Fun maps!
coller
Join Date: 2005-01-15 Member: 35635Members, Reinforced - Shadow
Join Date: 2005-01-15 Member: 35635Members, Reinforced - Shadow
hi there,
Been playing ns since a very long long time, still have a lot of fun with the game, especially when playing with good team, lots of teamspeak, only gameexperience i have with that much of teamplay. But, I think we need to improve the funfactor of the game.
I remember from ns 1 the times I laughed rolling on the floor, this happens not very often with ns2. One of the reasons for me is the lack of fun maps or mods like the ninja fall maps (remember!) or lerk lift . I know, they break the game in a way, make it more or less unbalanced, but I dont care, it was fun. I remember siege maps, where you had to find everytime a new strategie to win. When you found the ultimate strategie, game became a bit boring, but still fun. And for the map creators, time to redesign the map a bit. You had to be much more creative in playing the game, in finding strategies, so many ways to win or loose.
All the maps now are in a way the same. 3 or 4 tech points and corridors and rooms that connects. Playing a fun map now and then is ... yeah fun. Also these maps are a good introduction for new players. Because players have usually plenty of pres in these maps, they can buy or evolve much more and dont have to wait long time before evolving/buying. In this way, the new community combat maps co_portal is one large step in the right direction. Only, I dont like combat, because of the lack of teamplay. (and this is exactly what ns distinguishes from other games)
So this is a call to all you modders and creative map designers: give us fun, make more fun maps!
Been playing ns since a very long long time, still have a lot of fun with the game, especially when playing with good team, lots of teamspeak, only gameexperience i have with that much of teamplay. But, I think we need to improve the funfactor of the game.
I remember from ns 1 the times I laughed rolling on the floor, this happens not very often with ns2. One of the reasons for me is the lack of fun maps or mods like the ninja fall maps (remember!) or lerk lift . I know, they break the game in a way, make it more or less unbalanced, but I dont care, it was fun. I remember siege maps, where you had to find everytime a new strategie to win. When you found the ultimate strategie, game became a bit boring, but still fun. And for the map creators, time to redesign the map a bit. You had to be much more creative in playing the game, in finding strategies, so many ways to win or loose.All the maps now are in a way the same. 3 or 4 tech points and corridors and rooms that connects. Playing a fun map now and then is ... yeah fun.
Also these maps are a good introduction for new players. Because players have usually plenty of pres in these maps, they can buy or evolve much more and dont have to wait long time before evolving/buying. In this way, the new community combat maps co_portal is one large step in the right direction. Only, I dont like combat, because of the lack of teamplay. (and this is exactly what ns distinguishes from other games)So this is a call to all you modders and creative map designers: give us fun, make more fun maps!
Comments
"Just about every map seems to generally resemble one another by rough layout (Save a few key points). Of course, this was probably due to the mechanics of the game itself. It's a Red VS Blue (Your base here, My base here) deal, even if a tad more dynamic. So there's only so much they can do for maps. I ~guess~ what I'm trying to get across, it perhaps make them a little more... I don't know, unique? Sure adding a vent here or there can open up new elements that could make or break a solid strategy on either team. However, if they were to migrate away from -- even if just momentarily -- octagon formats of map-design with elaborate internals (think in-game map view). Perhaps add something more of an L-Shape?
An L-Shape is simple, and would kind of be a low-key easy strategy form of map that beginners to the RTS style can play on, rather than being thrown in to "COVER ALL FRONTS" pressure of the current map setups. - Or an H Shape; Hell, what about an X shape with another X shape on top of it to make a multi-floor playing ground? ...Maybe a % shape with the center line being some crazy gap in to space or something and both bases being where the o's are (with various sub-bases/key points to capture scattered around the outer ring)...I swear I'm making sense.
Regardless if my ideas are garbage or not for maps, I still hold to my initial statement on how I feel there could be a little more diversity with it."
Oh and this was just a reply I gave mixed in with other input, to something semi-unrelated. I'm just re-posting it here to add to your current topic; maybe give some ideas or spark others!
I agree that map styles should be a thing, at the very least, looked over for possible change ups.
Think about it this way; even though some people might think they are refreshing, there are no players playing the game who can't stand playing regular NS2 games (they wouldn't be playing otherwise), but there are a lot of people who can't stand playing these 'fun maps' and will vacate servers if they come up. More harm than good.
Id like more fun maps for the normal game but i can't see them getting played much so it's will just be a waste of someones time creating anything half decent, anything quickly slapped together won't be played either these days so thats no good, gamers expect a lot more now, gone are the days of a thriving modding community and a variety of maps and mods, except for a few big games of course.
Well I don't play to lose, though I'll admit it can be fun to try ridiculous strats sometimes. And who knows, if you're 3-0 down in a best of 7 against a much better team, yeah you might as well buy mines and sit in a corner in base waiting for the big BOOOOOM...
But when I join a server to play the game, I'm looking to get kills, deny res, kill hives/CCs, etc. If you're not playing to the objectives, or rather if you're specifically trying not to play to the objectives, I think I'd probably label you as a troll trying to ruin other people's fun...
I loved fun maps in ns1 and also the standard maps. There was not a single standard map that felt overplayed and boring. And I miss that feeling in ns2.
The reasons for a lack of fun maps in ns2 are from my point of view:
- The "engine" doesn't allow mappers to create maps like with the worldcraft/hammer editor. It is very restricting and therefor a lot of good ideas or old maps can't be realized. And it doesn't seem like this will improve anytime soon.
- The lack of support and courtesy in the "community". Whereas the ns1 fun maps had a lot of people that were willing to endure the process of testing and polishing a map, this community (beside a fine and small exception now and then) is demanding a tripple A map right from the release. And if they don't get it they offer no support but a lot of hate and harsh words. Who wants to map for such people?
- New builds destroy necessary mods and maps on a regular basis - I remember to have heard during the beta something like "we will invest more time for updates after the release, so mods and maps won't break anymore? Must have been my imagination - in two ways. They are not playable anymore because of encrypted error messages that no1 without a crystal ball can decypher/fix and because this game is changing so often and so frequently. You invest a lot of time into balancing and planning a map, so the marines have a chance to defend against an über-onos and 3 builds later the onos gets nerfed into oblivion and your mapdesign is screwed etc.
Mapping is not a rewarding thing to do in ns2 and as I saw it lately with comments in the MvM thread, modding as well. This is sad, because fun maps have a potential to be fun
But who knows, if more people start threats like this one and if more people start pulling on the same oar, we will eventually see more fun maps. But that should start soon, because the "community" already got rid of a few good mappers that way.
When it comes to fun/different style maps i think ns2_co_stargate should get a mention, it was the first to really make use of not just EE but cinematics as well, something which even now very few maps have bothered with, there's a few other fun maps like minifridge and loltrain, sadly though few servers bother to include them in rotation, most stick to the same few standard ones which get boring after a while, having the option to vote on them now and then would be nice.
Although I'm not a big fan of "fun" maps. I would like to see some maps attempt to move further away from the typical wagon wheel design.