Ramps Vs Stairs

Hypergrip · May 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">pros and cons</div> Hi ppl.

Working on my current map (ns_plato) I used stairs in some parts of the map.
I used them because I think the look better and because I wanted the Commander be able to drop buildings/packs there without problems.
(Note: <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=30&t=32239' target='_blank'>Dropping on ramps/slopes in 1.1 (Beta Discussion Forum)</a>)

It looks just as I wanted it to look, but, as in most cases, if something looks good you run into the beloved w_poly limit (and I want my map to be as conform with the official mapping guidelines as possible).
First I tried some polygone reduction on other elements in the area, but finally I had to come to the conclusion that the stairs were the main problem.

I tried to come up with a short list of pro and contra if and when to use stairs or ramps.
Any comments or suggestions on this list if, of course, welcome.

Stairs
Pro:
- Looks better and more "natural" for a human building
- Marines can build or drop items on it
- Even quite steep staris won't slow you down.

Contra:
- Often can result in high w_polys

Ramps
Pro:
- Easy to use
- Very little effect an w_polys

Contra:
- Marines can't drop items on it (in 1.04 however)
- May look "unnatural" in some places
- If the ramp is too steep it might slow you down (i'm not sure about that, somebody please confirm or correct me here)

Ok, as you can see, the lists more or less are a "reverse" of each other.
If I could, I would use stairs in most cases, but since they boost up w_polys very fast my map now has only 1 small staircase left from the 6 that were planned (6 just in the 20% of the map that is done yet).
You will find very very few stairs in the official maps and they look great without them... ramps just seem to fit in there... but I wonder if this was for design purposes only (in some places ramps just DO fit a lot better) or maybe because of w_poly considerations, too.

Hyper

Papercut · May 2003

Bah, use stairs..

Too bad if some ppl cant play it, its about time they get a new puter.

Kuroneko · May 2003

use ramps when you'd need to use lots of stairs..but just a couple steps will work fine.

Fam · May 2003

Personally, I think anything more than about 6 steps looks rather repetative, and although I like steps in moderation, ramps are still very useful. Of course, it all depends on the area. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

BlackSeer · May 2003

I think about what the area would have been used for before the marines come in. Transport area where they transport smaller cargo pods, I use ramps, if the area is far from any exit and maybe some sort of reactor I use stairs.

Hades · May 2003

stairs with folding ramps that the marines brought in to put down the center of teh stairs to move equipment <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

tommy14 · May 2003

other stair con, not just wpoly anymore!:

1. add patches - you get less with a ramp usually
2. add planes - hey, each brush face....
3. add leafnodes - each stair top and bottom, unless you use func wall on the whole set
4. add clipnodes - hey, each brush face....
5. with more leafnodes=more VIS compile time.
6. with more patches will be more RAD compile time.
7. if not func walled or gapped, can cut up other (wall) brushes into extra wpolys too!

Ramps Vs Stairs

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