Will there be any open maps?
Bigwig
Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1646Members
Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1646Members
<div class="IPBDescription">A noob's question</div>I know the game is more suited to the "close in claustrophobic" syle maps, but I was thinking, won't we get tired of the same thing after a while? Infested space ships may seem great now, but after you've played the same style of map over and over again you would start to want a nice change of scenery. I know that after playing AvP a lot, the creepy closed in maps eventually started to get to me until I just couldn't play anymore. At that point I really wanted to trade the ventilation ducts and cramped corridors to trees and rolling hills, or anything that wasn't the inside of a gloomy spaceship. The more choice the better I say, so without an open map of some sort this mod might start to get a little dull <!--emo&:(--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':('><!--endemo-->. And not only would the addition of open maps add more variety, they would also add a different style of gameplay, because you wouldn't be confined to tight hallways all the time.
So, basically what I am asking is, does the NS team have any plans of introducing more open maps in the future? Like the hull of a space station, a biodome, or the canyons of mars for example? Because those would be great <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Thanks, and sorry if this has been brought up before!
So, basically what I am asking is, does the NS team have any plans of introducing more open maps in the future? Like the hull of a space station, a biodome, or the canyons of mars for example? Because those would be great <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Thanks, and sorry if this has been brought up before!
Comments
Its possible, but dont forget that the commander would still have insanly high r_speeds and how lame would it be to see a turrent, but you are outside its range so you just stare at it. Then you shoot it -- commander rebuilds it -- and repeat this 208082 times. Any defenses, or buildings for that matter would be extremely open for attack almost to the point where bulding defense structures would be worthless.
reasons why you wouldn't want a outdoor map...
1: Lvl 1 could climb on the skybox, all the way to the other end of the map.
2: The Lerk would have WAY too much power, along with the fade(blink from 1 end of the map to the other by targeting a faaar away cliff edge or piece of sky)
3: Where would the nanos come from to build the marine stuff?
4: outdoors there are no cameras so Comander mode would be impossible. (unrealistic)
5: Marine's ability with long range would create a major balance shift.
6: Where would those hives hang from? The air?
7: There is no infested grass esque textures.
8: Turrets would suck, just stand outside they're range on outdoor maps.
9: The buildings would look REALY wierd.
10: HL engine was NOT meant for outdoor areas in the first place.
11: Flayra said no.
I do not agree with that. There were plenty of outdoor areas in Half-Life! I think something that you guys are forgetting is that outdoor areas don't imply a flat field with no obsticles. I'm sure that, in the event that there are outdoor maps (which I doubt), there will be cover and obsticles to block your view, such as cliffs, rocks, or even the outside of buildings. It does seem to present many more problems with the Aliens than the Marines, but the Skulk climbing on the skybox... thet's got the be to me the most obvious blunder with outdoor maps. It would look funny though.
How's this for a scenario. Infested medium sized ship landed on some mountains on (insert planet). Have all hives in this ship.
Marines land their ship near the crash site. Commander may see inside the marine ship and the infested ship but can't see or assist in the way between. Make rocky boulder formations which prevent skybox climbing or add some kind of entity which can prevent it.
Put special entries on the marine base which are only accessible by flying aliens.
It would add a cool element of danger that the commander can't see you between your ship and the infested ship and it would be pretty cool being an alien on lookout and watching a line of marines make their way to your base.
How about just small outdoor areas? Basically another room in size, but "outdoors". I was hoping to implement a "canyon of mars" type of idea, although it would have only a small out door area and be 98% indoors anyway. But if the buggers can climb the sky box that idea goes "splat". <!--emo&???--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'><!--endemo-->
However, I think that no matter what you say, it isn't going to happen, and this is why:
<!--QuoteBegin--Khaim+Oct. 26 2002,17:28--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td><b>Quote</b> (Khaim @ Oct. 26 2002,17:28)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><!--QuoteEBegin-->11: Flayra said no.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh, well then I stand corrected. I've only fooled around with Hammer a little bit so it comes as no surprise that I'm wrong. In any case, it still doesn't change the fact that outdoor maps are not going to happen.
<!--EDIT|Flayra|Oct. 26 2002,19:00-->
What is this, is everyone trying to show me up!? Just kidding. I guess it's nice to know that the Natural Selection development team still has an open mind.
EDIT: wh00t thanks Flayra!
Found this on ChromeAngel's quick start mapping guide. Good. I'm waiting to actually play NS, but I've got a couple of ideas on paper. Like I said, I'd like to try a couple of outdoor areas, if they don't work, they don't work. But I think if done <b>properly,</b> it could add a bit of atmosphere.
The places would have a similar feel and layout, there would be corridors walkways and the like, but it would LOOK different. (aka, station carved out of giant stationary iceflows, rocky stone corridors of a mining station with minerals jutting out at spots)
I suppose you could also make something where there are glass domes in a building through which you could see an unaccessible outside world. There could be some massive map where there is a long covered pathway through a ravine connecting two buildings. There are plenty of ways mappers could do such things as long as they keep good imaginations.
But finally, because of some balance and ability problems, open areas probably wouldn't work all that great (in version 1 at least) for those listed reasons.
i want to learn how to map soon, and then.. muahaha.. ill make all the outdoor maps i want...