Map Concept: Ns_trantius 1.4
WraithOfDark
Join Date: 2002-10-01 Member: 1393Members
Join Date: 2002-10-01 Member: 1393Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Mappers/Comments needed</div> <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=15971&st=0' target='_blank'>Previous Versions & Comments for NS_Trantius</a>
I thought I would post this one as a new topic so people don't mistakenly comment on older versions about things which may have been changed in the latest. (not everyone reads a whole thread before they post)
Here is NS_Trantius 1.4 with extra rooms in the Space Station, More extensive ductwork making part of the ship more 'alien friendly'. Plenty of vent weld points so a decent marine team can eliminate some of the aliens advantage.
There are a couple of 'siege possible' duct rooms where vents meet for some higher purpose (join with a larger main vertical duct or the expansion chamber).
There is more incline information on the ducts to try and make it clear where the hell they are going.
A lot of the ducts will be useable by marines without jetpacks.
A few more exit vents on the duct network so the aliens can use them to travel (or maybe even a brave marine).
IE: The vent entrance between docking reception and crew quarters (Inside the hairpin coridoor) is at ground level, essentially allowing a brave marine to climb all the way up to the Machine Shop, tactical display, the neck or the engines. Dead ends and jughandles could be added to the vents later should the marines proove too efficient in there.
<b>Trantius Detail</b>(long read)
I think, whoever builds this map, should make the ducts anything other than MYSTERIOUS GLOWING RED. Provide adequate lighting spots along the duct, enough to let one see their way along. But darkness at the vents giving the aliens some visual sniping cover. Also the map should get exponentially darker the further you travel from the marine spawn, alien creep covering lights, lights broken and power relays fused by the alien chaos should all provide adequate reason for this. I don't mean make the map completely pitch anywhere, just darker as you approach the hives.
The station is COMPLETELY OVERRUN BY ALIENS, this can only be represented in the map by gratuitous use of 'creep' and emergency lighting fixtures instead of standard lighting, however, everything past reception has been sealed off by the blast doors...not before the aliens got a hive in there though.
The Trantius science vessel has been redirected from a routine mission, picked up a team of marines, and been sent to investigate the station which they believe was hit by a stray comet. The trantius is a very clean, new vessel bearing the forefront of frontier technology.
The Neck is a hexagonal coridoor with a raised walkway supported above assoted piping and conduits.
Shipwide malfunctions have left some of the doors shown on this map jam open. At least one lies, torn out of the wall, uselessly on the floor. (I suggest East (right) hanger access control).
Excursion preparation would look good with the 'nos suit' textures (that suit in a glass closet type thing).
Tactical display is a huge system-wide diagnostic screen, maybe this could have some useable cameras which give the marines/aliens a peek at another part of the ship.
Operations will have the door controls, if any are implemented, which will open/close some of the ships doors remotely.
Crew quarters has a single water power-shower in the corner (the dark square), it has been left on at a drizzle.
Communications and registry are in mint condition, with the exception of assorted junk left behind as civilian scientists fled the alien menace. Too bad they got 'et. Tablet PCs, magazines, coffee cups, anything that shows they were having a nice break but, perhaps, doing a little extra work on the side. Caught offguard.
Docking node should be almost pristine metal whilst the waiting room is a creep infested horror. Circular-ish doors that 'roll' to the north (right when facing them standing in docking node) seal these rooms off from each other. But can be opened on-site. (Docking node doors should be roughly and efficiently circular with a flat base for a walkway).
Refectory..hey look! the aliens have munched open the fridge! Refectory also has a resource point...well the nanites make food from it eh? (nanites, fridge, bah, some people still like their food the old fashioned way)
The lounge is a bombsite. Overturned furniture and upset tables litter the floor and a great hive hangs from a gaping hole in the ceiling (lucky the ship has an interior and exterior hull, otherwise there would be very little left to worry about). The gaping hole should, preferably, lead to a small crawl space pocked with further smaller holes through which you can see the destruction in the lounge. A ladder up to a heavy ceiling door (probably ripped open) somewhere in the lounge would give the marines a way of getting up there. Well, maintenance workers had to get in there somehow!
Excursion hanger would be nice with a force field rather than closed heavy-doors. Then we could see out into space!
It would be nice to have some windows on the trantius, even hints of windows which have been sealed with blast shields. But just something to suggest it isn't always so dark and dysmal and that the ship was once brightly lit and provided interesting views out into space, perfect for observation.
<b>The Ready Room</b>
I have had some ideas for the ready room. The 'join team' area triggers should be in mid air below a 'diving board' (well, more like a vertical shaft, or perhaps even an elevator or two) sort of structure. Now lets see people camp the join-team doors. Somewhat like the aliens drop in the map with the hidden room only with a coridoor leading back topside. The 'observer' and 'random team' doorways wont have this sort of system however. A mock-up of the Trantius should be visible from a readyroom window (a window which gazes into a box which contains a trantius model and a lot of fake 'space' perhaps). After all, I would like it to remain realistic without going TOO over the top.
I thought I would post this one as a new topic so people don't mistakenly comment on older versions about things which may have been changed in the latest. (not everyone reads a whole thread before they post)
Here is NS_Trantius 1.4 with extra rooms in the Space Station, More extensive ductwork making part of the ship more 'alien friendly'. Plenty of vent weld points so a decent marine team can eliminate some of the aliens advantage.
There are a couple of 'siege possible' duct rooms where vents meet for some higher purpose (join with a larger main vertical duct or the expansion chamber).
There is more incline information on the ducts to try and make it clear where the hell they are going.
A lot of the ducts will be useable by marines without jetpacks.
A few more exit vents on the duct network so the aliens can use them to travel (or maybe even a brave marine).
IE: The vent entrance between docking reception and crew quarters (Inside the hairpin coridoor) is at ground level, essentially allowing a brave marine to climb all the way up to the Machine Shop, tactical display, the neck or the engines. Dead ends and jughandles could be added to the vents later should the marines proove too efficient in there.
<b>Trantius Detail</b>(long read)
I think, whoever builds this map, should make the ducts anything other than MYSTERIOUS GLOWING RED. Provide adequate lighting spots along the duct, enough to let one see their way along. But darkness at the vents giving the aliens some visual sniping cover. Also the map should get exponentially darker the further you travel from the marine spawn, alien creep covering lights, lights broken and power relays fused by the alien chaos should all provide adequate reason for this. I don't mean make the map completely pitch anywhere, just darker as you approach the hives.
The station is COMPLETELY OVERRUN BY ALIENS, this can only be represented in the map by gratuitous use of 'creep' and emergency lighting fixtures instead of standard lighting, however, everything past reception has been sealed off by the blast doors...not before the aliens got a hive in there though.
The Trantius science vessel has been redirected from a routine mission, picked up a team of marines, and been sent to investigate the station which they believe was hit by a stray comet. The trantius is a very clean, new vessel bearing the forefront of frontier technology.
The Neck is a hexagonal coridoor with a raised walkway supported above assoted piping and conduits.
Shipwide malfunctions have left some of the doors shown on this map jam open. At least one lies, torn out of the wall, uselessly on the floor. (I suggest East (right) hanger access control).
Excursion preparation would look good with the 'nos suit' textures (that suit in a glass closet type thing).
Tactical display is a huge system-wide diagnostic screen, maybe this could have some useable cameras which give the marines/aliens a peek at another part of the ship.
Operations will have the door controls, if any are implemented, which will open/close some of the ships doors remotely.
Crew quarters has a single water power-shower in the corner (the dark square), it has been left on at a drizzle.
Communications and registry are in mint condition, with the exception of assorted junk left behind as civilian scientists fled the alien menace. Too bad they got 'et. Tablet PCs, magazines, coffee cups, anything that shows they were having a nice break but, perhaps, doing a little extra work on the side. Caught offguard.
Docking node should be almost pristine metal whilst the waiting room is a creep infested horror. Circular-ish doors that 'roll' to the north (right when facing them standing in docking node) seal these rooms off from each other. But can be opened on-site. (Docking node doors should be roughly and efficiently circular with a flat base for a walkway).
Refectory..hey look! the aliens have munched open the fridge! Refectory also has a resource point...well the nanites make food from it eh? (nanites, fridge, bah, some people still like their food the old fashioned way)
The lounge is a bombsite. Overturned furniture and upset tables litter the floor and a great hive hangs from a gaping hole in the ceiling (lucky the ship has an interior and exterior hull, otherwise there would be very little left to worry about). The gaping hole should, preferably, lead to a small crawl space pocked with further smaller holes through which you can see the destruction in the lounge. A ladder up to a heavy ceiling door (probably ripped open) somewhere in the lounge would give the marines a way of getting up there. Well, maintenance workers had to get in there somehow!
Excursion hanger would be nice with a force field rather than closed heavy-doors. Then we could see out into space!
It would be nice to have some windows on the trantius, even hints of windows which have been sealed with blast shields. But just something to suggest it isn't always so dark and dysmal and that the ship was once brightly lit and provided interesting views out into space, perfect for observation.
<b>The Ready Room</b>
I have had some ideas for the ready room. The 'join team' area triggers should be in mid air below a 'diving board' (well, more like a vertical shaft, or perhaps even an elevator or two) sort of structure. Now lets see people camp the join-team doors. Somewhat like the aliens drop in the map with the hidden room only with a coridoor leading back topside. The 'observer' and 'random team' doorways wont have this sort of system however. A mock-up of the Trantius should be visible from a readyroom window (a window which gazes into a box which contains a trantius model and a lot of fake 'space' perhaps). After all, I would like it to remain realistic without going TOO over the top.
Comments
But if its not going up much from level 1 to level 3 an elevator between 2 levels looks not really good.
The problem is that a short hallway cant combine 2 levels difference while an elevator just combines 1 level difference.
nice changes in the top left hive...
Ahhh, but this is a magic hallway! Or perhaps stairs. Or perhaps the top down view is making the length decieving. Who knows.
Point being, the map is not to scale because trying to make it to scale would probably cause me extensive brain damage. Thanks for the comment anyway. It will work, trust me =D
And some of the official NS maps have very small elevators, the elevator here would run all the down the ventilation shaft into the bowels of the ship (in the ACTUAL ship), but only a short distance will be mapped (ie: 2 levels). The elevator is meerly a way of removing any slope from 'The Neck' and I have serious doubt that everything marked L* will be on the same physical level. All pretty rough (gawd I'm rambling, sorry).
Station reception hive has a vent in. Jetpack/Welder/Shotty at the same time as a frontal assault = dead hive. Why should the marines always have a billion, zillion ways of getting everywhere they should just PLAY BETTER! =D. Besides, a few sieges and that hive is bio-confetti. Hardly any marines actually bother with full frontal assaults anymore.
A second route would go against the physics of the ship, because it is 'docked' with the station. You can't logically drill a hole through the hull and not expect some serious decompression. However, the ventilation system passing from one ship to another is a clamp-together pressure equalisation system which slowly brings the air pressure of the ship up to that of the station before the main dock doors are opened. (The ship runs at a slightly lower pressure, it does have a more limited oxygen supply after all).
I know this may all sound like lah-dee-dah irrelevant realism, but I want a ship that would WORK as a ship, or at least be pretty close on the mark. As well as a ship which would provide a fairly balanced tactical environment for battle. If the marines take out the two lower hives it would be easy to sneak through the vents and cap the third.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Minus that, the map looks brilliant, and your layout is simply amazing. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Thanks, I wasn't expecting it to get a very positive feedback, but it's version 1.4 and still going!
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Good luck mapping it.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Good luck breathing liquid fire whilst dancing on a bed of nails in a firework factory (which is completely impossible..the fire bit anyway). I couldnt map to save my life.(mainly because I don't HAVE one, but you get the point)
a main acces to walk through.
a long vent hallway too long and small for marines to be attractive, leading to maintenance entrance.
a third acess to weld trough, from crew quarters.
acess to crew quarters should have a security door thats locked and weld openable too, not to let aliens build much defense there.
I can get an idea of the general proportions and it's pretty cool. Central ventilation seems a little out though. And all the hives seem to be in mysterios pits.
Fantastic job, any chance you can deck it out in a darker texture, it's pretty blinding.
We need to get some brave souls together to playtest it.
After a little running about I could name the areas as I ran though them, that's a sure sign that you're on target.
The slope down to the marine spawn is STEEEP, turn it into a ladder =D (I already suggested ladders there somewhere else in this thread).
Why are the hives in big...pits?
If not. most ressource points are to close to each other for sieging -> with 2 sieges you can control 5-6 Ressource points.
The central ventilation is just...odd... Obviously, with no elevator it can't be built properly, but there should be a deadly drop downward, the ducts from the coridoors into the ventilation should start at the ceiling in the coridoors and open out at the top above the ventilation shaft elevator top position.
The ceiling of the hive rooms should be higher, rather than putting huge pits in, the floor detail in the hive rooms is actually a raised plateu but could be a very shallow pit.
Theres a few odd, correctable errors in the map which would mess up the marines progress, where there are vent covers on the map-plan you should just block off for now, otherwise we'll have marines falling into vents..ouch!
Some of the under floor vents seem to be creating trenches in the rooms they pass under =/.
Apart from some odd errors and things that could only be present in the finished map this is great and provides a real sense of scale. The ship is pretty damned massive, but you can't really expect hangers to be small can you!
Impressive for a first alpha, marks the start of a cascade of development and refinement until we reach a decent, general release version.
Well done.
No detail, no textures, not much to look at really. (For some reason the left (west) engine room is joined to engineering..OPPS)
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<a href='http://www.dxdec.com/~ewarp/index.asp?thepath=/~ewarp/storage/Trantius.Concept/Ollj_Alpha_Trantius_Screens/&col=C6CBD6' target='_blank'>Trantius Screenshots</a>
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OllJ is doing a good job of making a preview.
And of COURSE YOU DONT LIKE IT!
Not even I like it. It's not a pretty sight in the least, no textures no detail. It is only a conceptual test.
If you liked it I would serioussly doubt your sanity.
What I do like, is the fact it gives me a sense of scale.
And hey, Valve Hammer Editor makes Quark look like rocket science. I have downloaded it and am trying to map some areas to a better detail level so I can make some nicer screens.
DAMN I wish the VHE texture selector was nicer <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->
One thing: <!--emo&::siege::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/siege.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='siege.gif'><!--endemo--> problems seem to be few and far but they could be used to take out alien defence.
Im now adding the vents to my naked alpha version of the map.
lookimg at the vents makes me thinking about a massive alien flexibility advantage on this map.
i strongly suggest making one more res point at Tactical or making a double res at the hub.
And yes, the map is "massive" , there is not much free space between rooms and halls -> advantage for marine Sieges.
funny vent vs sieges map. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
When wents are done ill upload a playable alpha map (without textures, lightnings, weldables or other details).
Otherwise I think its a great, well thought out design.
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I was thinking it would be a better idea that you create the map yourself (Even if you have to learn mapping) or get someone like Manah who has a nice style to do the map.
Notice the 2 vents entering at the top and the upper and lower doors/platforms.
Underneath the elevator will be the final vent into CV, also there are blast doors, closed, under there indicating the shaft extends further.
If I dont get leaks its a wonder <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Okay, vents vs sieges? In my experience that is actually what NS seems to be like, minus the vents most of the time. This map would probably call for the use of sieges but the aliens really must learn to get out there and stop them before they even set up.
I agree it needs another resource point, they are pretty sparse and tactical is a perfect place for one or perhaps two.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Concerning rspeeds, you may want to make the transition between maintenance and engineering an elevator (and then also the excursion one to keep your semetry). <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
As for the 'sloped' coridoors down into the hangers from the hanger access coridoors, i agree that elevators would probably be better there. Who ever said you can't have an airlock elevator! Instead of doors the elevator is a box that seals the upper or lower door depending on where it is. You climb into the elevator and it goes down, sealing the upper door and leading out to the lower. That way it would work as an airlock as well as an elevator.
And the 'short coridoor' problem can be easily fixed by putting a ladder in (how fade-friendly is THAT!) at the end, IE: you climb a ladder into 'the hub', most of the aliens will probably just jump down.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I'm offering my service. I'll have a go at creating the marine spawn once I get back from college, and I'll get some screenies up.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Great, I would like to see some completed archatecture. Marine spawn has windows out to space (probably closed off with blast doors) and the upper part is a raised platform with a wall around it and stairs up.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Well, considering I'm without a map to map right now, and I'm struggling to make a layout, I'd love to do this. Get in touch with me @ irvinekinneas806@aol.com Your layout is amazing...Is that made in CAD or what?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's actually made in Fireworks4, but you saying that made me wish I did it in AutoCAD, working with the map in Fireworks4 murders both my PCs, that many vector paths is insane. You are welcome to try and map the layout but the layout pictured above won't be final 'till after extensive play testing on Olljs map. You are welcome to map some of the rooms archatecture (my first post talks about some of the rooms) or even the entire layout for further experimentation and testing processes.
<b>Just remember people, the map you see above is in no way final or exact, it will be subject to a lot of playtesting and refinement to weed out problems nobody could imagine by looking at that. Anyone is welcome to have a go at mapping any version of the map <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=15971' target='_blank'>(older versions here)</a> or any of its component parts.
We will probably need a good solid server and some good solid players to test Trantius. Ones that don't mind the lack of textures or heavy detail.
I would expect Trantius to hit version 2 or better before the first public release.</b>
Thanks for your support.
A few minor ducting changes
-an extra resource node
-elevators between engineering/engineering hanger and excursion/excursion hanger
-ladders on the two short coridoors
-a weld-open door to crew quarters
-No door between docking node and reception
A careful marine could live for a long time in those vents.
Thinking about joining the expansion tank to the duct that runs from engineering to maintenance access to give Aliens a nice run-through to the lower hives.
It has no Textures
It has no Lightning.
It has no Doors.
It has no Weldables.
It has no Buttons.
It has no Detail of any kind.
The Readyroom`s just awfull.
It has no single nice looking place.
But its a "completely playable" NS map, fine to check ballanching.
The map is 2 Days old and I never Made any Map before...
It proudly has no leaks <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> .
(.Zip was too big)
Type "buildminimap" to get the marine minimap constructed.
At the moment I am working on the hanger. I need to brighten it up somewhat, add some more detail and then run off some preliminary screenshots but it's coming along nicely.
Expect some semi-eye-candy soon.
I`ve improved my version of your map much, too.
After you made the elevator I mapped it simular.
Then I added detail to the center room, vents and hangar.
Lights, Elevators, Weldables, Textures, Buttons+Triggers ... all alpha status, but working.
I have completely renewed half of my awfull map to a semi awfull map.
Having problems with customizing Particle effects, but thats a well known (F7) Bug in the NSTR.
One idea is having a dark empty space infront of observation (and right of hangar) full of Stars and dust particles as Particle effect.
Hows this going to continue with 2 guys on one map?
Show me your pictures/map.