What does a duel map need?

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Originally posted by Darkn3ss I'm working on a new duel map called DM-Clutch. Its gonna be completly HOLP stylish (smooth gameplay, no objects, brushes only, 45 degree ramps, smooth trimming etc.) The basics are done, but it needs improvements. Duelers, Help me out here a bit. What does the ideal duel map provide in terms of: Pickups: - Amounts of armor (+ what super pickups? if any?) - Amounts of health (Vile amount? Medium health?) - Amounts of Ammo (f.e. perhaps lesser flak ammo?) Map layout: - Heightlayers; would 2 floors do better with more ramps? would 3 floors do better if smaller betweens etc. - Flow; compare openness with tighter closed rooms. What should take the upper hand? - Spawns; DM-Deck has 8 main spawns. Would you see more? or less? Some more closer to each other or just as far away as possible? (It makes sense to put them as far away as possible, but everybody sees things different) I need some input. So anything is welcome. Feel free to post.

As someone who plays different maps almost everyday, I can hint you out some things to avoid making a "so-so" or even "bad" duel map.

As far as pickups go;

Health:  There should only be 3-4 Health pickups in a small 2-4 players map
Viles should be placed around smaller armors and not around health pickups.  Perhaps even weapons.

Armor:  There should be 2-3 pieces of armor in the map, depending on how the map is laid out.  3 is preferred, though.  There should always be a shield belt, unless the map is very small.  Always keep the armors distant from each other to keep map balance.

Ammo:  Should be spread out.  Try to keep one or two pieces of ammo beside the actual weapon.  Put 3-4 ammo pieces of each weapon in the map.

Weapons:  Never put preferred weapons(Rocket Launcher, Flak Cannon, Shock Rifle) beside each other or beside an armor.  They should be spread out throughout the map.

Spawns:  Spawns should be about 8-10.  Avoid spawns beside armors.  Best to place spawns behind a wall to avoid easy spawn kills.

Heightlayers:  Three is the most common for UT3.  If four is involved, try to include jumpboots for easy access to high layers.  But three is the best for UT3.

Flow:  Should be an easy and movable flow.  Be sure to not include corners in the map where players get easily stuck.  Lifts should not be overused, as the map will be floaty.  There should be multiple access to EVERY SPOT ON THE MAP!!!  Shield belt shouldn't have one direction to it, it should have 2-3, and also vulnerability to be taken damage at.

Hitscan:  Avoid "Large" hitscan areas.  What I mean by this is that the players shouldn't see the other side of the map from literally, the other end.  A lot of the geometry and walls should cover up areas so shooting the player from the other end of the map can be avoided.

MAPS THAT HAVE MAJOR HITSCAN ISSUES:
Devolve:  I can't tell you how much I hate this specific problem.  The spot where the helmet is, is in plain sight where the 50 armor is!  The players shouldn't see each other from that far of a distance!

Sentinel:  Too much hitscan from the belt.  Causes camping issues.

Bonesc****r:  There are "spaces" on the map where players can pick each other off easily between the spaces of walls structures.

It's okay to have hitscan in areas of the map, but NOT from the entire map! be sure not to have it so you can see the other end of the map.  It causes a large amount of imbalance.

lol just a tank Pinn

thats bs Peng... people don't just let you kill them "in any mode" :) they'll fight hard to stay alive every single time... they just don't always have a belt or keg in vctf so its a LOT easier to frag them

Dro your just troll'n :)

That's why I never play vehicle ctf, people getting jumpboots, health and vehicles is just stupid. The people using those wouldn't be nearly as dominant if everyone just went on foot. In fact, even getting a weapon gives an unfair advantage - not to mention any map that isn't just a floor, because of positioning advantages.

Originally posted by BuMrUsH Im going to download a map EXACTLY the same as the one on my disc because now there is more ways to get the shield belt. Where is this book of law that there needs to be 3 different aways to grab the belt on a map? What Epic programmer or producer told you that? These "ut3 gamer made up laws" never make any sense. Nothing is wrong with heat ray. The person who made the map, wouldve put jumpboots in it if they felt like its neccessary. Play the game how it was created. Trying to perfect a map and it ends being just stupid. EVERY map is a duel map. The same map rotation is just like Deathmatch..Just like team deathmatch. adapt to the map and stop trying to make a map that'll make you better.   There will never be balance in duel because your fighting to get the advantage anyway..your trying to make it unbalanced for the enemy. It aint like quake where even if you stack up..that **** will drain so you have to find your enemy or all that stacking up was for nothing. here..stack up..and just turn up them headphones. your set. you can take way more hits then the blue guy. Only time its ever balanced is right when the game starts. when your both at 100   honestly darkness, all that sht is irrelevant bro. Make a map the way YOU want it to be played. Not somebody else. You put how much health, shield, all that crap..how open for hitscan or closed for sound whoring and corner spam..up to you man. You'll never get a 100% favorable map..someone is not going to like it and thats okay. But if that person is like me and could careless about maps then you got nothing to worry about it..just create.

Well same here, heatray is a garbage map. Doesn't mean I suck at it.
And tbh Idk how you broke your headphones so fast smh.

Originally posted by BuMrUsH Im going to download a map EXACTLY the same as the one on my disc because now there is more ways to get the shield belt. Where is this book of law that there needs to be 3 different aways to grab the belt on a map? What Epic programmer or producer told you that? These "ut3 gamer made up laws" never make any sense. Nothing is wrong with heat ray. The person who made the map, wouldve put jumpboots in it if they felt like its neccessary. Play the game how it was created. Trying to perfect a map and it ends being just stupid. EVERY map is a duel map. The same map rotation is just like Deathmatch..Just like team deathmatch. adapt to the map and stop trying to make a map that'll make you better.   There will never be balance in duel because your fighting to get the advantage anyway..your trying to make it unbalanced for the enemy. It aint like quake where even if you stack up..that **** will drain so you have to find your enemy or all that stacking up was for nothing. here..stack up..and just turn up them headphones. your set. you can take way more hits then the blue guy. Only time its ever balanced is right when the game starts. when your both at 100   honestly darkness, all that sht is irrelevant bro. Make a map the way YOU want it to be played. Not somebody else. You put how much health, shield, all that crap..how open for hitscan or closed for sound whoring and corner spam..up to you man. You'll never get a 100% favorable map..someone is not going to like it and thats okay. But if that person is like me and could careless about maps then you got nothing to worry about it..just create.

Wrong.
Where do I start? It's like your saying maps like Coret and Deimos are excellent maps because thats how the developers created them. Quake duel is hey lets only use two weapons all game.
UT3 headphones do not guarantee victory as I've beaten many people without them.
Heatray allows somebody to camp those stairs until belt spawns, if you think that's ok, you been on the bath salts.
There is no law/rule book; however there is experience, opinion, and common sense.

Heatray is a terrible duel map. Every stock map is a terrible duel map.
EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Shang Fe is so much better than the normal shang.

Im going to download a map EXACTLY the same as the one on my disc because now there is more ways to get the shield belt. Where is this book of law that there needs to be 3 different aways to grab the belt on a map? What Epic programmer or producer told you that? These "ut3 gamer made up laws" never make any sense. Nothing is wrong with heat ray. The person who made the map, wouldve put jumpboots in it if they felt like its neccessary. Play the game how it was created. Trying to perfect a map and it ends being just stupid. EVERY map is a duel map. The same map rotation is just like Deathmatch..Just like team deathmatch. adapt to the map and stop trying to make a map that'll make you better.  

bum you high. Normal heatray is garbage. Only one way to belt. There must be atleast 3 different ways to grab belt for a map to be good. shang fe is good. adds balance

Originally posted by ax412 Heatray is bad Imo. Heatray LE is good. Minus the jumpboots and spawning pn UD.

well like shang SE they didnt have to do much to make the map better,,,,,tho idk y you not like the boots n heatray???  or in anymap

Heatray is bad Imo. Heatray LE is good. Minus the jumpboots and spawning pn UD.