Minihattan Island - A3

[bracer 12]

Hey guys!

I now release a test version of a map containing my New York inspired buildings.

The reason for the release is to gather info about how it performs and how I should progress with this project.

It contains ~30 custom buildings, most of them fully enterable (some have 30+ floors!).

It's still in the middle of the development process, in other words ALOT of unfinished stuff.

The island is extremly simple, there is hardly any decorative objects.

Also the buildings are very empty, since furniture decrease performance alot.

So before adding any details like furniture and stuff in the alleys I need to know how it performs in a clean and simple state.

READ THIS BELLOW CAREFULLY!

I ask you to read the "Known bugs list" bellow before posting any bugs.

To help me, focus on answering these questions:

How does it perform?

Should the map be bigger/less decorated or smaller/more decorated?

How do you play the map, against AI or PvP? What should I focus on?

Report other bugs!! And not how empty the buildings are or lame the map is, remember it's released in the middle of development and I need many more months to actually complete it!

All suggestions and ideas are of course appreciated!

The buildings are the main addon, the terrain is just for testing purposes.

Download the newest version here:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8291078/Bracers_Minihattan053_A3.zip

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=23869

I hope to see some missions for it soon and to hear some feedback!

Cheers

/Bracer

Known bugs:

-Shadows look horrible

-Sidewalks are missing geo-lod, "sticky road" bug (Thanks Zodd)

-Missing ILS in config error when loading map in editor

-Error, cannot load some bush thingy

-Most of the doors are not animated

-Windows are not working, you can either walk through them or not shoot through them Mostly fixed

-LoD switching look horrible

-Custom textures (decals on windows) are not showing properly

-Buildings have no furniture

-The map has no details

-AI cannot use most of the buildings

-The map lacks variation, the buildings are repetative (Come on dude! I built 15 custom buildings on my free time in 4 months... I have a real job, and it's definitly not 3D modelling.)

-Bugs that you report!

Future plans:

-AI can use all buildings

-Make it look good

-Add interesting interiors

-Increase performance

-Make an awesome map with detailed alleys and a cool park

-Animate all doors

-DESTRUCTION!!

-Ideas that you suggest!

Versions changelog:

0.5.3 - Released

-Improved the exterior of the mall upper floors

-Removed shadows (temporarly until I figure them out)

-Stopped buildings from falling through the ground

-Hopefully fixed compatibility issues with AiA

-Added few interiors

-Testing destruction on Hotel

-Fixed missing texture

0.5 - Released

-Plenty of new buildings

-Greatly improved visuals

-Changed the sidewalks

-New reflections from the windows

-Reduced the amount of the ugly buildings

-Better config files

-Optimized some buildings and their geoLods

-Added a hidden experimental bonus...

0.3.1

-Fixed missing texture

0.3 - Released

-Optimized buildings

-Better looking LoDs

-Signed all addons

0.2 - Released

-Sharpen edges on skyscrapers to remove blocky look

-Fixed geolod on Hotel1, Mall upper structure, Skyscraper 4, Sky10

-Fixes roadway lod on Hotel 1, Mall upper structure, Row house 1, Skyscraper 4, Sky10

-Added clutter, fish and snakes to A3 version

-Fixed the glass in a few buildings

-Fixed bad rotating door

-Fixed holes in some walls

-Fixed missing textures

-Added a few interiors

-Edited the terrain

-And more.

0.1

-Release

Edited October 27, 2014 by bracer

[tomclothier 1]

Nice work! Downloading now :)

[zodd 14]

Runs fine for me

Issues:

I found you can glitch through the walls on some buildings - walked up to a window at about hip height but then slipped through the floor on the inside of the building.

Found it hard to replicate but around the gutters grenades sometimes get sucked into the footpath - This was a rare occurrence (for me at least) so probably low priority.

Ideas:

Glass - including tinted windows (ie. can be shot out but not seen through from outside)

Doors that can be destroyed (in line with this ticket - http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=3376 and this forum post : http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?130731-How-to-make-a-door-open-when-it-is-shot-or-recieves-damage ). Might be harder said than done.

Overall looks very nice, zero performance issues but sometimes the ground felt a bit 'sticky'... like the physics surface was slightly below the model?

[giorgygr 61]

Thanks bracer :)

[bracer 12]

Thanks dudes!

I hope you find it fun even though it's far from finished!

Runs fine for me

Issues:

I found you can glitch through the walls on some buildings - walked up to a window at about hip height but then slipped through the floor on the inside of the building.

Found it hard to replicate but around the gutters grenades sometimes get sucked into the footpath - This was a rare occurrence (for me at least) so probably low priority.

Ideas:

Glass - including tinted windows (ie. can be shot out but not seen through from outside)

Doors that can be destroyed (in line with this ticket - http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=3376 and this forum post : http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?130731-How-to-make-a-door-open-when-it-is-shot-or-recieves-damage ). Might be harder said than done.

Overall looks very nice, zero performance issues but sometimes the ground felt a bit 'sticky'... like the physics surface was slightly below the model?

VERY happy to hear it performs nice for you! It gives me room to add stuff then! :bounce3:

Can you post a photo on what building it happened in? Did you fall throgh the floor?

The sticky floor thing I also need more details about!

Thanks for the feedback mate!

[Wiki 1558]

Impressive map - and I meant it!

However, I got performance issues on ArmA 2 version (not tested ArmA 3 version).

And like on your screenshot, buildings look white until you get close to them.

[bracer 12]

Impressive map - and I meant it!

However, I got performance issues on ArmA 2 version (not tested ArmA 3 version).

And like on your screenshot, buildings look white until you get close to them.

Thanks Wiki! I hope to see one of your missions on this project of mine aswell (Umbrella - Emita, awesome)!

The issue you describe is the distant low res LoD's.

I'm trying to make them look like glass buildings, with that reflective effect without causing to much performance issues.

So now they almost look like giant mirrors, very bright.

They need more work for sure!

---------- Post added at 02:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:03 AM ----------

I wished the LoD's would change earlier so that you wouldn't notice so clearly when it goes from a solid, reflective box - to the open buildings with actual windows.

[Wiki 1558]

Sorry, I've quit editing, so I won't be creating on your map.

Maybe you can look at Seattle map from TOH for the buildings LOD.

[bracer 12]

The third photo in the OP shows the issue.

The tallest building on the left side can be seen two times in the photo, one close and one in the distant.

The distant one is the reflective box trying to simulate all those windows, while the close one has changed LoD to the actual open building.

Is this the effect you noticed, Wiki?

[rehtus777 10]

Now this shows promise..... very nice. I was skeptical at first when you posted it in the "Discussion" section, but now I'm a believer. I image once you clean it up, add more stuff, and fine tune it, it's gonna be a lot of fun to do some Urban Combat near Central Park :p

[bracer 12]

Sorry, I've quit editing, so I won't be creating on your map.

Maybe you can look at Seattle map from TOH for the buildings LOD.

Yeah, those Seattle buildings look awesome in the distance...

Reflective glass and all!

Someone have to teach me that stuff.

---------- Post added at 02:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:15 AM ----------

Now this shows promise..... very nice. I was skeptical at first when you posted it in the "Discussion" section, but now I'm a believer. I image once you clean it up, add more stuff, and fine tune it, it's gonna be a lot of fun to do some Urban Combat near Central Park :p

Hehe, yeah, I was skeptical aswell.

But as you can see, I kept very simple to keep it playable.

---------- Post added at 02:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:20 AM ----------

Dudes!

If you would like to post your Ghz and Ram + view distance setting, when saying if it performed good/bad, it would help me to put it in a context!

Cheers!

[LykosMactire 298]

i have 8 gigs of ram, Run moderately (laggier than kavala but not as bad as standing in a middle of a nuke) 1.3 GHz

[zodd 14]

Taking off from outskirts and flying over the map

FPS - Low - 25, Ave, 29-30

View: 8670

Object: 4290

Shadow: 100

i5-3570K stock 3.40 3.80

8gm RAM

GTX Titan

Arma 3 version - performs fine.

A fair bit of flickering of buildings (LOD switching? Glass disappearing etc) but runs very smoothly

Unable to find where I fell through the building but the design (internally) was the same as the one IVO 0215 0335 - I have spent 20 minutes running around all the ones like that with no further falling through the floor so either possibly a tiny glitch or just one tiny area you have to be exactly in the right place... probably just an Arma-ism though.

Key 'issues' in vid form

In order

'Sticky' road

Objects disappearing in footpath

Building window LOD flicker (Note - not too bad here but compounded when flying overhead)

Shadow flickering - oddly enough only on some directions apprently

Edited December 17, 2013 by Zodd

[bracer 12]

Amazing performance considering your high viewdistance! Cool!

Very nice video report!

The sidewalks are from the Arma1 samples, and I checked now, they are missing geo-lod, so it should be easily fixed!

Grenades sticking to the asphalt seems weird!? A mystery...

All the flickering is also a mystery still, allthough I havn't learnt how to use view geometry and shadow LOD yet,

so that might be the solution!

Thanks again for taking the time reporting so detailed! It will make the map better!

---------- Post added at 04:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:08 AM ----------

Buglist updated!

[froggyluv 2130]

Took a quick spin also using Speed of Sound mod (nice deep rumble) and TPW's stuff giving civilians/animals etc... Well performance seemed fine for the most part except the already mentioned LOD of the skyscraper levels kind of piling in and out.

Set up about 15 both friend and foe Sites for randomized and ambient battles /sound while my squad had to fight it's way out of Central Park -was nice having a more familiar theme such as urban U.S.A. Nothing against Europe but for as long as i've been playing OFP.. ;)

Central park could use some more landscape variety and I can't even fathom what it will be like when all that glass can explode -I think I'll be swimming in a sea of it for weeks.

[bracer 12]

Took a quick spin also using Speed of Sound mod (nice deep rumble) and TPW's stuff giving civilians/animals etc... Well performance seemed fine for the most part except the already mentioned LOD of the skyscraper levels kind of piling in and out.

Set up about 15 both friend and foe Sites for randomized and ambient battles /sound while my squad had to fight it's way out of Central Park -was nice having a more familiar theme such as urban U.S.A. Nothing against Europe but for as long as i've been playing OFP.. ;)

Central park could use some more landscape variety and I can't even fathom what it will be like when all that glass can explode -I think I'll be swimming in a sea of it for weeks.

Sounds cool! Glad it performs as it should!

Mmm, those LOD issues are a priority now, not sure how to make them smooth though.

Make sure to try adding AI's with cycle waypoints inside buildings like this:

It works in the big-big building as in the video!

There's also functional AI positions in "Sky10" and "Mall".

Destruction effects are in the plan! It should add alot to the map!

The park and terrain will be worked on when it's decided how big the map will be.

Thanks for reporting in!

Cheers

[zodd 14]

wall clipping pos =

[2260.5,3614.4,0.00144005]

[2250.59,3619.09,0.00144148]

[laxemann 1673]

Very nice! :)

A performance heads up:

Usually 37-40 on Altis, 22-25 in Minihattan.

[kremator 1064]

This is nice work bracer. Well done mate. Trying it out later on.

[zodd 14]

Done up a little hostage rescue mission - GREAT fun (MP COOP 4 + snipers and good old unit capture insertion/extraction)

Main issue is the pathing inside the buildings (I know this is known) but awareness seems to be pretty low for the AI too? Unsure if this is jus vanilla arma having a heart attack about the indoor options or not!

[HorbeySpector 164]

First impression: AWESOME!!

fps doesn't drop below 40 here. :) but there's lots of texture flickering.

http://gyazo.com/3186910b3f82ab72a4d6052cb529bd02

Can you please make the doors destroyable, so we can use explosives on them? :D

Edited December 17, 2013 by ltsThomas

[nikiforos 450]

Just imagine the light shafts and the new lighting implemented into this map :)

Great potential if you ask me :) Just tested in the morning but I had good vibes.

[Kaxii 11]

I think you should lower the brightness and reflecton levels of the glass at a distance, as many buildings unless it is hugely sunny don't act as giant mirrors but instead actually simply look like lighter colours ofof the glass colour rather than reflectors, and some buildings also have coloured glass to help reduce this 'blinding' shine which can happen if the sun shines directly on a building.

[Kidd2410 10]

Much building, such wow!

I love this map been playing about in it for a bit and cannot wait to see the final product or even the next update!!

I agree with Kaxii though it is a little bright in there but that is to do with ArmA over brightening textures think i've seen it on other stuff. Keep up the amazing work!

[bracer 12]

Thanks for the feedback!

Everything sounds ok in my ears, so I can keep working along the plan!

Regarding the brightness, does it look ok when you are near the building?

It's the distant LoDs, they need alot of work, but it's easily fixed to lower the reflection/brigthness.

Done up a little hostage rescue mission - GREAT fun (MP COOP 4 + snipers and good old unit capture insertion/extraction)

Main issue is the pathing inside the buildings (I know this is known) but awareness seems to be pretty low for the AI too? Unsure if this is jus vanilla arma having a heart attack about the indoor options or not!

Need to do some tests! I havn't played alot of Arma3, so I'm not sure how the AI acts inside the buildings of Stratis. I will test and compare.

In Arma2 version I havn't noticed anything weird though, will double check!

Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

First impression: AWESOME!!

fps doesn't drop below 40 here. :) but there's lots of texture flickering.

http://gyazo.com/3186910b3f82ab72a4d6052cb529bd02

Can you please make the doors destroyable, so we can use explosives on them? :D

Thanks!

Ah, it's because the building is in different sections!

You mostly notice on that one since there is no wall separeting them.

Fixable!

I'll try to make everything destroyable!

Priority is the windows though, then I'll take a look at doors and later walls!