AR_LC_Apote [Counter-Strike: Global Offensive] [Maps]

Arena shooter-like level for CS:GO

Changelog:

1.1: Added .kv file, AR-specific spawn points.

Original description:

This level started out as a potential entry for some GB contest. It quickly turned into one big messy playground where I've been trying out various gameplay and design ideas.

Although I managed to stretch development over two and a half years, the actual time spent on this level is around 4 months.

In the end it turned out to be Quake arena-style level with bizarre arcade elements usually not found in a slow-paced shooter that CS:GO is, namely pickups for health & other bonus effects, jumppads, turrets and air vehicles.

I can't say that the end result feels satisfying - due to both engine limitations and lack of motivation to find a way around those and polish the level. Overall atmosphere seems nice, although level - partially thanks to Source engine ancient technical limits - is lacking in minute details department.

Even so, working on this map has been quite an enlightening experience, which let my passionate hatred towards Source blossom in full color. On the brighter side, I also picked up some Blender skills along the way.

If anyone's interested in VScript source code for various contraptions in this level, you can unpack it straight from .bsp file. Or just ask me and I'll publish plain source files somewhere else, as well as Blender source files for props and level .vmf source itself (it'll crash your Hammer editor in a matter of minutes, though).

Navigation file has been slightly hand-tuned, bots should run around in a relatively natural manner, although jumppads confuse them noticeably.

If you're putting it on a game server, please provide players with this BZip2 compressed version - its size is about one sixth of an uncompressed file.

Meow meow

Over and out.

Files

ar_lc_apote_final_2.7z 6y

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Alternate File Sources

Mirror #1 router steamcommunity.com

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Jack_is_my_name Joined 6y ago

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Jack_is_my_name

6y
I really enjoyed playing this map. I would really like to see it with low gravity, I reduced the gravity when I played on it and it was fantastic fun.
Bananite

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Lord Canistra Joined 13y ago

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Lord Canistra

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6y
> **Posted by xCuDi** > > This is an excellent map. Very original and loaded with great details. > > What exactly does that "power up" at the very top of the map do? It's the same large health power-up as the one above jumppad in the main hall. There are 3 types of health power-ups: - Small, restores 10 HP, respawn time 10 seconds - Medium, restores 50 HP, respawn time 20 seconds - Large, restores 200 HP, respawn time 30 seconds All health power-ups restore HP only up to maximum of 200 HP. Other 2 power-ups are: - Invisibility, renders player's body invisible for 10 seconds, respawn time 30 seconds - Flashlight, activates a flashlight for player for 20 seconds, respawn time 20 seconds These two power-ups modify poorly documented "effects" field for player and _might_ be broken by some future game update. Then again, this whole map is one big dirty hack.
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Lord Canistra Joined 13y ago

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Lord Canistra

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6y
> **Posted by JorisCeoen** > > Aside from the fact that it looks superb, if you are thinking about porting this map, you can do this perfectly fine with Wall Worm Model Tools. You import it in 3DS Max, then you can export ALL of the assets such as models and brushwork to a new engine like indeed, the Unreal Engine 4. > > Depending on texture choice, if all of them are stock textures, it's likely that you're going to have to remake your own. Also for those brushes, you'll have to turn them into models and remove all the nodraw faces (which is really easy as they will all be given the same material ID which you can remove in one click). > > If you're ever considering this, you can always add me on Steam and progress a port (or, of course, you could learn it all by yourself). > > Great work, nice to see innovation and not the X'th fucking warehouse! Thanks for suggestion, I've actually heard about WWMT few years ago and considered using them. In the end though, I went for Blender instead of 3ds Max for several reasons - it was free, it was readily available for both Windows & Linux (that's a concern) and many of its controls and mechanics appear to be more intuitive (I know, many will argue). Besides, I seriously doubt I'll touch Source any time soon.

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Lord Canistra Joined 13y ago

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Lord Canistra

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6y
> **Posted by will2k** > > [post] Thanks for detailed response. Indeed, I was considering porting this level to Xonotic (Fast-paced DM shooter biased towards large levels). However, my attempts at porting brushwork as it is in .map format failed miserably, and breaking it into lots of smaller props + reconstructing basic shape for visibility optimization seemed like too much of a hassle - with little to gain, since that game's engine isn't too far ahead of Source in graphics department. I've heard on numerous occasions that visuals reek of Unreal, which is weird given that I hadn't so much as watched any gameplay videos of any Unreal series game. Maybe one reason is this CS 1.6 level made by a certain all-about-Unreal guy in 2004, around the time i got into level design. It contributed a lot to me setting high visual standards for myself, as well as being an inspiration for some design experiments. I'll definitely consider Unreal 4 engine for my future works, although I'd rather start working on an entirely new level rather than a remake of something. Now, regarding areaportal optimization I could agree that it'd be more efficient at culling bottom parts of map for players inside hall, as well as hiding small parts of interiors when viewed from outside at certain angles. The big problem is, during last days I was literally fighting for every brush face to cramp them all into engine limits. I couldn't even add all the hint brushes originally planned because they'd split some faces during compilation and break those limits. Placing additional areaportals would yield same results. Indeed, some details could be replaced with model geometry, but that was my last resort, since getting more or less decent, accurate lighting on props usually requires considerable subdivision, leading to increased map size and more strain on renderer - not the best tactic on such an open level. As for the large block on the top of the map, I chose to leave it in world geometry in attempt to block some visibility between top floor and lower areas. In the end, it didn't work out well - again, due to lack of hint brushes I removed to spare some brush geometry. Maybe I was a little too greedy for those lightmaps...

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xCuDi Joined 9y ago

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xCuDi

6y
This is an excellent map. Very original and loaded with great details. What exactly does that "power up" at the very top of the map do?
Level Designer

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Joined 12y ago

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cL_

6y
This is Art! So cool map, thumbs up!

Mantra
Finnish mapper 1.6/CS:GO

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Joined 10y ago

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JorisCeoen

6y
Aside from the fact that it looks superb, if you are thinking about porting this map, you can do this perfectly fine with Wall Worm Model Tools. You import it in 3DS Max, then you can export ALL of the assets such as models and brushwork to a new engine like indeed, the Unreal Engine 4. Depending on texture choice, if all of them are stock textures, it's likely that you're going to have to remake your own. Also for those brushes, you'll have to turn them into models and remove all the nodraw faces (which is really easy as they will all be given the same material ID which you can remove in one click). If you're ever considering this, you can always add me on Steam and progress a port (or, of course, you could learn it all by yourself). Great work, nice to see innovation and not the X'th fucking warehouse!

Mantra
Level Design, Modeler, YouTube

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Rafael De Jongh

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6y
Fascinating! Really digging the atmosphere!

Mantra
Web Developer & 3D Artist

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Corvalho

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6y
Dang this looks amazing.

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will2k
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6y
Congratulations on the release even if it comes after a protracted development cycle as you mentioned. The brushwork is simply brilliant and despite the limitations in Source, you managed to have the most twisted (pun intended) shapes in every area of the map. Coupled with the sheer scale of the brushes/buildings, the overall architecture is breathtaking to look at and marvel at its complexity. Well done. The entities work/Vscript is commendable and adds a whole new dimension to the gameplay. The floating orbs/cannons were a blast to use (another pun, sorry). The custom skybox gives the map even more scale and depth and you really feel like you are on a floating platform or futuristic city, hanging between planets. The lighting is well made with a nice contrast between the orange environmental light and the cold blue/white indoor lights. The map screams deathmatch and may I say, Unreal Tournament or Quake. You already said the CSGO gameplay does not fit the map and I couldn’t agree more; it really needs a fast shooter to use the map to its fullest potential. Maybe I played too much UT and Quake in the 90s and I’m a little biased, but this map would really feel at home if you switch it to unreal engine. Its futuristic looks, its fast gameplay, its power-ups and jump pads are all screaming UT. UnrealEngine4 was lately released for free and a new UT is around the corner, so it would be a wise move to make the switch now and I’m pretty sure this map will gain quickly in popularity; the craftsmanship is already there and the UE will let you unleash the full creativity where Source now is restricting it with its quake-era technical limitations. A couple of things related to optimization you might want to take into consideration if you update this map. Adding some areaportals to separate the central indoor area from the outside wouldn’t go amiss. You can add several areaportals on the doorway and windows and a horizontal one at the top of the walls. You nicely func_detailed the complex brushwork across the map but I feel that the top of the tower is better to be switched to func_detail; right now it’s made of regular world brushes and the PVS there is going crazy. Well done again on this map that sets the bar high for abstract maps. Keep up the good work. Edit: This definitely deserves a front page feature. Calling our feature mods, Rafael De Jongh & Squeezit
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Mantra
cosa dici!
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