Hehe, I love rushing on bast as an alien. It's so easy to take out their command post. Once you're in that room up there you can just chew, and any marines that come alert you with the noise of the elevator, so it's really easy to chew through them, too.
i voted for eclipse but i was going thru the screenshots on readyroom page andi dont think iv ever played caged... and it looks good... maybe i will change my vote!
I wanna be a skulk and harass some poor marines, I go eclipse. It is perfect for the first assault since there are soo many creeks and nooks to hide under as said before and the color makes it very very easy to spot foes.
I wanna feel a little aliens II moody, I go nancy. When beeing marine it is perfect, all the infestation and doors make it so athmospheric. Shame alot of textures aint aligned though.
I wanna use those siegecannons as best I can, I go hera. The fact that u can weld alot of things and many rooms are so close to marine spawn, its very easy to siege aliens out, gives u a fair chance.
I wanna weld stuff, I go tanith. Its the only map I know that actually can blow up a wall in order to get a shortcut to an hive. Its great, I wish more maps had this.
I wanna secure my favourite node in all ns maps, I go caged. The weld-vent only node is a superb idea. And most often aliens manage to spam that one up before marines know what hit em.
I wanna see stunning light effects, I go nothing. The lighting is amazing. Design is also not as complex as the other maps, and that is really good. Also, I REALLY love one of those hives. If u are quick enough, u can make it to a certain vent giving u a very easily defendable position with looooong exits on both sides. I killed an hive all by myself thank you using LMG and pistol from amazing range.
I wanna see some really good brushwork and enjoy elevators, I go bast. The map just manages to include all those things I wanna make for myself, and that refinery is just -huge- and perfect for lerking. This is were I learned lerking, or atleast enjoyed trying.
they all have something I adore, whether it would be alot of interacting with maps or stunning visuals, it goes with mood.
As of yet, I haven't discovered a mood unforfilled by any map so... great work everyone, u made MY gaming the best atleast.
<!--QuoteBegin--coil+Nov 12 2002, 03:25 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (coil @ Nov 12 2002, 03:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Eclipse has many hidden goodies... I found two fabulous vents nearly a week after NS released (and I've been playtesting for 4 months!). Keep looking; there are more nooks and crannies than you might think. (:<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I'll give Eclipse the fact it's vent openings are second to none. They're never in the middle of a wall right where a marine would be facing. And some of them are even obscured by pseudo-piping. As long as you're entering or leaving the vents, they're perfect. My only real beef is the fact they don't go anywhere. You can't actually travel the map through them, they're more like doggie-doors for Skulks.
<!--QuoteBegin--coil+Nov 12 2002, 03:25 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (coil @ Nov 12 2002, 03:25 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Eclipse has many hidden goodies... I found two fabulous vents nearly a week after NS released (and I've been playtesting for 4 months!). Keep looking; there are more nooks and crannies than you might think. (:<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I must know <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Caged, Bast, and Nancy are my favorites, and Nancy got my vote. Caged and Nancy could look better, but they still have great gameplay. Bast is just the best all-round. I didn't vote for it, though, because I couldn't choose between it and Nancy and I figured Nancy wouldn't get enough votes.
coilAmateur pirate. Professional monkey. All pance.Join Date: 2002-04-12Member: 424Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Quick bit of additional gushing over Caged: It and Hera are the ONLY maps that scream "BRING A WELDER!!!!" when a team leaves base. *So* many options to play with. It's also true, to a lesser degree, of Tanith.
I love 'em all, but I know Eclipse the best, so I voted for Eclipse.
I WANT MORE MAPS. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I personally like eclipse the best, but for some reason I think marines should start on the bottom, and aliens on the top. You know how eclipse is "kinda" slanted down (not all at once, but section by section) towards the alien hives.
they are all good <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I voted for Bast cuz it's based on the first "Alien" movie... come on, has no one noticed that but me? Come on, there's a location called the "Mother Interface"!! (For those of you who don't know, "Mother" was the name of the ship's computer in "Alien".)
Plus in the atmosphere processor, when you look up you can see the bright lights, fans and water droplets, which was exactly what the second person to die in "Alien" was doing when he died... it's exactly the same long, wide vertical pipe with water drops and fans and bright light and stuff...
Plus, in the cockpit place there's that message "Crew expendable, all other considerations secondary", etc., and that's straight from "Alien" as well.
That map has the pure feel from "Alien", hands down.
That said, Nancy has the pure feel from the second one. I dunno what it is, but something about that level screams "Aliens"!
"Nothing" has nice lighting and wonderful size, but I just like Bast more.
I like Eclipse, especially the bright light tube things, but its ventilation system needs seriously work... you can't get anywhere in them further than five meters from where you entered the vent, and that sucks.
The maps in which you can see outdoors are super sweet. The windows are, anyway.
I don't think there are ANY official NS maps I don't like. They all fit the mood for me and they're the best examples of mapping I have ever seen on the HL engine.
Well, I had nice long descriptions of each, but the forum ate them. So I'll just list my order from favorite to least favorite. Though really, all of the maps are great.
Hope it will be some new maps soon, maybe other gamestyles <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Eclipse. Some nice action for the marines goes down there. <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->
Well, I would have voted for Nothing, this is because I just love the design and look of the map. However I simply HATE the lifts, just the way the aliens build and block them. I hate this playing both as marines and aliens when this is done. Couldn't some nobuild or water have been placed at the bottom of them?
I voted for eclipse, mainly because it is nice and simple, balanced, and aesthetically pleasing.
I can't pick <i>one</i> favorite so I'll just talk about a few of my favs.
Bast - Probably the best map in my opinion. The layout is conplex enough that is seems realistic, I always forget that you can get to the Engine room throught that vent in Atmosperic though. 3 ways into the marine spawn but they're all defensible enough. The elevator obviously as you can watch as it's coming up. and the airlock also turns slowly. It seems like this was intented that the aliens can rush with anything other than skulks. There also the vent but it can be welded, and any turrets in the marine base waste anything up there. I don't like that a marine seige can hit the resource in the engine room from their spawn, also the refinery has that one path in up on the platform that no one ever remembers until marines attack through it. The underwater passage through feedwater is interesting and the only map I can think of that has one.
Eclipse - Very nice also. Larger than bast and a lack of vents sometimes makes it hard to get around. I remember the first time I played this I took me <i>forever</i> to find the marine spawn. If fact I never did find it, I spotted another alien evolve to Onos and followed him, figuring he was going to the marine base, which he was. Also there are alot of corridors and doors that are just, like overkill. I've never seen anyone walk through the triad acces corridor. some vents instead would help aliens. Also, I'm not sure what it is but I can never find the South Loop RP spot unless I'm looking at a map or by accident, If I try searching for it I never find it. Also the marine base can be difficult to attack, because those doors close so fast. If someone goes a foot infront of you the doors close the instant they as past, then you have to wait another couple of seconds for them to open again.
Caged - Another nice one. More open as many long vents let the aliens go all over the map without attracting attention. The alien hive are nicely positioned and I rarely got lost trying to find one. The Generator hive however is hard to defend and it seems like the marines take it over every single time I play there. Also there are only 2 ways into the marine base, one of them being a weldable vent, so the marines can hold themselves up pretty well just by turret spamming that one doorway. Thankfully it's large because you need several Onos. Also, though the vents are good, you can't really use them at all unless you're a skulk.
Tanith - this one is good if you're a marine because with only like 15 turrets you can make the main spawn almost impossible for aliens to get into, tripmines too. My matches here usually end as a stalemate.
All of the maps I've seen so far as nice, themed/detail well, and everything else, I just can't remember specific details about any of the others. Now if only Valve Hammer was easier to use I'd be making my own map instead of typing all that about other people's maps. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Eclipse is definitely my favorite map. Maybe people don't want to hear it but it is similar to de_dust. If you don't know that map, heh... then I am sorry for you. Anyways, the map is rather small, easy to learn your way around (Small learning curve), fast pace, makes the aliens work harder at hiding while still giving the aliens a small map that their rushing capabilities can easily take advantage of. The other maps are all great too, maybe an exception here or there... but this one is some much easier to just sit down and have fun.
Better not let KFS hear you comparing Eclipse to Dust, heh... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
I voted for Eclipse too (what a surprise), just because the games I play on it are consistantly fun. Even if the vents aren't terribly useful for the most part, they certainly offer cover and alternate attack routes for the aliens, and something about the way in which they are hidden so well and blend in with the surroundings makes me happy every time I use them.
Also, Shadowics, about the turning air lock in Bast, it seems to me that it is there not to keep anything but Skulks from rushing, but rather to keep the <i>marines</i> contained within their base. Think about it, without it, the Engine Hive is practically right outside the marine spawn, and certainly much closer than the other two Hives.
Ah yes, it works both ways doesn't it, assuming that marines ever feel like rushing. (read:I play public servers) Then again, have you ever tried to get an Onos into marine spawn? If the marines are on the ball you can't use the elevator, they won't fit in the airvent, and they are hard to get through the airlock, if they can even get to it, as it's usually blocked by a bunch of OCs and DCs. Fades aren't exactly easy either. The only sure way of not getting stuck would be to go through the airlock and evolve on the other side, which has it's own risks.
i have a soft spot for both hera and bast. discovering the NS universe through them first was a great experience. hera is so sci-fi and bast screams hard sci-fi or science fact, both of them very yummy. i find it really hard to decide which maps i like best. nothing and caged are also both incredible maps. i love the feeling of nothing, so industrial and techy. and caged seems so natural, everything seems to fit a purpose. unfortunately, i don't really like the marine spawns of either of these levels that much. but then, i don't like bright lights. all in all, every single map is incredible and it hardly gives the mappers credit to have them ranked in such a way.
I think all the maps are good depending oon your mood and the team you're on. Here are my thoughts
eclipse - nice and easy to learn. One of the easier maps for the marine rush, especially if the aliens start in maintenance. Easy to defend from early skulk rush. Unfortunately, there are problems upgrading TFs in some areas of the map.
tanith - another sweet map, but also easy to marine rush especially if aliens start in Sat com, or even fusion. Some minor problems with issueing WPs sometimes but no biggie.
nancy - ahh great balanced map. Mess hall is pretty much the key to this game. From mess hall to mother interface is easy because you can siege the latter. You can also siege the RT outside Noname hive from Mess hall. Finally, you can siege the RT outside engine room from mother interface and subspace hive too.
hera - Good ambience, but unfortunately you can siege 2 hives from processing (right outside Data core hive) which isn't the mapper's fault. Oh well.
bast - One of my favourite maps. This is much harder to defend from the skulk rush esp if they start in engine room. Personally I dont see a problem in being able to siege 5 nozzles from the marine spawn, because there are 10 nozzles in the map, so ignore the main aft and atmospheric processor nozzles and go for the other 5 nozzles. BTW is that underwater passage in feedwater any use? I saw a gorge build defense and offense chambers there and he wouldn't die, even with the countdown after all hives were dead. We couldn't flush him out because weapons don't fire underwater, and the COM didnt know where to siege to get him.
nothing - Another excellent and balanced map. Generator room is important because you can siege the 2 nozzles outside the Great Viaduct Hive. Power Silo is pretty easy to marine rush because of it being relatively wide with long corridors leading to it.
I mean come on, it's gorgeous. My favorite section is that cramped little out-of-the-way Observation Bridge. It *feels* like you're on the bridge of a spaceship in there. I just wish that more action took place in it. The spacesuits are hanging near the airlocks like they should be. It doesn't go overboard on garishly colored lighting like other NS maps do. It's very much like its inspiration, the Nostromo from Alien. When I walk through the room with the dripping water and overhead light, I feel like team-saying "Jones . . . ? Jonesey boy? Kitty kitty kitty . . .?" This level has what most FPS maps lack: mood and a sense of place.
Comments
It all depends on moods.
I wanna be a skulk and harass some poor marines, I go eclipse.
It is perfect for the first assault since there are soo many creeks and nooks to hide under as said before and the color makes it very very easy to spot foes.
I wanna feel a little aliens II moody, I go nancy.
When beeing marine it is perfect, all the infestation and doors make it so athmospheric. Shame alot of textures aint aligned though.
I wanna use those siegecannons as best I can, I go hera.
The fact that u can weld alot of things and many rooms are so close to marine spawn, its very easy to siege aliens out, gives u a fair chance.
I wanna weld stuff, I go tanith.
Its the only map I know that actually can blow up a wall in order to get a shortcut to an hive. Its great, I wish more maps had this.
I wanna secure my favourite node in all ns maps, I go caged.
The weld-vent only node is a superb idea. And most often aliens manage to spam that one up before marines know what hit em.
I wanna see stunning light effects, I go nothing.
The lighting is amazing. Design is also not as complex as the other maps, and that is really good. Also, I REALLY love one of those hives. If u are quick enough, u can make it to a certain vent giving u a very easily defendable position with looooong exits on both sides. I killed an hive all by myself thank you using LMG and pistol from amazing range.
I wanna see some really good brushwork and enjoy elevators, I go bast.
The map just manages to include all those things I wanna make for myself, and that refinery is just
-huge- and perfect for lerking. This is were I learned lerking, or atleast enjoyed trying.
they all have something I adore, whether it would be alot of interacting with maps or stunning visuals, it goes with mood.
As of yet, I haven't discovered a mood unforfilled by any map so... great work everyone, u made MY gaming the best atleast.
I'll give Eclipse the fact it's vent openings are second to none. They're never in the middle of a wall right where a marine would be facing. And some of them are even obscured by pseudo-piping. As long as you're entering or leaving the vents, they're perfect. My only real beef is the fact they don't go anywhere. You can't actually travel the map through them, they're more like doggie-doors for Skulks.
I must know <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
It and Hera are the ONLY maps that scream "BRING A WELDER!!!!" when a team leaves base. *So* many options to play with. It's also true, to a lesser degree, of Tanith.
I WANT MORE MAPS. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Plus in the atmosphere processor, when you look up you can see the bright lights, fans and water droplets, which was exactly what the second person to die in "Alien" was doing when he died... it's exactly the same long, wide vertical pipe with water drops and fans and bright light and stuff...
Plus, in the cockpit place there's that message "Crew expendable, all other considerations secondary", etc., and that's straight from "Alien" as well.
That map has the pure feel from "Alien", hands down.
That said, Nancy has the pure feel from the second one. I dunno what it is, but something about that level screams "Aliens"!
"Nothing" has nice lighting and wonderful size, but I just like Bast more.
I like Eclipse, especially the bright light tube things, but its ventilation system needs seriously work... you can't get anywhere in them further than five meters from where you entered the vent, and that sucks.
The maps in which you can see outdoors are super sweet. The windows are, anyway.
I don't think there are ANY official NS maps I don't like. They all fit the mood for me and they're the best examples of mapping I have ever seen on the HL engine.
Wubba#3
1. NS_Nothing
2. NS_Caged
3. NS_Hera
4. NS_Tanith
5. NS_Bast
6. NS_Nancy
7. NS_Eclipse
--Marines--
ns_hera
ns_eclipse
--Aliens--
ns_hera
ns_nancy
So, of course Hera is my fav. map. =D
2. NS_Nothing
3. NS_Tanith
4. NS_Eclipse
5. NS_Bast
6. NS_Hera
7. NS_Nancy
Hope it will be some new maps soon, maybe other gamestyles <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->
I voted for eclipse, mainly because it is nice and simple, balanced, and aesthetically pleasing.
Bast - Probably the best map in my opinion. The layout is conplex enough that is seems realistic, I always forget that you can get to the Engine room throught that vent in Atmosperic though. 3 ways into the marine spawn but they're all defensible enough. The elevator obviously as you can watch as it's coming up. and the airlock also turns slowly. It seems like this was intented that the aliens can rush with anything other than skulks. There also the vent but it can be welded, and any turrets in the marine base waste anything up there. I don't like that a marine seige can hit the resource in the engine room from their spawn, also the refinery has that one path in up on the platform that no one ever remembers until marines attack through it. The underwater passage through feedwater is interesting and the only map I can think of that has one.
Eclipse - Very nice also. Larger than bast and a lack of vents sometimes makes it hard to get around. I remember the first time I played this I took me <i>forever</i> to find the marine spawn. If fact I never did find it, I spotted another alien evolve to Onos and followed him, figuring he was going to the marine base, which he was. Also there are alot of corridors and doors that are just, like overkill. I've never seen anyone walk through the triad acces corridor. some vents instead would help aliens. Also, I'm not sure what it is but I can never find the South Loop RP spot unless I'm looking at a map or by accident, If I try searching for it I never find it. Also the marine base can be difficult to attack, because those doors close so fast. If someone goes a foot infront of you the doors close the instant they as past, then you have to wait another couple of seconds for them to open again.
Caged - Another nice one. More open as many long vents let the aliens go all over the map without attracting attention. The alien hive are nicely positioned and I rarely got lost trying to find one. The Generator hive however is hard to defend and it seems like the marines take it over every single time I play there. Also there are only 2 ways into the marine base, one of them being a weldable vent, so the marines can hold themselves up pretty well just by turret spamming that one doorway. Thankfully it's large because you need several Onos. Also, though the vents are good, you can't really use them at all unless you're a skulk.
Tanith - this one is good if you're a marine because with only like 15 turrets you can make the main spawn almost impossible for aliens to get into, tripmines too. My matches here usually end as a stalemate.
All of the maps I've seen so far as nice, themed/detail well, and everything else, I just can't remember specific details about any of the others. Now if only Valve Hammer was easier to use I'd be making my own map instead of typing all that about other people's maps. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Cereo
I voted for Eclipse too (what a surprise), just because the games I play on it are consistantly fun. Even if the vents aren't terribly useful for the most part, they certainly offer cover and alternate attack routes for the aliens, and something about the way in which they are hidden so well and blend in with the surroundings makes me happy every time I use them.
Also, Shadowics, about the turning air lock in Bast, it seems to me that it is there not to keep anything but Skulks from rushing, but rather to keep the <i>marines</i> contained within their base. Think about it, without it, the Engine Hive is practically right outside the marine spawn, and certainly much closer than the other two Hives.
i find it really hard to decide which maps i like best.
nothing and caged are also both incredible maps. i love the feeling of nothing, so industrial and techy. and caged seems so natural, everything seems to fit a purpose. unfortunately, i don't really like the marine spawns of either of these levels that much. but then, i don't like bright lights.
all in all, every single map is incredible and it hardly gives the mappers credit to have them ranked in such a way.
eclipse - nice and easy to learn. One of the easier maps for the marine rush, especially if the aliens start in maintenance. Easy to defend from early skulk rush. Unfortunately, there are problems upgrading TFs in some areas of the map.
tanith - another sweet map, but also easy to marine rush especially if aliens start in Sat com, or even fusion. Some minor problems with issueing WPs sometimes but no biggie.
nancy - ahh great balanced map. Mess hall is pretty much the key to this game. From mess hall to mother interface is easy because you can siege the latter. You can also siege the RT outside Noname hive from Mess hall. Finally, you can siege the RT outside engine room from mother interface and subspace hive too.
hera - Good ambience, but unfortunately you can siege 2 hives from processing (right outside Data core hive) which isn't the mapper's fault. Oh well.
bast - One of my favourite maps. This is much harder to defend from the skulk rush esp if they start in engine room. Personally I dont see a problem in being able to siege 5 nozzles from the marine spawn, because there are 10 nozzles in the map, so ignore the main aft and atmospheric processor nozzles and go for the other 5 nozzles. BTW is that underwater passage in feedwater any use? I saw a gorge build defense and offense chambers there and he wouldn't die, even with the countdown after all hives were dead. We couldn't flush him out because weapons don't fire underwater, and the COM didnt know where to siege to get him.
nothing - Another excellent and balanced map. Generator room is important because you can siege the 2 nozzles outside the Great Viaduct Hive. Power Silo is pretty easy to marine rush because of it being relatively wide with long corridors leading to it.
I mean come on, it's gorgeous. My favorite section is that cramped little out-of-the-way Observation Bridge. It *feels* like you're on the bridge of a spaceship in there. I just wish that more action took place in it. The spacesuits are hanging near the airlocks like they should be. It doesn't go overboard on garishly colored lighting like other NS maps do. It's very much like its inspiration, the Nostromo from Alien. When I walk through the room with the dripping water and overhead light, I feel like team-saying "Jones . . . ? Jonesey boy? Kitty kitty kitty . . .?" This level has what most FPS maps lack: mood and a sense of place.