Jump mapping - Revision history

Xandaxs at 15:15, 1 January 2013

2013-01-01T15:15:43Z

Xandaxs at 15:13, 1 January 2013

2013-01-01T15:13:54Z

Xandaxs at 14:50, 1 January 2013

2013-01-01T14:50:47Z

Xandaxs: /* Making a jumper friendly map */

2013-01-01T14:49:55Z

‎Making a jumper friendly map

Xandaxs at 19:33, 31 December 2012

2012-12-31T19:33:14Z

Xandaxs at 19:23, 31 December 2012

2012-12-31T19:23:39Z

Xandaxs at 19:23, 31 December 2012

2012-12-31T19:23:01Z

Xandaxs at 19:22, 31 December 2012

2012-12-31T19:22:06Z

Xandaxs at 19:19, 31 December 2012

2012-12-31T19:19:22Z

Xandaxs at 19:18, 31 December 2012

2012-12-31T19:18:11Z

@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 <div>Jumpers like to have a "<u>pre-defined</u>" route, this means, having a jump map with one jump after the other, giving them a strict path to follow, not having to wander around the map. Some maps like [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=342 dmcjumps4] give you a lot of freedom, by allowing you to choose which way you want to take and which jumps you want (or don't want) to make. Maps like this are not well accepted by the Jumping Community because jumpers might get lost, or reach a point where they don't know where to go after .</div><div><br/></div>
 === Jump Style ===
-<div>Another very important point is the style of your jumps. By this I mean if they're funny and / or challenging.</div><div><br/></div>
+<div>Another very important point is the style of your jumps. By this I mean if they're funny and / or challenging and if they're the so called "normal" or icy.</div><div><br/></div>
 ==== Fun ====
 <div>One of the reasons icy jump maps are often played over and over again, is because most jumps are funny, still good looking and challenging. In order to have your map played over and over again, you need to create a nice atmosphere, a pleasent evironment for the jumpers; and, on top of that, some fun jumps that make the common jumper say "''Damn, I like this''", and your map will be played over and over again..</div><div></div><div><br/></div>
@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 *Maps that have multiple paths, each one with a different dificulty please a bigger crowd and are played by everyone. Example: [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=68 Jupiter], [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=65 Saturn] and [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=398 Dark Sequel]
 *Maps that have an increasingly dificulty are also played by a lot of people, expecially if there are shortcuts that allow jumpers to skip certain jumps. Example: [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=284 Bstjumps]
 == Ladders ==
@@ Line 157: / Line 159: @@
 </div><div></div><div><div style="text-align: right;">
 ----
-</div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:small;">Article originally written and improved by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=165 X-RaY]. Rewritten, improved and updated by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=282 xandaxs]</span></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:small;">A very special thanks to [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=41 Moonie]&nbsp;and everyone else at the [http://www.urtjumpers.com/ UJ community] who helped building it</span></div>
+</div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:small;">Article originally written and improved by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=165 X-RaY]. Rewritten, improved and updated by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=282 xandaxs]</span></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:small;">A very special thanks to [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=41 Moonie]&nbsp;and everyone else at the [http://www.urtjumpers.com/ UJ community] who helped building it</span></div></div>
 = Jump entities =

@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 <div>As mentioned above, challenging jumps have a strong impact on the jumper's idea of the map.<br/></div><div>A good example is the map [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=276 Invictus], where, by using triggers and timers, the mapper created jumps where the jumper's skills are put into a test.</div><div><br/></div>
 === Dificulty ===
-<div><br/></div></div>
+<div>The dificulty of a map is of course up to the map maker to decide. till there are a few things to consider...</div>
 == Ladders ==

@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 == Jumps ==
-As this is an article about making a jumper friendly map, the jumps had, ofc ourse, to be mentioned. There's a couple things you need to know about them.
+As this is an article about making a jumper friendly map, the jumps had, of course, to be mentioned. There's a couple things you need to know about them.
 === Flow ===
@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 === Dificulty ===
 <div><br/></div></div>
 == Ladders ==
 <div>Ladders are a obstacle in the coherence and fluidity of your map. Creating a ladder isn't annoying by default, but making ladders all over your map, at the end of every jump, between jumps and as jumps turns it into a hell!<br/></div><div>A ladder with the size of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=77 wootjumps]'&nbsp;ladder of doom is plain annoying, although in this map it isn't as noticeable because it is an <u>alternate way</u>. On the other hand, the one at the end of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=284 bstjumps] is a mood killer. Still, jumpers might let it pass because it is the only ladder in the entire map. Ladders that appear constantly, like the ones in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=72 trickyjumps] or [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=339 JustJump] don't follow the same path as the ones mentioned before. These ladders ain't nice! If jumpers (''get the name... 'jumpers''') want to climb ladders they'll play laddermadness.</div><div><br/></div><div>Another important point worth mentioning when it comes to ladders is&nbsp;'''invisible ladders'''. You should never, but&nbsp;'''never '''make these. For some unknown reason, a couple mappers find it amusing, and decide to add them to their map. Don't make this mistake yourself, invisible ladders are one of the biggest pains in the ass a jumper can possibly have. Take a look at the first jump of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=360 Mercury]&nbsp;(hard way) and tell me how long it takes you before you rage quit or decide to skip the jump in any way possible.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure you don't create too many ladders.</pre>

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 === Hinting ===
 <div>Regardless of whether you have corridors or portals, this is something you should '''always''' do.<br/></div><div>Hint your map. This is the best and most important thing you can do to optimize your map. Proper hinting is hard to do, so it is crucial to know what you are doing. I'd advise you to read and re-read our [http://www.custommapmakers.org/wiki/index.php/Mapping:VIS wiki articles about hinting].<br/></div><div>For an example on how to do it in jump map typical corridors like the ones in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=450 Ad Lucem] check [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=24925#p24925 this&nbsp;topic]. It'll show you how you should hint your corridors.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure your map is properly optimized!</pre><div><br/></div>
 == Ladders ==
 <div>Ladders are a obstacle in the coherence and fluidity of your map. Creating a ladder isn't annoying by default, but making ladders all over your map, at the end of every jump, between jumps and as jumps turns it into a hell!<br/></div><div>A ladder with the size of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=77 wootjumps]'&nbsp;ladder of doom is plain annoying, although in this map it isn't as noticeable because it is an <u>alternate way</u>. On the other hand, the one at the end of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=284 bstjumps] is a mood killer. Still, jumpers might let it pass because it is the only ladder in the entire map. Ladders that appear constantly, like the ones in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=72 trickyjumps] or [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=339 JustJump] don't follow the same path as the ones mentioned before. These ladders ain't nice! If jumpers (''get the name... 'jumpers''') want to climb ladders they'll play laddermadness.</div><div><br/></div><div>Another important point worth mentioning when it comes to ladders is&nbsp;'''invisible ladders'''. You should never, but&nbsp;'''never '''make these. For some unknown reason, a couple mappers find it amusing, and decide to add them to their map. Don't make this mistake yourself, invisible ladders are one of the biggest pains in the ass a jumper can possibly have. Take a look at the first jump of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=360 Mercury]&nbsp;(hard way) and tell me how long it takes you before you rage quit or decide to skip the jump in any way possible.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure you don't create too many ladders.</pre>

@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 == Map Construction ==
-<div><br/></div>
+<div>How often have you had fps drops on larger and continuous maps? How often have you felt forced to stop jumping because it was nearly impossible to do so while having your fps oscillating?<br/></div><div>If you have then you know how annoying and frustrating it is to jump on a <u>non-optimized</u> map. If you haven't, you still have an idea of how it is, even if vague... Therefore, it is important for every map maker to optimize his map at the most. They can do this several ways. It is always important to understand each one though before going on your mapping adventure.</div><div><br/></div>
 == Ladders ==
 <div>Ladders are a obstacle in the coherence and fluidity of your map. Creating a ladder isn't annoying by default, but making ladders all over your map, at the end of every jump, between jumps and as jumps turns it into a hell!<br/></div><div>A ladder with the size of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=77 wootjumps]'&nbsp;ladder of doom is plain annoying, although in this map it isn't as noticeable because it is an <u>alternate way</u>. On the other hand, the one at the end of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=284 bstjumps] is a mood killer. Still, jumpers might let it pass because it is the only ladder in the entire map. Ladders that appear constantly, like the ones in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=72 trickyjumps] or [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=339 JustJump] don't follow the same path as the ones mentioned before. These ladders ain't nice! If jumpers (''get the name... 'jumpers''') want to climb ladders they'll play laddermadness.</div><div><br/></div><div>Another important point worth mentioning when it comes to ladders is&nbsp;'''invisible ladders'''. You should never, but&nbsp;'''never '''make these. For some unknown reason, a couple mappers find it amusing, and decide to add them to their map. Don't make this mistake yourself, invisible ladders are one of the biggest pains in the ass a jumper can possibly have. Take a look at the first jump of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=360 Mercury]&nbsp;(hard way) and tell me how long it takes you before you rage quit or decide to skip the jump in any way possible.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure you don't create too many ladders.</pre>

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 === Spawns' Orientation ===
 <div>Although a spawnkill is annoying, it only happens sometimes. What does, however, happen all the time… Is jumpers spawning.<br/></div><div>Spawning with your back turned to the jump or far away from where the jump is located is really frustrating! Map makers, keep in mind, spawning with your face to the opposite side of where the jump is: is no fun!.</div><div>[http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=316 Equilibrium]&nbsp;is a perfect example of a map with practically perfect spawn locations! There is literally not a single time where you spawn with your back turned to the jump. This makes it possible to jump very fast in a row, without getting frustrated at all.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure the player has his face turned to the start of the jump every time he spawns!</pre>
+&nbsp;
 </div>
 === Spawn Killing ===

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 === Spawns' Orientation ===
 <div>Although a spawnkill is annoying, it only happens sometimes. What does, however, happen all the time… Is jumpers spawning.<br/></div><div>Spawning with your back turned to the jump or far away from where the jump is located is really frustrating! Map makers, keep in mind, spawning with your face to the opposite side of where the jump is: is no fun!.</div><div>[http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=316 Equilibrium]&nbsp;is a perfect example of a map with practically perfect spawn locations! There is literally not a single time where you spawn with your back turned to the jump. This makes it possible to jump very fast in a row, without getting frustrated at all.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure the player has his face turned to the start of the jump every time he spawns!</pre>
-&nbsp;
 </div>
 === Spawn Killing ===
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 <div>So get your respawn brushes set up properly!<br/></div><div>Look at [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=41 Moonie]'s maps for example, no matter how much lag you manually generate, you can't get yourself to fall through any of his respawn brushes.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure your respawn brushes are thick enough not to be lagged through.</pre><div><br/></div>
 == Location Names ==
 <div>Although location names are not required, it is highly recommended to set location names to all your jumps / rooms. A map without location names is often seen as an 'alpha release'. Why? Because it's a little tweak that makes the map just a bit more finished.</div><div>They are often used to inform others of our locations so jumpers can keep track of each other's progress and such. It is also useful as a call for help for whenever someone is stuck at a jump. If it doesn't have a name, it'll be very hard to explain to others where you are and to, consequentially, get proper help.<br/></div><div><br/></div><div>There isn't really a real format on how to name your jumps, although descriptive and numeric names are the best.<br/></div><div>[http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=68 Jupiter] is an excellent example: '''Jump'n'Slide (H4)'''. Descriptive, yet numeric. Another commonly use pattern is having the jump number followed by the jump's given name, like&nbsp;'''Jump 1 [A hard start!]'''.</div><div>A lot of map makers choose to name their jumps with the solution to make each jump, and end up having names like&nbsp;'''Jump X - 3wjs, 2 plats, 2wjs, slide'''. It doesn't need to be like this though, you can name it anything you want. Something cool for an instance,&nbsp;'''J18 - The Fingerbreaker'''.&nbsp;</div><div><br/></div><div>On the other hand, using names such as the ones in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=78 example jumps] can leave some people even more confused than when using no name at all. For example: '''&#x5B;&#x5B;Prepare For a Wounds &#x5B;Proxima Centauri 4,2 light years away&#x5D; &#x5D;&#x5D;'''. Besides being a name so big that it can't fit in one chat line, it is too complex to be memorized by jumpers.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure to assign proper location names to all jumps.</pre><div><br/></div>
@@ Line 48: / Line 47: @@
 == Map sizes<br/> ==
 <div>The size of your map is sadly something that has great importance.&nbsp;Maps that tend to be over 20MB piss people off and get played less on servers (probably due to bandwidth issues and people cancelling downloads if they are on a slow internet connection). &nbsp;A 10MB map is downloadable within a minute (more or less), even by people on a 2Mbit connection.</div><div>To avoid an oversized map file, once you've it compiled and packaged, you should consider removing things that ain't needed or used as much. Just strip down the pk3.&nbsp;The size of your map shouldn't be more than 18MB. &nbsp;Ideally it should be no more than 10-12MB, but 18 is still acceptable.</div><div>But before you get into stripping your map to the ugliest point ever, you should read&nbsp;[http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=10966#p10981 this post] by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=2608&voir Rayne]</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Avoid having the size of your map over 18MB.</pre>
 == Map Construction ==
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 == Ladders ==
 <div>Ladders are a obstacle in the coherence and fluidity of your map. Creating a ladder isn't annoying by default, but making ladders all over your map, at the end of every jump, between jumps and as jumps turns it into a hell!<br/></div><div>A ladder with the size of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=77 wootjumps]'&nbsp;ladder of doom is plain annoying, although in this map it isn't as noticeable because it is an <u>alternate way</u>. On the other hand, the one at the end of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=284 bstjumps] is a mood killer. Still, jumpers might let it pass because it is the only ladder in the entire map. Ladders that appear constantly, like the ones in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=72 trickyjumps] or [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=339 JustJump] don't follow the same path as the ones mentioned before. These ladders ain't nice! If jumpers (''get the name... 'jumpers''') want to climb ladders they'll play laddermadness.</div><div><br/></div><div>Another important point worth mentioning when it comes to ladders is&nbsp;'''invisible ladders'''. You should never, but&nbsp;'''never '''make these. For some unknown reason, a couple mappers find it amusing, and decide to add them to their map. Don't make this mistake yourself, invisible ladders are one of the biggest pains in the ass a jumper can possibly have. Take a look at the first jump of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=360 Mercury]&nbsp;(hard way) and tell me how long it takes you before you rage quit or decide to skip the jump in any way possible.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure you don't create too many ladders.</pre>
 == Mazes ==
@@ Line 60: / Line 61: @@
 *Do not let your maze get too dark or crowded.
 <div><br/></div><div>The perfect example of a maze that explodes with everyone's heads is the one in icycastle. The only thing that differs this one from all the others and, that makes it slightly acceptable is the fact that it is an alternate route, not something mandatory. If it was then the map just wouldn't be played at all.</div><div>If you haven't yet decided whether or not to add a maze to your map, '''then don't'''. Keep it simple and good!</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure you don't create complex mazes.</pre>
 == Invisible paths ==
 <div>This has everything to do with the previous point about mazes. An invisible path is nothing more then a maze without visible walls. They are utterly annoying and they take agees too complete if they're not meant to be passed by just walking forward.<br/></div><div>They're not all a huge pain in the ass though, the one at the end of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=45 speedjumps] isn't as annoying, because it has lights to follow and walls you walk against without being respawned. The exact opposite occurs at the end of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=76 wantedjump] and somewhere in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=183 dodgethis]. Plain invisible paths in which you are teleported back if you "go out of line" and, with no guidance at all '''ain't''' funny. It's just asking for jumpers to rage quit. '''Do Not Ever '''make an invisible path that takes so much time, concentration and frustration as those two!&nbsp;Your map won't gain any extra by implementing one of those horrible creations.<br/></div><div><br/></div><div>An exception of the rule is an invisible path leading to a secret part of the map. But even then, be careful what you create. It should never be as complicated as those mentioned above. Not even for a path to a secret part of your map! It's always better to create a normal maze[!!], an extra hard jump, a secret passage in the wall... or even a secret code like the one at the end of [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=54 skyjumps] other than making an invisible path.</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure you don't create any invisible paths!</pre>
 == Rotating and Moving stuff ==
 <div>It is known to all that rotating and moving platforms in urban terror have the tendency to get buggy and it makes the jumping experience annoying because it's something the jumper just can't avoid and has no control of. An example of this is the infamous jump in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=174 dutcherjumps] or the one(s) in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=13 vertigo]. A lot of jumpers get stuck at those "jumps". But moving platforms ain't always a horrible thing, if used correctly it can be very funny, original and pleasant, like you can see in [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=398 darksequel] or [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=276 invictus].</div><div><br/></div><div>It doesn't need to be either buggy and annoying or well applied and awesome though, it can also be something in between. Something simple and not that annoying. It can be something like ''<u>watch the lasers</u>'' on the map [http://www.urtjumpers.com/map.php?id=53 funnyjumps].</div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Avoid using rotating or moving platforms!</pre>
 == Other Randomness ==
@@ Line 73: / Line 77: @@
 *Wait, what? is that a jump?
 <div><pre>To make a jumper friendly map: Make sure you don't create random useless stuff!</pre></div><div><br/></div>
 == Conclusion: ==
 <div>So, to sum it up... '''To make a jumper friendly map:'''</div>

@@ Line 133: / Line 133: @@
 <div>Entity used as a stop line for jump maps. Attach it to a trigger where you want the timer to stop at the end of a jump route.</div><div>Just like on the jumpstart, you can have multiple entities of this type, as long as you have them properly connected.</div><div><br/></div>
 == Jumpcancel ==
-<div>Entity used as a cancel line for jump maps. Attach it to a trigger where you want the timer to cancel the jump route.<br/></div><div><br/></div><div>'''<u>Note:</u>&nbsp;'''Specifying type 0 in this kind of entity will stop the run timer, no matter the path / way.</div>
+<div>Entity used as a cancel line for jump maps. Attach it to a trigger where you want the timer to cancel the jump route.<br/></div><div><br/></div><div>'''<u>Note:</u>&nbsp;'''Specifying type 0 in this kind of entity will stop the run timer, no matter the path / way.</div><div><br/><div><div>

@@ Line 117: / Line 117: @@
-<div>Not all the maps of the previously mentioned mapmakers are equally loved, but they are in fact not abandoned.</div><div>
+<div>Not all the maps of the previously mentioned mapmakers are equally loved, but they are in fact not abandoned.</div><div><br/></div><div>
 ----
 </div><div></div><div><div style="text-align: right;">
 ----
-</div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:larger;">Article originally written and improved by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=165 X-RaY]. Rewritten, improved and updated by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=282 xandaxs]</span></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:larger;">A very special thanks to [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=41 Moonie]&nbsp;and everyone else at the [http://www.urtjumpers.com/ UJ community] who helped building this article</span></div>
+</div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:small;">Article originally written and improved by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=165 X-RaY]. Rewritten, improved and updated by [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=282 xandaxs]</span></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:small;">A very special thanks to [http://www.urtjumpers.com/forum/profile.php?id=41 Moonie]&nbsp;and everyone else at the [http://www.urtjumpers.com/ UJ community] who helped building it</span></div>
 = Jump entities =