================================================================
Title                   : Swimmin' Pool
Version                 : 1.0
Release Date            : March 13, 1999
Filename                : DmSwimminPool.zip
Author(s)               : Brasdf (aka Brad Chalfan)
Email Address           : bradc@hevanet.com
Description             : Small & pretty deathmatch level. Dive off the
                          diving board for weapons.
================================================================
--- Play Information ---
Game                    : Unreal
Level Name              : Swimmin' Pool
Single Player           : No
Cooperative             : No
Deathmatch              : Yes (2-5 players, 3 is about optimal)
Dark Match              : No
Difficulty Settings     : No
New Sounds              : No
New Graphics            : No
NewUnrealScript         : No
External DLLs           : No
Known bugs              : Nothing important (see below).

--- Construction ---
Editor(s) used          : UnrealEd (Unreal 220 Public Beta)
                          Also used Mathematica to create an
                          icosahedron.
Base                    : New level
Construction Time       : 2 months on & off


Installation
------------
   Unzip DmSwimminPool.zip into your Unreal\Maps directory. You can then
   choose DmSwimminPool from the Botmatch menu. Alternatively,
   double-click the map file DmSwimminPool.unr.

Extended description:
--------------------
   This level was inspired by a ROTT deathmatch level of the same name,
   but this is a fully Unreal version of it with some enhancements. Item
   placement is purposely unconventional: Run to the diving board and
   jump off to get a weapon, head to the hot tub for shield/health
   powerups. Ammo is scattered around, and there are a couple of
   non-fatal traps that let you interfere with your friends' progress.
   You can rocket-jump out of the pool, but there aren't any items out
   there.

   I paid a lot of attention to detail on this level and spent a lot of
   time optimizing botmatch play (see below). Because of the item
   placement, it's still pretty easy to beat bots once you learn the
   level though.


Author's Notes
--------------
   While working on this level I learned a couple of things about bots
   that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere else, so here they are:

   1. In this level you have to jump off the diving board to grab
      weapons that are floating in midair. As of the Unreal 220 Public
      Beta, bots don't know how to do this sort of thing. Also there
      were a couple of ledges that the bots would occasionally trip
      over. I worked around both of these problems by building
      "temporary AI barriers". I created normal CSG_Add brushes that are
      positioned as platforms under floating inventory and as barrier
      walls in places where the bots shouldn't try to walk or jump.

      I would normally leave these brushes in the null space somewhere
      as I worked (open the map in the editor to see them; they're still
      in there below the main level). Whenever I needed to define paths
      I would temporarily drag them into position in my map and rebuild
      geometry, BSP, and lighting first. After the "paths define" was
      done I would drag them back into null space and rebuild geometry,
      BSP, and lighting again, but not paths. I grouped all of these AI
      barrier brushes together (by doing a big intersect) so it was
      easy to drag them all into and out of position quickly later. This
      turned out to be a relatively easy way to achieve some
      customization of the path network.

   2. While experimenting with bot navigation I found that it saved time
      if I placed NavigationPoint actors rather than PathNode actors
      (apples) because then I could experiment with "paths build" and
      the editor wouldn't delete all the PathNode actors I had placed
      manually. NavigationPoint is the base class for all classes that
      are used as AI path nodes, and it's not abstract so you can put
      them in your map. The only annoyance is that you don't seem to be
      able to Duplicate (Ctrl+W) them so you have to add them all one at
      a time.

      In the end I didn't wind up using any "paths build"-placed
      PathNodes after all because I wanted more control, but this still
      seems to be a useful technique, and I never had any problems with
      it. (For a description of "paths build" see
      http://unreal.epicgames.com/AI.htm.)

   3. Problem watching a botmatch game as a spectator:

      As of the Unreal 220 Public Beta, the built-in bot AI has a couple
      of problems that show up especially well in this level. If you
      just watch a botmatch game as a spectator, it's possible for the
      bots to all run out of ammo and just end up running around.

      This problem seems to be a result of two things: (1) The built-in
      bot AI seems to prioritize attacking a visible enemy above
      everything else always, including finding a weapon. This is a
      small level, so it's not uncommon for bots to see each other and
      stop looking for weapons. (2) The bots' dispersion pistols don't
      seem to recharge, making it possible for them to run completely
      out of ammo. None of the weapons on this level are in a spot where
      a bot would accidentally run over them, so if everyone is an
      exceptionally bad shot and blows all their ammo, it's possible for
      all the bots get stuck in a state where they're just running
      around targeting each other without anyone ever shooting.
      Hopefully at least problem (2) will be fixed in future Unreal
      patches.


Copyright / Permissions
-----------------------
This level is copyrighted by Brad Chalfan 1999.

Authors may NOT use this level as a base to build additional levels.

You are NOT allowed to commercially exploit this level, i.e. put it on a
CD or any other electronic medium that is sold for money without my
explicit permission!

You MAY distribute this level through any electronic network (internet,
FIDO, local BBS etc.), provided you include this file and leave the
archive intact.

----------------------
UNREAL (c)1998 Epic Megagames, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.  Distributed
by GT Interactive Software, Inc. under license.  UNREAL and the UNREAL
logo are registered trademarks of Epic Megagames, Inc. All other
trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
