co_moirad20

BigD

<div class="IPBDescription">New version for the new times.</div><!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Short Story: <!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
I dunno. You're on some kind of terrestrial facility. Apparently there is a core that could meltdown. Things aren't working. Aliens have infested the place. Yay!

<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moiralayer.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moirahive2.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moirapit.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moiraatrium.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

<!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Downloads:<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
<a href="http://www.simplywicked.net/oldf/co_moirad20.zip" target="_blank">Mirror 1</a> (Thanks to Furious Gorge, aka CAPS LOCK, 1001, etc etc!)
<a href="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/co_moirad20.zip" target="_blank">Mirror 2</a> (You'll need a download manager (ie. Getright) to get it from this source though. Cuts out after a while and you need to resume the download.)

Simply extract to your ns (or nsp) directory.

<!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->I've also created a waypoint file for whichbots:<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
<a href="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/co_moirad20_waypoints.zip" target="_blank">http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/co_moirad20_waypoints.zip</a> (Extract to your "ns/addons/whichbot/data" directory. Server ops and comp stompers need only apply.)

<!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Todo list for next version:<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
-It's a tad dark, despite being brighter overall than the previous version. A degree of darkness is too be expected with this map however.
-Compress the audio files a bit so the overall package is a bit smaller. (Is this really a problem though? I'm on dialup myself and feel that it isn't terrible in size when .zipped.)
-The next version will be named co_moirad and my hopes are to have it included in the official mappack.

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<u><!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Changelog and other boring stuff I wrote that you can live life without having read.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></u>
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
<!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Long Story:<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
Moira is a planet. Lifeless and barren, wreaked by windstorms the surface air is so dusty that it is unbreatheable. A small mining facility was set up on this "dead" planet to dig up rare metals and the planets most luxurious offering: large, clear, diamonds, unlike any known elsewhere in the galaxy. The crust of this planet is like swiss cheese, yet the rock is very solid. The engineers who designed the facility decided to take advantage of these properties and build the facility through the natural caverns. Deep within the planet, pockets of gas regularly vent through these caverns, and even more conveniently, the gas is a very breatheable mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. Again, the engineers decided to take advantage of this, leaving the deeper pits open so as to let the planet breath. This also saved on the air purification systems required to cleanse the dirty air from the surface.

As is standard for such a remote location, the facility was equipped with a class 7 fusion reactor. It's quite large, to power all the mining equipment required to drill in the extremely hard rock. Rock solid reliable too. It's been going for well over 60 years now. It provides power to the entire facility.

Then one fateful day, a tanker ship destined to take a load of the precious ores crashed onto the planets surface. Immediately the facility personnel went to the crash site, but the wreckage was brutal and the weather worse. They found one survivor. Samples of a strange sludge were also taken back to the wreckage.

As the man regained conciousness, he related as much as he could remember. The ship, as they had only recently discovered as it neared the planet, was infested with some sort of lifeform. Some sort of bacteria was growing all over the ship, sucking away at their nanite supply. Small creatures suddenly came out of the bacteria, attacking the crew. Madness ensued, the crew was small, ill equipped to deal with such a situation. He locked himself in an airlock and hoped that he could warn the facility when the auto pilot landed. He didn't anticipate a crash landing however.

Then warning lights started flashing. Something was wrong in the fusion reactor. The core was overheating. A technician ran in screaming about the sludge samples spilling on the floor and spreading like a fire. He needed someone with clearance to reset the computers or the place could blow. But the security chief for the facility, having heard the tales of the Kharaa, quickley made two orders:
1) Send a distress beacon.
2) Evacuate not only the facility, but the planet.

As fortune would have it, the TSA was already on their way, they knew that the tanker had brought the Kharaa to Space Station Nothing in Sub Sector 77, they knew it was headed to the richest diamond mind in the galaxy and they were scrambling to stop it before the infestation spread further. And no sooner had they reached orbit, they recieved a distress beacon...



"Moira - The deity who assigns ones fate."

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<!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Thanks:<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
-A BIG "thank you" to POKEY for the fantastic readyroom music. Creepy, ambient, with a touch of lemon!
-Many of the textures in dwad.wad I made are based on NS artwork.
-Thanks to everyone at OldF (www.oldf.net) for helping with testing and feedback!
-On that note, thanks to Darwin and Funka! for their great servers Life Support and Prune Juice (1.0x-3.1 R.I.P. PJ)
-Thanks to the guys in the ns mapping forum for giving me the idea of implementing semi-dynamic infestation! (Soul Rider for the initial idea!)
-And thanks to YOU for playing!

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<!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Changelog:<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
Version: "D20"

-Bent some pipes.

-Atrium has more vis-blockers on the bottom floor that allowed me to add more detail, and not give such a long LOS for the marines to shoot critters.

-Same idea with wall on the top floor of the "level over level" room. Notice the new computer consoles that don't look quite so much like ######.

-Updated most vents to not look like the last minute additions that they were.

-The vent going under ground, along the upper portion of the atrium to marine start has been ripped apart and redone. (And yes, a gorge can get to marine start through this vent, though at one point he can't go back!)

-Added a little generator thingee to maybe catch you if you burst out of the vent above the small pit of doom. Mostly, it'll just mock you as you try to grab on to it at the last second, but hey, I tried.

-Redid most of the computer screen textures. Bigger and clearer, should hopefully be readable to those with weird video cards.

-I'm now using more different textures throughout the map. Though you wouldn't know it would ya!

-Dynamic infestation! Well, sort of! Basically, over the course of 15 minutes (standard game length I figure) more infestation will grow along the floor and wall!

-Added some thingamajig to the hive to give more cover. Angled the window back a bit so it doesn't over look the whole room quite as much.

-Fixed tons of stuck spots and sticky corners. (If you can find more, let me know on the ns mapping forum thread of this maps name or likewise in the oldf forum.)

-All around more clipping was done to smooth out movement. Vents are also easier to access and navigate.

-Redid my .rad file after my old harddrive died and while the map was backed up, the .rad file wasn't. D'OH! I'm liking the subtle colour changes better now anyway.

-<b>The "lightswitch" weldable has been split up.</b> There is one switch controlling the marine side of lights, and another switch controlling the alien side. Weld times were correspondingly cut but overall longer. Gives the welder a bit more use anyway without sitting in one spot.

-R_speeds have gone straight to plaid. That's ludicrous speed. All that extra detail came at a cost, but nothing should be over a thousand anyway! Needs more cow blockers. I mean vis bell. I mean... ahh... nevermind.

-It's said that one of the doors can be opened... and it leads to all the pies you can eat! Oooh! Can you find it!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

bERt0r

I really like your architecture, something original, with height. The only thing i have to mention is that you screens lack color... I dont say you need disco lighting but a little touch of orange/red/blue/green can create a lot of atmosphere. I know a good article about that but its in german....
Your texturing is really hot though i do not have the picky eyes i use to have (hangover <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />).
I will download the map and comment what i see... good work!

ChuckstarNL

Nice! I like the last screenshot. *downloads map*

Kouji_San

I always liked moira for its "realistic" lighting theme. Most maps for Ns go with this high contrast lighting troughout the map, not all of the though. I personally think that kind of lighting belongs only in he hive areas. I like what you've done with adding more detail to the map BigD. Gottah love the fact that this map is the first to actually implement the dynamic infestation idea for NS1 <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />

BigD

Indeed, my lighting scheme was intentional. I wanted a degree of consistency with it, for the most part it's white light with an "orangy" secondary colour, with a bit of yellow and bluish accenting. I agree that more colour makes for great screenshots, but I'm quite happy with the in game effect I have here, but that's my personal preference I guess.

Also, too many different types of lights really screws up my "dynamic" lighting. In fact, the compile still had a "too many light styles on a face" warning, though it's not too noticeable in game. (I ripped out a couple spotlights to dampen the gross glitches that happened when the lights turned on. See the old version of moira to see what I mean.) In fact, the first shot up there has less white flooding it now.

Here's an example to show off my primary/secondary colouring scheme. Compare the following shot with the first one in the above set, this is with the lights still off. Very alien friendly. (An old shot, with differences probably only I can see.)
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moiralayerdark.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

Not to toot my own horn (too much) but I think it looks great ingame, but don't make good screenshotage.

Same can be said for the third shot in the first post, as what you see there is with the lights on.

Also, the light in the hive pulses the other way, with the orange being the added light instead of the white being added.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still learning as I go about what works and what not, but this is what was going through my mind while making this map! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

---

Also here's a shot of the marine start. It's pretty much unchanged from the first version I released a while back (hence why I didn't post a shot earlier).
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moirams.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

bERt0r

I really like your marine start.. it feels like a marine start and it that tiny orange touch those walls in the back have gives it all a warmer atmosphere.
I think you got me wrong with the light stuff, since it's pretty hard to explain. I'll give you that link to these 2 articles, try babelfish if you dont understand <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> but they have some pics showing what i mean.
<a href="http://www.thewall.de/content/allgemeines_gamedesign:artikel:lighting_1" target="_blank">Lightning 1</a>
<a href="http://www.thewall.de/content/allgemeines_gamedesign:artikel:lighting_2" target="_blank">Lightning 2</a>
Its all about adding color to a screen, without noticing the color at first sight.

Your map already has quit the yellowish touch, and it really fits the marine start, but i would go for a bit more orange/red for the hive.

Hey and Im a bad screenshooter too <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> so I know what you mean so i tell you:
<a href="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moirapit.jpg" target="_blank">http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d_moirapit.jpg</a> is not really screenshot worthy. However you could add some device over that pit of doom, sticking on the wall to catch one's eye.

Edit: Another gameplayrelevant thing: that armory in the corner of marine start may be placed a bit unhandy.. If some guys on roundstart run to it they will have a funny time blocking each other. Why dont you put it in the middle of that spotlight that is already lighting the armory?

BigD

Ahh... I <i>think</i> I get what you're saying. That first article, I think I actually tried to do much of what is written there (based on the google translation), all very good tips. And I see what the second article is getting at too, I think. It's something I'll keep in mind as I massage it a bit more for the next release.

Here's an old, old screenshot.
<img src="http://web.unbc.ca/~derksons/mapping/moira2.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
Going from that marine start to what I have now was quite an excercise in adding the "little" details that make a huge difference, and yeah, there is always room for more. It's just a matter of coming up with the right idea of what fits. A process that I find very time consuming and while I'm getting better at it, it is slow enough that it burns me out after a while. (Texture alignment will probably be the death of me in particular.)

Also, I slapped that armoury in the corner, likely more in line with my personal play style: I run out of base with what god gave me and could care less about helping armoury humpers! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> There is room to move around it, but I might move it out a bit like you say. I'll think about it anyway. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />

amckern

As much as this map looks good, it plays very bias to marines.

CustomFactor has had the map on the cycle for the last 8 hours under testing, and everybody has come to the agrrement that the map is completly unplayable with the openness of most of the areas, and abush placement very small, and way to close to the hive.

I recommend taking a look at the map on a humman populated server such as OldF (USA), or CustomFactor (Australia), and see where the game play ballances are in the most need of a tune up.

BigD

Thanks for the input amckern, though my experience (on OldF) was that it was that it seemed more alien biased. It's hard to get a lot of play time in when I only play on one server any more though, so any more feedback on the gameplay would be appreciated!

amckern

Posible game play fixes may be a few vent systems to choke points - so that the aliens have more then one path - while marines, untill lvl 4, are stuck to the main two paths - also, dont make just normal square vents, it will take away from your detail level, instead, take a look at the vent style found in co_futile and see if you can take any ideas away from it.

I know i'm not a person to comment on mapping, but after the flames i was burnt with in my early years from people such as Thursday, and Mouse, i know what makes good visual, and being a maps admin, i also understand what needs to be there for even, or unbias game play.

BigD

Yeah, the vent positioning has been a problem. Much of it doesn't even see use in play, from what I've seen. My goals with the vent system were to give the aliens a way around the marines, if they were in the atrium, but I can see I need to allow a way them a quicker flank. Right now, the efficiency of the vents isn't all that good. I'm thinking fewer 90 degree bends would make a huge difference alone. And I'm going to work on where they come out a bit more too.

BigD

Been making a pile of changes. Nothing too major, just polish mostly.

Changelog:
Version d28:<ul><li>Made some significant detail improvements to the atrium, fixing the fps drop some had (hopefully), improving r_speeds and at the same time making it look better. (Screenshot 1)</li><li>Vent changes. Added more detail to some. Gave a bit more room to move. Made some more efficient (shorter). Made accesibility easier for others.</li><li>The little pit saw some major revision. Ripped out the wall to expose it's rocky flesh! (Screenshot 2)</li><li>Added more light to some of the darker areas. (Screenshot 3)</li><li>Changed the balcony in the hive so that a marine has less of a view over the hive. </li><li>Optimized r_speeds overall as well.</li></ul>

Screenshots:
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d28atrium.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d28pit.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d28vent.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d28layers.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

Todo list:<ul><li>Update bot waypoints.</li><li>Reduce ready room music file size.</li><li>Change the cats litter box... pewwww!</li></ul>

Kouji_San

Hope you got the fps issue fixed now, we all hate inexplicable things. On another note optimization is a virtue and getting weird bugs will force you to check every little nook and cranny <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />

BigD

Roger that!

Shoot_me

Geez!! I'm going to have to download this map. =p

Looks awesome from the screenshots.

aeroripper

Just played a round on TG. Only 1 person was really having fps problems when looking into pits and the hive area, so that didn't seem to big that big of a problem. The general 'feel' of the map reminds me of ns_nothing. There are also some stuck spots on the railing on that steep ramp in the middle of the map.

Is the newest version available?

BigD

Yeah, a couple of friends had fps issues (with plenty-good-enough-to-play-ns hardware too) so it was worth the time for me. It probably wouldn't have bothered me as much if it was just some random dude who for all I know lives in <a href="http://www.borat.tv/" target="_blank">Khazakstan</a> or something.

The next version isn't available just yet, but it's coming along nicely. I'm not particularly fond of flooding the market, so to speak, with different versions, plus I'm sort of waiting and seeing where the "official mappack" deal goes.

Would you mind elaborating on that stuck issue? I thought I had those squashed and that's the first I've heard of it reappearing.

BigD

Created more custom textures. More screens (improved old ones as well), infestation, and the like.
Improved the hive some more, giving aliens a bit more cover and making it easier to find cover after spawning.
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d30.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

Increased the brightness. This is the area outside marine start with the light switch still off to show how much more light there is.
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d33.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

And with the light switch on. (To show that they might still be worth turning on.)
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d32.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

Still no ETA on when I'll release this new version, but I might do it sooner rather than later.

CLARK_KENT

Looking forward to the update! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

When can we play test what you have now though? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />

BigD

Hmm.................................................

Soonish.............................................

Just finished reworking all of the particle systems, to get them working more in line with how I originally envisioned them. (Plus adding a couple more.)

269 entities and climbing! XD

Honestly, I think I'm in that perpetual tweaking state now. Heck, I'm creating custom sprites now... if I don't release soon, I'll be making (or trying to make) machina-style 3d skyboxes next...

I really like how this area turned out for some reason.
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d32low.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
Note the new location for the light switch for this area!
<img src="http://bigdxlt.googlepages.com/d32high.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />