Creating Rocket Arena Maps for Unreal Tournament
By: Tyler A. Perry AKA Maverick
Email: [email protected]
Forward:
I decided my tutorial needed some updating, it was a little outdated and didn't have as much information as there should have been.
Abstract:
In this tutorial, I will explain how to create a Rocket Arena Map Pack for Unreal Tournament. In addition, I will explain how to create the arenas (to a limit) and what to keep in mind, as well as some other features RA: UT has.
Assumptions:
I assume you know the basics of UnrealEd, and how to load things in the Classes menu.
Tutorial:
What RA: UT is and how it works...
Alright, I will explain what RA:UT is, let's get started. A Rocket Arena map pack is a set of arenas all in the same level, each can be accessed without having to load them separately, allowing faster access between the arenas. What allows RA to have that ability is the info actor ArenaInfo, which can be found under the info class, and the special PlayerStart, ArenaPlayerStart, which can be found under NavigationPoint-> PlayerStart.
The ArenaInfo Actor
Probably the most important Actor that you will use in your RA map pack, this actor controls what type of arena the map is, how many players per arena, and the names of the arenas. It is located under Info. Here is an image of the actor's advanced options:
As you can see, there are three expandable menus under ArenaInfo: ArenaNames, ArenaTeamSize, and ArenaType. They each have a specific duty in the arena map pack.
ArenaNames: This allows you to insert a name for your arena, such as The Caves of Chizra, up until you have 8 arenas ( 0 through 7 is 8)
ArenaTeamSize: This allows you to define the number of players are allowed per team in each arena. The default is 1 and 2 players, 3 should only be used if you are planning to fight 3 bots alone, with no bot player, or you are going to play online. (The 3vs.1 bot problem is not fixed yet).
ArenaType: This defines the type of gameplay an arena will have. Multi means 1vs.1 or 2vs.2, while pickup is the Xvs.X clan arenas. To set up a clan/pickup arena, you set ArenaType to pickup, and set ArenaTeamSize at 1.
ArenaPlayerStart:
The ArenaPlayerStart is another very important Actor that you will have to use when making Rocket Arena Map Packs, They are not only used to spawn at, but to specify which arena to specify in. They are located under NavigationPoint => PlayerStart. Here is an image of one:
As you can see, there is an expandable option with ArenaNumber under it, this defines which arena you should spawn in. Remember, there is a 0 through 7 arena #, your first arena will be 0, not 1.
i.e. For your first arena, you would select all the player starts in there, then make the Arena # 0, for the second arena, do the same, but 1 instead of 0.
ArenaViewCam:
The ArenaViewCam is what allows you to view the selected arena that you are in. They are placed in an area of an arena that allows you to see most of it, and are directional, so you can aim it in the direction you want the person to see when they enter the arena.
In the advanced options, there is an expandable option with ArenaNumber under it, just like the ArenaPlayerStart. The ArenaViewCam is very similar to the APS, but you only place one in an arena.
What you want to do is make the number of the ArenaViewCam the same as the number of the arena you are in, just like the APS, and remember, 0 through 7 for arenas, 0 for the first arena, 7 for the eighth.
TastyPellet:
The Tasty Pellet is an important Actor, what it is does is gets bots to move around the map. As you know, RA maps have no pickups in them, so there are no pickups placed in the map. Well, the problem with this is that bots are based on pathnoding, they move along a set of pathnodes to get to a pickup. Without pathnodes, bots would get off course, and without pickups, there are no objects that the bots can go to and pickup, so RA uses these TastyPellets to get bots to move.
TastyPellets are literally just pickups that are invisible, and do nothing, in other words, they are duds that do not have any significant value except make the bots run to them and pick them up, without having an effect, or ammo, or anything.
When placing TastyPellets, keep in mind that you are not placing weapons. When placing TastyPellets you want a minimum of 2 pellets, and depending on the size of the arena, a maximum of about 3 for a 1v1, 4 for a 2v2, 5-6 for a 3v3, and 6-10 for a pickup arena.
Also keep in mind that you want them as far apart as possible, so the bots will run to one, then run to the next, traversing through the whole map, instead of hanging around one spot all of the time, doing little and slowing things down.
If you have Z-axis fighting, you want to place one pellet on the first level, one on the second, etc. so that they don't stay on the ground all of the time.
Thinks To Keep In Mind While Creating A Rocket Arena Map:
There are many things that you want to keep in mind while creating a Rocket Arena Map Pack, the first is Z-Axis fighting, make as many maps as you can with Z-Axis fighting. Arenas that do not have good Z-Axis support are generally boring. Good Z-Axis support generally means around two to three different levels in an arena to fight on, not too many though, or fighting and flow is hurt because you are running up and down the level to find an opponent.
The next thing you want to keep in mind is Rocket Jumping, you want to have open areas above you so that you can rocket jump. This doesn't mean eliminate 2nd and 3rd level (Z-Axis) X and Y-Axis fighting, just don't have it so cluttered that you almost always hit your head on something when you Rocket Jump.
The next thing to keep in mind is arena size. When designing an arena for 1 on 1 fighting, remember not to make it too large, this kills the delicate fast-paced gameplay, which is fatal to the fun factor of the map. Make 2v2 a bit larger, and pickups should generally be large in size. In addition to this, you want to keep in mind that you can play 1v1 on 2v2 maps, so make a lot of you maps have the ability for 2v2, just in case someone really enjoys having a team member.
You also want to keep in mind that objects on the ground are good, if used properly. When you are playing a nice RA map, and someone launches some rockets at you, then you dodge behind a freight box or something, and live, that is good placement, but when someone is launching a load of rockets at you, and every time you try to dodge, you end up getting stuck because the arena is too cluttered with objects on the ground, that is bad placement. What I am saying is that a few objects on the ground is good for gameplay, but don't overdue it.
Keep in mind that RA is a fast placed gameplay, and that your arenas should not be too dark. Your opinion of darkness may differ from that of other people, so get as many people to beta test your map for you before you release it * . This does not mean that the arenas have to be white and bright, just enough to be able to see your opponent.
One more thing you want to keep in mind is eye-candy. You want your arenas to look good, but run fast. Small effects, like lenses flares really add to the scene, and water (knee deep) does as well, but you don't want to drop your frame rates way down just because you want the arenas to look better than anyone else's. Sure, eye-candy can give you good visual points, but in RA, playability is what counts. This does not mean that you cannot have eye-candy, but that you want to limit yourself more than you would a regular map, for playability reasons.
And finally, you want to keep in mind that FPS has a major roll in RA. Using just subtracted and added brushes creates BSP cuts, which slow the level down. Use semi-solid and non-solid brushes as much as possible, correctly, since they don't create BSP cuts. Using them incorrectly can make added and subtracted brushes screw up and cause HOM (Hall of Mirror) effects and ruin a wonderful arena.
Putting It All Together:
Now that you have the arenas you want created and optimized, tested and ready, you are wondering, how do I put it all together. Well, the easiest way to do it is to have made each arena separately, then extract them and add them into one big map. The reason you want to make them separately is because it is faster and easier to rebuild, test, etc.
When all of the arenas are put into one big map, then you want to add your ArenaInfo and set that the way you want it.
Now you know exactly how to create a Rocket Arena Map Pack, have fun!