Commander mode -- detail rooms

KungFuSquirrelKungFuSquirrel Basher of Muttons Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 103Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">Little idea from the quirky squirrel...</div>Perhaps this has already been brought up to some extent, but I thought I'd share this thought with you anyway -- forgive me if it's old news.

I was just thinking about adding a little more depth to the game from the Commander point of view... and one thing I thought of was adding "Detail rooms" in between and next to corridors and the like... Just to give that extra sense of something actually taking place in the scenery of the level. Perhaps some bob vents could even run over/adjacent to such rooms. I'm sure that's an old concept to most of you.

HOWEVER, my idea involved the minimap... Rather than having these side rooms, if used, still show up in the minimap and confusing the commander, I was wondering what the possibility would be of having some way to block these side rooms out of the minimap? That way the commander would only see viable pathways in navigating the minimap, but would still have the sense of depth that would lead to (hopefully) greater immersion in the game.

Just a thought, I plan to have one or two such rooms in ns_veil if possible, and I thought I'd share the concept with you if such an idea hadn't been shared already.

Also, from what I know about the new commander mode, adding these little detail segments in between rooms could help prevent the 2-dimensional wall appearance that you can get while looking down on a map. Lemme know what you think, and please slap me around accordingly if I missed this idea posted before...

Comments

  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    I haven't heard this idea before, and it is good in cincept.
    Only problem is more coding, so if it does get used, it would have to be in a later release. They would have to code to make it so the commander couldnt try and build/send marines into those empty, useless rooms, and code to block them out of the minimap. I like the idea personally, and it would be cool for a later release I think!
  • ChromeAngelChromeAngel Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 14Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Similar to something mentioned in the guidelines...

    In a post Flyra mentioned the posibility of a NOBUILD brush entity that would be invisible.  As you know Commander mode is undecied as yet, but if this methord goes in then you could fill these rooms with Func_NoBuild brushes.

    I like the idea, would liven up NS_NEXTs big blocks of blackness to have a room, or illuminated ductwork, furnaces, storage tanks...

    Hmm best not give all my best ideas away <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
  • UnCriticalUnCritical Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 73Members, Constellation
    As far as i know the minimap is a simple sprite, so you could just edit to take out the unwanted rooms.
  • MoleculorMoleculor Namer-of-Bob Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 9Members
    UnCritical is right folks, just grab the sprite viewer and sprite wizard, export your minimap sprite to a BMP, edit out the rooms, and stick it back in!
  • MerkabaMerkaba Digital Harmony Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 22Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester
    If your r_speeds and limit counts can handle it, then I don't see why not. Taking it out of the minimap is easy, you could just edit the minimap sprite, or layer a func_nobuild on the room floor.

    [Edit] Sorry, I didn't read the other posts before replying and so I just stated what has already been suggested <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->

    Be warned though, adding extra rooms with no real purpose aside from atmosphere should only be done if you are certain it wont interfer with the smooth running of the map.



    <!--EDIT|Merkaba|Jan. 30 2002,00:04-->
  • MoleculorMoleculor Namer-of-Bob Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 9Members
    However, it -is- highly suggested that you do so. In fact, it's even mentioned in the <a href="http://www.natural-selection.org/MappingGuidelines.htm" target="_blank">Mapping Guidelines</a>!
  • KungFuSquirrelKungFuSquirrel Basher of Muttons Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 103Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Gah, I knew it had to have been mentioned somewhere... I mean, hell, me come up with a decent idea? nahh... <!--emo&:D--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'><!--endemo-->

    Of course such rooms will be the last thing I add in ns_veil... Being the polycount nazi I am, you can be assured I'll be doing anything I can to keep polys down.
  • EkajEkaj Creator of ns_mineshaft, co_core Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 95Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, NS2 Map Tester
    I wouldnt do that myself, seems like a waste of planes better used to detail the playing areas.
  • tommydtommyd Creator of ns_tanith, co_pulse and co_faceoff Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 40Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, NS2 Developer
    well i agree with the mapping guidelines in that you definitely should make your level seem "bigger" than it actually is - such as busted doors and collapsed ceilings etc...  but adding entire rooms that only the commander can see is a waste of space and solid entities.  plus he could get confused and distracted from play.  

    definitely add some SMALL areas that are out of play but make it viewable to both the player and the commander.
  • ChromeAngelChromeAngel Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 14Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    You do realise that there is a seperate MiniMap sprite for each possible screen resolution?
  • MoleculorMoleculor Namer-of-Bob Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 9Members
    Oh, was he talking only viewable to the commander? Oops. The MGs (Mapping Guidelines) talk about what you're talking about tommyd. Not commander-only viewable stuff.
  • CrematorCremator Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 27Members
    sounds very cool.  just watch the r_speeds.

    if you don't mind, i'd like to try this a bit in redemption...
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