So wait till I get a little used to it and I would appreciate any help with map tweaking/cooking for PS3

This is a good place to start:

http://www.unrealplayground.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48153

(scroll down that page).

Some other basic tips that I wish I'd been told:

1. The grid is a good thing. Do NOT turn it off or edit brush properties to stop them snapping. You can change the grid size in the View menu.

2. Find a few nice packages, like LT_Floors & LT_Walls, right click, select "Fully load", then browse.

3. You should prolly use additive, not subtractive (I'm old - I used subtractive, I reget it).

4. When you get to a sticky bit, try loading a stock map and finding how they did it (maps are buried in Program Files/Unreal Tournament 3/fucking yar-de-yarICan'tRemeberYou'llHaveToPissAroundLooking).

5. UT light doesn't seem to behave like RL light: it doesn't bounce of things and illuminate other things. So you'll need lots of point lights or you'll get lots of black surfaces that don't reflect anything.

6. Back up often. You'll get really pissed off otherwise.

7. Once you've finished playing with a brush or surface or whatever, click into empty space to deselec it. You'll get really pissed off otherwise.

8. Botpathing is easy for the most part. So at least build most of the paths.

9. Overdoing it with heavy vehicles and weapons tends to be a bit of a piss-off. If you map design results in an impossible map without them, they can make it playable, though. So use them cleverly, not by default.

10. I want another bottle of beer, and then I'm going to bed.

11. Bye.

Does anyone know of a simple set of instructions for creating an exploding core sequence and getting it to run when the game ends?

So just ordered a new video card, and should have it in a week.  I got some map ideas, wonder how feasible they are.  Does anyone know if gravity can be set to a certain point, rather than straight down?  That way a planet could be made with gravity at it's center and people walking around entire globe.  That would be cool.  Want to make the moon with orbiting gun satellites, planet surface, and planet core battlegrounds.  Again don't even know if this is possible. 

Another map idea would be 2 battlegrounds, one on top of the other, with the upper playing field turned upside-down.  Gravity would pull you towards your field, while upper battleground's gravity would pull you towards that field.  A countdown node would disrupt the opposite's gravity field-sending that team plummeting towards your battlefield.  Follow?  Center node would allow team to leap to opposing teams battlefield.

Anyone play bunnytracks on ut99?  I always had fun playin those.  Maybe make some ctf bunnytracks for UT3, haven't noticed any yet, but I may have missed them. 

Roman Coloseum type map with players starting in dungeon and fighting their way to gladiator glory in the arena.  Overcoming pitfalls, trapdoors, and triplines activating hazards like spike walls, flame throwers, and moving platforms.

Sounds a little overzealous considering I haven't ever mapped anything I know.  Hmmm, we'll see.... right

Start out simple. Build some basic geometry, get it to play ok, then spend a looooong time playing around putting meshes it to see just how pretty some meshes can make a crappy piece of geometry look.

After that...

In the 2k4 editor, you could put differnet pysics in different zones, including gravity. So I'm sure it's possible and pretty easy. The harder part would be that players who are upside down would see the world upside down, which gives a fucker of a headache. Getting nodes to control events involvs kismet, I think, at it gets increasingly complicated and error-prone.

If you post on the Epic forums, you'lll get unhelpful answers like "Just open a stock map and see how they did it". If you asked someone how to build a car and were told to look under the bonnet of an F1 car and see how they did it, you wouldn't get far very fast. Same applies.

I expect it's all possible, but you should start small and see how much you can impress yourself with basics before you start a major project like you've described. You'll also find that maps often don't play so well in reality as they do in your head. So take time to learn.

I came across one a few weeks ago. I think it was one of the Hosted sites on BU but I could be wrong.  I'll try to find it and let you know. 

I know you'll love this answer.  Check out Imperialism if you haven't already.  That has been the most innovative core sequence that I've seen to date.  It's far more than what you're looking to do I'm sure but check it out... There are two sequences so make sure you get the Vertical one...

Now I'm all set for PC UT3.  Jumped on last night after installing new video card.  Holy crap it runs smooth^{as hell}.  Only got to try it briefly but was greatly impressed.  Noticed right off the jump that aiming is much easier with a mouse. Also that when in the darkwalker and climbing stuff - you can actually aim straight. While on PS3 - if you climb and shoot, your aim goes haywire until you stabilize your 3 legs on level surface or stop moving for a second.  Haven't jumped online yet, but if ya see me online - send me a friend request and we can hit it up.

EMBRACE THE LIGHT!!!!

Congratulations. Clean your disk up, shut down services and startup processes (or make a barebones Local ID to login & play/edit with), defragment and let her rip.

Make sure to see the Files & Guides Section on the front page to get all the latest patches and PS3ModTools v2.1 etc....

ENJOY!

Great news Killin. I have seen your posts about map making and I would be willing to work with you on maps. I made a Dm map a few years back for UT2K4. So I have a little experience with the Editor. My advice to you would be go to www.3dbuzz.com and register.  There you will find UT2k4 videos as well as UT3 videos. Those guys are the same people who made the bonus material on the UT3 Collector edition.  I have this edition already and if I can I will try to get the videos off the disk.They have also written a book called "Mastering Unreal Technology" for 2K4 but I plan to pick this up and some time this year a new book will be available for UT3. With the edition of you and hopefully soon Dakilla we can start challenging the UNK clan those guys are fun to battle with.