Redesigned cap-layout for exisitng maps

[Proud_God]

Hi, I'm here to present an idea Sarkis and me had several months ago. Since neither of us can map, this thread is basically a friendly invitation to any mappers out there who are interested to implement this idea.

The idea is the following:

Redesign existing maps in the following way: there is only 1 set of cap-points and the whole map is used. I would imagine some whole new level of gameplay and tactics opening up with this, as the effective battlefield would be WAY bigger. Let me demonstrate the idea with the map Mamayev-Kurgan, while stating that this idea can apply to any map.:



There is effectively 1 cap, but the cap area differs for both teams: there is an overlap in the middle, and the cap area extends towards the enemy spawn. The latter allows a team to 'over-advance' the middle position, without being punished for it (ie, you are still capping when overadvancing). The time to cap this 1 objective would be huge, like 10 minutes. The first team to capture the objective wins. Spawn points are at the far ends of the map and do not progress (as there is only 1 cap).

As this idea requires a cap with different areas for both teams, I asked the devs if this can be done, and apparently, yes, it can:

Originally Posted by [TW]Swag

Hello,

There isn't a means to have seperate volumes for both teams without an update to the objective itself; however, you can intersect a builder brush on two different ADDITIVE brushes that have the shape of the volumes you'd like to use and have them oriented so that each team typically uses the side of the volume nearer to them.

That's a bit of a hacky solution but I've had it work. I used the solution in a map so that I could separate sections of a building into capture zones.

Originally Posted by [TW]Swag

It could.

1) Make a brush the size of that which you want the capture volume for Team 1 to be.
2) Add the brush
3) Make a brush the size of that which you want the capture volume for Team 2 to be
4) Add the brush
5) Make a cube brush that encompasses both Adds from Step 2 and 4
6) Press the Intersect button for the brush (this will wrap the builder brush around both Adds)
7) Make a ROPlaceableVolume from the brush

Note: You are going to want to make sure that the Adds in Steps 2 and 4 are fairly simplistic. Also, in Steps 2 and 4 make sure that the Adds are NOT intersecting any other BSP because the operation in Step 6 will intersect on ANY BSP it happens to come into contact with.

Is any brave mapper willing to test this idea out for 1 map, as a prototype (suggestion: Mamyev-Kurgan)? I'd imagine it would take way less time than designing a new map, but I'm no mapper

Cheers!

[Srinidhalaya]

If you are suggesting extending the existing "out of bounds", then I've got bad news. Essentially it would be easier, and quicker to make a map from scratch. Maps have been optimized accordingly to the current boundaries, such as draw distance, mesh grouping (which we cannot do with stock mesh), and other tricks to reduce draw calls. To extend the boundaries would require visiting every static mesh, and redoing the optimization process for each item.

If that is not your suggestion (I'm easily confused), and just redoing the cap zones, that IS possible, but would take a lot of time. A complete rework of the kismet would be required, and of course tons of test and balance. One would also need to redo the Static MG Placements...ect.

[Proud_God]

Originally Posted by Srinidhalaya

If that is not your suggestion (I'm easily confused), and just redoing the cap zones, that IS possible, but would take a lot of time. A complete rework of the kismet would be required, and of course tons of test and balance. One would also need to redo the Static MG Placements...ect.

It's redoing the cap zones and spawn points (whole map between them). Out of bounds is not touched.

[Attilaken]

I find this a very interesting idea !
Some nice clashes could come out of this setup. In fact it would be fierce battles, and very hard to win, which is great.
We should at least have someone to give it a try.
Maybe there can be made a small tutorial for mappers, on how to program the kismet on this.

Who takes the honour on building a testmap?
You may name it 'Operation Clash Point'

[Proud_God]

Originally Posted by Attilaken

I find this a very interesting idea !
Some nice clashes could come out of this setup. In fact it would be fierce battles, and very hard to win, which is great.
We should at least have someone to give it a try.
Maybe there can be made a small tutorial for mappers, on how to program the kismet on this.

Who takes the honour on building a testmap?
You may name it 'Operation Clash Point'

Thank you for the support, here have some ,,. I also expect some fierceness out of this. Also I see it as players no longer being 'guided' by a set of objectives. Instead teams decide for themselves which are strategic points to hold!
Also, no more intrusive spawn protection!
You people want long range maps? Well, currently maps are only as big as the distance between spawn points. This will make maps as big as they can be, without redesigning the map itself.

Who steps up?