Ns_deepblue Layout
Barathrum
Join Date: 2003-11-08 Member: 22383Members
Join Date: 2003-11-08 Member: 22383Members
<div class="IPBDescription">new layout, comments appreciated</div> I've made three possible versions of the layout of my map ns_deepblue. These ones took me all night, so I greatly appreciate feedback <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> Below are the links to my other threads if you don't remember which map I'm talking about.
<b>red = ventilation exits</b>
<b>white = weldable</b>, the double res room which exists in two of the layouts has weldable doors/vent around it in one of these. This means that this room is inaccessable until the marines weld one of the doors. When one of the doors is open, all the others + the vent open too and make this room accessible from all directions.
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62460&hl=ns_deepblue&st=0' target='_blank'>post 1</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71893' target='_blank'>post 2</a>
The first picture shows the layout with a double res room without weldable doors which means the area is accessible from the start for everyone.
<b>red = ventilation exits</b>
<b>white = weldable</b>, the double res room which exists in two of the layouts has weldable doors/vent around it in one of these. This means that this room is inaccessable until the marines weld one of the doors. When one of the doors is open, all the others + the vent open too and make this room accessible from all directions.
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62460&hl=ns_deepblue&st=0' target='_blank'>post 1</a>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71893' target='_blank'>post 2</a>
The first picture shows the layout with a double res room without weldable doors which means the area is accessible from the start for everyone.
Comments
Thanks, yeah, I'm going to cut down on the detail. However, the hangar with the ship will only be visible through a window in a corridor - you can't actually go inside.
What do you think about the layouts? Which one do you prefer?
Thanks, but which layout do you think looks good? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Hmm okay, maybe you're right. I've analyzed the official map layouts more so I think I'll have to create more rooms instead of all those corridors.
<b>Lazer</b>
Yeah, but I've given it alot of entrances making it difficult to defend. I'm not sure about my second layout, since then there would be a long way to walk around the double res area if it's locked. But of course it would be more interesting game play if I made a locked double res location which opens in every direction once it's welded.
I'll try to replace some of the corridors with rooms so it won't look as much like a maze.
<b>Hibame</b>
I also like the third one most because then the gameplay will spread out to every corner of the map making more interesting tactics available.
Yeah, as I wrote to the others, I've looked more at the official ns layouts and I've seen they don't contain as many corridors as my own, but more rooms.
<b>Edgecrusher</b>
I don't know how it would look like if I would finish this, probably not as complex, as you say. But it contains more corridors (some of them are probably unnecessary as you mention) than the official ns-maps and I think I have to do something about this.
<b>Naigel</b>
Well, I'm not very good at making layouts either, I think it's really, really difficult and you and me are probably not alone about this <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> Making a fun and balanced layout is really a challenge.
Um, you don't usually add the readyroom in the overview, since it's not really necessary considering you probably shouldn't need a "map" for the readyroom.
Anyway, it's looking *very* good Barathrum. Might I ask how you did that nice looking fog? Mine always appears too see-through, it doesn't look as thick. In my opinion, this should go official when it's done... I like the third layout by the way.
Keep up the great work! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
edit: typo
The placement of the marine start is a bit unconventional. I wouldn't say categorically that it won't work, but there are some issues to think about. First of all, everything north of the marine start isn't really on a route to anywhere. The fastest paths to every hive are in the lower half of the layout. If it weren't for the resource nodes, the top half wouldn't be travelled through at all. In general I think maps play better if the resource nodes are in more heavily travelled areas. When they aren't they don't end up getting fought over. The marines will put them up, and then ignore them because they don't normally travel past them. Then an alien will come while its unattended and take it down. Then the marines will notice that its down and put it back up. This is complicated by electricity, but you get the idea. When nodes aren't on main roads they don't get fought over very much.
It also seems like the least direct route to every location on the map was the one picked for the hallway. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> It doesn't make sense from an atmosphere perspective, but more importantly, it makes the map a pain to travel through. Before people know a map, to get to a location, they basically point themselves at the waypoint on their screen and run in that direction deviating as little as possible. Layouts are easier to learn if this strategy ends up getting to the desired location in a reasonable amount of time. If you moved your marine start to a more conventional place you may be able to uncoil some of those routes and still have the walking time to each hive reasonable.
Do you have minimap images of the rooms you have made so far? It would help for giving suggestions because then we would know the shapes of the rooms we would need to accommodate. Good luck.
Just gotta tell you this is one map I have been waiting on forever! I sorta gave up hope since in your first post you siad it would probably never be released. But its looking great! And you have amazing style. Keep up the great work!
Thanks, yeah, that's probably the way they will be placed, however I'll change the layout (again duh).
<b>ShdwStal</b>
Thanks alot for your nice comments! The fog is herafog.spr in different sizes, colours and additivity.
<b>moultano</b>
Yeah, I agree with that the one with a single node is best. You're right about that the marinespawns position takes away the gameplay from the areas north of it. I think I'll just shrink the map a little and do as you told me to, to put the marine spawn in a better place where all routes can be utilized tactically. Also making more rooms and less corridors.
No, I don't have any minimap pictures at hand right now, but I can make some and put them up later. Gonna update my layout now.
Thanks for the help <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<b>Stavesacre</b>
Yeah, I agree with that the single node is the best. Yup, gonna shrink the whole map. Hehe thanks alot! I'll do my best to get it finished although it might take a while. Thanks again.