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Shaikoten

32in24-16: DOOT CTF

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Marcaek said:

Hey, if we get a handful of people who want to learn how to make CTF maps out of this that'd be great. Nothing worth doing is ever easy!

Should've said that when I was still playing Doom. I hope I come back to Doom soon.

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One thing I've been wondering : are inescapable slime pits ok in CTF? e.g. can the flag get trapped in there?

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Thankfully the flag automatically returns to it's base if it sits on the floor for too long. There are a few fun old ZDctf maps that have instant death pits, but I would recommend using them sparingly since they're quite frustrating if they're on/near the main thoroughfare.

Also just wanted to give a thankyou to Decay and Dew for the reviews (even though I didn't even submit a map) since this is going to result in some well balanced, highly replayable maps. I've done the 'throw shit together and hope it works' approach for multiplayer maps and it results in you looking back and saying "wow this decent layout was killed by shit spawns and item placement" which is what I think when I look at some of my deathmatch turf. The maps I've made where I took scrutiny on board and made changes accordingly all ended up far more fun and my DM buddies and I always pick those ones over the random chaff I whipped up in a jiffy.

Looking forward to seeing this one in action after everything is finalized and detailed and whatnot!

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andrewj said:

One thing I've been wondering : are inescapable slime pits ok in CTF? e.g. can the flag get trapped in there?

No, that is never a good idea.

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andrewj said:

One thing I've been wondering : are inescapable slime pits ok in CTF? e.g. can the flag get trapped in there?


Sure they are ! But it probably should have a damaging floor. The flag is auto returned after 10 sec. And you probably wouldnt want say your entire middle area to be an inescapable pit. But small pits with bridge over them are good and fun. It also makes for some interesting situations- ie. keep touching the flag to delay the return- or you can rocket jump out if your a memester, leaving the other team riddled with salt (they prob thought it would safely auto-return)

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This probably sounds a bit parrot-y, but I too have to ask "what should I do?" In response to "fix the spawns" (for MAP28). Compared to following advice from proper players, trying to figure it out myself would be guesswork.

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Inescapable instant death pits i think can be used as an advantage. If there's a standstill involving both teams carrying the opponents flag, and the red teams is pushing hard with an aggressive offense, the blue flag carrier can take a dive into the lava to buy some time where the flag is secure and the entire blue team can storm the red base to return their flag with no risk of the red returning theirs, so long as the blue team can guard the red flag spawn spot long enough to snatch it back immediately at the time it respawns.

If it happens often enough the players will develop an internal timer for that kind of thing. Between two good teams in a tight map, scoring points depends a lot on players being in the right places at the right time -- the synchronization of returning the flag and the flag carrier being on the flag spot at the same time.

Its gotta be instant death though, damaging nukage would work for the other team.

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Xaser said:

This probably sounds a bit parrot-y, but I too have to ask "what should I do?" In response to "fix the spawns" (for MAP28). Compared to following advice from proper players, trying to figure it out myself would be guesswork.

usually when i mention spawn problems they are either 1) in the middle of a corridor/hallway (thus should be moved off to the side) 2) pistol spawns (no more of that please) 3)too close to the flag and should be moved away from it (you want to give runners a CHANCE at getting the flag and out) 4) no SSG spawns (say 3/5 or 3/6 spawns should be SSG) 4) hinder movement in some way and should be generally shuffled around

when placing spawns think primarily movement (where is the person spawning there most likely to go first) and flow (is it in the way of main movement channels? will this person ever actually be able to live off this spawn?).

If you're iffy on a spawn think about it like this: "how pissed off would I be if I got this spawn in relation to a) running b) chasing a runner c) being a defender d) being a mid player e) being spawn fragged f) distance to action"

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There is a thing type for both instant death on touching floor and instant flag return zone which both are supported by odamex I believe? I'm not sure on the latter but I believe the former can be achieved with thingtype 9999 and action 214.

also here is another update https://www.dropbox.com/s/8uag4bufxeviorz/marc_32in24-16_4oda_sliced.wad?dl=0

AND another one https://www.dropbox.com/s/zxsy09h1rl6zyjk/marc_fatsmile.jpg_oda.wad?dl=0

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Decay said:

usually when i mention spawn problems they are either 1) in the middle of a corridor/hallway (thus should be moved off to the side) 2) pistol spawns (no more of that please) 3)too close to the flag and should be moved away from it (you want to give runners a CHANCE at getting the flag and out) 4) no SSG spawns (say 3/5 or 3/6 spawns should be SSG) 4) hinder movement in some way and should be generally shuffled around

when placing spawns think primarily movement (where is the person spawning there most likely to go first) and flow (is it in the way of main movement channels? will this person ever actually be able to live off this spawn?).

If you're iffy on a spawn think about it like this: "how pissed off would I be if I got this spawn in relation to a) running b) chasing a runner c) being a defender d) being a mid player e) being spawn fragged f) distance to action"

Thanks there -- this helps a mecha-ton, really. I'll take a quick pass on it and see if I can fix it up before whatever testing session (hopefully) happens. Should be less guess-y this time.

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Yeah thanks Decay, all your comments have been helpful to me too.

I reckon I'll use a slow lift in the lava pits -- punishing the player with a loss of health and time, so they are still wary of falling in them.

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https://www.dropbox.com/s/9zx77hcf04uecm9/32in24-16_alpha3.zip?dl=1

Alpha 3 includes all the updates, name changes and music changes posted in the thread since the release of alpha 2. It also rebuilds the nodes on MAP01 and MAP22 to fix nodes-related bugs (MAP01's bad GL nodes, MAP22's extended nodes which ZDaemon doesn't support).

Map list:

MAP01: Bad Times at the Armory
       by AlexMax
MAP02: Flag Quest
       by GregLafitte
MAP03: Cthulhu Fhtagn (What a wonderful phrase)
       by TheMionicDonut
MAP04: Naval Skeletal Battle
       by Gothic
MAP05: Here's to the fire that raises the dead
       by Getsu Fune
MAP06: Stones 'n' Bones
       by Jimmy
MAP07: Spooky Shit
       by Walter Confalonieri
MAP08: Tootsie Roll Showdown
       by Mechadon
MAP09: Counter Ghost Initiative
       by TheMionicDonut
MAP10: (40oz_32in24_01.wad)
       by 40oz 
MAP11: (40oz_32in24_02.wad)
       by 40oz
MAP12: Count Toothy's Super Canoe
       by Mechadon
MAP13: The Devil Is Evil
       by joe-ilya
MAP14: Coloured War
       by joe-ilya
MAP15: Ren & Stimpack
       by scotty
MAP16: Bonegar
       by Gothic
MAP17: Displeasure Island
       by ultradoom
MAP18: Voodoo Geometry
       by Breezeep
MAP19: Creepy Cube Conspiracy
       by Zakurum
MAP20: Grave Danger
       by Pinchy
MAP21: Come On Down to Spooky Town
       by Mechadon
MAP22: Get On The Floor, Everybody Walk The Bloodivore
       by esselfortium
MAP23: (marc_32in24-16_2oda.wad)
       by Marcaek 
MAP24: (marc_32in24-16_3oda.wad)
       by Marcaek 
MAP25: (marc_32in24-16_4oda.wad)
       by Marcaek 
MAP26: 32spooky24me
       by TheMionicDonut
MAP27: BAD MOON
       by RottKing
MAP28: YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BAD TIME
       by Xaser
MAP29: Castles of the Cyber-Creeps
       by andrewj
MAP30: The Treefolk Assault Pumpkin Valley
       by lupinx-Kassman
MAP31: (marc_fatsmile.jpg_oda.wad)
       by Marcaek
MAP32: Gasterisk
       by Xaser
MAP33: The Wolfenshining
       by TheMionicDonut

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Marcaek said:

There is a thing type for both instant death on touching floor and instant flag return zone which both are supported by odamex I believe? I'm not sure on the latter but I believe the former can be achieved with thingtype 9999 and action 214.

also here is another update https://www.dropbox.com/s/8uag4bufxeviorz/marc_32in24-16_4oda_sliced.wad?dl=0

AND another one https://www.dropbox.com/s/zxsy09h1rl6zyjk/marc_fatsmile.jpg_oda.wad?dl=0

If Odamex is the only multiplayer source port that supports it. No one will use that.

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hi, update

widened staircases, redone starts and mid-section (it's still ugly but oh well). and everything based on the feedback. I'm keeping those trapdoor walkways and crushers the way they are though.

will release another update real soon removing the blocked-off sections of the map and what-not. I'm having some trouble trying to get some parts of the map to work in ZDoom format (notably the teleport tags don't seem to work right when I test them), so I might just stick to the regular Boom format.

edit: reuploaded now. The starts should be a bit more even and the blocked off sections are gone.

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Welp, sorry about my underperforming activity.

MAP07: Spooky Shit (by walter)
This is incredibly simplistic, but oh well. First of all, get rid of the exit room and the ledge leading to it. CTF absolutely does not need that! Secondly, it's pretty bizarre that the flag isn't reachable directly without jumping. There definitely should be a stair to allow that. Next, okay, the map will be basically shoot!.ctf, we need to make sure it plays reasonably. I can dig the two-way teleporter setup, but! It needs to be not-campable. There shouldn't be any extra space in the lower area, just the lift down and the teleporter. Also, there needs to be a RL in each base so that defence can smoke the campers out, or even rjump up to that space.

I'd place a PG on the mid at least for some spammage, because damn, the map needs some extra fun. Also maybe a soulsphere and a GA in each base, simply to add disruption to the otherwise incredibly grindy pace this map suggests. I'd prefer a few stimpaks in each base over full medkits I think. And most importantly, the spawns are terrible. Move them around, they shouldn't be this... uniform. Put one in the back near the teleporter, one up the elevator, one by the wall next to the flag, one by teh wall close to where the base ends... one in the top corner of the base? I think 5 should be enough here. The spawns should have a bit of logic, they can't be just dumped around the flag like this.

Also move the CG outside of the base, near to the mid. In an extremely open map like this, it's possibly the most powerful weapon, so defence shouldn't just get it automatically.

MAP08: Tootsie Roll Showdown (by mek)
Surprisingly small for a mek map! I have to say the lift gimmick is a bit odd and might be a off-putting, but let's roll with it. The thing I dislike about it is how all of the switches make the entire thing go down. That means it will be going down almost all the time, because someone will be mashing the buttons at one side.. always. Would it hurt to break the platforms into separate entities? The central piece would move separately from the southern( northerd in red base) piece, I mean. It would screw with people's heads a bit less.

Also what I thoroughly dislike is the camp spot in the back of the base. A runaway flagger who cannot score (because his own flag is gone) will absolutely park their ass there, farm the two medkits and be the boss of the area, because people can only come at him from one side, while he has a walkover escape route at his whim. So basically, move the spawn in that area elsewhere (wherever) and put a switch in its place that lowers the barrier down instead of the walkover. That's way more effort, so the camper doesn't have it easy (staying by the switch prevents them from surveying the incoming routes, too, awesoem)!

I like your use of health, because there's a huge possibility of a very efficient rocketjump when fleeing with the flag to homebase - thwarted by the fact there's only a GA to be had and very little health in the central parts. Cool stuff, great tease. On the other hand the plasma is needlessly dickish. There's practically no use for it now. You WILL get crushed and then opponents will finish you off. I'd make the crusher higher/slower/whatever - timing it is much, much crueler in MP, trust me.

I hope it works without SSGs on spawns, heh.


MAP09: Counter Ghost Initiative (by Donut)
I like the layout a lot. I think this map has a lot of potential (also SSGs on spawns!!!!!!!!!! yay!), however! I think the perpetually moving platforms in the middle are utter, utter cancer that singlehandedly murder the map. How about a transition to Zdoom and a nice thing bridge? That would be a tremendous improvement, imo.

Several minor complaints: move the CG elsehere, the RL is enough of a spotlight weapon in that upper position. Get rid of extra cells, PG doesn't need any more in such a small map. Get rid of the annoying armor bonuses, put a single proper medkit in that area, let the map be pure healthfest. That's it, I think. Hopefully this works out!

MAP10: (40oz_32in24_01.wad) (by 40oz)
I want to like the map for some ballsy decisions, but they also create some principally bad gameplay mechanics. The most glaring one is that you can rjump flag-to-flag. This is a huge no-no, because some players would learn how to abuse it endlessly and there's not much you can do about it as a defender, because it happens in a split of a second. Easy countermeasure? Raise a "shoulder"-high wall in front of each flag. Or just deny all passage with a midtex fence. That will also make the PGs a bit more awkward to reach, which can only serve the common good cause (there would be tons and tons of plasma spam otherwise).

I also agree with decay that the staircases are simpy too narrow. Anyone with a RL/PG can deny any passage for as long as they have ammo, heh. I think you can easily afford to widen them without hurting your layout. I'd also add one more spawn in the back of the base, because four are just so-so for start of the match spawn-mashing in more populated games (like in public sessions).

MAP11: (40oz_32in24_02.wad) (by 40oz)
This is a pretty damn sweet layout, showing that simplicity often works better than crazy complex designs. It should be a fast, very bloody romp. Just fairly small observations before real playtesting is done: Spread out spawns. Put one in the corner of the medkit gazebo, another one down by the flag, facing it from the opposite direction. Another one by the wall in s.24 facing the RL. Think of 5 spawns like this and you're fine. Get rid of the SGs, put just one or two elsewhere as pickups for people who desperately want them.

Also, get rid of half of the medkits in the gazebo, that's just too much of a healthpool. Make it up by sprinkling a few stimpaks elsewhere in the base (but just very little, so this remains the healing place). Also the entire thing shouldn't be a lift, you should totally add a separate lift platform on the outer side. Moving big, vital parts of the map like this is jarring in ctf. I'm not sure about the PG behind the flag, but I'd say it's maybe worht a try.

I do like this map quite a lot, good job.

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MAP12: Count Toothy's Super Canoe (by mek)
This is secretly my fav map, I love how small but packed with ideas it is. Also the flagroom is the cutest thing ever, if I was born 15 years later I'd put it up as my FB status or something. I'm seriously not hip. But holy shit I love how you can theoretically do a last millisecond save through the fence, I'm so moist right now.

Decay gave me the PM he sent you, so I'll build on that. He's right that the stairbuilding mechanism is both cool, but very dangerous and flow-breaking. It's just way too easy to abuse it, imo. I support the idea of bars closing off that opening through which you can jump into the flagroom. There can be a switch to put them down so the current "fast run" can be still done if people cooperate via teamspeak maybe (the time window should be fairly short). It would ALSO serve as a prevention against rjumping FROM the flagroom and over the wall into the staibuild area. That can indeed happen and it is not something that should be available all the time - unless the runner maybe abuses that theoretical switch and times it just right, then he deserves the score and a medal for COOLNESS.

Speaking of rjumping... please fix the annoying little fact that players can jump out of map bounds. :> Decay is probably right about widening the hallways a little, that should just make things less awkward if idiots decide to spam. Minor detail: get rid of all bullet boxes, they're unnecessary. CTF is nm+dm, meaning like 400 bullets just for the CG pickup. Same with all of the extra RL ammo - put just one rocket box on the other side of the base and maybe two or three rockets (which all count as two rockets on pickup, very intuitively) around the base. Eradicate all extra cells with robot-like precision.

Now, given how small the map is, I propose going full retard and making all spawns SSG. This should save the map some post-spawn chaotic movement and focus everyone on the action. Also the flagroom should have just one spawn in it, move the other one elsewhere. ALSO sector 13 (and its counterpart) could have like a tiny indented (and properly slow) lift so that the PG area is less "segregated". I feel like it's a bit too easy to camp for a standoff flagrunner chilling in his homebase right now.

This map needs to be pimped into the best shape possible, because the potential is huge.


MAP13: The Devil Is Evil (by joe)
This map might actually be pretty decent, given two conditions:
- SSG spawns. Just do it. It's too small and open for anything else and this might improve the balance for almost free. The layout is fairly decent to carry it.
- Get rid of the flag cage, it's thoroughly unnecessary and annoying.
- Fuck the light levels, I need to see what I'm doing. Dark CTF maps are not cool.
There, three conditions, as promised.

MAP14: Coloured War (by joe)
This is the most best map ever. It just needs decorating the blue base with Israeli flags. Where is my mind?


MAP15: Ren & Stimpack (by scotty)
This map shows some newbie errors, but the layout isn't all that hopeless - with a few changes.

The most glaring issue is the "absence" of flags. You tuck them into tiny alcoves in the middle of staircases, that's so uncool. You have those CINEMATIC windows up there, that's where the flags should be! And just theoretically, putting them there would give defenders a last gasp of defence before losing a score by spamming the window with rockets, maybe. That alcove can have like, a medkit. :P

Second biggest issue is the middle. The fenced pathways just don't cut it, they're incredibly limiting - and counterintuitively so, which only makes them worse. I mean, look at this: oh hi, i'm gonna jump out of here all action style ... oops I guessed wrong and now I'm going to crash into a knee-high fence, because I'm already running off the cliff. Or this: I'm escaping the base with everyone chasing me, much action! I need to move smooth as silk! ... Oh no, not my nemesis, The Protruding Corner!!! Basically, the mid section is very awkward to navigate. To fix that, I would make the entire inner part available. For something visually cool, keep the nukage and make it self-referencing "glass floor" sectors or something to that effect! But you want that mid to be a proper battleground, not tiny paths where people run into each other endlessly.

Also, CG spawns: no. Remake it into SSG spawns and throw them around the entire rough third of the map (aka the red/blue base). The spawns shouldn't be "guarding" the flag like this, it makes the goal of capturing it almost impossible, heh. The teleporter ideas could work, just widen the path to the tele island, it's way too narrow.

MAP16: Bonegar (by gothic)
Alrighty, now that the map's properly symetric, we can roll. The "two opposing castles" style actually reminds me a lot of the French style from EpicCTF. I'm not too huge of a fan of it as it tends to be rather grindy and low on scoring, but it's definitely a valid approach.

I'd definitely make the side lifts much faster. Perhaps not instantaneous, because those look jarring, but... something Boomy and fast to make the route more viable. If defenders hear the lift noise right now, they have like half a century to get into a defensive position.

But most importantly, the item placement is all wonky. Throw out like 6 spawns around the base - and don't make them symmetric, it's VERY useful if every spawn is a bit different and faces a different vista, so that players immediately recognize their surroundings and jump into action. Also every spawn needs a gun placed right under it, it's just the CTF convention. At your map size/structure you can afford SG spawns, but SSGs should be placed strategically and... affordably. Get rid of puny pickups like clips and shells everywhere, they're not needed. Instead, the center could have a nice fat blue armor (or at least a soulsphere). Add a RL and a PG to both bases, you have the space. The placement doens't need to follow the map symmetry, that would actually break it up nicely.

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With Jimmy's university-induced absence, I am updating his level in his place.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9uwr1o59el682mu/32in24-16_Jimmy_StonesAndBones_EditedByTGH.zip?dl=1

I modified the "Stones 'n' Bones" level according to Decay and dew's advice, and made other changes as well:
* The outer walls of the pillar rooms have been knocked down to reduce the maze feeling of the layout;
* There is now a staircase in the watery corner of each base leading to the back rooms, to eliminate a dead end;
* The middle is now wider on the bottom, while still allowing players to jump across the gap (since jumping is an accepted feature of every CTF port);
* The archways' sides have been raised to make it easier to jump from them, and since all CTF ports support basic ZDoom features, these arches are now sloped as well;
* The elevators are now super-fast (1-second delay, turbo speed);
* There is now a fifth spawn for each base;
* Each base now has more health;
* Each base now has a rocket launcher (which is risky to get);
* Each base now has a green armor;
* The flags now sit on unique colored markers so you know where to Capture the Flag.

It also has music now; it is Jimmy's "Adirgio" from 30in30-3.

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MAP17: Displeasure Island (by ultradoom)
This map looks kind of plain, but I actually dig it very much. It's... snappy, to the point and with surprising little touches. I like how the flag is a risky lava business and if you fail, you can jump out, but you have to do it towards the middle, so basically as a flagger who failed to score, you jump towards incoming opposing defenders. One of the platforms is a thing bridge, so dying there drops a carried flag into the lava below. NICE! There are some lovely jumps available, like from the RL to the rocketbox and then smoothly continuing to the thingbridge. This is very actiony!

On the other hand, thing placement is shaite. Have just one RL per base and don't put a spawn on it. All the other spawns should be sitting on SSGs, because your map will have utterly furious pace, so you don't want SG-spawning fools running around crying, because they're useless in the onslaught happening right now, three exclamation marks. I'd probably place a soulsphere in the middle instead of the BA, because BA is a pretty powerful item and you already have the GAs in there, so it's like one or the other on such a small map. A SS is the safe choice, so to say. Also the mid-route teleporter rooms have a slightly odd shape, the angles of the walls look very sharp there. It doesn't really hurt anything, it's just a bit visually standing out.

Really liking this one.

MAP18: Voodoo Geometry (by Breezeep)
Resolved on IRC. Basically SSG backspawns, SG frontspawns, no CG spawns (they're horrible and spammy and annoying). There's a big chance of a pretty comfy flag-to-flag rocketjump, so the easiest solution is to replace RLs with PGs, thug life. The map has a very solid layout, so the more detailed particularities of balancing will probably only be revealed after a thorough test session.

MAP19: Creepy Cube Conspiracy (by arg)
Cool map, very competent. I dig the "fuck you, I can" pointless slopes! I hear you already discussed stuff with Decay extensively, so yeah... basically we agreed that the alcove is op as fuck. I had an idea of getting rid of it entirely and porting the player oneway into the center ring (the red/blue one that's currently accessible via a sr50jump from the inside and rj from the outside - which I totally adore btw). Decay thinks that's too cheap and instead the D should be able to sweep the alcove, so like... add a small crate as a small jump, maybe. I don't mind either way if it un-ops the alcove. Love the central BA.

MAP20: Grave Danger (by Pinchy)
The map is simply too large for 3v3 or 4v4, so this is full-fledged pub server mass action territory. Different rules have to be applied, heh. Still, you absolutely need to give all your spawns some weapons - go with SGs, but PLEASE put SSGs as tactical pickups inside of each base, at least two of them! A central position like this should be something much more powerful from a team balance perspective, like a blue armor or even a megasphere. Err, just go with the BA, given the SG spawns i propose, heh. Also the spawns shouldn't be just randomly flung out into, um, space. Put them along walls, but at interesting corners, or overseeing items from some distance... distunguishable stuff. The worst thing is a set of mirrored, very importance-neutral spawns on which the player struggles to figure out where they even are.

MAP21: Come On Down to Spooky Town (by mek)
Eh, I'll be honest, I don't have much hopes for this layout. It seems too big and mazey (despite its actual not that big size), possibly fun in very populated games (like 5v5+), but I'm not a big fan. Given your two cooler and much more hopeful layouts and your ridiculous experience, I'll pass over trying to turn this into something slightly better. It's like... there's too many staircase climbs to perform anything useful or something, it's hard to put it to words, heh. Sorry! :P

I'll continue tomorrow (brain failing rn), so anyone still in the processing, please don't panic. I'll vouch for extra time for you!

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Thanks for all of that feedback dew! Sorry for the short reply but I'm on mobile and, unfortunately, I'll be away from my computer until late Sunday. I'll try my very best to get the maps updated then.

BTW I have a couple ideas for Spooky Town that I hope might improve it.

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