Arena-Style Levels

[8IronBob]

Hey, everybody. I would like to know how many level designers there are out there that design "battle arena" style levels for any games on the Build Engine, especially Duke 3D. The reason I'm asking, is, I used to specialize in doing some of these for the id Software games, DOOM series and Quake series, and I'm now getting back into doing levels for Duke, which I haven't done in who knows how long. I liked the arena levels that I did for Quake and Quake II, but could never do anything like this for Duke. Are there any suggestions to make an arena-based level for Duke, since I haven't done BUILD in about five years... Keep in mind that I didn't do just ordinary arena levels, but ones that have very entertaining, interactive themes to them, and good for both DukeMatch and Single Player...

[Rott King]

"Battle-Arena" Style levels? What are they like?

[8IronBob]

Well, just wait through the weekend for me to put one together, and I'll show you. Well, first off, you got a big room, where you have DukeMatch, but I can make them single player levels, too, if you have a big boss to fight with. As far as I can see, the easiest way to show you, I can put one together within a weekend. If you've played Quake series, I, II, and III, then you know that there were Arena levels made for that made for multiplayer, where you have a big, airy, spacey room. There are ledges full of weapons, health, armor, whatever else have you, then you gather in a big ring in the middle of the room, and fight to the death. Sorta like a tournament arena type level, more or less... I'm quite sure that levels like this have been made like McDonald's makes hamburgers.

[8IronBob]

Oh, and by the way, the example level is going to have a WID release date, so don't rush me into finishing it during the weekend, because, well, there are going to be quite a few great surprises to this level. For the single player, you'll have to earn your way to fight the big boss, meaning that you'll have to fight through a street corner to get the keycard to enter the parking garage, kill the baddies in the garage, go into a warehouse, then fight your way to get into a computer lab chamber, then to unlock the forcefields to go and fight the Overlord in the core of the level, hence, the arena. In Dukematch, you'll have four starting positions inside the arena core, and four out in the streets somewhere. So, this level can play either way, but single player makes you have to earn the way to fight the boss in the arena core, but in DukeMatch, it's very easy to have a frag tournament in the big dome chamber... Trust me, I always make my levels worth the wait!

[8IronBob]

Oops, hold that thought. I'm actually doing a level based in a Nuclear Research Facility, hence the name of the level, based in Russia, where an alien attack force has taken over a nuclear factory, and you have been asked by both EDF and the United Nations to go into combat and shut the nuclear plant down before the aliens destroy the planet with a big nuclear explosion that'll threaten life as we know it. It'll be an arena-based level at the end, as you battle the Overlord at the top of the nuclear chamber, where you get into combat with him. Battle him, throw a switch, and shut the plant down before the aliens shut the planet down, is the mission you're sent on. Good level base, and it'll be like a "Duke meets Quake" type level.

Here's a picture of the level as I'm starting this level out. You start out in the warehouse of the nuclear facility. There's going to be a door at the other end that requires a set of switches to open it, which are activated similar to the spiral ramp in Quake E1M1. Well, this is a picture of the warehouse from the start position before you go down the stairs to battle the bad guys around the crates. It's a high tech nuclear facility, so you're battling in a futuristic plant, more or less...

[DissidentRage]

For the record, you won't exactly be able to kill the boss THEN throw the switch. What I suggest you do is edit the game.con file with a new part in the Overlord's code that detects whenever it has a non-zero pallete, it won't end the game. You should probably do this; find the part in it that says endgame and:

ifspritepal 0
{
endgame 52
}
else
}
nullop
{

I'm not a con genius, so I could be wrong.

[plugwash]

another thing that is possible although tricy to get right is to modify a boss creature to spawn an accesscard when killed

[8IronBob]

Yeah, I see monsters spawning cards a lot in some games, look at DN:MP, that's used there more than any other Duke game I've played. Well, I'll see what I can come up with. The theme of the level that I put together would depend on what boss I use, and what I feel Duke would like to play in. First I was thinking of doing a nuclear facility, then I was thinking of a Gothic Temple, which I still feel would be a little creative. Now, I dunno what would be a good theme for a level like this. Duke is a city dude, by default, we know that. I try to keep that in mind, but then it'd be fun to put Duke into that portal and go back in time to when the first alien force has taken over the planet, and that, my friends, would be during the Dark Ages, and playing through an old stone, wood, and wall torch temple, like a Quake level... Boy, now I can't think what to come up with! ERRGH!

[Shadow Ripper]

I have a DN3D map I made a while back. It's got a couple of glitches, and a few obvious design flaws, but it's got a big, cool-looking arena with a lot of hiding places and an alien ship to explore.

[8IronBob]

That sounds sweet, well, right now, since Duke is a city dude and all, I should make him fight some street corners again, this time, right here in Cleveland. However, he's going to fight from the ground level, and fight in buildings, and he'll have to work his way from the streets, and solve puzzles and score keycards to fight up to a rooftop and fight the Emperor in a big rooftop arena, where if you use a jetpack, even if you're cheating, you have to use the yellow keycard to get into the rooftop arena, which is on a condemned building. A lava pit was dug out, and you must fight the emperor on the island platform around it. If he knocks you into the lava or slime, or whatever, your only way to escape is to use a jetpack, or swim under the lava or slime, and come out underneath the rooftop right by the Emperor, so be careful...

[Shadow Ripper]

Here's an older version of that map.

EDIT: Sorry about the error. I made a quick HTML download file. Follow the instructions on the page.

http://ravenpics.250free.com/dnmaps/map-dl.html

[Oasiz]

How bout my !BOXWAR map it is incomplete, but i think it´ll be a great arena map!

[8IronBob]

Okay, thank you guys, right now I'm looking forward to doing a level based on Q3A or the UT series, and balancing that with the city-style atmosphere that Duke's known for. That would be great for Dukematch! It'll all come together, due to JonoF's build port being somewhat messed up for D3D, I'm afraid that the level may be a little delayed, but I'll make sure you do get a tourney arena indeed for Duke to kick @$$ in, but it'll be when JonoF finally decides to get the perfect Duke port. Whenever that'll be, I just hope that it'll be soon, not always

[Boinky]

Oh I remember those good old days, I loved doing many an arena style DM.. They are some of the funnest cause your victim cant run far! If I could get Build to work properly w/ XP I might be able to start making some maps again but it dont wanna work! It just freezes any ideas? I would love to start playing D3D again..

[jimbob]

Oh I remember those good old days, I loved doing many an arena style DM.. They are some of the funnest cause your victim cant run far! If I could get Build to work properly w/ XP I might be able to start making some maps again but it dont wanna work! It just freezes any ideas? I would love to start playing D3D again..

build works like a charm with jonofs duke port, and there are some other ports around wich enable you to use build on xp too

[Boinky]

Well from what I read I need a linux compiler and im stubborn. I use windows.. soo yeah. If you wanna send me a compiled build I'll be more than happy to get cranking

Im a noob..... :-\ I found the compiled already and it works! horray for JonoF!!! Unfortunately it doesnt work when I switch to 3d mode it shows background of Friggin DAOC !! if you dont know what that is dont take the time to learn it . Anyways help me whats the problem!! its in my duke folder :'(.

[8IronBob]

Yeah, now that I got this new graphics card, I can do Build levels easier, so yeah, I think a nice arena to start in is with a nightclub or a bar, THAT type of level sits well with Duke, have strippers in the way, fight your way from the bar, into a strip club, into some VIP room, play some pool with an opponent, yeah, you might be thinking I'm recreating Red Light District, when in fact, I'm doing something much fancier than that. This will take place in a different setting, too. You'll probably have more fun with a level that can offer so much more with a city setting, or a nightclub setting for that matter. That would be mighty awesome to do this. Knowing Duke the way we do, the more realistic the arena location, the better the gaming experience will be, that's how I see things!

[Boinky]

Heh, Rock on.. Post the level when your done w/ it.. . I myself was a DM kinda guy. Arena style maps were the best way to keep camping at a minimum . Took a few shots at Single Player maps, they are alright, but a lil strange Either way.. Im still trying to figure out why my Build doesnt wanan function right, eveyrthing works but the graphics, yes its in my duke directory so... umm yeah Anyways when I figure it out, I'll start playing w/ some duke maps again. If you wanna take a look at some of my older first maps, IM me on AOL as P0tg0DX w/ zeros


EDIT:: I found out what it is... It wont lemme load my old maps conflicting textures or something :-\. But hey at least it works!!!

[8IronBob]

Thanks, Boink, that sounds great. I hope to have this level as part of a twin pack of levels that I'm going to start on, besides the Night Club Arena, I'm also going to throw in a single player level, too, of course, I'm going to add some single player elements to the Nightclub Arena, too, but it'll be more geared towards DukeMatch at best, I'll throw a Cycloid Emperor into the arena for single player, that'll make it a little more interesting. The single player level, though, will be a level that leads up to the arena, but it won't really be a mini-episode at all, for obvious reasons. Well, I'll work out something, I may have to throw in DM with the other level, too, but you'll like the twin pack when I'm done with it, I'll start laying ground on this project in another couple of minutes, and continue the architecture phase throughout the weekend on it.

[Boinky]

Horray for me! I got build to work *flex.. now all I have to do is relearn everything... jeesh that might take a while . but not as long as DNF has :-D. no no george dont send your army of keen fanatics at me plz! but soon as I get my first new DM up, and remember what my old duke page was... man.. lol I dunno, I wonder if its still up. I'll link to it, but until then. Ima be messing w/ build!

[C. M. Dratz]

8IronBob:
I have one.
Respectfully:
C. M. Dratz

[8IronBob]

8IronBob:
I have one.
Respectfully:
C. M. Dratz

Awesome, be looking for mine sometime around Easter, because the level attempt I did now, was a big flop. What I'm looking for is a realistic environment for my arena, sorta like a nightclub on a city street type of scenario. And you won't find the weapons/ammo, or health laying around just anywhere in the arena, either, I want a realistic feel in that department, too, you'd have to get into crates, dumpsters, behind desks, in closets around the level, etc... This will create that environment that'll bring the barroom brawl to a level where you have to find everything, and continue on and frag everyone up the wazoo, so be looking for a kick @$$ level in a month or so.

[Boinky]

Nice map Dratz

[C. M. Dratz]

Boinky:
Thank you for your compliment.
Respectfully:
C. M. Dratz

[8IronBob]

Okay, everyone, the moment you've been wating for! Here is my contribution once and for all! I was right, the release would be somewhere around Easter! Didn't think I would get as much done as I have here. Good luck to you!

[C. M. Dratz]

8IronBob and others:
I have referenced below a current version of my Wasted map: wasted12.zip. This is the twelth edition of the alien gladiatorial arena. Changes from version 9 include sparser munitions and items placement and more and/or brighter lights for better visibility in Jonof's Duke 3D Port Open-GL Display Mode.
Respectfully:
C. M. Dratz

[8IronBob]

Wow, that truly is awesome, can't wait to give that one a try. That's nice that you're actually that involved with DukeMatch levels like that. I'm looking forward to more maps like this in the near future. Just keep hoping that it'll be out in time before DNF comes out, WID.

I'll eventually come out with a Team DukeMatch arena myself, if there is such a thing, which is going to be a CS-style map, btw. It's gonna take place with one side of the city block being a warehouse full of explosives, and the other site being a nightclub with a bunch of strippers. You'll have two teams of four, one which'll be loaded with pipebombs and chainguns that are out to destroy these sites, and another team that'll be out to stop the other team from setting off an explosion or killing the strippers, anything like that. It'll be awesome, but it's still a work in progress, and I'll have to fool around with some .CON files to make the Team DukeMatch functions work properly.

[datahead]

i make " Arena " style Duke-Match levels, i Will post A pic In A Bit, After i get sum sleep... no sleep no sex, make datahead.....go.....something something

[Mike359]

I got hundreds of Arnea maps (other popeles maps) on my soon to be huge site.

[8IronBob]

Wow, that's awesome, Mike. Can't wait for that big, enormous site of yours. Just hope that I can come out with another nice map sometime soon. I was hoping to set up an arena based in ancient Japan, which should be interesting. I was going to do that for Shadow Warrior, but as you well know, that won't work too well in Win XP, so I'm forced to use the Raw Meat textures and do one in Duke 3D instead. Oh well, can't say that I couldn't do better when it comes to that. It'll be awesome, tho. You'll have a wide open dojo within a large temple, and all sorts of things, maybe a built in Sushi room, too, you'd never know.

[Mike359]

Sounds good! I look foreward to it!

When I get my site up just rember to submit yer stuff!