RANDOM CELL w/ .VMF [Demonstration]

[Zebra]

I hope nobody minds, but I'd like to get one thing out of the way before we start. Random Cell is a demonstration map made for Obsidian Conflict mappers, but must be played in EP2. The only reason I have made it for Episode Two rather than Obsidian Conflict is due to the lack of space and also that I am currently working on a large puzzle map for Obsidian Conflict, so this was more of a side project. As it was a side project that I was not allowing much time for myself to work on, I could never make it a large and detailed map, so rather than forcing players through some lazily made entity-show with uninspired combat tacked on I stuck with a small environment thats suitable for only one player to be in. And having it as 'technically' a Obsidian Conflict map would entice server operators in the wrong way. So, Episode Two it is! Sorry for the inconvenience.

It was made for mappers in mind so they can review the .vmf file and implement the techniques into their maps, as I feel we could profit greatly from having random elements more frequently. I've even commented on a majority of the entities in the comments section so you can understand what I was aiming for and how I did it. But if you're not a mapper, feel free to play it anyway (I've included the .bsp) so you can tell me what you think of the random effects.

Random Cell places the player into a cell charged with a random crime and waiting for his verdict. The entire map is only three rooms large and not very large rooms at that, but I've tried to make it pretty. If you would like to download the map and experience it without any 'spoilers', please download it now, play it, and do not read below the line as it will explain a lot of what is in the map and may destroy the element of surprise that randomness has to offer.

Here is the link: http://www.orangedecline.com/mapping/fi ... m_cell.rar




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Random Cell has four endings. One good, the other three bad. Wait in the cell and you will get one. What you do has NO effect on the outcome, so it is purely random. When you start the map, Overwatch will report to you your charge. This is randomly chosen, as there are five possible charges. The light can randomly flicker on and off, random lightning (with delays for thunder) is outside the window, even the damned cola can on the ground has a 1/3 chance of being any of its possible colors, and the food ration besides it has a 50% of being removed at the start. After one minute, there is a random time from 30-60 seconds that a 'fate chooser' is ran. This will decide if a metrocop will peek at you through the sliding door in your cell, if you will be executed by one out of three possible means, or if your rebel friends will come in time to save you. If you are 'killed', you will be presented a randomly chosen ending game_text and the map will automatically restart for you so you can see some more randomness in play. If your friends come to save you, they have two possible messages when they open the door, and two possible messages when they back away. Once you escape, the screen will fade and a randomly chosen winning game_text will appear and you will be disconnected.

The way all of these possible factors stack ontop of one another radically changes typical expectations of a map. While my example is quite extreme, randomizing several subtle or not so subtle things in a map can encourage players to play the map again later to see how things turn out. How about a magnum with limited ammo compared to sniping with that shotgun? How about that alyxgun instead of that pistol positioned somewhere pretty near the spawn that players must bump into? Small things stacked can affect gameplay. I strongly encourage you all to place this kind of reasoning into your maps, and we should be able to make these maps we have stretch a bit more and become even more amazing to play.

Thanks for reading this wall of text, and PLEASE tell me what you think as it will affect my current Obsidian Conflict project.

[Axel_m3sh]

Intresting, I haven't played it but your concept seems pretty intriguing. Sadly, most maps don't have all this randomness due to the limitations in the engine ( as well as time on the mapper's hand) but I can see some small/medium maps making it into this category of random events. Definitely would add more to map re-playability if it was short.

GJ, I bet logic_cases were a hassle? (if any lol)

[MaestraFénix]

Good view about the posibilities of random events. The time wait is a bit long, but is fine.

P.D: I can throw the can through the window, like the bag. Also, i can hit the police when he open the slice of the door, and i can bar the door when it closes XD

[Zebra]

I intended on cans being thrown out of the window, therefore I placed a entity remover at the bottom of the skybox to prevent the 'thump' from being heard to enforce the illusion of being in a prison tower.