What really would give some addition to this room would be a waypoint line on the floor with color. It seems a bit too empty, though this is a techpoint, right?
It's marine start. I want it to be a bit empty too you know, so there can be a beacon happening, the usual structures (it seems that they are bigger) and players moving around.
Yeah, since I've changed the ceiling lightning it feels like it is too low, I might raise it up just a little but I want it to be fairly low cause it's marine start, and a higher ceiling gives the aliens some advantages in combat. (think kestrel marine start, lol)
The straight way to the alien hive / marine start gives a bit siegemapish image. The point in middle is obviously extremely important so marines are to roll there with sieges and aliens are rolling there with ocs. The funny thing is that the closest tech point for aliens is very close to the stroke point and should marines control it sieging would be too easy and alien would have to make hive further. Also theres is also very important spot that could cut aliens entirely from the map at the crossroads which is near the "doubles" too.
Everything is speculation since we know nothing of real matter of the game so god knows maybe it might work.
I missed this thread when it was posted and seeing how you might actually pull this map together I'll throw in my two cents. Back when I thought I had the time to map I read the dev posts about map design a lot and really looked their example map layout before I created something I was happy with. Obviously everything I say is pure speculation and I'm sure there will be a variety of maps with different layouts that lend themselves to different kinds of gameplay (ie, tier 1 longer, tier 2 quick, etc) and one style may not be the best.
Here are some things I picked up:
The powergrid. In the power grid example KFS posted a few months ago, <a href="http://www.button-masher.net/images/ns2/ns_nancy_grid.jpg" target="_blank">found here</a>, you can get an idea of how the powergrid should play out better than reading words. You already know your map is hallway heavy so I won't dwell on that but it doesn't look like combat would really flow between those grids easily and I think that's because we're looking at so many hallways.
Symmetry. The map layout shouldn't symmetrical but the node/tech point locations should be. It looks like you already picked up on this and overall this layout looks pretty decent given what we have to work with. The one thing I don't like is the entire north section of the map (Inbound Pipeline, Data Processing, Control Room, Archive, and the hallways that connect them) as it looks like it wouldn't play well and feels like you ran out of ideas on what to do with that part of the map.
Naturals. In the example map provided by UWE each team had a <a href="http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Natural" target="_blank">natural</a>. It's hard to say if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It would be a good thing if income came in slow enough that it was a strategic choice between going for your natural, to tech up, or going for a few surrounding resource nodes first. It would be a bad thing if income came in quickly and the decision didn't really matter because you're going to end up with both 30 seconds apart from eachother. Your map lacks naturals but who knows if that's a plus or a minus.
Aside from the naturals, no two tech points are connected on the map supplied by UWE. This may be unintentional on their part but I think it's important none the less. We already know there will be some kind of squad respawning system in the game and if a squad camped in the hallway between maintenance room and fluid processing they could potentially be a overpowering defense force due to how quickly they could respond to an attack at either point.
That's all I've got for now, because I'm thinking you'll probably modify your layout if you haven't already.
When I was creating layouts I eventually landed on a layout I liked, however, that's on another computer. The layout linked <a href="http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/8249/688o.png" target="_blank">here</a> is one of the original versions of the map that I eventually ended up liking. Keep in mind the above linked layout is a little hallway heavy and there were some things I didn't care for which were tweaked in my later versions but you get an idea on where I'm coming from. Oh, and blue = node, red = tech, line red = vent, line light blue = weldable door, and circle light blue = weldable vent. Weldable doors are something that can really change the flow of the map too and are something to keep in mind.
Power grid doesn't have to be symmetrical. Check the mapping guidelines, example powergrids are just that. An example. Playtesting will find out what works and what doesn't.
The mapping guidelines also has a better example power grid than the very old nancy example.
<!--quoteo(post=1759413:date=Mar 14 2010, 08:40 PM:name=Thaldarin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thaldarin @ Mar 14 2010, 08:40 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1759413"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Power grid doesn't have to be symmetrical.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Obviously everything I say is pure speculation and I'm sure there will be a variety of maps with different layouts that lend themselves to different kinds of gameplay (ie, tier 1 longer, tier 2 quick, etc) and one style may not be the best.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Nothing "has to be" anything. As I said, we'll see how different layouts lend themselves to different types of gameplay. It sounds like that's what you said too, so I'm confused. Starcraft 2 is a good example of why following strictly following a mapping guideline (main -> choke -> natural -> choke) can produce maps that all play the same.
I'm not going to make major changes to the map since we don't know enough about gameplay and the map is about completed, just need detailing. I made the map just for fun and to have something else to play with than the one that'll launch with the Alpha. I know it has NS1 style but who knows, it might play well, and if it really doesn't then goes to the garbage. The whole map is modular in order for me to replace a whole room or corridor.
I haven't thought about which doors and/or vents will be weldable yet.
Some corridors around Fluid processing, Inbound pipeline and Lockers room. A bit empty. Not sure yet what I should add, keeping in mind that it should be an important battleground for the marines.
I think those grids are brining in it down a bit, they are so fuzzy without a proper 8bit Alpha Channel. I would leave that area for now its probably okay, just need more choice of textures.
Oh it massively reminds me of the Prison blocks from TFC on the_rock2.
You should try to make the walls more interesting and "carved in the base". The ceiling looks a bit muggy, maybe a vent or other technical bases could make it better. Floor is nice, maybe some small props on the sides.
Still improving the same parts, now the corridors around Fluid processing, also made some specific changes inside that room. Major change is the ceiling height that is going to advantage the Lerk a lot. I'll add more details in the upper part of the room (like more pipes) since it is between Inbound pipeline and Fluid processing. Trying to set the theme and transition better too.
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
edited March 2010
Lovely! btw are there ledges where Skulkies can skulk and Lerks can lork on their clorf at the top of those middle pillar/wall thingy? would be awesome to drive marines insane going trough openings in the walls near the ceiling harassing the crap out of them :D
You could add a some valve, gas/steam display or some compression machine under the pipes on the wall. Maybe as marine you could play around that stuff and turn on hot gas that damages the lork on the clorf.
Looking back at it now and I don't like the piping after all... I'll have to change that too. I still have to get the theme right, as I wanted something broken in that part.. might as well do it in the Tech room just aside.
Evil_bOb1Join Date: 2002-07-13Member: 938Members, Squad Five Blue
I like your work Pipi. I really think you are on the right track. You meshed out a simple but effective matrix for you to work on and make the map evolve. I'm impressed by your vision of structure.
Lookin damn good, as an oldschool NS player I'd like more clutter n smaller rooms, but I'd say you're following the NS2 mapping guidelines perfectly. Getting me all excited and giddy for NS2
Comments
<img src="http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/7453/nsq82.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
What really would give some addition to this room would be a waypoint line on the floor with color. It seems a bit too empty, though this is a techpoint, right?
It's marine start. I want it to be a bit empty too you know, so there can be a beacon happening, the usual structures (it seems that they are bigger) and players moving around.
Um.. yeah, I guess.. 0_o
:P
Everything is speculation since we know nothing of real matter of the game so god knows maybe it might work.
<img src="http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/8452/nsqlayout.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I missed this thread when it was posted and seeing how you might actually pull this map together I'll throw in my two cents. Back when I thought I had the time to map I read the dev posts about map design a lot and really looked their example map layout before I created something I was happy with. Obviously everything I say is pure speculation and I'm sure there will be a variety of maps with different layouts that lend themselves to different kinds of gameplay (ie, tier 1 longer, tier 2 quick, etc) and one style may not be the best.
Here are some things I picked up:
The powergrid. In the power grid example KFS posted a few months ago, <a href="http://www.button-masher.net/images/ns2/ns_nancy_grid.jpg" target="_blank">found here</a>, you can get an idea of how the powergrid should play out better than reading words. You already know your map is hallway heavy so I won't dwell on that but it doesn't look like combat would really flow between those grids easily and I think that's because we're looking at so many hallways.
Symmetry. The map layout shouldn't symmetrical but the node/tech point locations should be. It looks like you already picked up on this and overall this layout looks pretty decent given what we have to work with. The one thing I don't like is the entire north section of the map (Inbound Pipeline, Data Processing, Control Room, Archive, and the hallways that connect them) as it looks like it wouldn't play well and feels like you ran out of ideas on what to do with that part of the map.
Naturals. In the example map provided by UWE each team had a <a href="http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Natural" target="_blank">natural</a>. It's hard to say if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It would be a good thing if income came in slow enough that it was a strategic choice between going for your natural, to tech up, or going for a few surrounding resource nodes first. It would be a bad thing if income came in quickly and the decision didn't really matter because you're going to end up with both 30 seconds apart from eachother. Your map lacks naturals but who knows if that's a plus or a minus.
Aside from the naturals, no two tech points are connected on the map supplied by UWE. This may be unintentional on their part but I think it's important none the less. We already know there will be some kind of squad respawning system in the game and if a squad camped in the hallway between maintenance room and fluid processing they could potentially be a overpowering defense force due to how quickly they could respond to an attack at either point.
That's all I've got for now, because I'm thinking you'll probably modify your layout if you haven't already.
When I was creating layouts I eventually landed on a layout I liked, however, that's on another computer. The layout linked <a href="http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/8249/688o.png" target="_blank">here</a> is one of the original versions of the map that I eventually ended up liking. Keep in mind the above linked layout is a little hallway heavy and there were some things I didn't care for which were tweaked in my later versions but you get an idea on where I'm coming from. Oh, and blue = node, red = tech, line red = vent, line light blue = weldable door, and circle light blue = weldable vent. Weldable doors are something that can really change the flow of the map too and are something to keep in mind.
Power grid doesn't have to be symmetrical. Check the mapping guidelines, example powergrids are just that. An example. Playtesting will find out what works and what doesn't.
The mapping guidelines also has a better example power grid than the very old nancy example.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Obviously everything I say is pure speculation and I'm sure there will be a variety of maps with different layouts that lend themselves to different kinds of gameplay (ie, tier 1 longer, tier 2 quick, etc) and one style may not be the best.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Nothing "has to be" anything. As I said, we'll see how different layouts lend themselves to different types of gameplay. It sounds like that's what you said too, so I'm confused. Starcraft 2 is a good example of why following strictly following a mapping guideline (main -> choke -> natural -> choke) can produce maps that all play the same.
I'm not going to make major changes to the map since we don't know enough about gameplay and the map is about completed, just need detailing. I made the map just for fun and to have something else to play with than the one that'll launch with the Alpha. I know it has NS1 style but who knows, it might play well, and if it really doesn't then goes to the garbage. The whole map is modular in order for me to replace a whole room or corridor.
I haven't thought about which doors and/or vents will be weldable yet.
<img src="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/3844/nsq85.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/2852/nsq86.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
On the second shot, the corridor in the middle seems to change drastically but it's not that bad from another angle.
I would leave that area for now its probably okay, just need more choice of textures.
Oh it massively reminds me of the Prison blocks from TFC on the_rock2.
<img src="http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/658/nsq87.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
You should try to make the walls more interesting and "carved in the base".
The ceiling looks a bit muggy, maybe a vent or other technical bases could make it better.
Floor is nice, maybe some small props on the sides.
Keep em coming.
<img src="http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/7431/nsq89.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
You could add a some valve, gas/steam display or some compression machine under the pipes on the wall.
Maybe as marine you could play around that stuff and turn on hot gas that damages the lork on the clorf.
[Fr] Je sais pas si tout ca a du sens, l'anglais me semble toujours mal approprié pour un peu de poésie. hehe. Mais j'aime bien ta façon de faire, ca a l'air de te donner une bonne vision de l'ensemble, mais aussi beaucoup de liberté pour faire évoluer la bête! Nourris toi des conseils sans perdre le contrôle de ton œuvre!
Bonne continuation! [/Fr]
Add more colourful lights?