I don't mind which HL this is done in, it can be done in any, the only reason I say HL2 is I assumed it would have more features that would make the map easier to make.
I don't mind every 'path' being the same BUT obviously the 'short/easy' path has to be behind a different door each time.
Additionally: when players go down a path they should not be able to see the other paths - eg, connecting corridors.
Tetsu0 - you are correct except the player should not be able to take the 'suggested' choice. This door that the computer opens is always going to be a long/hard path (but never the one the player has selected). It is up to the player to decide whether to keep to their original choice (which won't be the door opened by the computer on the first button press - this is the computer basically 'eliminating' a door choice from the equation) or switch to the other unopened door.
Basically by opening the door that they do not originally choose and that the computer doesn't open, they increase their chances of getting the short path. The logic is very weird but that's just how it works! The experiment is designed to measure how long it takes players to realise they should always switch their original choice once the computer has eliminated a door choice for them.
My supervisor said 24 rooms was sufficient but more is always better. I am not keen on pushing my luck, however!
Thank you so much for your replies so far!
Forum posts
Well, it depends how quick you are with mapping really! I know the download is broken, it was on my old website which I don't have any more. I figured it would probably be easier to ask for a whole new map since I was told the map I'd comissioned was rubbish.
No worries though, I shall look elsewhere for help, I know it's a horrible boring task!
No worries though, I shall look elsewhere for help, I know it's a horrible boring task!
Hey again all, thought you'd seen the last of me, eh? Well I'm the Psychology student who posted this: http://www.twhl.co.za/forums.php?thread=15199 earlier this year and got lots of responses but no actual map.
Well due to a lot of complicated drama I had to defer my year and basically have until December to come up with this map. Since I can't bump such an old thread I thought it might be worth making another one...just in case...because the map Penguinboy came up with was really so perfect it seems a waste not to at least try!
And...if you're wondering why I still haven't done it myself, well there's been a lot going on here and my machine is still the same old crappy laptop that can't run hammer editor...
Once again thank you for reading, and I promise I won't start any more threads. Like I said, I just felt I'd finally found someone who understood the experiment and am loathe to explain it all again!
Well due to a lot of complicated drama I had to defer my year and basically have until December to come up with this map. Since I can't bump such an old thread I thought it might be worth making another one...just in case...because the map Penguinboy came up with was really so perfect it seems a waste not to at least try!
And...if you're wondering why I still haven't done it myself, well there's been a lot going on here and my machine is still the same old crappy laptop that can't run hammer editor...
Once again thank you for reading, and I promise I won't start any more threads. Like I said, I just felt I'd finally found someone who understood the experiment and am loathe to explain it all again!
I thought I'd give this one last try in case anyone had managed to come up with anything...otherwise I'll stop spamming!
Hey all.... I was just wondering if any of you had come up with anything in the past few days? Only I am very quickly running out of time!
Edit: The whole long/short path isn't set in concrete. Instead, there could be 3 long paths, but only one of them is a 'clear run'. The other two could have a series of crates in the way that need smashing before the player can continue. Just a thought! That might be easier that winding corridors?
Edit#2: What Penguinboy has come up with is SPOT ON! If of course the blocked off door/short path door is different each time.
Edit: The whole long/short path isn't set in concrete. Instead, there could be 3 long paths, but only one of them is a 'clear run'. The other two could have a series of crates in the way that need smashing before the player can continue. Just a thought! That might be easier that winding corridors?
Edit#2: What Penguinboy has come up with is SPOT ON! If of course the blocked off door/short path door is different each time.
I'm just taking a look at it now!
Should probably reiterate that each room has to have a different 'correct' door. So as long as there are 3 different sets of rooms that have the correct door in different places, they can be copy-pasted in a random order.
Should probably reiterate that each room has to have a different 'correct' door. So as long as there are 3 different sets of rooms that have the correct door in different places, they can be copy-pasted in a random order.
Hi all, just to let you know I am back. In response to how soon do I need it... as soon as possible really. The guy I had do the first map has been working on it since January! Getting the map correct is my first priority. The entire completed experiment is due in 20th April and I need to have tested and analysed 50 participants by then, so that might give you some idea of timescales!
Basically though if the map is crappy I will not get a very good classification on this module. Which is worth 40% of my final degree. It's obscene I know that a psychology degree hangs on how good a half life 2 map is, but I guess I just have a sadistic supervisor.
Just to answer the other questions:
Yes, functional and not visually stimulating. Plain and unobstrusive.
?25 can be paid via paypal or cheque in the UK if required. It's less of an incentive and a more of how I really need someone to help me out, otherwise I'd be offering a lot more!
Yes I did think this whole process (girl asking for help) sounded like a psychology experiment... I am actually thinking about running something like that on World of Warcraft in the near future. However this is not an experiment and I really am female and I really am requiring someones help. It just seems most people who are good at mapping tend to be male!
Basically though if the map is crappy I will not get a very good classification on this module. Which is worth 40% of my final degree. It's obscene I know that a psychology degree hangs on how good a half life 2 map is, but I guess I just have a sadistic supervisor.
Just to answer the other questions:
Yes, functional and not visually stimulating. Plain and unobstrusive.
?25 can be paid via paypal or cheque in the UK if required. It's less of an incentive and a more of how I really need someone to help me out, otherwise I'd be offering a lot more!
Yes I did think this whole process (girl asking for help) sounded like a psychology experiment... I am actually thinking about running something like that on World of Warcraft in the near future. However this is not an experiment and I really am female and I really am requiring someones help. It just seems most people who are good at mapping tend to be male!
That's fantastic, thank you so much, I shall check back here in the morning
Edit: I'm actually away until Sunday evening so I will have to check back again then. If someone could have a go at hacking something together with the (apparently rubbish) map I have at the moment that would take a massive load off my mind.
Also since you asked, I paid the guy ?25 which I think is about $50. That's pretty much what I am offering again if someone can help me. I know it's not a massive amount but I am an undergrad and extremely poor as it is!
I'm really thankful for the help
Edit: I'm actually away until Sunday evening so I will have to check back again then. If someone could have a go at hacking something together with the (apparently rubbish) map I have at the moment that would take a massive load off my mind.
Also since you asked, I paid the guy ?25 which I think is about $50. That's pretty much what I am offering again if someone can help me. I know it's not a massive amount but I am an undergrad and extremely poor as it is!
I'm really thankful for the help
The main structure of the experiment is there, badly made or not. I would be fine with someone just making the edits I need rather than doing the whole lot again. In fact, just one or two of the edits would be better than none!
There are a total of 24 rooms with the 3 door/6 button setup.
The 'correct' door needs to be randomly assigned in each room so there is no clear pattern as to where it will appear, although the door needs to appear in each place a vaguely equal number of times.
All the doors lead to one path which leads to the same room. Except one of the doors leads to a path much closer to the room than the other two doors do.
It all sounds a lot more confusing than it actually is, I think.
The 'correct' door needs to be randomly assigned in each room so there is no clear pattern as to where it will appear, although the door needs to appear in each place a vaguely equal number of times.
All the doors lead to one path which leads to the same room. Except one of the doors leads to a path much closer to the room than the other two doors do.
It all sounds a lot more confusing than it actually is, I think.
Wow, what a fast response! I have uploaded the file to my webspace and you can find it here: http://www.digitalsurvivor.net/Misc/experiment(1).vmf
Basically...I can't make sense of it at all. Here's the gist of the experiment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_hall_problem
The aim of the experiment is to find the short paths through the map. The player is presented with 3 doors. Behind 2 of the doors is a long path to the next room. Behind one is the short path.
What is happening at the moment is, the player presses a button on the top row of the panel, corresponding to the door they wish to open. This button press opens a DIFFERENT door which leads to the long path through the map. The participant then has to decide whether they want to open the door they originally chose (by pressing the same button on the 2nd row) or to switch to the other door (press corresponding button on 2nd row). They then proceed to the next room.
What I want to measure is how often participants decide to switch doors, which I can only assume I do through looking at which buttons are pressed on the game console.
The current problems with the map are:
1)Room 16 leads to a dead end if you go down either of the long paths
2) The participant can see the other doors when they make their way down the long path. These doors really need to be hidden so there is only one 'route' visible to them - I assume this would be done by having doors close somewhere in the interconnected path system after the 2nd button was pressed or after the participant goes through a door.
3) the 'long paths' are not long enough - they need to be longer and more winding.
4) the button panels need to be facing the doors, so that they correspond more clearly to the doors when pressed.
Hopefully that makes some kind of sense. If not then you have some idea of the theories I'm trying to work with here, on a platform I cannot program!
Basically...I can't make sense of it at all. Here's the gist of the experiment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_hall_problem
The aim of the experiment is to find the short paths through the map. The player is presented with 3 doors. Behind 2 of the doors is a long path to the next room. Behind one is the short path.
What is happening at the moment is, the player presses a button on the top row of the panel, corresponding to the door they wish to open. This button press opens a DIFFERENT door which leads to the long path through the map. The participant then has to decide whether they want to open the door they originally chose (by pressing the same button on the 2nd row) or to switch to the other door (press corresponding button on 2nd row). They then proceed to the next room.
What I want to measure is how often participants decide to switch doors, which I can only assume I do through looking at which buttons are pressed on the game console.
The current problems with the map are:
1)Room 16 leads to a dead end if you go down either of the long paths
2) The participant can see the other doors when they make their way down the long path. These doors really need to be hidden so there is only one 'route' visible to them - I assume this would be done by having doors close somewhere in the interconnected path system after the 2nd button was pressed or after the participant goes through a door.
3) the 'long paths' are not long enough - they need to be longer and more winding.
4) the button panels need to be facing the doors, so that they correspond more clearly to the doors when pressed.
Hopefully that makes some kind of sense. If not then you have some idea of the theories I'm trying to work with here, on a platform I cannot program!
Hi guys,
I'm sorry to have to start my posting with a request, and quite a desperate and urgent one at that, but I am in great need of someone to help me fix a Half Life 2 map for my final year Psychology project.
Basically I paid someone (friend of a friend) to make the map for me but there are some problems with it that they don't have time to fix. What basically needs doing is some button panels need rotating, some forcefields/doors/walls need putting up, and some corridors need to be made longer.
This is quite a lot to ask I know, but I was hoping I could find some kind soul to help me. Of course I can compenstate since it needs to be done quite soon. I would love to be able to do it myself unfortunately I have never used Hammer editor before and the VMF file I was given makes no sense to me at all. Plus I don't actually have a machine that can run hammer editor very well!
And if you want to know why on earth I am running an experiment on a program I can't even operate....it was my supervisors idea. And he has not been forthcoming in suggesting how I fix the problems with the map. So I am turning to you all in my time of need.
If anyone could help me I would love to hear from you as soon as possible... And hopefully I can post something less needy and desperate soon
Thank you so much in advance!
Laura (Cardiff University, if you were wondering!)
I'm sorry to have to start my posting with a request, and quite a desperate and urgent one at that, but I am in great need of someone to help me fix a Half Life 2 map for my final year Psychology project.
Basically I paid someone (friend of a friend) to make the map for me but there are some problems with it that they don't have time to fix. What basically needs doing is some button panels need rotating, some forcefields/doors/walls need putting up, and some corridors need to be made longer.
This is quite a lot to ask I know, but I was hoping I could find some kind soul to help me. Of course I can compenstate since it needs to be done quite soon. I would love to be able to do it myself unfortunately I have never used Hammer editor before and the VMF file I was given makes no sense to me at all. Plus I don't actually have a machine that can run hammer editor very well!
And if you want to know why on earth I am running an experiment on a program I can't even operate....it was my supervisors idea. And he has not been forthcoming in suggesting how I fix the problems with the map. So I am turning to you all in my time of need.
If anyone could help me I would love to hear from you as soon as possible... And hopefully I can post something less needy and desperate soon
Thank you so much in advance!
Laura (Cardiff University, if you were wondering!)