Ready Room

ConfusedConfused Wait. What? Join Date: 2003-01-28 Member: 12904Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester
<div class="IPBDescription">what style is most excellenT?</div> the issue of ready rooms is quite important as iot is teh first impression of your map a player gets.

that said what maps have teh best ready room

personally i think that too many ready rooms make it difficult to join the team

i guess teh question is should ease of movemnt go first like or asthetics?

feel free to pick you favorit out as an example

yeah

-you mean beside genocide? sean
- well, they cant fire me. so i can say anything i want - K

Comments

  • scioskulkscioskulk Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10273Members
    Well, with the exception of Nothing, I find all the official map's readyrooms easy to get around in. My problem with Nothing is the inclusion of only a single ladder to the top level where "Random Team" and "Observe" reside, so if someone spawns on the bottom level he will find it difficult to climb that ladder with all the people jumping off the top level to get to the "Join Alien" and "Join Marines" doors. My favorite readyroom would have to be Hera's, largely due to the easter egg. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> Eclipse is the only readyroom that I feel doesn't have enough aesthetic appeal; just too simple, although that's supposedly due to a map submission deadline.

    Regarding which is more important, aesthetics and ease-of-use should both be present to an equal extent; it's not like there has to be a trade-off.
  • WindelkronWindelkron Join Date: 2002-04-11 Member: 419Members
    I don't think readyrooms make it hard to join teams. Don't put the portals too far away from each other (like in Eclipse). IMO, the best readyroom is hera's, then bast's, then nothing's. Hera is the best because it is immersive -- you do not see the "flat wall" at the end of the portal, instead your screen fades white. Bast's is different but is very good, very atmospheric
  • realityisdeadrealityisdead Employed by Raven Software after making ns_nothing Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 94Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    edited February 2003
    <!--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 guess teh question is should ease of movemnt go first like or asthetics?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Depends on who you're asking!

    The guy on the technical side of the game design would say it can be a fullbright concrete box with holes in the wall, as long as the player can consistently find his way to any of the four entry points, while facing any direction in the room, in a walk that lasts no more than 0.3 seconds, preferably less. :)

    The guy on the artistic side of things thinks otherwise. Who cares if the player has to crouch, crawl forty-eight feet, scale a pipe, and leap over three consecutive pits of molten steel, only to then descend a 300-rung ladder to finally find himself within viewing distance of the entry points? What does freedom of movement matter, as long as it looks good? :)

    On a less exaggerated note, I think the obvious solution would be to do your best to sort of balance the two factors out. Realistically, a readyroom should be <i>both</i> easy to move around in, and look its best at the same time. If you can find a way to make it look incredible and unique in a way that doesn't interfere (or even helps with) the accessibility of the room, then that'd be wonderful.

    Personally, visuals take the front seat for me when designing a readyroom. I would, of course, never allow any sort of visual gimmick to get in the way of freedom of movement or anything... but what I mean, is I design the readyroom with visuals in mind first, and build the accessibility around that. I'm sure there are others who do the opposite, and it turns out great, if not better. I think the key thing is just to always keep both factors in mind, no matter which approach you take.

    Finally, my personal favorite readyroom would be Relic25's from ns_bast. It looks drop-dead gorgeous, and the gazillion join points make accessibility top-notch. I think it's a great example of a room's accessibility directly affecting the visuals, and making them all that much better.
  • realityisdeadrealityisdead Employed by Raven Software after making ns_nothing Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 94Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Those two posts weren't there when I <i>started</i> typing! <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> But it calls for me to slap myself in the face:

    <!--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, with the exception of Nothing, I find all the official map's readyrooms easy to get around in. My problem with Nothing is the inclusion of only a single ladder to the top level where "Random Team" and "Observe" reside, so if someone spawns on the bottom level he will find it difficult to climb that ladder with all the people jumping off the top level to get to the "Join Alien" and "Join Marines" doors.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    And then me:
    <!--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 would, of course, never allow any sort of visual gimmick to get in the way of freedom of movement or anything...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Heh... heh... /me hides in shame
  • KungFuSquirrelKungFuSquirrel Basher of Muttons Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 103Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    <!--QuoteBegin--scioskulk+Feb 28 2003, 01:21 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (scioskulk @ Feb 28 2003, 01:21 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Eclipse is the only readyroom that I feel doesn't have enough aesthetic appeal; just too simple, although that's supposedly due to a map submission deadline. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Dead-on. It was horribly rushed prior to release - I had too many other issues to worry about in the meantime. Sucks. :-\ I have every intent of revising it in time for 1.1 provided I have time between school, my band, finishing the rest of Eclipse and Veil, and Nightwatch. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

    That's my contribution to this discussion - don't rush your ready room if you can possibly avoid it. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • The_Real_QuasarThe_Real_Quasar Has the I.Q. of 12,000 P.E. Teachers Join Date: 2002-11-26 Member: 9998Members
    My ready room for espace is hopefully both atmospheric and functional! It is a docking platform, with a ship prepped for launch for marines (It appears in the MS too!) And a control tower for spectators. Random team and aliens are undecided yet.
    For a little background, my map is set on a research facility inside an asteroid. The RR will most likely be a docking port on the surface.
  • IdenIden Join Date: 2002-10-16 Member: 1513Members
    I'm still waiting for someone to set up a giant pinball machine for a readyroom where people at the balls and flung into random teams. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • OrdosOrdos Join Date: 2002-11-16 Member: 8903Members
    Thanks for giving my idea away <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->


    Seriously tho, I find the readyroom the HARDEST part of the map. I usually put it off right till the end, (my tresting ready room consists of a large box with a few small alcoves for the join commands.)
  • LikuLiku I, am the Somberlain. Join Date: 2003-01-10 Member: 12128Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Iden+Feb 27 2003, 06:02 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Iden @ Feb 27 2003, 06:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I'm still waiting for someone to set up a giant pinball machine for a readyroom where people at the balls and flung into random teams. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    LoL That would be awesome, but since I don't use Ready Rooms, I would suggest having one that has an Easter Egg like Hera's, and awesome white fade to the teams! w00t!
  • BlackPantherBlackPanther Join Date: 2002-02-11 Member: 197Members
    Rules for your ready room:

    #1 : Matches the theme of your map.
    #2 : Easy and very short walking distance from your spawn point to the entrances.
    #3 : Big entrance (A bit smaller then ns_eclipse should do).
    #4 : Good lighting
    #5 : Ease of navigating (Adding signs)
  • ConfusedConfused Wait. What? Join Date: 2003-01-28 Member: 12904Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester
    cool, thx guys

    im so close yet so far away on my map now:)

    ill try and get some pics up by the end of teh weekend so you can make fun of my lighting stylings!
  • WindelkronWindelkron Join Date: 2002-04-11 Member: 419Members
    a good example of an artistic readyroom is nothing's. imo that readyroom pretty much sums up the entire scheme (genius?) behind the whole map. The walls, the lighting (omg the lighting) and the gritty textures with the eerie computer monitors... wow... oh back to what I was saying O_o. look at what the most persistent theme of your map is and try to recreate it in your readyroom. the readyroom should be a miniature version of your map.
  • RevenantRevenant Join Date: 2003-01-13 Member: 12249Members
    It's all well being a nice looking ready room the only problem you have is not all ready rooms are user friendly. For example caged and eclipse have nice big team selections...that is very good and user friendly. Then you go to Hera and Nothing....Hera can have its doors too easily blocked (mainly just before the marine and randomt team glow) and the ladders on Ns Nothing can take a while to get up in a 20-32player server.
    Unless people (Like me) are using binds there are many ready room catostrophes

    If you didnt know heres what to bind to join the team:

    marine = bind "button" "jointeamone"
    alien = bind "button" "jointeamtwo"
  • LikuLiku I, am the Somberlain. Join Date: 2003-01-10 Member: 12128Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Windelkron+Feb 28 2003, 08:06 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Windelkron @ Feb 28 2003, 08:06 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> a good example of an artistic readyroom is nothing's. imo that readyroom pretty much sums up the entire scheme (genius?) behind the whole map. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah that's true, VERY brilliant.
  • tommy14tommy14 Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8839Members
    things to avoid in ready rooms:

    pits - only Random and Observer should be given pits, if any. otherwise players may find themselves stuck if too many jump into a pit for the same team.....hera, tanith and others have "trap pits" for alien side.

    small openings. example: hera RR looks pretty, but the openings are small, easy to block out other players.... openings should be WIDE enough for 3 or more (128-256), or have more than one. Eclipse has nice wide openings....

    hiding observer mode. yeah, maybe no one uses it much - but some are just hard to find!

    lack of infestation textures to help visually ID what portal is for which team. Hera's alien is good looking, but the random does not have any alien texture that i have seen. Tanith does it better.
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    personally I do the ready room first to help give me a feel for what the rest of the map will look like.
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