Carpal Tunnel Clan

Well, many of you have seen me on VCTF(not lately though, just came back to UT2004). A lot of you know that I play TAM more than VCTF. Less of you would know that I was actually originally a Bombing Run player. And very few of you would know I actually have made maps for Bombing Run. I have had only 1 map get any kind of consistent play, and unfortunately that map wouldn't work to well with vctf. Most of the maps I have made have actually been closer to torturous to the BR community. They did things to change the gameplay, or in one or two cases just make me laugh...as I watch the ball carrier choose the wrong teleport, and 4 people follow him to their death(lmao..sorry).

Anyway, I have made several honest attempts at maps, and most have been 'OK', nothing special. The main problem my maps tend to have is a lack of detail. I have no software to make my own static meshes, and have rarely made my own textures. I mainly work with map layout and then altering the physics of the levels in different ways.

My reason for this post? I have a basic idea for a map for VCTF, currently I am trying to make a better layout, but I am also considering looking through my Bombing Run Maps to see if any would convert well into VCTF(though I think Beltamaxx already looked at them and decided they mostly wouldn't work well...especially the maze I made...). Anyway, it's more likely you'll see a map from me if I get bugged about it a bit so I don't become too lazy. So basically, hassle me if you want me to make a map. Oh, as a side note, it would probably end up being a rather spammy map, not sure if you all want another one of those...

Oh, and one other thing, how do you all feel about translocators on VCTF maps? Bad idea? Depends?

I'm probably one of the few that knows you from BR. We used to play on CrazyUncleBobs, which is still around I think.
You ought to revive any map ideas you have. You never know what someone will like, so give it a shot.
I never thought translocators went well with VCTF... why have the vehicles, then? There are a few VCTF maps with the TL in them, and I love using it and watching people freak out on how fast I can get on their flag. But still...

Definately go for it Xionx. Everybody's got different tastes. I'll be finishing three different maps in the next week or two. Let me know if you want me to help. I've been a little lazy myself for the past couple months Id's got me pumped up again though

Jim, Bobs is still running, and gets a few hours of play a night still, I still pop in from time to time. And as for about the TL: What about on a less vehicle intensive map. Have some vehicles, but balance out the ability to just sit and snipe by having a very fast mode of transportation? I don't know if it would work well. But I think it might be possible to get a decent balance with the TL and some vehicles.

As for needing help, it appears I have run into a problem I had forgotten about. The last time I used the editor, and now this time, I am unable to open actor properties, at all. I can get surface properties, but not actor properties. It just won't open. And in between this time and last time I have reinstalled all of UT, so I am uncertain as to what the problem is. Anyone know how to fix this?

Yes, CUB is in my faves and has been for a long time now, and every now and then I see peeps on it.

I agree that there might be some VCTF maps that are suitable to the TL, and maybe we could play around with that sometime on the private server.

So you're saying that you are unable to see the properties window for ANY actor? So you double click an actor and nothing happens? Or you right click it and select properties? Or what about highlighting the actor then pressing F4? They should all do the same thing; open the properties window for that actor.

It is also possible that the properties window has been moved outside the bounds of the screen or editor window. Try running the editor in a window smaller than your screen, or check under your windows task bar by moving it to the side of the screen or making it shorter. It might be under there. Although this should have been fixed with a reinstall... hmmmm

That's all I can think of. Good luck!

Hi Xionx.

I played your BR map where you are in a tube and you fall down onto the ball and then the two goals on the bottom. Cool design and lots of fun. Id tried something similar for VCTF but, unlike you, he failed miserably.

I am not a fan of the translocator at all. I think it's kind of silly when you go get a flag, activate speed, get halfway to the middle of the map, and then find most of the opposing team waiting for you since they translocated ahead. It certainly creates an incentive to camp your flag and play little, if any, offense. We are fortunate to have weapon lockers in VCTF so translocators are not needed to hunt down weapons. As such, they really have no role and are best left out.

Best of luck with the mapping. New maps are always fun and stimulate interest. We certainly would appreciate any contributions you may have to our community.

I like the traslocators on a VCTF just to add something new

I found my properties >_< it was under my taskbar...rather surprised I didn't check there myself. Thank You!

And as for TL's, perhaps I will make two versions of a map, one with, and one without, and see which works better. Now, my next problem is I can't seem to get vehicles to appear. And since I have never worked with vehicles, I am wondering if there is something I am missing?

I think it has to be either an onslaught or VCTF map for the vehicles to appear. In order to make sure the editor knows it's a VCTF map, use this info I passed on to Dubya...

...Open your actor browser.
Actor > NavigationPoint > JumpDest > JumpSpot > *GameObjective > *CTFBase > *RealCTFBase
You'll find two actors there. One red flag, and one blue flag. Unless your name is Id, the flag base should be aligned to the floor. When saving your work on these types of maps, use the prefix 'VCTF-name of map'. In theory, this should tell the editor to start this map as VCTF and should be playable as such. If not, you'll need to make a manual adjustment:
View > Level Properties > LevelInfo > DefaultGameType
Type in XGame.xVehicleCTFGame, rebuild all, then save. That should do the trick.

If this doesn't work, post again. I'll get you the exact location of the vehicle actors to be used.

Yeah Keep The Maps coming it is allways good to see new fresh maps on the
server and there is plenty of people here that can help out on map making.

And if you don't mind I would Like to see your Maze map I Like
Maze's, ID had Made a VCTF Headge Maze Map and I like it.

Thanks Mr Bean! I had already known about putting the gametype prefix when saving, as I was able to do that for Bombing Run Maps. But I did not know you needed to have the flags there, as BR doesn't require the goals or ball to recognize it.

And Gambit, I'll get my Maze on Filefront and post a link here when I have a chance. I actually played the hedge maze today, and I can honestly say my map is a little bit bigger. My computer actually failed to render it the first 4 or 5 times I tried to build it in the editor. Then I turned the entire Maze into a single brush, and it was able to render it...after some time. But, I'll fix the issue I had with it, and then I'll post it up. I think Is till have the blueprints for how to get through it somewhere...

Okay, this is going to turn into a 'Help XionX' thread >_<.

I'm 21, and I'm an alcoholic.

Wait no, I am just having more problems with the editor. Okay, so I had a map layout, but I wanted to change something in it. There is a hill, just made from a sphere brush, and then cut off on the bottom. I decided I wanted to make it more round then it was, and less pointy so I increased the SphereExtrapolation from 3 to 4. And then I tested it in-game...and every time I touch the new sphere, I die. I walk up to it, and then it's as if I've fallen to far as soon as I have touched it. Throughout the whole thing, I took a manta to the top and got out and had the same result. Any ideas? At the rate I am going it will be about a year before this map is ready.

I was able to reproduce this problem, both with a sphere extrapolation at 3 and 4. I don't know what to tell you. Try moving the sphere a little or something? Maybe the engine can't calculate the collision properly for some reason??? I really don't know. Very weird.

I know XionX as well from CUB.

Good to see you bro!

Hmm, thanks Jim, at least I know it isn't just me. I tried messing with it a bit more with no luck. I tried making sure the whole of the sphere was within the level. I also tried cutting the sphere in half and making a brush out of the half sphere, and I got the same result. Each time I started with a brand new level. I can't find anything in the properties as to what's causing it. So either I stick with a 3, or put it on hold until I can figure this out, as it is a rather major part of the map...

Though I will add that I did like it the way it was, for the most part, and was just testing if a 4 was better. So I may just continue the way I was going, and then if later I figure out another way, I will do so. Damn all these bumps in the road. Perhaps the VCTF gods are angered by my lack of play, and require a sacrifice to please them? Only time will tell.

**EDIT**

I have now also tried creating a small sphere at 4, just to see if it was the size, and it carried the same result. Also, doing a 5 crashed the editor. (I figure I should keep note of what I have tried, so that in case I forget, I have some record to look at.)