[Open Assets] Slipgate Cup v4.8 [Operations Proceeding as planned]

[Scootie]

A new update for the Quake themed tracks!

MAPP0: Wind Tunnels
- Difficulty: Advanced Level
Theme: NIGHTMARE- Ranger's Theme
Encore Theme: Beezelbub- Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne
This 2 lap track takes a dive into the murky waters under this ancient castle in the dark realm, the wind will carry you along the crumbling foundation deep inside! A secret path is hidden away here and if one were to find it, a special item awaits within the darker corridors.

This is the first track made for the planned Slipgate cup as more will come in the near future, stay tuned for updates and notes!

MAPP1: Central Operations
- Difficulty: Intermediate Level
Theme: Erebus Reaction (Dusk)
Encore Theme: Galactor Base (Tatsunoko vs Capcom)
A new two lap track to the cup around a rather functional slipgate facility, which means double the teleporters!! This map is much easier to cruise about with minimal hazards along the standard route, but if you want some real reward as in a leg up in the race, hope your ready to take some big risks for it! Several shortcuts hide away in this track that are trickier to navigate than the regular affair around this complex of steel as security is much tighter in these locations and some of the locals hide away for you to find, that is, if you can remember to find the keycards to get into those rooms..

MAPP2: Azure Vertigo
- Difficulty: Expert Level
Theme: Realm of Dark Magic (Quake Champions)
Encore Theme: Aensland Castle (Tatsunoko vs Capcom)
Welcome to the Elder Worlds, here reality is broken and gravity will tug at your visuals, so better to prepare yourself for what may lie ahead. This course is a semi-closed circuit with rough turns that favor technical characters over speed, some of the marble floors here are quite slippery, so watch how you drift in and out of those hair pins. This 3 lap course will go by fast when you get the hang of it, pay close attention a secret hides in the realm as well but you may find the other road is a little less for wear, tread carefully now! Also Disclaimer: This track features 2 mandatory upside down sections that are fast and may cause motion sickness if you are easily affected, do not race on this course if you feel you will be sick from driving on it, hence the disclaimer, thank you for reading


MAPP3: Sewer System
- Difficulty: Advanced Difficulty
Theme: Body That (Madworld)
Encore Theme: GATCHAMAN~In The Name Of Love (Gatchaman Crowds)
Another closed course within a barely maintained waste facility on another planet outpost, laser traps and dark waters await in this 3 lap track. Nearby is an outpost rest stop and metro station, wonder what it looks like over there...

MAPP4: ?????? ??????(Coming in v5)
- Difficulty: ????? ?????
????? ?????? ????? ????

Spoiler: Notes:

MAPP0: Wind Tunnels
- Certain areas had to be cut off due to strange interactions found within testing that would lead to potentially unintended exploits.
- The Wind Tunnels is meant to be a difficult stage and not a beginner stage, this track does test your application among bounce pads.
- The track was re-balanced through testing to assure all character speed types are capable of clearing the jumps within both normal and hard speed, checkpoints also being reset to avoid players getting stuck on certain jumps. It is possible for ALL characters to make every jump on the track.
- 04/19/2020: Visual and track changes added for v1.2 for both main and alternate routes.

MAPP1: Central Operations
- Slopes physics where removed in certain areas during creation, even speed characters where struggling at the time.
- Had assistance with introducing a new hazard: The Rocket Turret, fires missiles that home in on players on sight, went through several tests to assure turrets were not overtly overpowered that it'd make certain routes on the track not worth taking.
- Most checkpoints line up in certain locals, this will help to avoid conflicting with "jeckpoint" shenanigans concerning the SPB.

Spoiler: Updates/Fixes:

- v1.1 Update: Fixed the wooden bridge on the right side to remove a slime trail causing the vertices to display a funky error with the flats that trailed downwards when viewed from the front.
- v1.2 Update: Added in extra starposts over checkpoints 1 and 7 to avoid players missing checkpoints. Fixed oversight of waypoint 5 being a sneaker panel rather than being a star post activator (Don't work on maps when tired).
- Slipgate Cup v1 pk3 available!!!: Wind Tunnels track has been compressed into the first iteration of the Slipgate Cup, this will allow for easier updates when the next map and overhauls come to tracks.
- Minor Fix: Renamed two sprite files to allow map to run to avoid crashes on startup with map. Re-download newly uploaded v1 file
- File Fix to 1.1: Looked into an error with the sprite animations for both Quad Damage and Pentagon of Protection objects sprite animations causing an error on crash, files were renamed to their originals before disabling Slade's percentage encoding for editing properties, thanks to Chaobrother. New version has been uploaded for download.

- Slipgate Cup v1.2 pk3 is ready to go with a biig visual overhaul!!: Seeing after a number of races in Wind Tunnels have been fun for the most part, it was only found when players mainly took the alternate route being optimally the fastest way around the track, now that changes! The alternate route has been closed off and the Quad along with it, but don't fret! If you can find the switch that opens the rune door that has sealed away the Quad and alternative route, you can make your way in on your second passing of the track!

• Visual Overhaul: Wind Tunnels has been updated to have more visual flair! Not much was added when I finished Wind Tunnels the first time, as I was still learning a bit more about the use of texturing and sidedef applications within Zone Builder. Now Wind Tunnels has those with a few alterations and optimal route choices for the track!
• Wind Tunnels Changes: The first set of islands and spring pads have been changed slightly. A speedcapped spring settles on the right side for the main route and a small non-speed capped set of springs on the left on the first island. This allows for players to now either play it safe or take the risk of skipping their way to the third island. Slope changes, physics of some slopes in sections to the underbelly of the citadel to the bridge have been removed so heavy characters don't struggle on the climb when hit, slope physics were also removed in the wind tunnel's more wind esque areas. (It's recommended that Hard Sneakers shouldn't be played on the map at this time as it currently messes with players map traversal, hard speed is still working as attended.)
• Introduction to Central Operations: The new track has been stuffed into the pack, now Wind Tunnels no longer has to be on it's lonesome as a new Quake themed track sits by it's side and has quite a bit of content. While this track was more focused on being easier for players, even new players, I still wanted to give some options for season Kart players as well, adding in shortcuts that can be a bit difficult to get around the first time and as well as find! It is Quake after all, secrets can hide in places if you don't open your eyes. I took more time to add to this course and give it as much visual flair than just releasing it as I did with Wind Tunnels, some hazards are in the track and worked on a bit of things for the main route as it seemed slow, there are tons of speed options to take along this track as well!
• Wind Tunnels alternate route nerfs: The Alternate route was proven to be the fastest way to gain record breaking times from many speedrunners and as much as I was happy with that, it did leave the main course of the track feeling left out since the Quad was heavily relied upon as the normal respawn time in Quake PvP matches is literally 30 seconds, which is actually pretty slow in a game like Quake with how fast gameplay tends to be, this track was long, so it allowed the Quake to respawn by the second lap. With the route closed off unless the switch was found to open it, this prevents frontrunners from keeping full advantage in the race as that too was an issue. The other issue being that the alternate route has far better speed choices than the main one, so hazards in the form of spikeballs and swinging maces have been included on the route. Now players will have to learn to avoid the hazards or make the choice of using the quad to invuln their way through the area, but invul doesn't last as long within the section, so choose wisely what you will do with that!

Slipgate Cup v1.2.1: Small patch update to fix an error in the soc for a misspelling of "sfx_none" written as "sfx_nonoe".

Slipgate Cup v1.2.2: Extra patch includes directional arrows to choreograph upcoming turns on the track to direct those if you fee a little lost.

Slipgate Cup v1.2.3: Quick update, star posts over calculated for the checkpoints from starting from 3 onward causing a conflict with ranking placements.

Slipgate Cup v1.2.4: Jank patching, several areas have been blocked off to prevent unintended cuts such as skipping the whole spiral straight to the lower level through one of the cuts, forgot to mention 1.2.3 also had a patch to prevent players from trying to wedge into shortcuts they weren't supposed to access without meeting certain requirements. Lowest platform has been given mid textures for the railing to prevent players from being attacked by the turrets and being knocked off in mutliplayer by other players via bump coding or offensive/defensive weapons. Death pits put in areas not intended for players to reach.

Slipgate Cup v1.2.5: Renamed a texture that conflicts with a vanilla texture that certain maps used.

Slipgate Cup v1.3: Needed a break from the constant patch update, but general fixes across the board for textures, object conflicts from certain maps, but will look into an issue where loading Slipgate Cup before Abstraction Pack causes a crash unless Abstraction Pack is loaded before Slipgate Cup. (SOLVED)

Slipgate Cup v1.3.1: Fixed missing texture issue and item conflict.

Slipgate Cup v2: This is a really big update, a lot has changed from previous versions since then. Wind Tunnels and Central Operations have both gone through a few changes which give visual overhauls and balance changes to certain locations to better compensate for certain play styles.
Wind Tunnels:
- Many visual changes to point out track lines and design, darken areas to give more atmosphere to the track.
- Quad now gives grow instead of invuln, this is more consistent with the lore of the Quad damage. Also no, stop suggesting orbis, it won't happen.
- The wind section now has upwards wind than upwards current, with this, now characters with lower speed stats can be carried over the areas better and more consistently.
- Middle pillar was removed from the bottom path in the near last section of the wind room, top platform now also too has a purpose as well!

Central Operations:
- Some visual changes to the final room with red colormap lighting.
- Gold key route has a new surprise, trust me its worth your time to go out of the way to take a gander.
- Texture conflict with the planet texture should no longer be an issue.

Minor fix: Central Operations, blocked off and added some sectors to prevent janky, unintentional shortcuts.

Slipgate Cup v3: Map P2 Azure Vertigo added, this track features gravity flip mechanics, so do be careful if that cause motion sickness, otherwise, this will be a wild ride for you.

Slipgate Cup v4: Map P3, Sewer System added, another 3 lap course that is more suited to many speed and weight classes! Just watch out for the laser trap!
- Sprites for Azure Vertigo updated to remove any conflicts

v4.5: Update includes fixes for Azure Vertigo addressing certain sections:
- Relative teleporters for the final room to prevent players flying out the other end of the middle island.
- Extended exit of certain teleporters and placed fofs to prevent item trapping and mines traps on teleport exits.
- First chicane now has a leading line along with brightness of the area boosted from 175 to 200 to see signage better.

Slight Encore Support for: Central Operations, Azure Vertigo, and Sewer Systems, they'll be getting their full Encore changes in v5 as well as Wind Tunnels.

Removed a custom object that did not get to see use to prevent a conflict from the community resource pack.

Slipgate v4.7: Updates to Wind Tunnels and Azure Vertigo!
Additions include changes to WT that makes the alternate route available on the second lap, making it part of the track as an option and placement of the Quad has been changed, making it hard to obtain.

New shortcuts and hazards were also added to Wind Tunnels as well.

v4.8: Update for Central Operations, patches for Wind Tunnels, and details on changes.

- Central Operations has a new route, now making for more route choices, each have their pros and cons to one another. The Platinum Basekey route is a new addition with some extra security waiting just for the unaware.

- Wind Tunnels was granted extra route options and new shortcuts, now giving it the surprise factor Central Operations had in it's debut, the Quad has been moved to a new room, being harder to obtain and the alternate route now being a normal route players can chose to take on the 2nd lap.

- Azure Vertigo got a few small changes and additions, relative teleports for the middle island, the first teleporter at the first two hairpins is gone, and a bit of extra setup before what was the turn out of the second teleporter.

- Checkpoints for all 3 maps have been added and readjusted to follow suit for lap completion and not as punishing respawn points.

Supporters / Co-Authors:

• Chaobrother

 

[D00D64]

Welcome to releases!

 

[Mr.Logan]

Just gonna do a quick bump to inform that 1.1 is now out. :)

 

[DollyCloudy]

1.2 has been released!

 

[Scootie]

Files have been updated, Wind Tunnels is now compressed into a pk3 file ready for download and thread updated into the Slipgate Cup, the title for the planned series of Quake based tracks.

---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:03 PM ----------

Had to go back into the files to deal with animation errors that would crash the game upon loading the addon, files has been updated to v1.1.

 

[SeasideDoe]

Hello! I hope you don't mind me offering critique, but I do have a big question concerning a design element of this map. The Quad Damage item in the shortcut pathway I feel is a bit too strong in giving the frontrunner a free invin-already since the cut is offered to the frontrunner this presents the actual route of the map being completely different from what the minimap and "intended" pathway would suggest, but this makes the cut completely centralizing in my opinion. Not only does this allow the frontrunner to increase distance despite the sneaker panel abundance due to Hard Speed, but it also allows them to ignore SPBs and smuggle the item out of the shortcut to gain an even more obscene lead. I would suggest nerfing the powerup to something still incredibly powerful by frontrunner standards, such as triple or tetra-orbinauts or a Hyuudoro. Tell me what you think of this idea!

 

[Scootie]

Hello! I hope you don't mind me offering critique, but I do have a big question concerning a design element of this map. The Quad Damage item in the shortcut pathway I feel is a bit too strong in giving the frontrunner a free invin-already since the cut is offered to the frontrunner this presents the actual route of the map being completely different from what the minimap and "intended" pathway would suggest, but this makes the cut completely centralizing in my opinion. Not only does this allow the frontrunner to increase distance despite the sneaker panel abundance due to Hard Speed, but it also allows them to ignore SPBs and smuggle the item out of the shortcut to gain an even more obscene lead. I would suggest nerfing the powerup to something still incredibly powerful by frontrunner standards, such as triple or tetra-orbinauts or a Hyuudoro. Tell me what you think of this idea!

Hey there Doe, not worry. I have taken some notes through multiple play sessions with the track in online sessions, a nerf will come in the near future for the alternate route on the track, the Quad Damage was supposedly to be only be picked up once during races, but I'll have to readjust the timer for it's respawn to be much longer than what it is now as well as hazards among the alternate route to be added as well with lesser speed pads. I at first before did think having the Quad give something else at the time, but a front running honestly would have no use for items like Orbis in that location since there would hardly be players to hit and that it'd also be far more worthless within a time trail to have an offensive/defensive weapon than one that's more of a support/defensive. The update will also include a hell map from one of the maps I did plan to scrap, but now I have a use for it, but can't release it yet since that map needs a visual overhaul as well.

 

[Lightsideluc]

Perhaps, instead of 'nerfing' the respawn, make the shortcut or the invinc spawn in a delayed fashion, similar to shortcuts on some tracks? That way first can't collect it, but others behind them can.

 

[Scootie]

Perhaps, instead of 'nerfing' the respawn, make the shortcut or the invinc spawn in a delayed fashion, similar to shortcuts on some tracks? That way first can't collect it, but others behind them can.

Not nerfing the respawn, just the alternate route in general as it was the route mostly used in all of the multiplayer sessions I have been in to play with. I've added in new changes that will now make to where it doesn't give the front runner the full advantage anymore, as well as a few changes to the main route so that new players do not have to struggle as much as they did before, though the track will still be at the Advanced difficulty it was intended to be at. The Quad is already spawned the moment the game starts and it's respawn was a total of 30 seconds, this was based off the time it usually respawns in a PvP Quake match. Now since the route was closed off, forcing players to instead find the way to open it, this mitigates the track's main problem that one route was taken more over the other.

 

[Scootie]

Version 1.3.1 is out.

 

[Scootie]

Slipgate Cup v2 has been released!~

 

[Scootie]

Minor update to fix unintended shortcut for Central Operations.

 

[Scootie]

Slipgate Cup has been updated to version 3, please do read the disclaimer first and enjoy!

 

[Lightsideluc]

One thing I'm not a fan of in regards to blocking off the side-route in Wind Tunnels is that, if memory serves, it's faster to take the normal track by a few seconds compared to the alternate one anyways. With the addition of hazards, it's also not a free pass for first to dodge an SPB. I would consider re-opening from the start it or having it open automatically once first goes a certain distance ahead on the first lap, instead of the switch at the very end of the track.


Central Operations is solid, but making the first jump inbetween the crates is really awkward for (what I think is) not much of a time-save. If you bonk the opposite wall while going off the springs you're sent flying backwards for several seconds, making the risk abnormally high as well.


Vertigo is confusing, and this is coming from someone who unironically enjoys the upside down sections on other tracks. A lot of the warps spit you out right in front of a corner or split and there really isn't any way to avoid them beyond map memorization. There needs to be at least a good second or two of extra hallway before a corner comes after a teleport. The teleports being key track sections yet really thin also means item abuse in front of them is probably going to be a problem.


Overall, I love the concepts behind all of these tracks, and Wind Tunnels is a lot of fun, but visually they're too Quake with all the drab brown-on-browns and Vertigo needs a closer inspection in terms of track layout and path visibility.

 

[Scootie]

One thing I'm not a fan of in regards to blocking off the side-route in Wind Tunnels is that, if memory serves, it's faster to take the normal track by a few seconds compared to the alternate one anyways. With the addition of hazards, it's also not a free pass for first to dodge an SPB. I would consider re-opening from the start it or having it open automatically once first goes a certain distance ahead on the first lap, instead of the switch at the very end of the track.

No, because this cause players to instead take the route than what is the main intended route for the course which takes more than half of a course seeming worthless in taking. The alternate path, if anything by what most of the record attack players found is in fact far faster even with the hazards within it. So it's final that it's a secret that has to be opened to access than it be being opened at the start.

Central Operations is solid, but making the first jump inbetween the crates is really awkward for (what I think is) not much of a time-save. If you bonk the opposite wall while going off the springs you're sent flying backwards for several seconds, making the risk abnormally high as well.

Then that shortcut's purpose is entirely intentional like the rest of the shortcuts on the track, their tricky set pieces on a track with a more lax difficulty. You take a risk reaching for them and they require skill to reach and again since I'm quoting this based on the speedrunners that have played on CO, taking the shortcuts ended up being faster cause they can easily navigate the routes since they took the time to learn them. The first jump isn't even that hard since you can sliptide your way into making the jump without hitting the crates, if you hit the crates, it means you messed up. The jump was intended to be something you work for, not a clean and easy earning.

Vertigo is confusing, and this is coming from someone who unironically enjoys the upside down sections on other tracks. A lot of the warps spit you out right in front of a corner or split and there really isn't any way to avoid them beyond map memorization. There needs to be at least a good second or two of extra hallway before a corner comes after a teleport. The teleports being key track sections yet really thin also means item abuse in front of them is probably going to be a problem.

There's going to be a patch coming for v4 which will eliminate teleport traps, but this rarely ever happens for the most part since this track has been played several times in MP sessions. The sectors of the track are meant to be small, it's why it's built as a technical course, heavier characters will suffer here more than lightweights. Course memorization for this one is something you will have to get use to on this one.

Overall, I love the concepts behind all of these tracks, and Wind Tunnels is a lot of fun, but visually they're too Quake with all the drab brown-on-browns and Vertigo needs a closer inspection in terms of track layout and path visibility.

There's really not a lot of texture content out there for Quake and it already doesn't help that SRB2K has a limited color palette, which turns colors that weren't brown, into brown and blues into pale purples. Can't really fault me for something Quake is known for and a limiting color palette which takes the oranges, greens, and yellows and makes them entirely into something else.

 

[Scootie]

Slipgate Cup updated to v4, Sewer Systems is now released for play.

 

[Scootie]

Slipgate Cup updated to v4.5 being both a patch and update to Azure Vertigo with a few additions.

 

[Scootie]

Slipgate Cup updated to v4.7 with changes and additions to Wind Tunnels and Azure Vertigo adding more balances.

 

[Scootie]

Slipgate Cup updated to v4.8 with patches for Wind Tunnels, graphic updates, and changes for Central Operations. Encore palette update planned for v5

 

[JugadorXEI]

People don't give enough attention to your maps, they're some of the most engaging and fun I've played. There's just not one map I dislike, drifting through Wind Tunnels is really fun, and that one very elaborate shortcut in Central Operations? Simply amazing.

In Wind Tunnels though, there is a softlock that can happen on this bounce pad.

If you bounce towards this wall, you'll keep bumping into it while the wind keeps you up. Because you're in the air, you cannot respawn manually.

I hope you fix this because it's such a cool map. Keep up the good work!