REAL Pack - v1c Released!

[Thunderono]

see it works because it's like the REef and ALpacka, get it?

Introducing...
The REAL Pack

An 18 map strong pack of smooth goodness brought to you by LlamaHombre and yours truly, Thunderono!  This pack is the combination of The Reef (previously known as the WetPack, my own pack) and Alpacka, Llama's own pack.  I can't actually think of anything else to put here, so let's dive right in!

Reef screenshots

(click to show/hide)

REEF01 - Ocean's Facade


REEF02 - Sky Charger


REEF03 - Clogged Drain


REEF04 - Updraft


REEF05 - The Observatory


REEF06 - Belly of the Beast


REEF07 - Collision


REEF08 - The Apex


REEF09 - Chaos Alley


REEF10 - Eden


REEF11 - Agonopolis

Alpacka screenshots

(click to show/hide)

ALP01 - Egg Corridor?


ALP02 - Brinstar Depths


ALP03 - Mad Castle Outskirts


ALP04 - Wily's Kidnapped Castle


ALP05 - Ghost House III


ALP06 - Echelon and Flow

REAL Screenshots

(click to show/hide)

REAL01 - Spectral Echo

v1c Changelog

(click to show/hide)

The Reef v1c

## General
- Added Player 1-8 starts
- Pits updated to v6b framework

## REEF04
- Large rework to map structure
-- This map has definitely aged the worst out of any in the pack.  While I still think that light spawn and mid are solid setpieces, the outdoor section was really terrible geometry and the map folded even under small player counts.  I was struggling to rework the outdoor section without fundamentally changing the map, so I opted to convert the map into more of a triangular shape with a focus on setpieces that offer a better range of engagements.  I'm confident the new map will feel a lot more dynamic and function better in a larger range of playercounts.
- Floors of wind areas no longer kill you
-- They originally did this because otherwise you could stand on them and the wind would stop pushing you upwards; this was a lazy solution that's raised more than a few eyebrows, and I found a better solution that stops the problem without just creating a new one.
- Textures redone
-- I was having a really hard time getting motivated to work on this map without an interesting theme, so I gave it something more concrete to design around.
- Map name changed to "Updraft"
-- "Gale Field" didn't really make sense anymore, what with it not being a field and all.
- Super Arm > Spread Drill
-- This was already a poor fit for the map, but the new layout was even worse for Super Arm.  Spread Drill provides another much-needed close range tool.
- Gyro Attack added
-- I felt as though with the increased space and removal of Super Arm, another viable mid-long range option was needed for the set to feel comfortable.
- Gravity Hold removed
-- This weapon being here was a big mistake that surprisingly went undetected until v1b of REAL.
- Average ammo reduced
-- I had already made a pass to reduce pickup density on my maps, but further play with the V6 environment showed that the amount of ammo available still could use a hit.
- Wind particle fx reduced
-- Nobody complained about this, but with there being a new wind section, I felt like I was generating too many.

## REEF05
- Various setpieces changed to incorporate stairs or slopes
-- One of the biggest pieces of feedback I got was that moving around on this map required way too much jumping.  This should serve to smooth out the experience.
- New ledge added to Jungle
-- The other feedback I got was that the low ground in Jungle wasn't very useful.  This change aims to add more value by giving the low ground another flank option on the slope.

## REEF07
- New ledge added to Tunnel
-- Moving from Shallow to Deep End left you without options for quite a long time.  This change gives players a way to break the chokepoint as well as a way to jump up to Falls.
- Shutters and west end of Outside reworked
-- Team matches here tended to favor Light, as they get quick access to Mid, where all of the high ground is on their side of the map.  This change gives Wily a great staging ground to move into Mid from, a better spawn in general, and a great power position over their own half of the map.
- Wily spawns moved west
-- This is to further lean into Wily having high ground on their side of the map, as well as reducing travel time to the important parts of Mid.
-Teleporters rotated to Shallow and Shutters
-- The teleporters being behind both teams' spawns was causing some degeneracy.  The new scheme introduces an easily visible alternative to moving through Mid that can allow dive plays without completely obliterating the other team's backline.

## REEF10
- Time Stopper > Lightning Bolt
-- I LOVE the Time Stopper/Remote Mine combo, but this isn't the map for it.  Time Stopper is way too easy to get and I can't easily fix that, so it had to go.  Lightning Bolt is still a lot of power to give, but it's much, MUCH easier to counter and better fits the level of effort required to get it.

## REEF11
- Music rip replaced
-- The old rip was pretty poor quality-- Russ pointed me to a better rip.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Alpacka v1c
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## General
- Death pits and damage sectors now use the v6b Hazard Pit item
- Texture names and Patch names are now separated. As a result, no more comically large map cards

## ALP01: EGG CORRIDOR?
- Fixed a loose ceiling causing a hall of mirrors when viewed at certain angles

## ALP02: BRINSTAR DEPTHS
- Map has been expanded westward, with a taller wider "Tunnel" and a new Side Chamber room that connects to the large green Entrance Chamber room
- Light Team now spawns in this new room
- New balcony added between Kraid Acid room and the green Entrance Chamber
- Ballade Cracker -> Crystal Eye
- Added Jewel Satellite

## ALP03: MAD CASTLE OUTSKIRTS
- South end gyro pads are now new bridge structures instead
- Mid ladders are now gyro pads
- North side skybox has been raised
- New structure has been added in the north bridging the northwest/northeast barracks
- Pits are now walled + fenced off

## ALP04: WILY'S KIDNAPPED CASTLE
- Fixed an inconsistency in one of the textures

## ALP05: GHOST HOUSE III
- Dark hallway has been made a little wider
- Northeast courtyard has been expanded a little to break up the "straight line hallway" feel of the section
- Light spawns have been slightly adjusted
- More visual flare in parts of the non-playable area
- Dry Bones front frame is slightly less uncanny

## ALP06: ECHELON AND FLOW
- Fixed a missing void in the Wily Falls SECTINFO data

Grab it from TSPG or Dropbox!

Music and asset credits can be found within each pack's respective README in the main pack's pk3, as well as usage restrictions.

Thanks for playing!

Previous versions

(click to show/hide)

v1b
TSPG
Dropbox

v1b Changelog

(click to show/hide)

## General
- Added new map code: REALXX
-- The REAL moniker is used to indicate maps the both of us worked together on.

## REAL01
- "New" map: Spectral Echo, previously seen in Teamplay, Textures, Tango.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# The Reef v1b
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## General
- All maps now have SECTINFO.
- Compatability with Trill-MapVoting added.

## REEF01
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Added props to OOB water sections.
- Reworked visuals of northeastern big health room.
- Wave Burner -> Electric Shock
- Flash Bomb -> Bubble Bomb

## REEF02
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Added new playable area under Photon Missile.
- Decreased size of Photon Missile ledge to give the nearby low ground spots more room for fights.
- Added stair by Blizzard Attacks.
- Drill Bomb -> Photon Missile

## REEF03
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Knocked down wall by Treble Sentry.
- Freeze Cracker -> Spark Chaser
- Tornado Hold -> Junk Shield
- Wind Storm -> Wheel Cutter
- Wave Burner -> Oil Slider
- Needle Cannon -> Triple Blade

## REEF04
- Slightly rebalanced health distribution.
- Expanded outdoor section.
- Changed props by Atomic Fire.
- Fixed texture offsets in outdoor sections.
- Tengu Blade -> Break Dash

## REEF05
- Slightly reduced pickup count.
- Flame Blast -> Chill Spike
- Declined Pandita's parole request.

## REEF06
- Heavily reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Replaced large weapon energy in mid with large health.
- Added boxes to climb up to the top of mid.

## REEF07
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Removed big health in western room.
- Reworked heights in the water section to reduce amount of required underwater airtime.
- Replaced final step in northernmost jump stairs with ladder.
- Reworked eastern part of the outdoor section to give it some value as high ground, as well as containing a big health.
- Bass Buster -> Mega Arm
- Quick Boomerang -> Triple Blade

## REEF08
- Overhauled interior to give more consistent sight lines and callouts.

## REEF09
- Reworked visuals of multiple interior sections for better callouts.
- Freeze Cracker -> Rebound Striker

## REEF10
- Reimagined visuals to lean more heavily towards the "garden in space" idea while boosting callouts.
- Magic Card -> Salt Water
- Pharaoh Shot -> Solar Blaze
- Star Crash -> Water Shield

## REEF11
- New map: Agonopolis

## Music
- REFBOSS1 changed to Battle! Team Galactic Commander (cover by LlamaHombre)
- REFINT changed to Battle! Ultra Necrozma (cover by branflakes)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Alpacka v1b
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## General
- Some actors no longer have DoomED numbers to reduce actor conflicts with other map packs.
- All maps now have SECTINFO.
- Compatibility with Trill-MapVoting added.

## ALP01: EGG CORRIDOR?
- Moderate geometry update. Layout still about the same, but boundaries are clearer and some sections are easier to traverse.
- Moderate visual update, including more use of non-yellow colors.
- Spike pit near E-Tank no longer a spike pit.
- Reduced number of health/ammo pickups.
- North Remote Mine -> Thunder Beam
- Leaf Shield -> Junk Shield

## ALP02: BRINSTAR DEPTHS
- Massive layout overhaul, accomplished by "folding" the map to reduce pure length.
- Doors now open up if you approach them. This activation zone is close to the door, so shooting to open is still main intended way of using them.
- Moderate visual and palette update.
- Reduced number of health/ammo pickups.
- Tornado Hold -> Wheel Cutter.
- New weapon: Noise Crush added.

## ALP03: MAD CASTLE OUTSKIRTS
- Massive layout overhaul to bring up the low ground, make camping spots less obnoxious, and break up hallways.
- New textures (mostly floor and windows) to make the map prettier.
- Weapon / Spawn / Item layout redone from scratch.
- Thunder Beam, Gemini Laser, Bubble Lead, Flame Sword -> Mega Ball, Gyro Attack, Knight Crush, Air Shooter.
- New weapon: Triple Blade added.

## ALP04: WILY'S KIDNAPPED CASTLE
- Map is now asymmetrical, with a new brick cave section replacing the southern side of the map.
- Teleporter now exclusively warps to new cave section.
- North end received geometry changes to reduce pit count and allow easier traversal.
- Some small hallways have been added to open up large chunks of null space in between chunks of map.
- Fire Storm, Quick Boomerang, Noise Crush, Napalm Bomb -> Blizzard Attack, Ring Boomerang, Electric Shock, Spread Drill.
- New weapon: Hornet Chaser added.
- Reduced number of health/ammo pickups.

## ALP05: GHOST HOUSE III
- New texture from Mario Maker 2 added to Boo Hall and Bone Hall.
- Lamps are now Voxels to better indicate they are solid.
- Drill Bomb -> Hard Knuckle.

## ALP06
- "New" Map: Echelon and Flow, otherwise known as CMCP04, SWEAT01, etc.
- Out of bounds areas given additional detail.
- Stage music file replaced to address N163-related audio errors that were causing discomfort.
- Small texture offsets fixed.
- Added a yashichi.

## Music
- ALP02MUS replaced with "Kraid's Lair" from Metroid, by IsabelleChiming.
- ALPVIC replaced with "Heart Tank Get!" from Cave Story, by Dynamiteman.exe
- ALP02 now uses REABOSS1 (VS Kraid by Loeder) for boss music.
- ALP03 now uses ALPBOSS2 (Mega Man SFR Boss by Threxx and MrWeirdGuy) for boss music.
- ALP05 now uses ALPBOSS3 (Yoshi's Island Big Boss by IsabelleChiming) for boss music.

v1a
TSPG
Dropbox

[LlamaHombre]

I figure I should probably write something here too, huh?

It's been an honor to help work on this so far and I can't wait to help contribute more to this pack in the future!
Feedback, ideas, anything of the sort helps the both of us out a lot, so please make sure to tell us whatever comes to mind!

[Ruzma]

So, like, what's the thing of these maps? On the screenshots, they don't look too out-there and the majority re-use in-game textures and assets, so...do they have any special gimmick? Or, are they particularly fun? Sorry if I'm coming as rude, I'm just curious.

[Thunderono]

So, like, what's the thing of these maps? On the screenshots, they don't look too out-there and the majority re-use in-game textures and assets, so...do they have any special gimmick? Or, are they particularly fun? Sorry if I'm coming as rude, I'm just curious.

I won't lie-- this post had me floored for a bit.  For the past five hours, actually.  This wasn't a question I've ever seen anyone ask in all my years of being a part of this community, and one neither I nor anyone I hang out with knew how to answer.  It took a while for me to piece together that newer players such as (seemingly) yourself don't have the years-old context of packs like this being released, instead having only the context of main expansions and sub expansions such as DOS Reborn or Rock Force to base your expectations of what side content gets released on.  Sorry if that assumption's incorrect!

So to answer your question proper, there isn't really any thing to this pack.  It's not based on any particular game, the maps don't follow any central gimmick, nothing like that.  Like custom tracks for SRB2 Kart or maps made in Halo's Forge mode, the purpose of this pack is simply to add new content.  You may have seen packs like Legopack, Rozpack or Sharp that do roughly the same thing.

I realize that when put in writing, that's not as exciting as a new, fully custom set of maps like what DOS came out swinging with.  However, packs like this are a chance for individual creators to push their own style in a set of maps truly unrelated to one another and to any other content.  That can be a chance to show off your architectural and texturing skills, to experiment with new styles, or simply to get ideas out of your head.  The (roughly) yearly mapping jams are another outlet for this, and a popular one at that-- Paper Jam was the highest turnout jam ever got!

Your second question (Are they particularly fun?) is a little bit more brutal, and one that I can't answer for my own maps without looking super biased.  I do know that Llama's side of the pack is a ton of fun, though, and I am proud of my own set.  Rest assured that I wouldn't intentionally try to release something that wasn't fun*!  At the moment of typing this post, there're 3 servers running the pack (Classes, Roboenza, and Scorched Earth/Havoc), so if you don't want to just take my word for it, go and check it out!

*Mirror Mode is an exception to this and I'm not sorry for that monstrosity

sorry if this came off as condescending or hostile or anything I just had a really hard time understanding what the question really meant

[Ruzma]

Eek, didn't expect such a response, but alright then! Again, sorry if I came off...well off. You're probably right, though.
Still, at least it'll make for a memorable post to, well, remember, I guess!

In any case, you have my continued long distance encouragement and praise towards any of you people's works, just wanted you to know that.
Keep up the good work!

[MegaVile]

> Egg Corridor
Y E S

[Thunderono]

Hello everyone!  I'm here with an announcement: REAL v1b is now available!  Alongside a plethora of improvements to the existing maps, three new maps are included.  Two of these maps are award-winners from previously hosted competitions, and one has never been seen before.

ALP06 - Echelon and Flow

(click to show/hide)

Winner of the Classy Maps for Classy People competition.

REEF11 - Agonopolis

(click to show/hide)

Originally made for a pack that never took off, it finds its home here.

And, using a new map code scheme designed to indicate maps made by the both of us:
REAL01 - Spectral Echo

(click to show/hide)

Winner of the Teamplay, Textures, Tango competition.

REAL may only be one map strong for now, but rest assured that after working together on Spectral Echo, Llama and I have some plans that'll fill that code out nicely.

Additionally, all maps now include SECTINFO and preview images for Trillster's map voting system.

Full changelog:

(click to show/hide)

REAL Pack v1b changelog
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
## General
- Added new map code: REALXX
-- The REAL moniker is used to indicate maps the both of us worked together on.

## REAL01
- "New" map: Spectral Echo, previously seen in Teamplay, Textures, Tango.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# The Reef v1b
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## General
- All maps now have SECTINFO.
- Compatability with Trill-MapVoting added.

## REEF01
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Added props to OOB water sections.
- Reworked visuals of northeastern big health room.
- Wave Burner -> Electric Shock
- Flash Bomb -> Bubble Bomb

## REEF02
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Added new playable area under Photon Missile.
- Decreased size of Photon Missile ledge to give the nearby low ground spots more room for fights.
- Added stair by Blizzard Attacks.
- Drill Bomb -> Photon Missile

## REEF03
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Knocked down wall by Treble Sentry.
- Freeze Cracker -> Spark Chaser
- Tornado Hold -> Junk Shield
- Wind Storm -> Wheel Cutter
- Wave Burner -> Oil Slider
- Needle Cannon -> Triple Blade

## REEF04
- Slightly rebalanced health distribution.
- Expanded outdoor section.
- Changed props by Atomic Fire.
- Fixed texture offsets in outdoor sections.
- Tengu Blade -> Break Dash

## REEF05
- Slightly reduced pickup count.
- Flame Blast -> Chill Spike
- Declined Pandita's parole request.

## REEF06
- Heavily reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Replaced large weapon energy in mid with large health.
- Added boxes to climb up to the top of mid.

## REEF07
- Reduced number of health and ammo pickups.
- Removed big health in western room.
- Reworked heights in the water section to reduce amount of required underwater airtime.
- Replaced final step in northernmost jump stairs with ladder.
- Reworked eastern part of the outdoor section to give it some value as high ground, as well as containing a big health.
- Bass Buster -> Mega Arm
- Quick Boomerang -> Triple Blade

## REEF08
- Overhauled interior to give more consistent sight lines and callouts.

## REEF09
- Reworked visuals of multiple interior sections for better callouts.
- Freeze Cracker -> Rebound Striker

## REEF10
- Reimagined visuals to lean more heavily towards the "garden in space" idea while boosting callouts.
- Magic Card -> Salt Water
- Pharaoh Shot -> Solar Blaze
- Star Crash -> Water Shield

## REEF11
- New map: Agonopolis

## Music
- REFBOSS1 changed to Battle! Team Galactic Commander (cover by LlamaHombre)
- REFINT changed to Battle! Ultra Necrozma (cover by branflakes)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Alpacka v1b
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## General
- Some actors no longer have DoomED numbers to reduce actor conflicts with other map packs.
- All maps now have SECTINFO.
- Compatibility with Trill-MapVoting added.

## ALP01: EGG CORRIDOR?
- Moderate geometry update. Layout still about the same, but boundaries are clearer and some sections are easier to traverse.
- Moderate visual update, including more use of non-yellow colors.
- Spike pit near E-Tank no longer a spike pit.
- Reduced number of health/ammo pickups.
- North Remote Mine -> Thunder Beam
- Leaf Shield -> Junk Shield

## ALP02: BRINSTAR DEPTHS
- Massive layout overhaul, accomplished by "folding" the map to reduce pure length.
- Doors now open up if you approach them. This activation zone is close to the door, so shooting to open is still main intended way of using them.
- Moderate visual and palette update.
- Reduced number of health/ammo pickups.
- Tornado Hold -> Wheel Cutter.
- New weapon: Noise Crush added.

## ALP03: MAD CASTLE OUTSKIRTS
- Massive layout overhaul to bring up the low ground, make camping spots less obnoxious, and break up hallways.
- New textures (mostly floor and windows) to make the map prettier.
- Weapon / Spawn / Item layout redone from scratch.
- Thunder Beam, Gemini Laser, Bubble Lead, Flame Sword -> Mega Ball, Gyro Attack, Knight Crush, Air Shooter.
- New weapon: Triple Blade added.

## ALP04: WILY'S KIDNAPPED CASTLE
- Map is now asymmetrical, with a new brick cave section replacing the southern side of the map.
- Teleporter now exclusively warps to new cave section.
- North end received geometry changes to reduce pit count and allow easier traversal.
- Some small hallways have been added to open up large chunks of null space in between chunks of map.
- Fire Storm, Quick Boomerang, Noise Crush, Napalm Bomb -> Blizzard Attack, Ring Boomerang, Electric Shock, Spread Drill.
- New weapon: Hornet Chaser added.
- Reduced number of health/ammo pickups.

## ALP05: GHOST HOUSE III
- New texture from Mario Maker 2 added to Boo Hall and Bone Hall.
- Lamps are now Voxels to better indicate they are solid.
- Drill Bomb -> Hard Knuckle.

## ALP06
- "New" Map: Echelon and Flow, otherwise known as CMCP04, SWEAT01, etc.
- Out of bounds areas given additional detail.
- Stage music file replaced to address N163-related audio errors that were causing discomfort.
- Small texture offsets fixed.
- Added a yashichi.

## Music
- ALP02MUS replaced with "Kraid's Lair" from Metroid, by IsabelleChiming.
- ALPVIC replaced with "Heart Tank Get!" from Cave Story, by Dynamiteman.exe
- ALP02 now uses REABOSS1 (VS Kraid by Loeder) for boss music.
- ALP03 now uses ALPBOSS2 (Mega Man SFR Boss by Threxx and MrWeirdGuy) for boss music.
- ALP05 now uses ALPBOSS3 (Yoshi's Island Big Boss by IsabelleChiming) for boss music.

We hope you enjoy!  You can grab it on TSPG or dropbox.

[Thunderono]

Hey everyone!  Just dropping in to say we've released v1c!  This is a more minor update to bring REAL up to v6b compatibility, though a few maps have also seen some major changes.  Check the front post for download links and a full changelog!