DM-Keramura
Map Info
	File Name dm-keramura.zip Author [N6X]R3plicant Gametype UT2k4 Deathmatch Date Added 10-25-2004 File Version 1.00 File Size 9.19 mb Player Count 4 - 12 Map Description This is my first released UT2K4 map. Medium sized DeathMatch map. Full bot-pathing for single-player. Arena style, *as much as I know it's a very common theme. Some ok Z axis play, plenty of X and Y axis. The main area is a favourite spot for bots, so does get a little spammy, though bots can and do use the rest of the map reasonably well. Worst problem I had was trying to tell bots to only take one redeemer from the upper-room-health-tanks, but couldn't find a way to do it, plus someone suggested I use AI Script *which I didn't use in the end, couldn't get enough straight-forward advice on it; wow, talk about being complicated, jeez, do you have to be a rocket scientist to work it out?? I don't expect this map to get a review rating higher than a 5, but would be pretty chuffed if it did. The maps creation was straight from my imagination, so wasn't trying to emmulate any other maps already in existence, so no similarities are or were intentional. I had a good few people say they liked the map,.. so it seems that it's likeable,.. but is it repeatedly playable? Positive comments welcome, as is contructive criticism. Oh, and if you don't like Arena style maps, then please refrain from commenting,.. unless your advice is fully constructive/positive. Thankyou. Review Rating 5.5 User Rating 8 Overall Rating 6.5
Review
Reviewer ArcadiaVincennes Awe Score:  2.0/3 Date 12-23-2004 Build Score:  1.5/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  2.0/3 User Point:  +1 Overall Score:  6.5/10 DM-Keramura (UT2004) An intricate medium-sized DM map containing a mixture of different themes yet whose gestalt is more than the sum of its parts. The map draws many meshes and textures from many different maps as well as some custom textures however they’re all drawn together fairly coherently. An industrial complex set in the wild, the map pleases with lots of surprise gameplay. AWE 2.0 Everywhere throughout this map you go, you’ll recognize pieces taken from other maps. Mostly industrial-based the author has used all these meshes and textures to achieve an industrial look that brings all these pieces together coherently with only a few aberrations. The architecture is somewhat basic overall with rectangular and square rooms but the interconnections between them make the map more memorable than some. You’ll always be popping up or dropping down into a different section. Much of the map caters to the z-axis lovers with surprise appearances as you pop up a jumppad into the fray or down onto someone’s head. There’s only one large section that’s long and flat, otherwise you’ll be almost constantly fighting on more than one level. The outside area is very nice with a waterfall and pool surrounded by rocks and lush forest. A nicely done skybox completes the effect outside. The lighting is a mixed bag. The colored areas are a little oversaturated for my taste but suit the map fairly well. But most of the map is white light. Decent radii and brightness, there are only a few too-dark areas lending most of the level fairly well-lit. Some more shadow work would have been appreciated. The coronas used are nice little touches and not overdone as in many custom maps. But a large number of them are ‘removed’ from the fixture. Looking at a fixture on the ceiling, the corona is definitely set a little below the light. The textures are mostly well-aligned, well-chosen, and well-implemented. The largest problem with the textures is their combination with the lighting. A lot of white in a texture, especially custom ones, tends to ‘reflect’ or overbrighten the light being cast on them. This is definitely a problem with this map where many light/texture combinations have produced overbrightening to an extreme on the walls and floors. This is a shame because they really grab they eye and pull one out of the overall view of the map. Also, the fluidsurfaces chosen for the various liquid areas are not opaque enough. Until I went in the editor I was sometimes unsure if they even existed. And in the water areas the author decided to remove the water fog completely. The emitter work was rather nice overall. The spray from the waterfall and broken pipe? inside was decently done. The electrical spark and smoke from the light fixture was good but a flicker would have been a great thing to add to the light. The emitters were nicely done overall. Altogether, a nice combination theme of an industrial map placed in a forest. If the light/texture combo had been resolved and few of the disparate meshes had been chosen a little more according to the theme, the theme would have been an industrial remix. BUILD 1.5 The quality of the build doesn’t quite carry the same quality of the theme. First item of note is the rather large HOM that appears momentarily. There’s a section of the large flat play area toward the water spray where crossing the edge to drop down causes a brief but distracting flicker/HOM effect. It’s not as bad as some I’ve seen but still, it’s an HOM. The movers, jumppads, and teleporters all worked fine but they seemed to be missing sound. As for sound in general the map contains sounds for various pieces, like the waterfall, or the electrical spark, or the teleporter/redeemer fan. However there’s nothing between these sounds to tie the map together aurally. Some ambient sounds to fill up the space between the location-specific sounds would have been a big plus in rounding out the map. As for optimization, the author did place antiportals throughout the map and he zoned it decently. There were a few sections where more zones would have fit and helped reduce the FPS and probably a few more antiportals would be in order. But overall not badly done. Finally, I must mention this,… OMG the pathnodes!!! The author desperately needs to read a few more bothpathing tutorials specifically regarding pathnode distancing. Overall not badly built but an HOM fix and some more zone work would be a must as well as a pathnode re-work. It’s competently built overall but these three main points really bring down the score. CAST 2.0 Despite the difficulties pointed out in terms of the lighting/texture combo and the HOM, the map will definitely please with gameplay. There is a lot of z-axis opportunity in this one as well as ‘surprise’ gameplay. There is a long flat area that does tend to get more than its fair share of action but if this were played with humans instead of bots, I think the action would be better distributed throughout the map. The bots do well overall and don’t have much difficulty with the map. They do tend to focus on the long room and they also tend to grab all the redeemers they can but these really seem to be the only bot-related downsides. The weapon placement is satisfactory but could be better. Some spawn points left me wondering where to go for a weapon, one of them placed me in a dead-end with a longish walk to the next weapon. Also, all the basic weapons in the game are present except the rocket launcher. But you can still get it by picking it up at the only weapon locker in the map. There’s something to be said towards consistency in design in terms of having all the weapon pickups match. Also, the sniper rifle and lightning gun were too close to each other and I don’t think the map needed both. In fact, I think the flak cannon should have been where the lightning gun is and either the lightning or sniper removed. And I think I should mention there are 4 redeemers. That’s just evil and wrong. The FPS averaged through the map is average – not high but not low either. However there are a number of sections where the FPS will dip somewhat dramatically. Nothing unplayable but you might notice a stutter or two on older machines. Finally, jumppad placement was a little odd. They seemed to be placed somewhat randomly and a few of them have ramps or catwalks directly above them. Granted, they all work fine and there’s no bumping your head on anything because they propel you away from the overhang. But it’s bizarre to see a jumppad with a catwalk edge directly over it. The quality of the z-axis and surprise opportunities as well as its somewhat intricate layout balance some of the other gameplay deficiencies. The map is decidedly fun to play but FPS, bots fight location preference, and some weapon issues do take a little fun away from it. The gestalt of the various visual aspects and the fun gameplay is really what holds this map together despite its deficiencies. Problems with lighting, textures, an HOM, weapons, and mucho Redeemers and pathnodes do bring down the map. But the vertical gameplay p[ossibilities really bring the map up to a playable level. Unless you’re extremely picky, I’d recommend this map for its gameplay and pretty outdoors area. It may not stay around long, but you’ll have fun while it’s on your HD.
Map Comments
julian141 10-25-2004 03:52 PM MDT Rating: 7   This is a very different DM map from what you would usually see, but it is clever. It has a room for health were you go in a small water tank and you regain health. It has loads of telaporters taking you all over the place. It has an outside area with a lake(with telaporters in). The lighting is good(some areas better than others). Overall a good map with pertencial, but a style we have all seen before a lot. redfist 10-25-2004 06:40 PM MDT Rating: 3.5   Map is too big ,and runs very sluggish for me,compared to alot of other maps. Chop the map in half,might be a good map for playing then. Thhe outside looks pretty good,inside seems ok,slightly even lit map. [SSW]Cloud 10-31-2004 06:04 AM MST Rating: 10   its great map so its big whatever i can go and complain that DM-gael is small. besides who doesn't like a big map for invasion? its great and so shall i rate it! Dukren 11-06-2004 02:19 AM MST Rating: 9.5   Excellent map!! A great combonation of long range and close quater combat. I love the water effects. The map design makes for a fast paced DM. It gets really fun with Instagib. Must play map, well done r3plicant hope I see more of your maps soon. Shadowdevil 11-17-2004 02:01 AM MST Rating: 8   Very nice! Love the redeemer room thing. I would've prefered more of an outside area but apart from that well done. [N6X]R3plicant 11-18-2004 07:09 AM MST   Hi guys,.. thanks lots for the groovytastic comments! :¬D I'm glad you like it, was worth the effort,. right, now I'd LOVE this map to be in the Hotlist at some stage (hint hint),. :¬D DOWNLOAD!! PLAY!! LAUGH AT YOUR MATES FOR GETTING SERVED A NICE CAN OF WHOOP-ASS! ;¬] P.s,.. sorry for the HOM in this map,. I really did try to kill it, but it just wouldn't disappear. GGGGgrrrrr. dirt baggy 12-20-2004 05:10 PM MST Rating: 8.5   This map is very well made, the textures used are very nice to look at and it has a different feel to most maps. Although i feel the outside area could be a bit larger i think the interior is done well as it has some compact bits and also some large open bits.I think the level could maybe be broken up a bit more to add a new level of diverse gameplay but i do really like the little corridors it has. Overall i find it a very fun map to play compared to most maps and i think that the creator has spent alot of time thinking about its design. Lovely Job.