http://www.mediafire.com/?44wqrbccccgm16x
I've done my first addition of actual geometry on this map in beta 16.
Specifically did I add an entire canalisation system below the map's surface that can be accessed from eight manholes across the entire map. Manholes can be covered and uncovered with the [Use] key when you stand close to them.
What's the point of it?
Well, for now it's about experimentation. I am not sure how exactly it will play out, especially since I avoided telling the bots how to get down there because they are already struggling hard enough with the map's massive path network and concepts of movable doors and ladders as it is. (Though if a bot should ever get into the incredibly unlikely case to fall down a manhole by accident, he should still know how to navigate the sewers)
I had several design goals for the sewers:
- Discourage too frequent use of them. Pretty much every route you take through the sewers will take you longer than travelling on the upper ground of the map. The addition of manholes covers that need to be opened before entering the sewers adds another small discouraging delay and also prevents from accidentally falling down there.
- Make it dark and claustrophobic. There is not much space to navigate around, they are about two player sizes wide. If you get caught up in a fight down there, you are probably easy prey for most weapons.
- Provide the player in the sewers with decisions that he has to make. Straight routes are boring, so I tried to add many forked paths that are about equally attractive and give you alternatives so you are not necessarily forced to run into other players in the sewers. There is a choke room in the centre of the map that needs to be passed to get from one side of the map to the other, though, and it has some grates so that you can eventually be spotted there by other players that fight around the U-damage pickup above.
- Use them to get behind enemy lines. The surface of the map can be spammy, so the sewers are the place that you can use for a more subtle approach to get into the enemy base - that is unless the enemy is guarding them as well. The manhole covers will also make a distinctive metallic noise when opening and closing them, so the enemy may get suspicious if he pays attention to it or sees open manholes around his side of the map despite having closed them not too long ago.
You can also try to smuggle the Kamikaze pickup through the sewers but you should keep in mind that it still gives your position away with it's ticking noise. The Kamikaze's Redeemer missile on your back will also still be visible if you combine it with the Invisibility pickup, so don't expect to make a devastating item synergy.
And tell me if your framerate increased with this version. Can't tell for me because it keeps running with constant 80 fps here, regardless of the new Cull Distance Volume.
I expect the network traffic to get a bit better, though, due to some players going into the sewers, which are naturally far better zoned than the surface and will also cause less players to be around for spammy fights that need to be replicated to everyone.
