Overview

nrby

Layout is not concrete, i may add/change the hive routes a little.
There is no cross routes between hive approaches for a reason. The marines need to comit to one route and use a little more planning to attack the hives (probe them or whatever)
Each hive has 2 routes in, one major one minor route and a variety of vents (not all of which have been added yet in this overview)
The toggle doors are sealable, some are stuck open and a few may be weldable. The yellow areas show the height changes and or elevators.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, there is a lot of resource nodes now, i'll change them during testing to see how things work out. These are all ``possible'' locations, not concrete yet <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
<img src="http://csnation.counter-strike.net/barney/personal/freon5_overview1.jpg" border="0">



<!--EDIT|n@rby|May 14 2002,09:46-->

Black_Wolf

looking good narby, how are your limits doing on this map?

i cant see any potential gameplay issues (never been good at that from overviews) but i cant see any major problems.

next time someone posts a HLTV image please fill in the bright green with a more friendly colour, this is killing my hungover eyes.

nrby

That better? <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->

90% clipnodes and 91% models

Comprox

My only real problem with it, is as a marine, you have to come back ALL the way to your spawn, before heading off down another path to a new one. I am pretty sure hte mapping guidelines only said the marine should have to travel a ways back towards his spawn, to get to another hive. I know this could get tiresome and borng trekking all the way back each time you need to get to a new hive. Maybe add a vent interconnecting the hallways a little ways up, that a marine can crawl through. (assuming the current vents the marines need jetpacks for or such). This would allow a shorter route, but also be a dissadvantage as it is a small space, and they are crawling slowly along. Otherwise, its looking just great!

nrby

Point taken, i'll try and add a coupl eof links a little earlier.

MonsieurEvil

Lordy, this looks terrific Narbs. I can't wait to give this a whirl, especially after seeing the AVI and latest round of screenshots. The layout looks like you've thought everything though very well, and is logical enough that new players won't have a huge learning curve. Now, my (rather limited) crits:

The hives only has one main chokepoint entrance that the Marines can utilize until they get jetpacks (all located near the Marine spawn). A large alien team should be able to easily hold those (albeit large) doors with a couple of Lev4's or some turrets (when they finally get back into the build).

Any welds? They could be be on there, but there's nothing in the map key. Lots of terrific opportunities here for both offensive and defensive ones.

And... ummmm... you smell!

Looks awesome.



<!--EDIT|MonsieurEvil|May 14 2002,11:17-->

nrby

Thanks Monse, thats very encouraging <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->

Ya i'll add some more welds, i'm not sure exactly where but i'd image one weld per route and some of the vents (especially around the marine spawn) I added a vent system into the marine spawn to give the aliens a crafty attack route later in the game, and something to make the marines consider when fortifying themselves.

Nemesis_Zero

Well thought out (as if anyone would have expected something else) layout there, Narby.

One thing I think could be usefull would be more direct alien - only passages between the hives, so lvl1s and threes are able to move fast between them for defense purposes.

nrby

yep you're right, i will be adding more vents

realityisdead

Looks really great. I admire your ability to produce something like this -in game- so efficiently and quickly. My layout is fairly similar to yours, but it is taking me <i>ages</i> to do. So... yeah.

One thing I really like here is the extra bit of map down below the marine start. It doesn't appear to be essential for the marines to venture over there (they could just take the path on the right to the nozzle) but it looks like a great place for the aliens to hide out and ambush the suckers.. love the vent placement. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->

I don't have any criticism that hasn't already been mentioned.

Flayra

Looking good.  I definitely agree that the marines need to be able to move between the routes more easily though.  I think the mapping guidelines say the marines should have to move about half-way back to their start to move between.  Anything around that level should be good.

I also think the resource node to the right of the marine start should be removed.  Once that's removed, both sides will be naturally coming directly in contact with each other, as they fight for nodes.

The aliens are also in quite dire need for moving between their hives more easily.  I would suggest some vents that link the hives almost directly.  The passageways you put in for the marines to move between the prongs will also let level 5s move between hives areas without having to hike all the way to the marine start (which will likely be hard to get by anyways).

So will it be ready for this weekend's playtest? <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->

nrby

I added/changed an ###LOAD of stuff today, lots of particle systems etc, updated the hives etc.

I imagine i'll hit my clipnode limit soon, then spend a day working out what to crop to add those extra tunnels. It's a posibility for a weekend playtest, we'll see i guess <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->



<!--EDIT|Moleculor|May 15 2002,08:03-->

Black_Wolf

hehe, narby edited it for my hungover eyes =P (bright green not good for hangover)

its looking god, and ill say it again, -wow- u work fast.