Any small map tweaks needed? Resource node amounts, etc?

I'm also curious about the material names. There seems to be a lot of extra numbers at the end: concretewall17a_2947_434_49

That feels a little more like a decompile error than a missing texture with that exact name. And I do have several "concretewall17a" materials.

I could write a regex to remove the extra numbers and possibly fix all instances of the material names, but if you're the maker and you're here and active, there's really no reason for me to get involved when we could just ask for your expertise.

 

Ok, thanks for the info.

Coast's issue isn't its amount of resources, its that it doesn't start the round with a pre-built refinery, so any new commander that places anything BUT a refinery has just lost that game.

 

if you are going to touch coast and it doesnt break from decompiling, tie the flag to a refinary somewhere off the map (somewhere close to the border so you dont see it on the minimap, the area needs to be sealed, it cannot exist in void).
you can use point_template and flag outputs to archieve this.
why would you want that? because it means the flag income scales with the server population and the center flag isnt worth a fortune with a handful of players while its only a nuisance on fuller servers. it should be a "simple" double ref.

 

This is excellent advice. I was wondering if the flag resources scaled the same way refinery resources do.

On a similar note, it sounds like I might be given access to the game's VMFs to edit them directly rather than needing to decompile the BSPs. I might be able to tackle a few small things within the week. I can't promise I'll be able to do what you suggested as I haven't done that before, but at least I'll have the missing refineries fixed, and I can look into your idea as an aside.

Thanks again.

For you and everyone else - does anyone think that flattening displacements in a few maps might be a good idea to help with building placement? If so, which maps? For me, emp_palmbay feels like it could use some TLC in that area (which is a surprise, because it's an extremely well-made map). As NF, it's a bit of a pain to place a VF in that top-right starting corner. Thoughts?

 

i woulndt edit map geometry to fix a bug with placement system, it worked for years, it will be working again.
ive done the point_template thing before (flags on emp_provinggrounds work like that), if you want and i find it, i can give you the vmf.

also TLC? thin layer chromatography?

 

Good points from both of you, and sensible ones. I'm sold.

TLC = Tender Loving Care. It's a goofy American expression.

 

I think you're thinking of a BLT. Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato.

 

On palmbay dropping nf's whole base in north east(radar, vf, starting rax) is a tad tricky, its like only one real spot to drop everything unless you recycle the start rax to shuffle things around. People who don't regularly command on it and definitely haven't commanded enough empires to know just how big buildings are tend to drop just one of them and find no room for the other. This isn't a flat area issue though, it's just a small area. Personally I think it's something like a trade off, nf has a easier time keeping tabs on the refs right next to them due their high hill advantage along with tanks also having a harder time getting into nf main, again due to high narrow hills. Meanwhile on be they have big old building spaces, but it's easier for nf to get into their main, along with be having a slightly harder time keeping tabs on refs next to their side of the map.

I have ultra high opinions of palm though, I really do think it's my favorite map in empires. It's like the only map where I'm willing to command every game, and I usually do command it. So I might be biased on my opinions. If there was one slightly annoying thing it is how on be's side, all the way south east, they have a somewhat easy time hitting where nf usually places a vf while nf can't exactly return fire in the same way. They can fire back at the tank, but there really isn't many or any buildings for nf to hit. It does help pressure nf though, be has a tougher time assaulting nf anyway so might have been in mapper's consideration, who knows.

 

do you have the vmf? id be very surprised if decompiling doesn't break a map as complex as king.

 

No, raise them so people can't build walls right next to it and drop turrets on the walls or shoot over them with tanks/apcs. Instead add sick ramps next to the high walls so teams can have a one way ticket into mid, give it boost like rainbow road and we'll have 24/7 bootybay servers. Of course, this only functions if comms can't build in mid, but whatever it's booty bay.

I don't think anyone has the vmt for king, which is why no one wants to fix anything on it.

 

I don't have the VMF for emp_king, but I just loaded up the map to have a look and I'm seeing my console getting spammed with errors:

Code:

Attemped to precache unknown particle system "tracer_vehiclemg_muzzle"!
Attemped to precache unknown particle system "tracer_bio_muzzle"!
Attemped to precache unknown particle system "tracer_du_muzzle"!
Attemped to precache unknown particle system "tracer_cg_muzzle"!
Attemped to precache unknown particle system "tracer_plasma_muzzle"!
Attemped to precache unknown particle system "tracer_he_muzzle"!
Attemped to precache unknown particle system "particle_snowclouds"!
Attemped to precache unknown particle system "particle_kutm_tracers"!
Requesting texture value from var "$basetexture" which is not a texture value (material: skybox/sky_kutmrt)
Requesting texture value from var "$basetexture" which is not a texture value (material: skybox/sky_kutmbk)
Requesting texture value from var "$basetexture" which is not a texture value (material: skybox/sky_kutmlf)
Requesting texture value from var "$basetexture" which is not a texture value (material: skybox/sky_kutmft)
Requesting texture value from var "$basetexture" which is not a texture value (material: skybox/sky_kutmup)
Requesting texture value from var "$basetexture" which is not a texture value (material: skybox/sky_kutmdn)
Attempting to create unknown particle system 'particle_snowclouds'
Attempting to create unknown particle system 'particle_kutm_tracers'
Attempting to create unknown particle system 'particle_kutm_tracers'
Attempting to create unknown particle system 'particle_kutm_tracers'
Attempting to create unknown particle system 'particle_kutm_tracers'
Attempting to create unknown particle system 'particle_kutm_tracers'
Attempting to create unknown particle system 'particle_kutm_tracers'
^ This one continues forever

Is this a new map? I've never played this before. If it's new, then the creator must still be around somewhere.

 

nah - its ancient. chris started the thread in sep 2007 and released some time in winter 2008.
its a really well made, visually appealing map. it requires a full server to play though (and i mean full without specs), thats probably the reason why it doesnt get played a lot.

heres the thread, the original name was "king under the mountain", sadly all the images are gone, it was really interesting to follow him build the map (even if he didnt take critics very well)
https://forums.empiresmod.com/index.php?threads/emp_kingunderthemountain.3374/