Hutch Map, version 1.0

Welcome to the third floor of the Harold M. Weintraub Basic Sciences Laboratories, a part of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (the "Hutch"), located in Seattle, Washington. This is a network map for Marathon. It includes new wall/floor/ceiling textures, new sounds, and new "scenery" (chairs, carts, etc.). It also features optional goals for team network play.

How to use it

The Hutch map REQUIRES the use of modified Shapes and Sounds files, as well as the Physics Model that comes with it. We know: your hard drive is nearly full with all those downloaded Marathon maps and the Marathon 2 demo, but we hope you'll find these worth the space. Be warned, if you try to run this map without using all of these files, including the Physics Model, you will crash Marathon.

Use the HutchShapesInstaller to modify a COPY of the original Marathon Shapes file. It changes one set of textures (walls2) to a new set for the Hutch, and it adds two new graphics collections for chairs, etc. It also changes the graphic collections for Marathon scenery, Lookers (explodabugs now can detonate in chain reactions), and the Marathon control panels. All other graphics (monsters, players, weapons, and Bobs) are still the same ones you've come to know and love.

Use the HutchSoundInstaller to modify a COPY of the original Sounds file. This replaces some sounds (door opening/closing for example), as well as adds new ones.

The Physics Model is required for the scenery (movable chairs, for example). It does not change the physics, nor the player's weapons, except for a slight increase in the speed of the rocket. The aliens have not been changed either. Much.

For a network game, each player needs the modified Shapes file, the modified Sounds file, and the Physics Model file in the same folder as Marathon (with the original names; store the original files elsewhere). In addition, the machine gathering the network game must have the Map file in its Marathon folder.

An alternative way to keep track of all these files is to use MaraOS. It is a great little utility by Harry Hahn that lets you organize and run your Marathon files as sets. It is perfect for handling the extra files necessary for the Hutch Map. It requires only a few minutes to set up, and it works very well. It's available at AMUG.

Compatibility

This is a large, complex map, which does affect how fast Marathon runs--you may want to consider that PPC upgrade now. Also, it may help to adjust brightness and/or monitor contrast to darker settings than usual for Marathon, because of the different textures. This map has been tested with Marathon v1.0 and v1.2, on both PPC and 68K machines, with 2-4 players. As far as we know, it will not crash Marathon (anymore). It does take a long time load, especially on 68K machines.

Hints, etc.

We have tried to add a few features to make this map play differently from other maps. Most obvious is that there are goals for teams to try to achieve (see the next section). Of course, you don't have to play for the goals, you can just run around and shoot your friends.

The MapPICT file shows the main level of the map with various areas labeled by location. To help find your way during a game, check the map view for similar labels (the top of the map view is east, north is to the left). You may also find some other things of interest this way.

You may notice that the halls seem a little narrow, and those carts and chairs can get in the way. One solution is to lob a grenade or a rocket at the offending furniture. But try to avoid the resulting flying object.

Running around shooting everything in sight can really generate a thirst, and it can wear you down too. To try and reduce this problem, the Hutch has some automated refreshment options, Seattle-style. We suggest that you never let your caffeine level get too low!

There are numerous doors visible. Some of them even work automatically. However, since Marathon only allows 256 polygons (which are all in use), many doors do not lead to real rooms. But you might want to check, just in case...

Goals for team play

The Hutch map can be played with goals by two or more teams. To win, a team needs to reach one of two goals (one on each half of the map). Any team can use either goal. Each goal is a room that has switches and a teleporter in it. The switches release a horde of monsters onto the map, while the teleporter in each goal room takes the winners to an upper level room with invincibility powerups. The winners can then watch the losers get pounded (and help the process along). Once the monsters are loose, you cannot put them back.

The location of the goal rooms and the switches necessary to access them are shown in the MapPICT file. To reach either goal, a team must first activate a switch at the opposite end of the floor from the chosen goal. They must then cooperate to open the doors into the goal room itself. The other team(s) can interfere, or they can try to reach the other goal first.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Bungie Software for their incredible game! This map was created using Pfhorte d7-d22, and occasionally Mia 1.0d18. Thanks to Steve Israelson for writing Pfhorte (and for putting up with numerous suggestions and a few bug reports), and to Dan Walkowski for writing Mia.

Shapes were edited with Pfhred 1.0-1.2. Thanks to Br'fin (Jeremy Parsons) for creating Pfhred. Textures and scenery were made with Canvas 3.5.3 (Deneba Software). ResEdit was used to add two "unused" graphics collections to the Shapes file. The Shapes installer was made with the Marathon Shape Shuttle by Randy Reddig.

Thanks to Michael Hanson for the Physics Model Editor v1.1, which was used to make the Physics Model. HexEdit1.0.5 by Jim Bumgardner was used to set some of the scale values in the Physics Model (these allow the unused aliens to move in response to impacts, and they also allow the unused aliens to do damage when they die).

Sounds were recorded at the Hutch and edited with SoundEffects 0.91 by Alberto Ricci. The Sounds installer was created with the Marathon Sounds Transporter, by Aurelian Software.

Finally, thanks to Rob, Jherek, and Matt at the Hutch, and to Chris Vargas and friends at Miller Mauro Group Inc. (Wilmington, DE), for playtesting more versions than they probably care to remember.

We hope you enjoy this map. If you find any bugs, please let us know at dwaring@fred.fhcrc.org or dturner@fred.fhcrc.org.

David Waring and Dave Turner

Files that are part of the Hutch map set:

HutchShapeInstaller              HutchReadMe (or crash)              Physics Model
HutchSoundInstaller              MapPICT                             Map