CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence

[EvilGrins]

Note: When editing an existing map that has no MyLevel built in, always make sure to save the map to a backup filename in case you screwup adding that... because I frequently don't and occasionally mess that up, which is why I had to start from scratch on this map.

What we have here is a BIG map of very long corridors and a central medium-sized arena area.

Original mapper, for some crazy reason, put 2 flags on each team at the end of each long corridor (probably explains the map name) but that seemed ridiculous so I put an end to that. Now down 1 corridor is a flag and down the other is a tank.

Map never had a lot of weapons, originally only the shock rifle & minigun & flak cannon. Due to the XV, from that cache of weapons (that make it a fair fight between those in vehicles and those not) I found on another map, replaced the shock rifle with the explosive crossbow. Also placed a redeemer in the central area and 2 megahealths for each team.

Just above each flag is a ut2k4 cannon, which makes things interesting. Cannons apparently do not register XV but as you have to get out of the tank to pick up the flag, that's when the cannon locks onto you... and will stay locked on even after you get back in the tank.

So long as you're still in range, anyway.

Now, I only placed 1 tank with each team, but don't feel like that is so limiting.

I noticed the vehicle factories in XV have the option to spawn additional vehicles as soon as the initial one moves away from its start point. Potentially everyone on your team can get their own tank, if they like.

Usual Suspects:
.u - /system
.umx - /music
.unr - /maps
.utx - /textures

Enjoy!
https://www.mediafire.com/file/3u4fp4sb ... efence.zip

If you don't have any of the CTF4 gametypes...
https://unreal-games.livejournal.com/169182.html
...you can get them there.

You can get Xvehicles here · viewtopic.php?f=34&t=14936 · which you need to make this work!

[OjitroC]

You didn't rebuild the path network, did you?

I don't wish to be critical for the sake of it, but with more than one last navigation point the map has the potential to crash.

Spoiler

StartingChecks: Map has 9 PlayerStart Actors for team 0.
Settings: 0 are Disabled and 9 are Enabled.
StartingChecks: Map has 6 PlayerStart Actors for team 1.
Settings: 0 are Disabled and 6 are Enabled.
StartingChecks: Map has 7 PlayerStart Actors for team 2.
Settings: 0 are Disabled and 7 are Enabled.
StartingChecks: Map has 7 PlayerStart Actors for team 3.
Settings: 0 are Disabled and 7 are Enabled.
CheckLostNavigation: Iterator test.
CheckLostNavigation: MCTFFlagBase1 seems the last.
CheckLostNavigation: PlayerStart25 seems the last.
CheckLostNavigation: PlayerStart26 seems the last.
CheckLostNavigation: PlayerStart27 seems the last.
CheckLostNavigation: PlayerStart28 seems the last.
CheckLostNavigation: Navigation Chain has 265 navigation points.
CheckLostNavigation: Navigation Actors found = 269 Navigation Actors.
CheckLostNavigation: Warning, Navigation Chain might be corrupted !
FakeNavigation: BORK ! MAP has More than one LAST Navigation point.

If you move inventory around or add inventory you also need to build the paths again

Spoiler

ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot0
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot2
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot4
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot6
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot8
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot21
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot24
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot25
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot28
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot29
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot30
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot31
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot32
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot33
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot34
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot35
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot36
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot37
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot38
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot39
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot40
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot41
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot42
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot43
ScriptLog: No roaming goal at InventorySpot44
ItemsCheck: Checked InventorySpots. Found 25 empty InventorySpots.

Buggie's MapChecker also reports Inventory without MyMarker/InventorySpots which means they are not in the navigation chain and so are only picked up by bots by chance

Is there a reason why you didn't take the advice to build the path network? A simple rebuild with sektor's MapGarbage gets rid of all those issues (except for the unbalanced PlayerStarts) in about 10 seconds.

[EvilGrins]

Is there a reason why you didn't take the advice to build the path network?

Wishful thinking?

I played it about 30 times, no crashes. Items I added were placed in the same spots as what I replaced them with, and the added PlayerStarts were put directly in line with existing pathing.

[OjitroC]

Items I added were placed in the same spots as what I replaced them with, and the added PlayerStarts were put directly in line with existing pathing.

But as indicated above none of that is enough - you need to rebuild the network so that all that stuff is actually referenced in the navigation chain. Putting stuff in the map is not the same as linking it into the navigation chain data (which the bots use to navigate and to carry out their various 'functions' (functions as in functions in their code and in the code of the gametype).

Can this map be played with CTF4 as the stated gametype is MultiCTF.MultiCTFGame?

Going by the readme for MultiCTF normal FlagBases should be use rather than MCTFFlagBases - "A leftover from previous versions this is here simply to make MultiCTF backwards-comparible with old maps. Don't put any of these in maps."

[EvilGrins]

Can this map be played with CTF4 as the stated gametype is MultiCTF.MultiCTFGame?

CTF4 & CTFM maps are all recognized by both CTF4 gametype & MultiCTF, so yes.

I usually swap the default gametype to match the game prefix, though I didn't this time. It's defaulted to CTF4.

[OjitroC]

The gametype in LevelInfo is MultiCTF.MultiCTFGame. I ask because I wonder if CTF4 will recognise the FlagBases given that they are not the default FlagBase?

[EvilGrins]

I played it under CTF4, no issues.

[OjitroC]

Yeah CTF4 runs OK though I didn't play for very long - got this in the log

Spoiler

ScriptWarning: RedFlag CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.RedFlag0 (Function Botpack.CTFFlag.home.EndState:000F) Accessed None 'HomeBase'
ScriptWarning: CTFFlag CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.CTFFlag0 (Function Botpack.CTFFlag.home.EndState:000F) Accessed None 'HomeBase'
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase5 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0051) Accessed None 'myFlag'
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase5 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0059) Attempt to assign variable through None
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase5 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0061) Accessed None 'myFlag'
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase5 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0069) Attempt to assign variable through None
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase8 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0051) Accessed None 'myFlag'
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase8 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0059) Attempt to assign variable through None
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase8 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0061) Accessed None 'myFlag'
ScriptWarning: MCTFFlagBase CTFM-XV-Cannons-DoubleDefence.MCTFFlagBase8 (Function Botpack.FlagBase.SpawnFlag:0069) Attempt to assign variable through None

[EvilGrins]

Still works.

[sektor2111]

It works, it works, it works... no crashes, still works, etc....

Anything else ? Even if I would host MultiCTF games this is not a normal map which I would load - screwed up, coming with all sort of excuses.
First of all PlayerStart actors that are out of navigation chain and placed over a Path Line don't do anything exactly like for items - that's "item kidnapping". Did you see anyone spawning there ? Let me guess... NO. You don't know what you do in "Editing".
Sure... it doesn't crash which means it's all normal... Ok, good luck then with these practices.

There are X maps available for this game but not all of them are used even if they don't crash. Ask yourself questions why ? Sooner or later issues are getting visible and people are "forgetting" them. But I'm already aware that what is posted and told in this way it will need RE-EDITED. I'm not running debris after 20+ years especially when Editing plugins are ensuring quality rather than quantity.

Cannons.u package - I don't think I will replace my version with what is provided here...

And NO, assets embedded in MultiCTF whatever are only for gaming not for mapping. Multiple versions of these updated mods will go into an actors soup which it's not like it's helping with anything - here a defined game-type in map it's not helping in a future version of a MultiCTF, such as MultiCTF2, etc, it loads two packages for nothing. MultiCTF takes control over original FlagBases assigning it's internal Textures, there is no need to mess up with such external dependencies, and not the last thing, I do not play "Accessed Nones" embedded in maps, those are for n00bs. I wasted hours working to deliver stable assets into this game and you cannot convince me to roll back at Errors Spam show, so this ground it's no longer my ground.

[OjitroC]

Still works.

Following up on what sektor said, the ScriptWarnings tell you something is not working properly. My approach to these is to check why the warnings are happening and then decide if (a) it actually needs fixing and (b) I can fix it (bearing in mind that I am only editing maps to play off-lne in my own environment).

Both sets of ScriptWarnings can be easily fixed by (a) givng the RedFlag the right colour and (b) putting in normal FlagBases. None of this takes any time but it removes potential issues.

Once again I would emphasise the usefulness of Buggie's MapChecker and sektor's MapGarbage and PathsChecker tools - they can point to and resolve issues in seconds - issues that won't be apparent simply by playing the map.