First off, I got permission to edit the map.

Changes:

Base:

No more Palladin.
2 extra mantas.
1 extra raptor.
1 extra hellbender.
Changed location of Cicada Spawn.
Added redeemer.

Node 9/10

Replaced 1 manta with a raptor.

Node 1/2

Replaced Palladin with a Cicada.
Replaced a manta with a Hellbender.

Node 7/11

Replaced Palladin with raptor.

Node 5

Replaced Cicada with Palladin.

Also:

New Linksetup.
2 new ionpainter spawns.

Download:
http://www.filefront.com/14143351/ONS-Bittersands-SE-Beta1.rar

Without even having the map played there would be technical things you should include. When doing an edit to a map, then it should always be the goal to improve as much as you can.

Here are two things which I always do when I edit a map:

ZoneSound:
[IMG]http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8631/zonesound.th.jpg[/IMG]

Every ZoneInfo can have a setting how sound should behave in the zone. The effect of these edits can't be heard by everyone, maybe not even by the mapper itself (what might be a reason why most mappers don't do anything with this option, if they even know about), but they increase the atmosphere of a map immense for players with EAX 3.0 or higher hardware. Sound occludes correctly behind BSP, but the zonesound decides how far the sound make his way through the zone, how he'll be changed for the zone and how the echo will work for the walls of the zone.

Even if you can't hear the differences due to a lack of hardware, the names of the different soundeffects are still accurate enough to set the zonesound anyways. So you should set for every ZoneInfo a fitting soundeffect, depending on the material and size of the room. The effect applies for the whole zone, determined by BSP and zoneportals. For the tunnel on the screenshot would apply the sound "DRIVING - TUNNEL" best probably, for the big rooms in the map something like AUDITORIUM or CASTLE - BIG ROOM. You'll find something, I am sure.

Surface-Type:
[IMG]http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1492/surfacetype.th.jpg[/IMG]

You can set for every StaticMesh a surface-type. This will change the effect of bullets on the mesh and the sound when walking across it.
The sound is mostly hearable with EAX, but also to normal players.

You can do it faster, if you have many of the same StaticMesh and right-click on one, then "Select…" -> "Matching StaticMeshs" and change the value for all of the same then.




LocationName:

Put a simple volume (cube or cylinder is good) around a location, like a node, so that the location is inside. Make it also high enough to apply to flying vehicles also.
Then go to the preference "Volume" -> "LocationName" and set a name there, for example "Node 1" or "Northwest Base".

If you have different volumes touching each other, then you have to work with different LocationPriorities in the same section.
Two neighbor-volumes mustn't have the same priority. So if your first volume has priority 15 and another is touching or inside it, then it can have 14 or 16. Otherwise the engine won't notice if a player leaves a volume and enters the other one. The priority also decides which volume is used if one is in another. The higher one wins.


So do that, then i'll take a look again.

Zone sounds - Done, see if its fitting.
Volumes - Added Volumes around nodes, made sure to use AreaVolumeTag, powernode will change the location name as appropiate, ie: Near Construction Powernode 4, if its being built.
SurfaceTypes - Set most if not all surfacetypes for the staticmeshes, tell me which I missed.

http://www.filefront.com/14145667/ONS-Bittersands-SE-Beta2.rar

Zone sounds: Nice, another map is getting a bit more atmospheric.
Talking about sound: It's sometimes forgotten during mapping because good sound is not so bothersome, so that sound is noticed only when it's missing. The map is very silent at the moment. Only a few birds from time to time.
Maybe you can find a music-track from the retail-content, that is fitting and helps to deliver the atmosphere of the map. If you don't find a good, then leave it away. Nothing can ruin the atmosphere more than an inappropriate soundtrack.

Volumes: Wow, I don't know how you did that, but can you tell me?!
For normal nodes I would for myself still use fixed location-names, but your method is good too. If you tell me, then I would adapt it only for the core, as the teamcolour may change with EvenTeam now.


Surface Types:
[IMG]http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1646/materialwyn.th.jpg[/IMG]

You forgot the following surfaces:
-The Mover-door in the wall, which can be moved with the switch.
-The lamps in the side-rooms of the big room, where the switches are (you can use the material "glass" here).
-The metal structure on the bottom-left part of the screenshot may be hit by bullets, right, but players will walk on the BlockingVolume and wouldn't trigger the soundeffects of the material. But you can also set the material for BlockingVolumes, so do it.

-The trees: You set the stock of the tree to EST_Plant, but that is more for (fleshy) leafs or bushes. The leafs can stay at Plant, but the stock should be set to EST_Wood.


One could also change the material of the ground this way by setting the material in the TerrainInfo, but it's actually best if it stays at Default, as this is the normal boot-sound that fit's most of the undergrounds.
Only for certain maps is it good to change it to Rock, Mud or Snow.
Just for your information.


[IMG]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/954/laserb.th.jpg[/IMG]
How about let these lasers deal damage using a two PhysicVolumes? Would be more realistic maybe…


You removed the Paladin from base… it should stay there imho, as it is good for defence or for getting back the next node. You should still have enough powerful vehicles in base, so that the loosing team has still a chance for comeback and not to be slaughtered by the rest of the vehicles in the map.

You need to set the Tag of a volume to something like PowerCoreBlue, then set the AreaVolumeTag(Under Gameobjective) for the matching Powercore/Powernode to match it.

Set KR-Morpheus for soundtrack, see if its fitting enough, if not, I'll remove it.

Done those remaining surfacetypes.

Lasers do damage now, don't go in them.

Palladin is annoying in terms of dragging out a game too long, there is the rematch mutator now if the game is uneven, instead of having it drag out endlessly as one person holds a pally to the core. Bender twinbeams can be used to camp the core to boost defense. If used for offense, the pally gets chewed up fast. The added mantas/raptor can help break the siege if need be.

http://www.filefront.com/14150887/ONS-Bittersands-SE-Beta3.ut2

Newer version...

http://www.filefront.com/14299425/ONS-Bittersands-SE-Beta4.rar

Changelog?

Palladin back in base, all Palladins in the map are faster. Moved vehicles around between 2/9, and 1/10. Palladins are now at 1/2, Cicada at 9/10.

Did you get that ModifiedShockTankFactory from somewhere, or did you code it by yourself. It's nice.

We often use the EONS Paladin for such things, but it of course doesn't really fit, if it's the only EONS-vehicle.