================================================================================
		Steel Base
================================================================================
File(s)			: 	DM-BB_SteelBase.unr
			  	DOM-BB_SteelBase.unr
				SteelBase.umx
				(steelbase.zip)
Author			: 	Freddy Gustavsson (aka BB Drac)
Web (with contact info)	: 	www.birrabrothers.com/drac/index.php
Releasdate		: 	10.May.2012


================================================================================
		Players
================================================================================
Player support		: 	1 on 1 (Suggested) 6 (Max)
Bot support		: 	Yes    
Deathmatch		:	Yes
Domination		: 	Yes



================================================================================
		Build
================================================================================
Editor used		:	UED2 (4.36 patch)
Build Time		:	10 Weeks
Brushes			:	DM 1371 - DOM 1374
Polys			:	DM 9398 - DOM 9440
Nodes			:	DM 20983 - DOM 21080
Zones			:	4
Lights			:	638
Secrets / Easter Eggs	:	Yes


================================================================================
		Installation
================================================================================
Place the *.unr files in your \UnrealTournament\maps directory.
The *.umx goes in the \UnrealTournament\music directory.


================================================================================
		Story
================================================================================
Liandri's newest arena in a space station in the middle of nowhere,
or more specific, far into deep space.
Better known as the steel base from its solid construction of mostly steel to
withstand the harsh environment.

It was used to create artificial gravity wells and possibly black holes.
After several successful atempts a more permanent gravity well was put in place.
An unknown effect of this was the close surrounding materials that started to
creep closer and closer.
Planets, dust clouds and asteriods now orbit the station.

More research would have gone into this if it had not been for the enormous sum
of money Liandri put forth to transform it into a money making arena.
While participants are quite safe inside the base itself, Liandri's main goal
was a field to create small scale, one on one up to three against three matches.

Thanks to the structure of the base, weapons fire pose little to no threat,
allowing for more carnage by the contestants.

The current gravity well has been put into a statis field to preserve the
station from ultimate destruction.


Map features different sections in combination with tight corners, hallways
and z-axis depth.
Different lights, both color and brightness with low view range and lots
of windows force you to be alert at all times.
It is possible to see the enemy through windows / glass but not attack and
once you are around the corner the whole setting may have changed.


================================================================================
		Technical and Trivia
================================================================================
Basic structure and layout of the map was actually done in early 2011.
Now, a year later, the map is complete.

This is the big brother of my steel base lite map.
Steel base was made for the scrolling message tutorial but creating such a big
map for just that was over the top and a lite version was made instead.
The original plan for this map was a lot simpler than it turned out.

Most planets in the skybox are custom textures, found on the internet, and
converted to 256x256 textures.
This also includes a star, galaxy and a nebula texture.

The standard steel texture used is actually a true image of steel that was
converted into 256 color 256x256 pcx image.
I spent a lot of time finding a texture that would work for this map.

Without the colored lights the entire map would look like an old black and
white tv as almost all textures are either grey or very dark.

Most brushes that are out of reach are non-solids.

While it look like the outside of the base is large, each section of window(s)
only feature a small area with exterior of the base to make it
easier to build.

The big dead-end doors can be used to expand the map.
While there is no plans to do so, no one knows what the future brings.

Skybox is a complete mess of sheets and lights!

The upper central area was originally not boxed in with walls.
I added it to reduce visibility and keep with the look / theme as the rest of
the map.
Bots will also roam the map better.

I lean towards larger maps with more room to move around in but if this map
would be done in that way it would change the tone drastically.

All lights, and it's colors, fade from one to another without too much
distinction between them.

Both asteroids and spaceships move clockwise and counter clockwise in
the skybox but I also wanted the skyzone actor to rotate at a very slow speed.
For some reason any value around 20 and below in movement rate would not make
the actor rotate at all (30+ works but that didn't look good).

Map details, pipes, doors, window light contrast and dark corners all keep you
from seeing opponents clearly.

The ramp up to the second floor, at the side of the base, do have a slight
construction error.
The window border is lower at the start than at the top but is not that
visible unless you look at it.
The reaons for this is that the window border indent slightly at the start
and end forcing a steeper angle up the ramp.

An ugly BSP hole appeard on the wall on the other side of the ramp to the
second floor.
It was gone when a few details and geometry changes was done there.

Some outside geometry should have been seen from the other floor but isn't
due to the way the outside was built.

Map show a surprising low amount of bsp holes.

In the rounded hallways you can "slide" through on the small slopes.
Unknown reason for this other than faulty physics engine as it happens
no matter where and how.
I tried to rebuild a hallway and it still happened.

For some strange reason, when rebuilding lighting, some lights started to be
deactivated.
Rebuild a second time and they are on again.
Never looked too much into it and it never turned into a real problem.

The map features many non- and semi- solids to reduce node count.
Many pillars were changed back from semi-solids to regular solids as
the lack of nodes started to cause several BSP problems.

I was not happy with how the gravity well turned out but had to compromise.
The nodecount in that area started to rise above acceptable levels.
It doesn't look as exciting as I had planned but it work as it is now.

Shutters can be closed and opened for fun and to reduce lag in center area.

For some reason it don't seem that Raytraycing a mover in specified key work.
I put dynamic light mover on them instead but they will suddenly turn bright
or dark once the handle is shown or out of sight.

Bots will go through pillars in the ramp to / from second floor and run
on light railings. It was unexpected (partly) but works very good.
It looks like they are able to abuse the geometry to their advantage.

The skybox, subtracted brush, is now defective. Each time I rebuilt 3/4 of
all the polygons have masked set. Have no idea why it is that way but I
just remove it, rebuild lighting and everything is fine again.

The song I wanted to use didn't convert very well from XM to UMX.
New song works great but not as good in my opinion.

There is no shieldbelt or redeemer in the map.
Armor was also removed from the domination version.

All the health vials are there to force a little roaming which can give an
advantage if you are able to keep the armor as well.
Vials will also alert anyone nearby as they make noise.

I opted not to zone the map.
Zones will not help with anything regarding BSP or meshes and the map
is too small to be split into segments just for naming.
I used locationid at strategic positions for the domination map.

All weapons are present (except redeemer) but ammo is spread around.

At spawnpoints (dead ends) you have weapons and if you want to get it,
either through respawn or risk going inside.


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		Known Problems
================================================================================
In a few central sections you can reach a polycount of 600+.
It's limited to sepcific angles and should not be much of a problem.
Avarage polycount around the map is 100-300.

Center area will be laggy for many.
You can close the shutters to reduce visuals into the skybox but it will still
lag a little.

A bot might get stuck trying to jump down from second floor to one of the
ramps.
It try to just fall down to the pathnode right below.
It happen very seldom and only if there is no target around.

In domination, while not specifically a problem, bots tend to end up in
the center area instead of going for the upper or lower observatories.


================================================================================
		Copyright/Permissions
================================================================================
Author of this work (map) is copyright by Freddy Gustavsson (aka BB_Drac)
by international copyright laws.

You may distribute this map via electronic means, providing that it is done
so free of charge and that its content is not altered in any way
(this text file included).

You may use this map to futher build or improve the work as seen fit as long
as it is ditributed as a separate piece of work.

Music is copyright by Sybaris