Warbell 1.0.0

Warbell.pk3

/--------------------------------------------------------------
//-------------- README for WARBELL release --------------------
//--------------------------------------------------------------


>>> TABLE OF CONTENT
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A - Story and map features
B - General info, credits, acknowledgements
C - Installing & playing the map, known bugs, recommendations for servers
D - Thanks
E - Copyright



//------------------------------------------------------------
A - Story and map features
//------------------------------------------------------------

Why another map? Simple answer: 2 maps to learn mapping, the third to have fun.
Warbell originated from the idea to create a map that s not just a map, but an impressive piece of map Artwork combining intense, captivating gameplay and a good laugh too.
It is also an hommage to the RtCW single player, and the custom SP mission timegate for RtCW.
Now its done, and it is candy to the eyes, drag you into its gameflow and even make your hair stand on end occasionally.
But look for yourself...


Story:
Axis are trying to mess in the occult again, and do real nasty things. Allied special forces took over the occult site in a raid. Now the Axis attack to get back control over the old Abbey and finally raise the evil Wargod. Allies are on the mission to save the world from this of course.

Core facts:
Axis attacking
18 mins timelimit
spawntimes are 15s Axis, 20s Allies
multiple access routes to all objectives
gameplay honed towards fast and intense battle
map design... well look for yourself :-)
loads of special effects
framerates will be constant 76 FPS everywhere for average computer systems (1.2GHz CPU/ 512mb RAM/ Ge4 TI4600 128mb gets at least 50 FPS in the bad areas)
nighttime setting but bright enough to see and kill the opponents
overall mapsize is a bit bigger than supplydepot2

First stage:
- gain access to the Guardhouse (2 access routes: caves and road)
- maybe slip through the teamdoors with stolen uniforms
- capture the flag or
- destroy the Guardhouse Gate (secures forward spawn)

Second stage:
- use dynomite to gain access to the Hidden Room
- take the Book of Death from it's glass case and
- deliver it to the Altar of Blood in the sacrifice room of the Abbey
- destroy the gates in the Abbey for faster access (2 dynamitable, 1 satchelable and one teamdoor, none of them rebuildable)
- repair a bell mechanism in the Abbey
- ring the bell (after you built the mechanism AND after you delivered the objective)
- sacrifice three axis players to the Wargod
- optional: forward spawn at a neutral command post

Gameplay and playerloads:
In 7 Playtests we had with up to 26 players Warbell provided us with an amazingly captivating gameflow, and real fun games.
The stages are defendable, but with a balance that allows attackers to overcome the defense in some waves.
Its plays very good with 10-18 players, and becomes happy large-scale fraggin with 20 and more players.



//----------------------------------------------
B - General info, credits, acknowledgements
//----------------------------------------------

>>> Contents of the zipfile
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In this zipfile you find
- the readme
- the map (warbell.pk3 >> put it into etmain-folder)
- the shader for the commandmap icons
(warbell_etproonly.pk3 >> put it into ETPRO-folder)

>>> About the map
------------------------------------------------
Map: Warbell
pk3: warbell.pk3
mapped by ]UBC[ McNite & ]UBC[ Kach-->
first day of mapping: sometime in the fall of 2005
All credits for gamelayout and objectives go to ]UBC[ McNite!
day of release: July 18th 2006


>>> credit for models
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excellent Book of Death and Warbell model by EB
awesome DT Opelblitz model by Detoeni


>>> credit for paintings
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2 original paintings in the map by ]UBC[ Kach--> (more paintings viewable at warrenkachmar.ca)

wb_p/wb_rubens1 // Pieter Paul Rubens (1619) Christ on the Cross between 2 Thieves
wb_p/wb_rubens2 // Pieter Paul Rubens (1632) Last Supper

wb_sfx/prayinghint // Albrecht Dürer: praying hands

wb_p/wb_stmartin // unknown Hungarian master, app. 1490: St Martin and the Beggar
St. Martin is the Saint for the soldiers. Find more info about him here:
http://www.thebookofdays.com/months/nov/11.htm


>>> credit for waterworks & shaders
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real cool watershaders and river created by carnage
initial help with alphablend shaders by: Der'Saidin


>>> credit for textures and sounds
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wb_z: all textures from RtCW apart from cryptwall_01a.jpg, cathedrale_c06dm_wb.jpg
wb_sfx/c_flameX.tga: from RtCW
wb_b/window4: all versions are reworks of a RtCW window
wb_sfx: g1 - g13, glow, bd1 - 13 by EB (they are all used on the open book)
for detailed credits on the sounds check the warbellsounds.txt


//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
C - Installing & playing the map, known bugs, recommendations for servers
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>> To play the map on a server
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1.) put the warbell.pk3 into your etmain folder
2.) put the warbell_etpro.pk3 into your ETPRO folder
3.) run ET
4.) join the server
5.) have FUN!

>>> To play the map alone
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1.) put the pk3 into your etmain folder
2.) run ET
3.) go to HOST GAME
4.) set it to STOPWATCH
5.) choose "Warbell" from the list of the maps
6.) start and have a look around
In case you can't see the map you might be having too many .pk3-files
in your etmain-folder and need to delete some.

>>> Known Bugs & issues
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- none (that we know of...)

>>> gametypes available
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Stopwatch, Campaign, Objective (no LMS)

>>> playerloads
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This map is well playable for 8 and more players and is best playable with medium
playerloads (12-18 players). Its is also a challenging map for 6on6.
We had excessive playtests with up to 26 players... messy but a lot of fun.
No idea what the maximum playerloads are but at some point it will be just one massive frag fest.

>>> spawntime and mapduration
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Allies: 20 secs (defending)
Axis: 15 secs (attacking)
mapduration: 18 mins

>>> gameplay and balance
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This map was designed for stopwatch, but of course plays well in any campaign too.
It is very balanced with a slight advantage for attackers (Axis).


//----------------------------------------------
D - THANKS
//----------------------------------------------

McNite:
my clan for tons of good times playing ET and TheRiverIIRedux
Kach--> for mapping with me
$taTiK for feedback on gameplay and design whenever i needed some

Kach-->:
McNite for teaching me about mapping and allowing me to participate in the process
Everyone that took the time and energy to help test and provide feedback during development of Warbell


>>> Help with mapping and the whole mess:
--------------------------------------------------------
Der'Saidin for lots of discussion on gameplay and objectives
all the helpful ppl that answered my posts on www.splashdamage.com


>>> playtesting and feedback
------------------------------------------------
a HUGE credit for all the playtesting goes to the clans
]UBC[ (www.ubcclan.com)
M8D (http://www.m8d.org/index.php)
=FBF= (http://forums.fearedbyfew.com/)
-=B|D=- (http://www.bd-clan.info/)

the coordinators in particular:
M8D DrStock, =FBF= Pax, -=B|D=- Schlauch and -=B|D=- Welshboy

also special thanks to the M8Ds for providing us with a special Warbell playtest TS-channel

and all the players who participated in one or more of the 7 private playtests


//----------------------------------------------
E - COPYRIGHT
//----------------------------------------------

Copyright © 2006 Matthias "McNite" Neiss all rights reserved

This level may be electronically distributed only at
NO CHARGE to the recipient in its current state. It must
include this .txt file.
NOBODY is allowed to
a) decompile this map
b) modify this map or parts (= .script too) of it in ANY way without prior written permission
c) distribute this map on CD-ROM or any other media without prior written permission
d) use any custom textures/ sounds/ brushwork of this map without prior written permission.
By saving this map on your harddisk/webspace/whatever-storage-from you accept these conditions.

contact: McNite@web.de

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2 etpromapscripts for Warbell for you server admins to modify Warbell if you like to. They are aimed at improving gameplay for simple public (mapscript II) and high skill servers (mapscript I).

Mapscript I
- restricts the access to the roof room at the belltower constructible (see pic) to make defense up there a lot more vulnerable to explosives and to get rid of the massive backshooting that engies experienced a lot
- sets allied spawntime to 25s instead of 20s giving the attackers another 5s of travel time advantage
- makes the bellmechanism buildable with 1 engie chargebar (instead of 1.5), which makes the construction a lot faster
- removes the wait at the mapend: map is won right after the 3rd sacrifice (Der'Saidin from GA league from downunder suggested this)

Mapscript II
- restricts the access to the roof room at the belltower constructible (see pic) to make defense up there a lot more vulnerable to explosives and to get rid of the massive backshooting that engies experienced a lot
- adds an ammocrate at the command post when its built by Axis
- features the original spawntimes (15/20)

With both mapscripts we also got rid of the message bug when Axis constructs the mechanism after Allies destroyed it AND the book had been delivered already.

So while mapscript I is aimed at servers that are more for highskill players or frequented by competition gamers, mapscript II is for servers that experienced that there was too much full holds because the belltower constructible was too easy to defend.

From our experience Warbell is almost never a full hold, it just calls for good teamplay by the attackers to get the belltower. Still releasing the mapscripts for all server admins won't hurt.
If any admin wants just the ammo at the command post and no blocking of the roof room, let me know.



how to install
download the zip you want, unzip anywhere
rename the warbell_scriptfix_XX.script to warbell.script
upload to the folder etpro/etpromapscripts
you need to enable etpromapscripts and set the folder in your etconfig.cfg of etpro