time in the end to make it happen.

So the deadline was approaching, the extended one to be more precise, this is when I did the middle rooms. I've decided to have a single choke point in the middle. Everything must go through there, my goal with it is to build tension and make the snipers feel really powerful. However it's not impossible, you can trans-locate through it and hide in the lower levels or one of the side rooms and flank the sniper.

All was well, the final struggle was with the bends, which is where I needed to connect everything. I wanted to make sure that there are plenty of ways to traverse this part and to get to the flag base. From the near side, you can only attack but not return with the flag. In the middle you can do whatever you want but you are the most exposed. On the far side you can flank the sniper. I've added a lot of translocator spots for bots, all around I've designed the map with translocators in mind, I'm expecting the players to translocate all over the place, so should the bots as well.

Aaand that's basically it! It's not entirely how I imagined it would turn out to be. I think I imagined having one more floor above, making the whole level taller. But this way it's a lot more streamlined and easier to read.


Thank you for testing my map and providing feedback. It proved to be quite valuable and I made a better map because of it! :rock:

Phew this was a long write. Excuse my typing mistakes and happy holidays you all!!! Merry X-mas! (and Y-mas and plenty of Z-mas) Enjoy the map pack! I'm definitely taking some time off for gaming these 2 weeks.
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by Sinnical »

Tyr wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:06 pm Sinnical: Your map isn't working. Can't find file or package 'Ambient'.
I'm sorry some folks can't get it to run :facepalm:

I used a couple sounds from a pack called ambient.uax that I thought was stock... I guess it's not though.
Should I re-upload the map? I could swap the sounds out easily enough.
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by esnesi »

Sinnical wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2019 3:50 am Greetings!

DM-20AC-Recourse

--Sinnical
Missed your map!
Love it!

Love the original castle/dungeon theme, original elevator^^ and nice open space for good action.
Good bunnytrack action rooftops as well, and nice "slide" wall!

Had no problems with the sound file, guess i already had that file on the server.
I just checked again, and i hear the music as well.

*Edit, maps are being much enjoyed, thanks again!
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ss2.png
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by Sinnical »

Here's an updated version of my map that should fix the incompatibility issue some people had:
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DM-20AC-Recourse][.zip
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by Que »

NEW FAV MAP from Competition

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

:rock: :gj:
Last edited by Que on Thu Dec 26, 2019 10:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by KillRoy1972 »

Myth wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2019 10:50 pm I made some reviews don't take it personally, I'm just pressing random buttons on my keyboard, typing down my impressions while playing the maps.


DM-20AC-Stalwart][

This map looks really good! This was my first thought when I launched the map. The brick and steel trims are the basic building blocks of the level, they flow really well, mixed in with artificial lights and industrial props really brings out the good side of these age old textures and models. There are plenty of details to get lost in! Love the crane with the box, it stand out it being yellow and all the blue in the background. Really love the use of the stock pipes with the red light behind, the way Unreal Engine 1 renders meshes is that they are slightly reflective and it looks really great on them! The cars and the tools and boxes everything are well placed.

Unfortunately there is a bit of a performance drop when the fog is in view. There is a slight fog in a few corridors. Fog + high shadow details is a bad combination for performance as the engine traces a ray for each lightmap texel, and raytracing is quite an expensive operation. The performance drop is really sad, the fog doesn't add to the scene, it's not worth the sacrifice.

Gameplay is very similar to the old stalwart, there is nothing too flashy in there, but just like its predecessor a really solid DM experience. The layout is simple, a bit of variation on the vertical axis but if you like the old stalwart you'll love this one.

I found the redeemer with some help, it's really sneaky, there are some secrets to hunt just like the old one. A few redeemer explosions keep the match fresh. The Udamage is a bit hard to get, the impact hammer jump is quite a big one and taxing on the health, it's a real tough choice whether to get it or not, I'd mostly stay away unless I know that the other players are on the other side of the map.

A well made map, well thought out with lots of tiny details, a worthy remake of its predecessor and a blast to play!


DM-20AC-CrypticDungeon

I love the lava, it's the best part of the map! They way it glows and the way it flows, the little islands, the lava waterfall, lava-falls, all that, great stuff, it adds a lot to the map, it's the most defining feature. It's very nice to look at, I'm almost tempted to take a swim!

Very very bad usage of fog, it's very subtle, it makes pixels just a bit brighter and the cost is a huge framerate drop that makes online play quite frustrating. I actually went in advanced preferences and disabled volumetric lighting during online play, this brings the frame-rates back to the 100s with some drops to 60-77fps due to high polygon count.

The crypt architecture, with archways and temple like rooms mix really nicely with the lava caverns, this is a very good setting. There is also a really nice backdrop with great colors, clouds and stars and also an awesome gas giant with ring. It's something like a cross between Saturn and Uranus. When you get a chance try to take a look at it since it's mostly hidden behind level geometry.

My biggest issue with the visuals is that all there are all these really nice details which are in the wrong places, the unreachable cells add a lot of polygons to the main room which also happens to contain an extremely detailed tower with archways and the fog.

The layout is alright for DM, there is a mix of open and closed spaces. There is usually an upper floor and a lower floor, allowing you to shoot down your enemies. It took me a while but I did find the redeemer, nice secret, I was surprised that a bot was able to follow me in there. He took me by surprise. Getting the shield belt is a bit risky and that's exactly how I like it!

The level is the most Unreal from the bunch. It's the most true to it's roots blending in the aesthetic of classic Unreal single-player maps with the crypt levels of Unreal Tournament, oh and amazing hot glowing lava!


DM-20AC-CorporateOffice

This map took me by surprise. I was not expecting to like it, I went in with low expectations and it turned out to be really nice. On paper it's a horrible idea! An office can be quite a boring place, most people can't wait to get out from there. But it works!

The office aesthetic is really good, it looks simple on the surface, but this is a very solid execution with all the elements in place and properly aligned, the seam between the wooden floor and the carpet, the abstract art hang up on the walls, the competition logos on screen of some of the computers, the chairs the meeting, the light switches and the freaking microwave oven makes it all all feel very realistic.

Lighting is well executed it adds a more to the realism. The placement of artificial and a few sky lights mix really well and bring the place alive. There are a few corridors with lights lacking, and is lit only by the ambient light from the zone, this looks a bit unrealistic in an otherwise very realistic map.

I had a blast exploring the environment, with secrets hidden inside offices, lifts and on top of the lights, this is a very good approach on spreading loot and rewarding the player for finding it. Bravo!

The gameplay is bit more on the random side of things. You need to be extra careful that you don't get cornered in a bathroom cause that shock combo will destroy you. You can run around randomly bumping into your enemies and flacking them into the face. Or sometimes you manage to notice them before they do, you can plan ahead and take them out with a shock combo. It's a bit different than the classic arena shooter, it's a bit more about being prepared to what's around the corned.

This is where the invisibility pickup comes in, it's really overpowered in this level. Since the walls are all bright and white, you really do blend in and become invisible, well, when playing against human players, bots don't care so much about you being invisible, but against human player it gives you first strike advantage in any situation, which is all you need if you combine it with the shock combo. Oh and did I mention that this invisibility has infinite duration?

You can find invisibility in the presentation room. It's on the speakers desk. I wonder, is it a subtle message that the person presenting is somehow being ignored by the audience? Corporate presentations are boring?

There is also a bit of stealth game-play involved even without the invisibility, your advantage is shooting first so giving away your location can be really bad. There is also glass which can be shattered around almost every corner works, the loud noise can give away your location, but shooting it also gives an extra path to take.

I've also tried the DOM version but it doesn't work as well, the confusing layout makes it hard to find the points, well after a lot of searching you do get a hang of it, but it feels like a chore getting from point to point, DOM is better suited for smaller layouts where you can actually dominate the arena and offers good access between the points.

Despite a 20 years old game, this map manages to hit a respectable level of realism, the lights and the props bring this maze to life. I had a lot of fun with this one and that makes it for me the winner!


DOM-20AC-IciclePyramid

Let's get the obvious out of the picture. The texture work is quite inconsistent, using the ice texture as a wall sometimes throws me off, sometimes the floor is shiny, sometimes its matte, there are a few cases of badly misaligned textures. lighting next to non existent, it's mostly there so that things are not in dark, but there is no clear light source except for a few lamps which are darker than the surrounding area which doesn't make sense from a photo-realistic point of view. Visually it looks unfinished at best. My advice here is to put a bit more effort into it. No need for any fancy design, just add light sources, align textures and stay consistent. It be practical.

I like the snowballs, the piles of snowballs and the ice at the edge of the ledges. These are all great little details and along with the ice floor it gives the map it's unique feeling.

Playing it as a DM map feels pretty random, essentially everyone is grouped into a single room which just happens to be on multiple levels. The sliding is annoying and the crouching speedup bug just adds to the confusion. The layout is simple and symmetrical, there is plenty of vertical axis, but since the level is so small you'll usually have to worry about someone shooting you from behind. It's very chaotic.

I also tried out the DOM version, and I was pleasantly surprised! I found it quite enjoyable. It better than the DOM version of CorporateOffice! Here the level is simple to navigate and get a hang of, you know where the control points are and how to get there at any moment. It's not a chaotic frag fest anymore, the control points give the map a purpose and they also break the symmetry.

What makes it shine is the variety of mobility options to get from point to point. From the top you can just jump down and from the bottom, it's easy to attack the mid level point with this tactic. The lower level is a bit more hidden but jumping down is still a good way to get it in sight. Now you're at the lowest level, how do we get up? Ramps? Nah, jump boots. There are 2 jump boots placed on the low level which makes it really nice to get up and take control of the points. In DM mode the jump boots are kinda useless, but here they become a key pickup that allows you to get control over the map.

And now for the fun part, the crouching sliding speedup bug also gets a purpose in DOM, you can use it to quickly close the gap and get to the control point. Just slide in there, take out the enemy and the control point is yours! What's best is that you can actually make use of the spiral curved slopes to propel yourself up from the mid level to the high level without losing any speed. You'll be approaching the speed of sound when you are getting up there. I find this quite a good use for the sliding mechanic!

This level has a few ups and downs, but it's quite good as a DOM map. The mobility options are really good and makes it makes getting from point to point a fun thing to do! Gameplay-wise this is the best DOM-map from the pack. Bravo!


DOM-20AC-CastleGeorge

This one has a very retro aesthetic, low poly count, quite blocky, very video game-ey, throws you back into the 90's, this is very much in contrast with the realism of the CorporateOffice map, but hey it works! If I can remember the textures used are from an early version of unreal?

I first tried the DM version, not a fan of the DM here, I find it a bit lacking. The layout is very minimal but functional, basically 2 levels and a basement, this is a lot more z-axis than CorporateOffice and makes the fights be a lot more arena-like. The tight corridors don't work well for DM.

I was pleasantly surprised when playing it as a DOM map. The lights around the control points that change color based on the team are amazing! I love this feature! And I can see a few changing textures as well! However it a bit lacking in mobility, getting from point to point is a walk. However team colored lights can save you from a wasted trip. The pads below the control points are also pretty with a bit of a mirror effect in there.

The lighting is unrealistic with a lot of light added in without a properly defined source just to fill in the space and make things visible, it makes it clear that we're in a video game. But I'd say a castle like this could use a few more shadow-ey spots instead of some ever-present light. Castles are meant as a defensive structure and have very small windows, so if you want to light it up, you need, torches, lanterns, runes, candles, chandeliers, go nuts!

This map is throwback to the 90s it's a throwback to the times when Unreal was just a tech demo, and all the games were just as blocky as this one, quite fitting for the 20th anniversary of the game.


CTF-20AC-BloodRush

I can see a lot of attention to details, the trims, small lights and everything work together to bring this map alive, the architecture is believable. The lighting is proper, every light has a source, there are is a lot of variation, team lights, laser lights, spot lights, small detail lights, I really appreciate this. Still, the map still feels a bit dark, I guess that's just the mood around here. This darkness and the tight corridors makes this level feel a bit claustrophobic, you do not feel home or safe in this place, it's a very hostile environment, one wrong move and you are dead.

On first play the layout seems very maze like, it takes a bit of time to get used to. There are several routes from the two bases to choose from and plenty of vertical space. The corridor behind the flag is really nice, the fans behind the grates look really nice. It's the most stylish corridor I've seen in a while.

Oh and I tested the lasers, yep, they zap you alright.

Bots can also see them translocate between key spots, which is a very nice to have. I spent quite some time on this for my map as well, it can be a tedious process, but in a real CTF game, players really do use the translocator quite a lot, so it makes sense to design your level with that in mind.

There is really not much else I can say, the map is a solid CTF map, its the classic Unreal Tournament experience, a bit darker and with some lazers on top!


CTF-20AC-Valhalla

This level is freaking huge! Throw practicality out the window! Let your imagination loose! The colors the rainbows, everything is over the top here! The insides of the great hall is badass! the shields, the flags, the barrels and the mead flowing out of it, the epic fireplace warms up the place! My only criticism here is that the layout does not seem to make sense as for such a hall, it's the layout is clearly that of an arena shooter rather than something that could exist inside that great hall.

The sky is nice and colorful but a bit too bright, one might expect that all that white would really light up the scene rather than leaving the mountains mostly dark and black, I feel that the sky should have been much darker, you can showcase a lot of colors with darkness. I've checked out the final version as well, the sky is a bit less bright, but it still feels a bit like it's not lighting the scene enough. Maybe I'm comparing it a bit too much with the skies from Skyrim, which is one of the most breathtaking visual experience I've had when I first saw them, that would be an unfair comparison.

The flag bases have a lot more subtle and functional design to balance out this madness. They seem to be sort of mountain crypt, and they mostly serve as flag room, spawn room and to provide several ways into the main area of the map.

The boats are somewhere between cute and hilarious, definitely a fun addition to this map, adds a lot of character.

Visually I have a bit of an issue with the textures. There are a lot of faces with small repeating texture patterns and the repetitiveness make the whole thing look a bit more dull than it really should be, the mountains look flat because of it where it should be really nicely defined and have all sorts of rock formations, the roof again is a bit too flat because of this, I would much rather have it scaled up and a bit blurry when players get close than to see this flat surface.

The rest of the lighting makes sense with torches and lamps lighting up the place, well, the rainbow makes no sense but it does not have to, we've left we leave the mortal realm when we enter this place

I went exploring and I was rewarded with an invisibility power-up! Nice, I really appreciate it with message and all, what do you mean I was not supposed to be here? I can so easily translocate up there!

I imagine this level would be a lot more fun with a lot of players, well bots can get from point A to point B, but players can actually abuse the roof, and those sweet grassy sniper spots at the sides of the mountain. With the amount of space this definitely feels like a sniper map, where the sharpest shooter wins! there are plenty of spots to be sniped or to snipe from, and if you're not very good with the sniper rifle, we'll your only hope that neither is your enemy team!

Honestly I'd play this one with the strangelove mod, riding the few high powerred rockets would be definitely fun around here with plenty of space to move around. If anyone here runs a strangelove server, please do install it, this is not something you can play with bots.

The setting is definitely the strong point of this map, it looks interesting, it feels interesting, I had a great time exploring every corner of the map. It's full of nice details and very rewarding.


DM-20AC-Recourse

Wow, this map came out of nowhere, I did not expect this bonus map. Very nice layout, a lot of opportunities to jump down on the enemies and flak them, a lot of skill jumps can be used to reach places which give advantage or a powerup. The armour pickup for example there is a long path, but there is also a ramp you can dodge against to jump over the gap and grab it more quickly.

Exploration is nice and rewarding, I found the redeemer quite easily, and the top view gives lots of advantages over the players navigating the maze.

The texture work is pretty nice, the way the different types of stone, the tiles, the cobblestone, the bricks work really well together to make it looks like believable architecture, and there is small wood bridging together the gaps, ramps, stairs, doors, it blends together well it makes sense and gives a sense of realism that even though this is clearly a fantasy setting, it might just be possible to build it.There are a few well placed details, such as the water fountain with the statues, lamps hanging in the air a few candles and plants bring this place to life.

The backdrop is really dark, and a lot of it is visible, this feels a bit empty, but it does make the moon stand out more than the usual, which is a nice effect, and the mist before it really cool as well, from design standpoint this is a lot of empty space which might be a good thing if you want players to focus on the action and not on the background, from photorealism standpoint, it's next to impossible to have such a bright moon and having nothing else in background to be lit, there are hints of some mist and clouds, this should fill up the entirety of the background.

The lighting work is solid, blue from the moon and yellow from the windows and lamps is a simple but effective light scheme, and all the small different colored lamps give add nice subtle details.

The level layout works really well for DM, its a bit maze-ey but well placed pickups make up for it, and there is tons of opportunity to jump on your enemy, which is works really well

This is the best DM experience from this pack! It's a well rounded and balanced map with good layout, it's a pleasure to play!


CTF-20AC-Foundation

Well I made this map, so it's impossible to not get biased. But I'm able to offer some insight to what went into it for those who are interested!

First of, I like how it turned out. I believe it's the best CTF I pulled off so far, it has a little bit of everything I've learnt over the years. Maybe I'll do even better in the future? Who knows? I've chosen to make a CTF map, since that's the one I find most enjoyable and prefer playing online. But you do need 2 proper teams to be able to play it.

My original plan was just to have an S-shaped level. This was my starting point. That's it!

I've chose this so that I can show off my not "necessarily aligned to the grid" geometry, but maintaining proper scale and proportions and everything so that it feels that it's the same old unreal. It gives it a nicely flowing organic shape instead of the thousands of blocky maps we're all used to. Even in modern games, most level design plays it safe and sticks to a grid, I feel that we can do better than that.

Next step is to decide on the setting. I've chosen it to be the lowest levels of a city, the place where the sewage goes, where you mostly only see concrete walls and bricks, and if you look up and far enough, you maybe get to see some buildings. My original idea was that when you look up, you see these tall building towering above you, making you feel small next to it. In the end this sort of did not really pan out, there are a few building but they are further away, and not really that huge. I wanted to make this arena feel like it was forgotten in the jungle, in somewhere in the outer edges of the city where some shady organization would run some matches from time to time, but there is not much hint of this either.

This is mostly a guide for me which allows me to make decisions, overall I took some decisions in favor of simplicity and game-play instead of sticking to a concept. The level should still be practical for online and offline play, and above else fun to play!

And so I've started, with the red flag base, the spawn rooms, the back room, and after that the fun began trying to figure out the bend. This was more complicated than I thought. I knew I wanted a sniper room in the bend so I did that, but for the rest, I got blocked. You see it's not very easy working with this bendy layouts, the in editor tools are rather limited, you spend a lot of time pivoting and cutting brushes, then re-doing everything because there was a mistake, or the curve is too large or not large enough. I could have finished a lot earlier if I did not choose this. I was regretting it at some point, but I wanted to pull through so I invested the time in the end to make it happen.

So the deadline was approaching, the extended one to be more precise, this is when I did the middle rooms. I've decided to have a single choke point in the middle. Everything must go through there, my goal with it is to build tension and make the snipers feel really powerful. However it's not impossible, you can trans-locate through it and hide in the lower levels or one of the side rooms and flank the sniper.

All was well, the final struggle was with the bends, which is where I needed to connect everything. I wanted to make sure that there are plenty of ways to traverse this part and to get to the flag base. From the near side, you can only attack but not return with the flag. In the middle you can do whatever you want but you are the most exposed. On the far side you can flank the sniper. I've added a lot of translocator spots for bots, all around I've designed the map with translocators in mind, I'm expecting the players to translocate all over the place, so should the bots as well.

Aaand that's basically it! It's not entirely how I imagined it would turn out to be. I think I imagined having one more floor above, making the whole level taller. But this way it's a lot more streamlined and easier to read.


Thank you for testing my map and providing feedback. It proved to be quite valuable and I made a better map because of it! :rock:

Phew this was a long write. Excuse my typing mistakes and happy holidays you all!!! Merry X-mas! (and Y-mas and plenty of Z-mas) Enjoy the map pack! I'm definitely taking some time off for gaming these 2 weeks.
Thanx for the review!
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Que
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by Que »

The deck remake I had probs with dodging from shock area to belt.. no can do.

And the viridian map the kicker is nerfed.. :/

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KillRoy1972
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by KillRoy1972 »

I sill have time to add this version of CTF-BloodRush to be inclusded into the mappack as bonusmaterial?

I fixed the irritating bots getting stuck jumping down into the flagroom, also I brightened up the map a bit..

This is really the last version (I hope)

=MERGED=
Que wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:11 pm The deck remake I had probs with dodging from shock area to belt.. no can do.

And the viridian map the kicker is nerfed.. :/

@Climatechange
I also got some problems with the map.

I especially got stuck on the little stairs from the 'flac slime pit towards the 'rocket launcher'..

Also I find the teleporter to the redeemer disorientating..

besides that, the map playes very well imo.
Last edited by KillRoy1972 on Thu Dec 26, 2019 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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KillRoy1972
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by KillRoy1972 »

Aaaaand, bumped it up to version 4..

Sound a massive BSP hole on top of the blue lift in the blue base (where the wooden plank is).

Fixed it..

Sorry..

UPDATE: please download this release of the map, By mistake I included V3 in the V4 zip file. This one has the correct version.
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papercoffee
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by papercoffee »

KillRoy1972 wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:27 pm Fixed it..
Sorry..
Then please delete your former files ... :wth:

AND no double posts please! When you are the last poster in a thread edit your former post.
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KillRoy1972
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Re: ==[ The 20th Anniversary Mapping Contest - 20AC ]==

Post by KillRoy1972 »

papercoffee wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:33 pm
KillRoy1972 wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:27 pm Fixed it..
Sorry..
Then please delete your former files ... :wth:

AND no double posts please! When you are the last poster in a thread edit your former post.
Yeah I know..

Hectic day today, but dont want to be late..

the zip file for V4 has the correct version in it now also, I know, I'm a mess.. :ironic:
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