Guide To Making A Perfect Map.
Syringed
Join Date: 2003-04-17 Member: 15579Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2003-04-17 Member: 15579Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">Shamelessly taken from PCXL.</div> Although this was originally printed by PCXL Magazine for Unreal mapping, I do believe this also applies to just about every FPS out there and whenever I see newbie mappers making maps of their own, many of these vital rules are constantly broken. Some of these may be common sense but you'll notice all of the NS main maps contain and follow these rules so feel free to use this as a guideline for mapmaking in NS. Some rules have been altered slightly to appeal towards NS more...
1. Create Everything For a Reason.
- Good design is not just about making a great looking level and having it look nice. It requires significant forethought and planning, where every area and object has a purpose. Unnesscessary rooms and uneeded items make the gameplay less intruitive and less enjoyable than it should be.
2. Have a Distinct Design Concept.
- Always make your levels memorable. Starting with a clear concept keeps your design forcused and keeps your levels from becoming bland. The more original the better, but always avoid letting your concept overwhelm your gameplay.
3. Double Resource Should Be Difficult to Hold.
- Don't make that double res area on the map a cakewalk to hold easily. Have an accessible siege area for marines and a nearby vent for gorges. Multiple enterances into the room is a must also.
4. Balance Resource Nozzle Placement.
- Place each resource nozzle carefully. Avoid throwing too many into one area or having one in an area that's way too simple to guard. Always make sure the resource nozzle for marine start and the hives are nearby and easy to guard.
5. Keep the Action Moving.
- The perfect level will keep the action moving with no real perfect places to ambush or hide for easy kills. This is accomplished by making sure every single room has multiple enterances, and every camping area has a danger behind it. You can also keep players modivated to keep going by showing them rewards in the distance. (Res Nozzle ect).
6. Optimize.
- Understand your engine and use it's strengths while hiding it's weaknesses. Balance the number of polygons in the level to maintain a good look without slowing down the gameplay.
7. Playtest Obsessively.
- Look for little flaws anc cheats that others will eventually discover, by playing with friends, playtesters, or even bots. Before you release the level on an unsuspecting public, be sure you know there are no major flaws. Nothing is worse than watching someone find a major flaw or imbalance in your level that mkes it immediately unplayable.
8. Polish, Polish, Polish.
- Take time after a level is finished to clean up textures, make pathes easy to maneuver, further balance the weapons, and take care of all the little details that make a level great. Care in this area is the key difference between an average level and a spectacular one.
9. Set Up Confrontations and Great Moments.
- Great levels create memorable moments. When you are designing your map, think about what it would be like to play in it and creat places where players will have tense confrontations. Whether it is a tight section in a hallway, a single room/area with multiple enterances, or a wide open room that players must cross without being shot or attacked, a cleaver level design creates the best situtations.
10. Use environment sound, and lighting effects to convey mood and enchance gameplay.
- Be careful with this. Many a flashy map has been forgotten because the designer got cute and used too many effects at the expense of fast gameplay. However, intelligent use of lighting, sound, and effects can make a great level look fantastic, as long as it's balanced with a tight design.
Hope this is helpful to some newbie mapmakers in designing future NS maps.
1. Create Everything For a Reason.
- Good design is not just about making a great looking level and having it look nice. It requires significant forethought and planning, where every area and object has a purpose. Unnesscessary rooms and uneeded items make the gameplay less intruitive and less enjoyable than it should be.
2. Have a Distinct Design Concept.
- Always make your levels memorable. Starting with a clear concept keeps your design forcused and keeps your levels from becoming bland. The more original the better, but always avoid letting your concept overwhelm your gameplay.
3. Double Resource Should Be Difficult to Hold.
- Don't make that double res area on the map a cakewalk to hold easily. Have an accessible siege area for marines and a nearby vent for gorges. Multiple enterances into the room is a must also.
4. Balance Resource Nozzle Placement.
- Place each resource nozzle carefully. Avoid throwing too many into one area or having one in an area that's way too simple to guard. Always make sure the resource nozzle for marine start and the hives are nearby and easy to guard.
5. Keep the Action Moving.
- The perfect level will keep the action moving with no real perfect places to ambush or hide for easy kills. This is accomplished by making sure every single room has multiple enterances, and every camping area has a danger behind it. You can also keep players modivated to keep going by showing them rewards in the distance. (Res Nozzle ect).
6. Optimize.
- Understand your engine and use it's strengths while hiding it's weaknesses. Balance the number of polygons in the level to maintain a good look without slowing down the gameplay.
7. Playtest Obsessively.
- Look for little flaws anc cheats that others will eventually discover, by playing with friends, playtesters, or even bots. Before you release the level on an unsuspecting public, be sure you know there are no major flaws. Nothing is worse than watching someone find a major flaw or imbalance in your level that mkes it immediately unplayable.
8. Polish, Polish, Polish.
- Take time after a level is finished to clean up textures, make pathes easy to maneuver, further balance the weapons, and take care of all the little details that make a level great. Care in this area is the key difference between an average level and a spectacular one.
9. Set Up Confrontations and Great Moments.
- Great levels create memorable moments. When you are designing your map, think about what it would be like to play in it and creat places where players will have tense confrontations. Whether it is a tight section in a hallway, a single room/area with multiple enterances, or a wide open room that players must cross without being shot or attacked, a cleaver level design creates the best situtations.
10. Use environment sound, and lighting effects to convey mood and enchance gameplay.
- Be careful with this. Many a flashy map has been forgotten because the designer got cute and used too many effects at the expense of fast gameplay. However, intelligent use of lighting, sound, and effects can make a great level look fantastic, as long as it's balanced with a tight design.
Hope this is helpful to some newbie mapmakers in designing future NS maps.
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~ DarkATi