I think at this point a lot of us would like to see basic stuff like map rotation added, in game downloads are a bit more work but it's not like we won't have it eventually, better sooner rather than later as a variety of maps are what keeps things interesting and fun, it's about time we improved the situation and i think letting the community help take care of it is the best way to go.
endarJoin Date: 2010-07-27Member: 73256Members, Squad Five Blue
Due to this thread I've changed how Aus-Pure is running. It's still all on 1 machine, which appears to be coping. Instead of 2 servers with both summit, it is now going to be: #1 24/7 Summit (18p) #2 Tram/Rockdown "rotation" (18p) #3 Custom maps (12p)
"Rotation" is not quite true, the map will only change when the server restarts, which occurs every day at 5:30am (AEST), and also when the server hits 0 players after having more than 1,(thanks devicenull), and also when it randomly crashes.
As for #3 its only got Triad22, as far as I am aware that is the only custom map in playable state. Feel free to contact me if there's more, and ill start it "rotating".
<!--quoteo(post=1865707:date=Aug 2 2011, 08:04 AM:name=endar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (endar @ Aug 2 2011, 08:04 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1865707"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Due to this thread I've changed how Aus-Pure is running. It's still all on 1 machine, which appears to be coping. Instead of 2 servers with both summit, it is now going to be: #1 24/7 Summit (18p) #2 Tram/Rockdown "rotation" (18p) #3 Custom maps (12p)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Make them all 16p servers. Many users machines cant handle full 18 slot servers.
endarJoin Date: 2010-07-27Member: 73256Members, Squad Five Blue
I just realized you were talking about users machines not handling 18? I had a different post ready. Would reducing by 2 really make much difference though?
<!--quoteo(post=1865710:date=Aug 2 2011, 09:21 AM:name=endar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (endar @ Aug 2 2011, 09:21 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1865710"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I just realized you were talking about users machines not handling 18? I had a different post ready. Would reducing by 2 really make much difference though?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> It will if its a full server. I am not affected by the full server, but I know some users can barely play on a 7v7.I I just though dropping the 2 extra slots on the other 2 servers would help lower end system players and even it all up at 16 a piece.
endarJoin Date: 2010-07-27Member: 73256Members, Squad Five Blue
The numbers are pretty arbitrary. My thinking was 18 is probably the max, so set the main 2 to 18, and since the 3rd will be playing less optimized maps that it would help to have a lower playercount, also people really struggle to download custom maps. I like big servers because of the community it builds (GA #4 24 player!), so I want to leave the Summit server at 18, but im happy to reduce another to allow others to play full games. Ill sleep on it.
When you want to join a server, before doing anything, compare the content of the official ftp server with your local map directory, if different download the missing files.
<!--quoteo(post=1865715:date=Aug 2 2011, 09:36 AM:name=Yuuki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yuuki @ Aug 2 2011, 09:36 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1865715"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I don't really know much about how the game is written, but if this library works it shouldn't be so hard to hack :
When you want to join a server, before doing anything, compare the content of the official ftp server with your local map directory, if different download the missing files.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Can anyone confirm this?
<!--quoteo(post=1865600:date=Aug 1 2011, 08:57 PM:name=fmpone)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fmpone @ Aug 1 2011, 08:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1865600"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What a shame that there are problems with tram and rockdown, I think if those two maps alone were fixed the monotonousness would be largely solved<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yea it is, I know how to do that in 3 languages :P. If one person was dedicated to it this could be accomplished in a 8 hour shift.
Tram is a weird map. Aliens are guaranteed a second hive way, way back in the alien corner of the map, so they don't have to worry about the crossroads-type battleground in the center hub. Rather, the main war is fought in the repair room, where there are two close resource nodes. This gives aliens a big advantage straight off. Marines do get an extra res node way off in the corner of the map, but unfortunately it's a corner far from the marines and the aliens. Aliens can protect a second hive far from everything, but marines have a harder time protecting a resource node far from everything, because they usually don't spawn there.
Both teams get an expansion area right next to their start and easily defendable. Aliens get an extra resource node, and marines get an additional command node. This doesn't help the marines at all, and it's frustrating because the expansion is actually a more ideal place for the marines than marine start.
If you're going to play tram, I'd strongly suggest experimenting with unconventional early build orders. Building a command center first off at marine expansion and then starting over from there is not entirely out of the question. Phase gates here are more important than the arms lab, or even sentries, as there's lots of junk everywhere to block line of sight.
Whatever the marines do, they'll have to deal with fades the entire length of the map. It'll take a marine about 10 times longer to get to the easily created second hive than it will take a skulk, so until phase gates are teched, marines are powerless to disable fades. The plus side is that the marine base is very defendable, even with low res, because the commander can seal off straight routes of access with doors, creating only one chokepoint for most of the game. Also, the walls are thin around the marine base, so a single arc can easily and safely take out all nearby alien forward positions.
However, tram needs some balance work. The map makes all the build decisions for at least the aliens, and it's too hard for marines to adequately secure any res point beyond the one in spawn. This spells alien control of all resource nodes and marine turtles.
This is all really too bad, because tram is the most exciting looking map. It's claustrophobic and dark, with low ceilings and great shadow work, and it really ups the tension with long hallways and echo. It's the best feeling in the world to be escorting an arc through a pitch-black hallway, with only the flashlights showing sparse crates along the walls, both ends extending into blackness with who knows what enemies lurking within. tunnels exist both high and low, making it so aliens can pour out of the ceiling and the floor as well as the walls. The increased distance between the rooms ensures moments of tension and momentary peace before coming to the next big firefight.
I want future maps to be designed like tram, but have the balance and strategy of summit in mind.
I agree with everything listed above, however, at least having the option to produce feedback for the official mapper and get a chance to play a map other than summit would be a +1!
Hey Kaffaljidhma. Thanks for the post, that is some very constructive and useful feedback.
We are actually spending some time reworking Tram to be both look and play better (as you can see from the new Overlook resource point area). Marine start is getting a pass right now, with one of the big things being the removal of the main open tunnel entrance, as it was making it too hard to defend, and going out the side door to the tunnel should add a bit of extra travel distance between bases via the tunnel, which should be better, too.
While we know that the performance on this map is currently not as good as Summit, making it hard for some people to judge the gameplay, we would still love to get more feedback about the layout and gameplay from players, as most of the comments up to this point have primarily been in regards to performance and bugs.
Thanks for the feedback, it's really valuable for me to get this information, especially because there is still time to make improvements to the tech point/res node layout. We're still really interested in getting tram's performance levels at parity with the other official maps, so I'm working on that as well. I have some ideas to improve gameplay, but if you have any specific suggestions I'm open to them as well.
i run tram on my server probably wont change it unless i have a good reason. would be cool to know how you get the server to change maps when it restarts do you have a script that does it?
Also, I run tram absolutely fine with no FPS loss, which leads me to believe that the performance hit is limited by the client's rig. I have an ATI 5870 Radeon HD Sapphire, an Intel core i7 920, and 6gb of DDR3 memory. I played my last tram game on Nade's Server, where the server tickrate always hovered around 25-30 according to net_stats, and I was almost the only one not complaining about the lag.
<!--quoteo(post=1866077:date=Aug 3 2011, 12:56 PM:name=Olmy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olmy @ Aug 3 2011, 12:56 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1866077"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Thanks for the feedback, it's really valuable for me to get this information, especially because there is still time to make improvements to the tech point/res node layout. We're still really interested in getting tram's performance levels at parity with the other official maps, so I'm working on that as well. I have some ideas to improve gameplay, but if you have any specific suggestions I'm open to them as well.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Just out of curiosity, why didnt you respond to this thread until Cory did?
I will run tram tonight locally and try to get you some additional feedback.
endarJoin Date: 2010-07-27Member: 73256Members, Squad Five Blue
<!--quoteo(post=1866079:date=Aug 4 2011, 03:01 AM:name=BJHBnade_spammer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BJHBnade_spammer @ Aug 4 2011, 03:01 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1866079"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i run tram on my server probably wont change it unless i have a good reason. would be cool to know how you get the server to change maps when it restarts do you have a script that does it?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I'm running the server.exe extecutable from a batch file, so each time the server.exe process ends, the "other" config file which contains the other map name is copied over server.xml.
<!--quoteo(post=1866077:date=Aug 3 2011, 12:56 PM:name=Olmy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olmy @ Aug 3 2011, 12:56 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1866077"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I have some ideas to improve gameplay, but if you have any specific suggestions I'm open to them as well.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Marine Expansion and Alien Expansion feel like the least inspired rooms in the map (even ignoring their names). They have <i>some</i> character, but it seems stifled by the overhwelmingly boxy emptiness. Alien expansion was designed as a Tech Point room, but it is now a (too large) Res Point room. Marine Expansion feels like the stuffy janitor's closet of Tech Points with the Point being shoved in that corner. Why not move the Tech Point into the center of the room and put the Repair Room / Marine Expansion hallway in it's place? <img src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/1358/powernodedependencetram.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
QuovatisTeam InversionJoin Date: 2010-01-26Member: 70321Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
Just tried Tram again. It's TERRIBLE performance-wise. Sorry, if you want feedback on balance, you'll have to get the performance of Tram equal to Summit and Rockdown. On the good side, I didn't have any graphics problems any more, though I did see several non-textured panels.
<!--quoteo(post=1866224:date=Aug 4 2011, 04:20 AM:name=KuBaN)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KuBaN @ Aug 4 2011, 04:20 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1866224"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Marine Expansion and Alien Expansion feel like the least inspired rooms in the map (even ignoring their names). They have <i>some</i> character, but it seems stifled by the overhwelmingly boxy emptiness. Alien expansion was designed as a Tech Point room, but it is now a (too large) Res Point room. Marine Expansion feels like the stuffy janitor's closet of Tech Points with the Point being shoved in that corner. Why not move the Tech Point into the center of the room and put the Repair Room / Marine Expansion hallway in it's place? <img src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/1358/powernodedependencetram.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That would make the tech point really exposed, as well as making the room much harder to defend as you now have to deal with attacks from both sides of the room.
It'd make the room much crappier for marines, which isn't exactly wonderful for marine expansion.
Marine expansion is already kinda annoying with the central area being weirdly enclosed and elevated, which makes it awkward to fight in.
The room would be much nicer if it was opened out, drop the big hologram into the floor slightly, in a recessed pit, and stick a couple of consoles around it, but get rid of the weird 'room within a room' thing it has going, as that makes the room very irritating to do anything in.
I was going to post that I couldn't go through the opening on the ceiling on the other side of the light (I understand it's smaller than the other one), but then I saw the textures start flickering:
I played some games while instructing the marine commander to lock all 4 doors on the map. It does make it harder to seed the Server Room hive, but the matches weren't good so I can't say any more about that. You should probably think about locking the alien start door by default or moving it closer to the server room so games don't depend on commander actions in the first five seconds of the game. Moving the door to the inner west side of the server room would make cyst placement decisions more crucial to the alien commander (once infestation unlocking of doors is in place). You could also eliminate the passageway that the alien start door covers altogether, as skulks can take vent shortcuts.
Please remember that gorges and marines can't climb walls, which makes the underground tunnel at west repair station a problem if you accidentally jump into the secret tunnel. You could say the same about Ventilation in summit, though, so I guess it's fair. Having to ~kill is kind of tacky though.
What's exciting to me is that the commanders must make totally different decisions for their strategy if the doors are locked. If the marines want extra res, and the aliens want to stop them, they'll send units to the repair station. If aliens want a second hive, and marines want to stop them, they'll follow drifters to the tram tunnels and Elevator Transfer. These objectives are on the opposite sides of the map, so at the very beginning, both sides have to decide if they want to tech up or if they want to block their opponent's tech, or if they want to charge straight down the center in the tram hub.
Doors should be locked by default anyway, there is generally no reason not to lock them, and if you do want to unlock them you probably only want to unlock one.
<!--quoteo(post=1866241:date=Aug 3 2011, 10:31 PM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Aug 3 2011, 10:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1866241"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Doors should be locked by default anyway, there is generally no reason not to lock them, and if you do want to unlock them you probably only want to unlock one.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think this should be an option in the editor for the mapper to help control early game balance. A flag for weld time and health for the door is already there and it would also make since to toss in a flag or different style (color/differentiation) of door that can't be locked or welded at all.
<!--quoteo(post=1866129:date=Aug 3 2011, 02:51 PM:name=kaffaljidhma)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kaffaljidhma @ Aug 3 2011, 02:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1866129"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, I run tram absolutely fine with no FPS loss, which leads me to believe that the performance hit is limited by the client's rig. I have an ATI 5870 Radeon HD Sapphire, an Intel core i7 920, and 6gb of DDR3 memory. I played my last tram game on Nade's Server, where the server tickrate always hovered around 25-30 according to net_stats, and I was almost the only one not complaining about the lag.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That is a insane PC though and definitely not the average... and for you to only get 25-30 fps is bad.
On summit with a Phenom II 720(tri-core) @ 3.0ghz, 4gb DDR2, and GTX 260 I get a average of 40-50fps. Though it seems for some reason i7 cores seem to do worse than mine on Summit(probably due to NS2 not using multiple cores), so a server with players running the map would be helpful.
Also, and I just found this out, a skulk can prevent a commander from locking the door, so the best option is probably to have it locked by default or move it away from Alien Start.
AsranielJoin Date: 2002-06-03Member: 724Members, Playtest Lead, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Retired Community Developer
i heard that it uses models to block view, but the current occlusion culling has problem with that. So if you have a wall that is actually a model and not world geometry, then often the "wall" is actually hole and everything behind it gets rendered. Summit has actual world geometry behind everything that should block view. So the new occlusion system (don't know when its implemented) should improve tram more than summit.
<!--quoteo(post=1866244:date=Aug 4 2011, 06:45 AM:name=SN.Wolf)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SN.Wolf @ Aug 4 2011, 06:45 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1866244"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think this should be an option in the editor for the mapper to help control early game balance. A flag for weld time and health for the door is already there and it would also make since to toss in a flag or different style (color/differentiation) of door that can't be locked or welded at all.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Hrrm I would say rather than that, put in a flag to say whether they start destroyed or not.
As I recall, UWE were considering allowing doors to be replaced for cash, so a destroyed door could be built by marines, but would not start built at the beginning of the game.
This would allow more doors to be placed on the map, and for them to play a greater gameplay role, without the pursuant problems of aliens being severely gimped at the start.
I don't think having different rules for different doors is a good idea, as it doesn't immediately make much sense and would probably be hard to convey easily, better if all built doors work the same way, but some doors start unbuilt.
Comments
#1 24/7 Summit (18p)
#2 Tram/Rockdown "rotation" (18p)
#3 Custom maps (12p)
"Rotation" is not quite true, the map will only change when the server restarts, which occurs every day at 5:30am (AEST), and also when the server hits 0 players after having more than 1,(thanks devicenull), and also when it randomly crashes.
As for #3 its only got Triad22, as far as I am aware that is the only custom map in playable state. Feel free to contact me if there's more, and ill start it "rotating".
#1 24/7 Summit (18p)
#2 Tram/Rockdown "rotation" (18p)
#3 Custom maps (12p)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Make them all 16p servers. Many users machines cant handle full 18 slot servers.
It will if its a full server. I am not affected by the full server, but I know some users can barely play on a 7v7.I I just though dropping the 2 extra slots on the other 2 servers would help lower end system players and even it all up at 16 a piece.
<a href="http://w3.impa.br/~diego/software/luasocket/old/luasocket-2.0-alpha/ftp.html" target="_blank">http://w3.impa.br/~diego/software/luasocke...-alpha/ftp.html</a>
When you want to join a server, before doing anything, compare the content of the official ftp server with your local map directory, if different download the missing files.
<a href="http://w3.impa.br/~diego/software/luasocket/old/luasocket-2.0-alpha/ftp.html" target="_blank">http://w3.impa.br/~diego/software/luasocke...-alpha/ftp.html</a>
When you want to join a server, before doing anything, compare the content of the official ftp server with your local map directory, if different download the missing files.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Can anyone confirm this?
Yea it is, I know how to do that in 3 languages :P. If one person was dedicated to it this could be accomplished in a 8 hour shift.
Both teams get an expansion area right next to their start and easily defendable. Aliens get an extra resource node, and marines get an additional command node. This doesn't help the marines at all, and it's frustrating because the expansion is actually a more ideal place for the marines than marine start.
If you're going to play tram, I'd strongly suggest experimenting with unconventional early build orders. Building a command center first off at marine expansion and then starting over from there is not entirely out of the question. Phase gates here are more important than the arms lab, or even sentries, as there's lots of junk everywhere to block line of sight.
Whatever the marines do, they'll have to deal with fades the entire length of the map. It'll take a marine about 10 times longer to get to the easily created second hive than it will take a skulk, so until phase gates are teched, marines are powerless to disable fades. The plus side is that the marine base is very defendable, even with low res, because the commander can seal off straight routes of access with doors, creating only one chokepoint for most of the game. Also, the walls are thin around the marine base, so a single arc can easily and safely take out all nearby alien forward positions.
However, tram needs some balance work. The map makes all the build decisions for at least the aliens, and it's too hard for marines to adequately secure any res point beyond the one in spawn. This spells alien control of all resource nodes and marine turtles.
This is all really too bad, because tram is the most exciting looking map. It's claustrophobic and dark, with low ceilings and great shadow work, and it really ups the tension with long hallways and echo. It's the best feeling in the world to be escorting an arc through a pitch-black hallway, with only the flashlights showing sparse crates along the walls, both ends extending into blackness with who knows what enemies lurking within. tunnels exist both high and low, making it so aliens can pour out of the ceiling and the floor as well as the walls. The increased distance between the rooms ensures moments of tension and momentary peace before coming to the next big firefight.
I want future maps to be designed like tram, but have the balance and strategy of summit in mind.
We are actually spending some time reworking Tram to be both look and play better (as you can see from the new Overlook resource point area). Marine start is getting a pass right now, with one of the big things being the removal of the main open tunnel entrance, as it was making it too hard to defend, and going out the side door to the tunnel should add a bit of extra travel distance between bases via the tunnel, which should be better, too.
While we know that the performance on this map is currently not as good as Summit, making it hard for some people to judge the gameplay, we would still love to get more feedback about the layout and gameplay from players, as most of the comments up to this point have primarily been in regards to performance and bugs.
Thanks.
--Cory
Just out of curiosity, why didnt you respond to this thread until Cory did?
I will run tram tonight locally and try to get you some additional feedback.
I'm running the server.exe extecutable from a batch file, so each time the server.exe process ends, the "other" config file which contains the other map name is copied over server.xml.
Marine Expansion and Alien Expansion feel like the least inspired rooms in the map (even ignoring their names). They have <i>some</i> character, but it seems stifled by the overhwelmingly boxy emptiness. Alien expansion was designed as a Tech Point room, but it is now a (too large) Res Point room. Marine Expansion feels like the stuffy janitor's closet of Tech Points with the Point being shoved in that corner. Why not move the Tech Point into the center of the room and put the Repair Room / Marine Expansion hallway in it's place?
<img src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/1358/powernodedependencetram.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/1358/powernodedependencetram.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That would make the tech point really exposed, as well as making the room much harder to defend as you now have to deal with attacks from both sides of the room.
It'd make the room much crappier for marines, which isn't exactly wonderful for marine expansion.
Marine expansion is already kinda annoying with the central area being weirdly enclosed and elevated, which makes it awkward to fight in.
The room would be much nicer if it was opened out, drop the big hologram into the floor slightly, in a recessed pit, and stick a couple of consoles around it, but get rid of the weird 'room within a room' thing it has going, as that makes the room very irritating to do anything in.
<a href="http://imgur.com/F8ACp" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/F8ACp.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
I can't go through the tunnel at this point on the map. Here's the problem threshold:
<a href="http://imgur.com/A8rvM" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/A8rvM.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
I can't bypass that doorway on either side. Some sort of hitbox is blocking the rest of it off.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/6Jfik.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
The tunnel at this map point has a debug texture.
Here's a weird one:
I was going to post that I couldn't go through the opening on the ceiling on the other side of the light (I understand it's smaller than the other one), but then I saw the textures start flickering:
<a href="http://imgur.com/HaScZ" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/HaScZ.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
<a href="http://imgur.com/SXCSj" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/SXCSj.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
Here's the map location:
<a href="http://imgur.com/iAP3q" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/iAP3q.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
I played some games while instructing the marine commander to lock all 4 doors on the map. It does make it harder to seed the Server Room hive, but the matches weren't good so I can't say any more about that. You should probably think about locking the alien start door by default or moving it closer to the server room so games don't depend on commander actions in the first five seconds of the game. Moving the door to the inner west side of the server room would make cyst placement decisions more crucial to the alien commander (once infestation unlocking of doors is in place). You could also eliminate the passageway that the alien start door covers altogether, as skulks can take vent shortcuts.
Please remember that gorges and marines can't climb walls, which makes the underground tunnel at west repair station a problem if you accidentally jump into the secret tunnel. You could say the same about Ventilation in summit, though, so I guess it's fair. Having to ~kill is kind of tacky though.
What's exciting to me is that the commanders must make totally different decisions for their strategy if the doors are locked. If the marines want extra res, and the aliens want to stop them, they'll send units to the repair station. If aliens want a second hive, and marines want to stop them, they'll follow drifters to the tram tunnels and Elevator Transfer. These objectives are on the opposite sides of the map, so at the very beginning, both sides have to decide if they want to tech up or if they want to block their opponent's tech, or if they want to charge straight down the center in the tram hub.
I think this should be an option in the editor for the mapper to help control early game balance. A flag for weld time and health for the door is already there and it would also make since to toss in a flag or different style (color/differentiation) of door that can't be locked or welded at all.
That is a insane PC though and definitely not the average... and for you to only get 25-30 fps is bad.
On summit with a Phenom II 720(tri-core) @ 3.0ghz, 4gb DDR2, and GTX 260 I get a average of 40-50fps. Though it seems for some reason i7 cores seem to do worse than mine on Summit(probably due to NS2 not using multiple cores), so a server with players running the map would be helpful.
Summit has actual world geometry behind everything that should block view.
So the new occlusion system (don't know when its implemented) should improve tram more than summit.
Hrrm I would say rather than that, put in a flag to say whether they start destroyed or not.
As I recall, UWE were considering allowing doors to be replaced for cash, so a destroyed door could be built by marines, but would not start built at the beginning of the game.
This would allow more doors to be placed on the map, and for them to play a greater gameplay role, without the pursuant problems of aliens being severely gimped at the start.
I don't think having different rules for different doors is a good idea, as it doesn't immediately make much sense and would probably be hard to convey easily, better if all built doors work the same way, but some doors start unbuilt.
Elevator transfer is easily sieged, and this is a problem. You could move it to the east of Observations.