Looking for a new project!

World of Warcraft decided to dance my fancies recently. Sadly, there is no inherant custom content for it. The closest it has is the LUA interface customization, but I have no original ideas for that.


Without anything to currently tackle, I'm asking you few readers for any suggestions or requests. I'm looking for a project of moderate scope. A map for a game would be good a good size, but don't bother asking me to recreate the original Mario Kart in spanking new graphics. I don't care if your suggestion requires a new game, a game I currently have, new tools, tools I already use, new knowledge, or stuff I've already learned. So please, throw out any ideas you may have, even if it is just a theme!

Thank you!

Age of Empires 2: AI Scripting

This last month I've been tackling AI scripting for Age of Empires 2. I was actually feeling the need for some old fashioned RTS play and while loading up AoE2, stumbled across some help guides for creating computer player AI files.

First off, the community that still revolves around this 10 year old game astounds me. The most active locale of the community seems to be Age of Kings Heaven. It's really awesome to have a community like that to answer the riduclous and mundane questions. I would not have stuck to these AI files if it wasn't for their inspiration and aid.

The language to implement the AI in AoE2 is interesting. The general flow of it is similar to the BG2 scripting language where it simply reads through a bunch of rules that have conditions followed by actions. If the conditions are met, the actions are carried out, otherwise the rule is skipped until the next pass through. The language lacks numerical operations (+, -, *, /), normal variable functionality, and the programmer doesn't directly control the actions the AI takes. I'm speculating that these standard tools were left out to ensure AIs could not break the game or hog system resources. The rule block structure and lack of normal tools requires the programmer to use plenty of heuristics and creativity.

If I had the ability of direct control, these houses would have been lined up to double as a wall.

I created two AIs. The first one is an all-around player that I built with the purpose of learning the language and just getting a functioning AI up. The second is a helper AI that provides resources to his allies. Both of these AIs were created with some parallel intelligence as promoted by Steve Grand. They can handle game-shipped opponents, but I doubt they would stand to many of the better home-brewed AIs out there.


I may share some more details and examples of the AoE AI building, but I just wanted to get up an overview of what I've been doing this last month.

Update: AI files now linked in the side bar and below.
Econ Byzantine
Staple Frank

Server Up

I finally got a server up on my spare computer. You should be able to connect to it @ 'knixcustoms.servegame.org:27015'. Currently it is hosting TF2. The map rotation includes ctf_crack (aka crevice) and cp_underhanded_b1. I won't always be hosting TF2. I may switch over to CS:S if I decide to work on that game. The server site is also shown in the sidebar (---->).

Counter-Strike Source: Bot Navigation

While making sure my old Counterstrike maps were properly together and releasable, I started playing around with the bot navigation editor. I never tried it before, but it's a fun tool to play with. While the game will generate a basic navigation grid for a custom map, I didn't realize it needed tweaking. So, I opened it up and had some fun fixing some gaps in the old maps.

The concept is fairly simple. The map gets broken into 'stepping stones' and each stone points to stones that can be reached from it. Stones can also be flagged for navigational properties. For example, the stones with green Xs in the picture below indicate they are traversed by jumping. There are similar flags for crouching, walking and running. I added a few of these, as well as made some new stones to fill in gaps created by the automatic generator.



I kind of want to create a CS:S map that has a navigation map that makes the bots look professional (no random jumping or getting stuck). That way, it's a map that plays out like a mini movie each time it runs.

Counter-Strike Source: Sketched Maps

These are a bunch of maps that only made it to the sketching or early modelling phases.

This abbey inspired map is my favourite map that I never did. It was meant to be a small map with a simple layout, a couple levels and lots of cover.



This next one was meant to be a linear map and a bit of gauntlet challenge for the counter-terrorists. I decided the map lacked any oomph and was too linear. At the top of the main ramp, I was hoping to put a bunch of barrels held back by a breakable beam for an old school Donkey Kong effect. The one thing I would like to take away from the map is the use of the catwalks. They add good vertical elements and make for interesting tactical decisions. If you look carefully, you can also see the Combinatorial Math I should have been paying attention to.



This final map was meant to be the sequel and better done version of de_underground. It actually made it to the first round of modelling (see below), but never made it even far enough to have more than one spawn point. The first picture shows the general layout from the side, while the second one shows the various shapes of the floors in the two main chambers.





Hopefully, I can take some of the ideas in these maps and convert them ones for other games.

Counter-Strike Source: Old Maps

Bridge was my first CS:S map. I never brought it past the Beta phase after members of The Shire graciously tested it for me.



This is the initial sketch of de_bridge, which more or less matches the final map.



Underground was my second map where I experimented with the vertical aspect of CS:S. I also designed it to be night goggle reliant and learned that there is a good reason you don't see those kind of maps on public servers.



Finally, Dragon was an ambitious map that really just needed some solid testing and the details added in. Compared to the previous maps, this was definately the most playable. It includes an extravagant yard, a sewage system, secret prison dungeon, and lots of cat and mouse gameplay.



I also have the sketches for cs_dragon. They seem to perfectly match the actual layout of the map. After the previous two maps ending up with cramping issues, the scale of this one came out perfect the first time around.




While these maps are incomplete and could use many adjustments, I don't plan on returning to them.

Crevice II: Paper Draft

About a month ago, I got a not-so-decaf decaf americano in the evening. With my unexpected awake time, I sketched a draft for a better version of Crevice. The basic layout of two facing forts connected by a ridge and catwalks has stayed the same, but the sequel boasts more space, more rooms, better objective centric planning and more aesthetics. Sadly, the more objective centric layout required a bit more linearity in the building interiors.

This side slice shows the general layout of the map. The pipe layout in the middle prevents quick crossing of the map, but still allows some possibility via a cramped perpendicular pipe. One of my favourite new aesthetics touches is the suspending glass hallway at the bottom of the map. This replaces the tunnel in the previous version as a lengthy covered route between the bases.



The floor plan for levels 3 and 4 focuses on the relationship between them. The lower floor contains the spawn, while the one above contains the flag. There is no quick route (except maybe an explosive jump) from the spawn to the flag, BUT newly spawned players can see the flag carrier through the glass ceiling. This means fresh spawns can not cut-off the runner immediately, but can still make an informed decision on where to cut-off the runner. While not in this picture, I was playing with the idea of adding a one-way entrance through the flag room's ceiling so that the flag room would have 2 entrances and 1 exit.



Don't expect to see much work on this map any time soon. I have lots of other work ahead of me before I return to TF2 mapping.