Theta

Introduction
(Skip if you're a *****)​

Hello there, Forgehubber! Now I know I've made some mistakes by putting out some pretty "meh" maps thus far, but let me make it up to you! I baked you a pie. A pie containing what I hope will be something to make up for the understandable lack of interest in my previous maps.

Disheartened by the lack of success of my other maps, I realized that I really wasn't going all out with the maps I was designing. I often opted for making a quick map rather than one I knew I could do right. I looked back on my previous map concepts, and decided I would take my favorite theme and use it to design my swan song. So this time, I'm putting all of my heart and soul into the map, and I hope it appeals enough to the Forgehub community as much in aesthetics as in gameplay!

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Description​

Due to my obsession with 1v1 maps, I figured I should make something in between that, and normal team slayer. Theta combines the size needed for up to eight players with the ease with which one must be able to find their opponent in a 1v1 game. It takes place in an underground facility used for researching a particularly unstable method of nuclear fusion. Therefore its name hails from the mathematical meaning behind the theta symbol, as well as the fact that its shape is similar to the symbol itself: Θ

The main functional attraction is, in my opinion, the underground tube transport thing. It's hard to explain, so just check out the pictures.

So the open fusion reactor is placed in the center of a chamber with glass walls. Their transparency allows a player to see roughly half of the entire playing area at one time, while still being more of less safe from it. Don't worry though, it's not as weird as it sounds. Around the glass chamber is the rest of the facility, which has been carved out of an underground bedrock in order to protect any civilization on the surface. In order to keep the facility from collapsing, a badass mother-has-intercourse-with support system is needed:

Said cavernous area. On the right is where the blue team spawns.


This is the entrance into the facility. One door, and two climbable windows.


A foyer of sorts.


The fusion reactor.


This is one of the rooms surrounding the fusion chamber.


From a hallway winding through the front area of the facility, a player is able to view the testing area while nodding slowly in a white coat with his hands behind his back.


Now, this is the entrance to the aforementioned tube-thing.


After dropping down, a man cannon forces you down this tight hallway.


And you pop out here! You fall out into the fusion chamber. This never fails, and is a lot of fun!​

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Thanks for checking it all out, and remember: I'll be watching...

Final Message: If you like the look of this map, please comment and let me know. It'll help to let people, and myself, know whether or not it is worth finishing!​

 

Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement. I know what you mean by the mundane process of finishing a map off, but as my name suggests I have no problem with that ^^ My main issue has been that my maps have simply not been good enough, and I understand that. I'm putting this out there to see if there is much of a positive reaction from the community, and from what I've seen it sounds like Theta isn't all that bad.

^^ Thanks for the feedback! King of the hill is particularly fun, as players can easily find the hill and navigate their way towards it. Being a smallish map as well, it's pretty insane.

 

It's a little odd at first, though the effect of the man cannons don't allow you to move anywhere other than where you need to go. There's enough room for you to see what's going on, so I wouldn't say it leaves a player disorientated.

Again, thanks for your thoughts.

 

You know, I only recently found out that glass tends to cause lag issues, but by then I had already constructed the map. Luckily though, there is very little lag contrary to what would be expected with two kill balls in the same room. I don't know why, but I suppose it's because it's a pretty small area to begin with.

As for the second picture issue, I figure you might have a point. Of course, I can't really know for sure until it's tested, but I don't think that there will be much fighting done around that area anyway. It's out of the main building, and there isn't very much which would draw a player outside so in theory there wouldn't be many players to affect. I think I'll wait until testing to decide whether or not that needs changing though. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

 

What exactly was wrong with the side entrances? A player would have to use convenient aspects of the environment to climb into an unconventional entrance. I figure a few hops over the boxes adds to the authenticity of the map in regards to theme, and rewards players for going out of their way. Is there something I'm missing which makes jumping a no-no?

I agree with the widening of the entrance, because on further consideration I realize it would be too tight for objective games in which more players would be traveling to and from the area more often. I might not use barricades, but I'll think of something to add some cover to the otherwise cover-less area. Thanks again for bringing that to my attention.

Unfortunately, the area is the Blue Team's territory. To place a power weapon or anything else there would screw up the balance. Since Theta is a small map, having a symmetrical placement of the same weapon on the other side of would be a total overkill. But that being said, I do have an idea to fix both issues...

 

Man, I wish it were that simple. That gap is too narrow for a 1x1 bank to get into it. That little thing really gets under the skin of my perfectionist side too. I'll see what I can do though.