mt_seabreeze.wad(Updated)

[Django Urikashima]

After a full week of tinkering, I feel my stage is ready for a public release.

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Welcome to the Seabreeze Islands. A quiet set of islands in the middle of nowhere... It's the perfect place to pick a fight!

Come visit our quaint little islands! Use them to get to other islands across dangerous waters!

The Oasis is a nice place to relax and take things easy... or stock up on items and prepare for a full on assault. we don't judge...

Feeling unsafe on the ground? No worries! Take to the skies where you can get a nice view of our little island and any inhabitants (or targets) from the clouds above!

Come visit the Seabreeze Islands today! Our island paradise, waits for you!

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Edit: Fixed some linedefs that were causing stage lag.

Edit2: Because everyone was complaining about it, I gave a bit of life to the islands: They now have Hills.

Also removed the death pit. The underwater Area serves no real purpose other than to catch players who are knocked into the waters below.

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Final update, for most of you people have gotten on my last nerve:

There, sector based palm trees. I don't give 2 **** if you think it looks off, I did what I could with very limited resources, and I'm sick of hearing nothing but complaints from people who have probably never made a decent map BY THEMSELVES that has had good reviews by the majority of the forum.

I've had it, and I'm not taking it anymore.

I am NOT here to impress you people, I am here to show my own personal work while getting help on how to make it a better Level.

Instead, all I got from people was 'Throw glitter on that whore and make it all pretty!'

No, Screw that! From now on with my maps, it's on a critique-only basis. If I say 'Stop repeating ****, STOP, REPEATING, ****, NO EXCUSES.

At this point, it's Either 'play the stage or don't', I don't give a damn anymore.

Also, if you comment and I see it as unnecessary, I will reserve my right to ignore it and move on.

FFH Download Link here

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IMPORTANT NOTE:
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This version works best ONLY in OpenGL mode. Software mode is prone to lag issues. I apologize for this sincerely, but there is nothing I can do, nor do I want to go back and fix everything when I really don't see a point in fixing it when nobody seems to give a crap about it anyway.

Do not evade the curse filter

 

[Torgo]

Not too bad, but I think you can really reduce the lag if you have the control sectors to have 1 linedef tagged to the sector, not all the linedefs tagged to the same sector.

 

[Django Urikashima]

Hmm... so instead of all the linedefs of a sector being in use, just use one?

Well, I tried it and it did seem a lot faster, so Thanks for the tip!

Now to edit the download link...

 

[Jellybones]

I really think the islands could use so much more. They are flat and dull.

 

[Django Urikashima]

I really think the islands could use so much more. They are flat and dull.

Probably could... at the same time, I really think comments that did more than complain about the look would help me improve on the map a lot more.

Like if the clouds size are too small, if the places I put the rail rings are good, if the stage is playable and (hopefully) enjoyable, and if the gimmick of cloud hopping and fighting in the skies is a good Idea.

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For those of you new to the islands, here's a few tips and tricks on navigating our little paradise:

1) Speed isn't the only key to winning

You need to keep moving constantly to avoid fire from regular rings, as well as rail rings, but don't go so fast you can't keep your footing on the islands and slip right off.

The same applies to cloud hopping. don't just rush and try to thok or spin dash into the springs from a height, or you might go right over them.

2) Make use of the Wind shield!

Not only will it keep your rings safe, but it will make cloud hopping a breeze. With the right spin dash and jump, you can even hop to a cloud opposite of you!

3) Monitor Hopping 101!

Though you have a slight chance of missing if not properly lined up, a monitor jump may prove to be more useful (and more fun! X3) than using the springs to go around the islands.

4) Beware of air fights!

Though the clouds give air users the vantage by giving them the best sniper points, beware of other players who have taken to the sky as well. If you're not careful, you might get hit, and even worse, fall into the water below! Remedy this by hiding behind layers of the clouds, or by staying on the second/third layer of the cloud to keep as a safe guard.

There are also no rings in the sky, so be sure you stock up before taking to the skies. If you're hit without a shield, you might only get a small amount of your rings back, if any at all.

Keep these tips in mind, and your stay at the Seabreeze Islands will sure to be an enjoyable one. :3

 

[ghostintheshell0225]

An interesting wad. And I enjoyed playing it.
However, you might consider tying each boat to a floating, bobbing control sector. They seem sort of static compared to the rest of the level.
Also, the scenery lagged a bit, but all in all I enjoyed it.

 

[Django Urikashima]

An interesting wad. And I enjoyed playing it.
However, you might consider tying each boat to a floating, bobbing control sector. They seem sort of static compared to the rest of the level.

Interesting Idea, but I think I'm going to take a short break from it for the time being. Maybe after a bit of rest, I'll work on it and put some finer detail.

Also, the scenery lagged a bit, but all in all I enjoyed it.

Heh... It's possible you might have the wad I did before I fixed the sector linedefs. Otherwise, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Warpshade]

I really think the islands could use so much more. They are flat and dull.

Probably could... at the same time, I really think comments that did more than complain about the look would help me improve on the map a lot more.

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but that quite clearly says to me that you need to add some scenery to your level. If your stage is flat, add some Z-axis. Flat stages with rail ring are pure unfettered evil when a skilled player has the rail ring.

 

[Fawfulfan]

They also simply look boring. Your level is pretty good, but it would benefit a lot more from z-axis and some scenery.

 

[Django Urikashima]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but that quite clearly says to me that you need to add some scenery to your level. If your stage is flat, add some Z-axis. Flat stages with rail ring are pure unfettered evil when a skilled player has the rail ring.

I think you're over reading and adding your thoughts to another statement that has already been said, making it seem more useful than you think it is...

On the subject of Rail rings... If you're seriously only going to stay on the islands when there are plenty of clouds to jump on, and even boats to hide in, then I will show no remorse when they shoot you like a fish in a barrel.

Secondly, There are clouds in the sky you can actually travel on, and boats you can hide in that dip into the sea. If that isn't use of the Z-Axis, then by all means, show me what I'm doing wrong.

They also simply look boring. Your level is pretty good, but it would benefit a lot more from z-axis and some scenery.

Meh.

I think I've already said a mouthful on that subject. As far as I know, you're not a parrot, Fan of the Fawfuls, so don't act like one please.
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Is it too much to ask that a proper play through with other people (being that it's the main purpose of a multiplayer match map) be done before giving a critique?

I kinda want to know more about it's playability with other people and if I need to do some tweaking with sprite placement to make springs shoot you to where you need to go, or if the places I put the monitors/rail rings was a god Idea.

I know it's not the best looking stage around, and I think it needs improvement too. However, it's because I know it needs improvement on looks, is why I'm sick of hearing how it needs improvement on looks.

As far as I'm concerned, Dr. Pepper and Torgo have been the only ones who've been of real help, and thus, have helped me to improve the map. No one else has said anything remotely helpful, and I'm getting sick of it.

 

[Jellybones]

Okay, then you know you've done wrong with being flat, so I will say nothing more.

Okay, gameplay. I really think those wooden things that lead to the main island can be made wider. And BECAUSE the islands are flat, fighting on it is really dull. And, fill the island up with sector based scenery that can also be handy for the fight, not just pretty looks! Maybe some cover, places to hide, etc.

The Rail ring is good up there in the clouds. In the lake, I don't really think so.

One thing with the boats, I think they are really good, but they sort of look like...uh... odd. Instead of making your boat like the way they are, try this:

I don't know what these are called on a boat, so I had to draw the picture.

 

[Chrispy]

Captains Quarters?

 

[tailsmastermind]

2) Make use of the Wind shield!

Not only will it keep your rings safe, but it will make cloud hopping a breeze.

Puns are awesome.
Anyway this stage isn't too bad. Just needs more scenery.

 

[Django Urikashima]

Anyway this stage isn't too bad. Just needs more scenery.

Meh.

Okay, then you know you've done wrong with being flat, so I will say nothing more.

Wow.

WOW.

Done wrong? I didn't realize it was a crime to make a few islands flat. lordy lordy, I'll never make my first level flat again. [/sarcasm]

Okay, gameplay. I really think those wooden things that lead to the main island can be made wider. And BECAUSE the islands are flat, fighting on it is really dull. And, fill the island up with sector based scenery that can also be handy for the fight, not just pretty looks! Maybe some cover, places to hide, etc.

... *points to clouds*

The Rail ring is good up there in the clouds. In the lake, I don't really think so.

Probably because the rail rings are supposed to be used from the islands, or more preferably, IN THE CLOUDS, because being able to snipe from a great height just seems to make much more sense.

One thing with the boats, I think they are really good, but they sort of look like...uh... odd. Instead of making your boat like the way they are, try this:
-img-
I don't know what these are called on a boat, so I had to draw the picture.

Meh. I think they'd do more harm than good when it comes to thokking. nothing more annoying than trying to escape someone chasing you, and you end up getting attacked because a part of the scenery got in your way.

Sides... as it is, I'm working on the scenery to please you people because apparently nobody seems to give a damn about anything else BUT the scenery. But every time I hear someone bitch about the look without giving me a real Idea on what to do with it, or telling me to do something I just don't know how to do because of my lack of experience, it makes me want to work on it less and less.

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*sighs* I swear, I'm so close to chewing someone's head off...

 

[Ezer'Arch]

Anyway this stage isn't too bad. Just needs more scenery.

Not always more scenery is more gameplay.

@Django:

Good concept.

I don't know if large deathpits covering almost whole map are really necessary. Jazz had released a similar map, Island Hop - MAPA6, Jazz Attack MOD (at http://www.srb2.org/mb/viewtopic.php?t=9123). I think you could play that map to see how it could work... and you'll get some more interesting ideas.

 

[Django Urikashima]

@Django:

Good concept.

I don't know if large deathpits covering almost whole map are really necessary. Jazz had released a similar map, Island Hop - MAPA6, Jazz Attack MOD (at http://www.srb2.org/mb/viewtopic.php?t=9123). I think you could play that map to see how it could work... and you'll get some more interesting ideas.

Hmm... so instead of a huge death pit, just lower the arena a bit and give people a bit of a chance to survive, as well as add in a few hidden surprises below?

Interesting... *jots it down*

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Edit: After testing the effects of transparent water, I've come to the conclusion that it'd be impossible to play without extreme framelag.

Therefore, I won't be adding any underwater areas because you can not have an effective sky to water fight.

However, I'm leaving the deathpits off, for having the floor by itself gives a safeguard to those knocked off from the skies above.

 

[Torgo]

Transparent Water shouldn't really cause that much lag, especially in a level that is the size you are making it in. Did you do what I said you should do to your level? Because in that edit, you STILL have every linedef in your control sector tagged to the same sector.

You also have A LOT of map errors in your level. So, I decided to make a wad that fix not only the multiple linedef tagged to one sector issue, but the map error issues as well. I hope it will help you see how to do a control sector the right way, so that your levels can have less lag. If you want to look for map errors in the future, hit the F4 key, or go to edit then find map errors to do that.

http://srb2ffh.supersanctuary.net/767mt_seabreeze.wad

I think there are still ways to optimize it, but this should help a lot.

 

[Django Urikashima]

Transparent Water shouldn't really cause that much lag, especially in a level that is the size you are making it in. Did you do what I said you should do to your level? Because in that edit, you STILL have every linedef in your control sector tagged to the same sector.

You also have A LOT of map errors in your level. So, I decided to make a wad that fix not only the multiple linedef tagged to one sector issue, but the map error issues as well. I hope it will help you see how to do a control sector the right way, so that your levels can have less lag. If you want to look for map errors in the future, hit the F4 key, or go to edit then find map errors to do that.

http://srb2ffh.supersanctuary.net/767mt_seabreeze.wad

I think there are still ways to optimize it, but this should help a lot.

After doing a test in doom builder with transparent water on your wad, it was still having lag issues.

Though moving the water linedefs to one sector made it more convenient for me to edit, it didn't stop the transparent water from lagging the game one bit.

I might just be doing something wrong, but the results that I'm being told I'd get, are different than the ones I'm getting when I test it.

As for the 'multiple linedefs in the sector' that portrayed to the island, yes I was aware that it had a few broken areas, but for the most part, it was working and didn't harm anything, so I didn't bother with it. However, I'll keep that in mind for any future maps I do.

 

[Ezer'Arch]

There are some few thing you could do that technically will improve your work:

1) Remove water FOFs from sectors where shouldn't have water under: there are water FOFs under your isles.

2) Merge all identical sectors: I found "some" sectors that have exactly same properties. Merge them when you are sure you won't change anything of map geometry.

3) Large thok barrier: I don't why a 768 FU-large thok barrier. 64 or 128 FU is enough.

4) Less sides in FOFs: you could try remove some sides from clouds. But not much, I wouldn't like to scree up your clouds.

5) No or less animated texture in clouds: I don't know if this may help with the lag issue. Anyway, I feel strange when I step on a cloud with an animated water texture; I'd suggest you to use XMSFLR02 instead.

6) Make floor height of water FOFs lower than floor height of bottomless pit OR raise floor height of bottomless pit (+320FU): it's a way to make visible the floor when you're using 3D editing (so I found some wrong textures there) and to make the room less tall, a bit. WARNING: if you change the floor height, you'll need to fix Z-position of things.

Lastly, I removed cloud FOFs just to test... lag still persists. Probably the problem is: too much linedefs or room height dimensions. I reduced the room height to 3856 FU.

Finally, I got lesser lag. :D

 

[Django Urikashima]

There are some few thing you could do that technically will improve your work:

1) Remove water FOFs from sectors where shouldn't have water under: there are water FOFs under your isles.

Hmm, I didn't think I put the water sector in that area... (jots down)

2) Merge all identical sectors: I found "some" sectors that have exactly same properties. Merge them when you are sure you won't change anything of map geometry.

I'd have to mess around with it, but I think that might be a dangerous thing, for though there are some sectors that look the exact same, they have different tags to work with the bridges, clouds and boats. Before I added them, There was no water in those sectors beneath the platforms and such. I'd link it, but I worry I might break gameplay if I try doing so.

3) Large thok barrier: I don't why a 768 FU-large thok barrier. 64 or 128 FU is enough.

I wanted to give the illusion that no matter how far you looked from the islands, it felt like there was nothing but open sea. I opted not to make the actual under water area big, for I didn't want to give it more attention than it needs.

4) Less sides in FOFs: you could try remove some sides from clouds. But not much, I wouldn't like to scree up your clouds.

I guess. I actually got the design from Morph's level pack, and he seems to know what he's doing, so I don't want to mess with it too much.

5) No or less animated texture in clouds: I don't know if this may help with the lag issue. Anyway, I feel strange when I step on a cloud with an animated water texture; I'd suggest you to use XMSFLR02 instead.

You don't think looking at pure white for long periods of time is dangerous? My eyes started to strain when it was pure white, so I put in the animated texture because it was a bit easier on the eyes.

6) Make floor height of water FOFs lower than floor height of bottomless pit OR raise floor height of bottomless pit (+320FU): it's a way to make visible the floor when you're using 3D editing (so I found some wrong textures there) and to make the room less tall, a bit.

You're using an outdated wad. It's been changed to just an underwater area (no death pit) to allow people who are attacked from the sky to not die a painful and unnecessary death. As for the wrong textures... not sure what you mean by that, but when I've tested in opengl, I didn't see anything that made the level look horrible.

WARNING: if you change the floor height, you'll need to fix Z-position of things.

After spending too much time making everything the way it is, I'm not willing to make any drastic changes yet.

Lastly, I removed cloud FOFs just to test... lag still persists. Probably the problem is: too much linedefs or room height dimensions. I reduced the room height to 3856 FU.

Finally, I got lesser lag. :D

I'm not sure what does it, but I've only had bad lag from making some of the sectors transparent.

When the clouds were transparent, I got lag.

With the water transparent, I got lag.

So far though, anything else I've done has been lag free... but I guess I have to keep in mind that not everyone's computer is tuned to be a fast gaming machine. :\