Ns_shiva Public Betatest.
moultano
Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
Creator of ns_shiva. Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
<div class="IPBDescription">I need feedback. Lots of it.</div> Marik gave me the go ahead to post this in General.
I just released a fourth beta of ns_shiva, and I'm looking to get some significant feedback on it. I've set up a server on my primary box. Look for "ns_shiva test server" or you can find it at 128.2.160.37:27015
Be forewarned, I've never run a hl server before, and sometime in the next 24 hours I'm going to have to do my computer music homework which eats up a lot of cpu, so it may be rocky. However, my university connection here rocks, so ping times should be decent.
Update: server is currenlty down, but the map still needs playtesting, particularly the new version. If anyone has it on their server, I'd love to hear about it.
<b>Download:</b><a href='http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~rmoulton/ns_shivab4.zip' target='_blank'>ns_shiva beta 4</a> and unzip to your ns directory.
Here are some screens to whet your appetite. More can be found in my sig.
<img src='http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/rmoulton/map/shiva_mstart2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/rmoulton/map/shiva_steamtunnel2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me in getting this map polished! I hope to see you on!
I just released a fourth beta of ns_shiva, and I'm looking to get some significant feedback on it. I've set up a server on my primary box. Look for "ns_shiva test server" or you can find it at 128.2.160.37:27015
Be forewarned, I've never run a hl server before, and sometime in the next 24 hours I'm going to have to do my computer music homework which eats up a lot of cpu, so it may be rocky. However, my university connection here rocks, so ping times should be decent.
Update: server is currenlty down, but the map still needs playtesting, particularly the new version. If anyone has it on their server, I'd love to hear about it.
<b>Download:</b><a href='http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~rmoulton/ns_shivab4.zip' target='_blank'>ns_shiva beta 4</a> and unzip to your ns directory.
Here are some screens to whet your appetite. More can be found in my sig.
<img src='http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/rmoulton/map/shiva_mstart2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/rmoulton/map/shiva_steamtunnel2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me in getting this map polished! I hope to see you on!
Comments
<b><u><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Download. This. Map. Now.</span></u></b>
<img src='http://xs10.xs.to/pics/05010/ns_shivab10000.PNG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://xs10.xs.to/pics/05010/ns_shivab10008.PNG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://xs10.xs.to/pics/05010/ns_shivab10016.PNG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://xs10.xs.to/pics/05010/ns_shivab10021.PNG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://xs10.xs.to/pics/05010/ns_shivab10041.PNG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Have a nice day. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Good idea. Thanks.
Is there anything specifically about it? Just not like the look of it? Used to often?
we're talking about specific suggestions here, specifically to do with balance and architexture, stuff like "move X node to Y location so the marines have better access to it" or "hive Z needs to be closer to room C for siegeability"
Lighting suggestions are fine, but specify which rooms need to be changed and maby make a suggestion for a good way to fix it.
[edit] I won't have a chance to play and help out here, but this is the kind of thing mapper look for when they ask for imput. Not just generalized statements about the lighting of the map.
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0000.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0001.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Not sure what the blue is in these two shots.
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0002.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Really like this but I'm not sure there's many places for marine structures.
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0003.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
I like this room and the entries into it but the light texture at the end is bleh.
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0004.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
This hive seems a bit small and the water really weakens it. I just didn't get a good feeling in there except for the platforms at the side-I like those.
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0005.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Good stuff.
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0006.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0007.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Not sure how this hive will play but it's just plain awsomeness in a bag. Way good.
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0008.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
This spot is really smart except that I fell in the hole. F4! <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<img src='http://home.comcast.net/~somebody51/Shiva_pics/ns_shivab2a0009.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Tasty!
Overall I have to say I don't think I've ever felt as immersed in a map as I do in Shiva. It really has the feel of being inside a structure. Other than the spots mentioned earlier, the marine start didn't have the same feel as the rest of the map and some of the hallways look impossible for an onos (I didn't get to try one though). Spoogey Score: 9/10
Lighting suggestions are fine, but specify which rooms need to be changed and maby make a suggestion for a good way to fix it. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I was talking specifically about the Shiva logo...
And with that much detail in the map i would expect a better readyroom <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<img src='http://xs20.xs.to/pics/05113/res.PNG' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
I would personally move the node, as double res points are usually bad for the flow of the map.
[EDIT] And what's the middle weldable do? I could never figure that out...
The great thing about the water hive is that its really easy to protect with units, since its harder to protect with structures, since its a higher cieling than wider room/
Is there anything specifically about it? Just not like the look of it? Used to often? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
well, if it were up to me, i would get rid of it. would be kinda the same if you put jesus's face on the screens, hehe. it detracts from the atmosphere.
however, you're probably gonna keep it, so how about just maybe moving it to 1 screen? but hey, that's just me.
Just a casual walk-through.
Fast downloads will serve the map to new visitors in less than 10 seconds.
See sig for details.
however, you're probably gonna keep it, so how about just maybe moving it to 1 screen? but hey, that's just me. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
The backstory explains why its referred to as Shiva Station. You can check it out <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=73958&st=0' target='_blank'>here</a> if you are interested.
I'm planning on making more screens that are actually logged into the system, so the large shiva logos will be less prevalent in the final version. It just might take me a little bit to make the rest of the textures. Does the logo annoy you as much on the screens when it is small?
I'll send pics of what i think should be done later on.
One things FOR SURE A Better readyroom for an awesome map like this. <-------
Overall, Awesome job! <!--emo&::tsa::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tsa.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tsa.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I can see alot of potential you and you should make more more maps!!! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I am blinded by the ... details.. omg is that jesus <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Anyways, I envy you as an architect and artist right here and artist right here and now. Of course I'm biased, been following Shivas developement since you started posting teasers in the mapping forum - it just escaped my mind to comment on it earlier. But I'm not sure what level of NS player you are - are you aware of the problems that come with the occasional uninterrupted tight hallways, underwater combat (and spawning near it, sweet jesus), or ramps?
That doesn't mean none of these should appear. It means those are just some arbitrarily picked factors that determine playability and balance - theres quite a few more. In short, my worry is that the whole terrain looks a bit marine biased - sure its full of nooks and crannys, but it seems littered with spots to sodomize higher lifeforms with, and close enough to points of interest to make them powerful.
Should you change anything? Please don't yet. I'm not even that worried about the damn doublenode. If at all possible, I'll try to see that this map is on at least one #nspickup server and gets some competitive testing - sure its not the end-all standard, but it outlines playability issues real quick.
So I just posted to say "Hey, constructive criticism later, but I wanted to sound important". Go me.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Thanks a lot guys. I'm probably going to wait til people play on it a bit before I start modifying it heavily, but here's what I'm thinking for the next version.
<ul>
</li><li>Enlarge Marine start
</li><li>Add visual cue to the sublevel control weldable.
</li><li>Improve response time on elevators.
</li><li>Speed up shiva core weldable and shipment processing weldable. (I want to keep sublevel control weldable somewhat slow so the alien team has time to both notice that it is being welded and try to stop it. We'll see how it plays, but my vision of it was that someone would need to cover the **** of the person doing the welding for a noticeable amount of time.)
</li><li>Add either tasteful ladders or trigger_hurts to draft shafts.
</li><li>Work on enlarging small hallways in general.
</li></ul>
I'm probably not going to be widening the steam tunnels much. The geometry around there is somewhat of a pain to work with, and I had intended to make them feel claustrophobic. I'm hoping it'll just make that area dominated by Onos vs. Heavy Armour combat and won't hurt the balance of the map too much. I share the concerns about narrow hallways in the rest of the map. I'd like to see how it plays first, but if its an issue its definitely something I'll work on.
Again, thanks a lot everyone <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Has anyone gotten a game going on it yet?
I don't know what else to say at this point. I've just scouted the map. When I have more time, I'll give you some feedback. But this map is really looking good. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
there are some visible bugs
here
at this point i was not fast enough to hit f5 so that the error appears on the screen <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
There is a problem at the weldable above airlock hive though. When the two doors close the marines have an invicilble room to build in. They can either build first, then weld it shut or build through the door. I'd suggest removing one door, or maybe only letting one close.
I also share the concern about the name. Just as a map called ns_Allah would seem inapropriate, using a(facet of the) Hindu God seems wrong. Hinduism is very much a vibrant religion with(alot) of followers. Even though we don't notice Hinduism as much in North America as Christianity and Islam, I think it deserves the same respect. I personally would feel much more comfortable with a name that doesn't make me think about the real world and religious conflicts while I'm playing a fun game, especially on such a gorgeous map.
Cheers on such a great mapping job.
A few more vents overlooking that area so gorges could bilebomb and lerks could spore would help with that.
Another wacky idea: if it's possible, maybe those doors could only be closed for a certain ammount of time. IE: 30 seconds after they have been welded shut, they reopen, and need to be welded shut again.