Official Mapping Concept Thread
KEm1KaL1
Lerky Lerky Join Date: 2003-02-21 Member: 13797Members
Lerky Lerky Join Date: 2003-02-21 Member: 13797Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Read guidelines before posting</div> I'm one of the people without that much (if any) mapping talent but I do have a maze of ideas running around in my head just waiting to be uncovered.
I know that many people are like me and wish to get their ideas out and here is the opportunity for all of you <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
This thread will also be for the mapper without ideas, as they will be readily available here.
--- <u> <span style='color:red'> <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'> Guidelines </span></u> ---
THIS IS THE IMPORTANT STUFF
FOR PEOPLE WITH CONCEPTS ]]]
O You may include any and all visual aides you have, renderings, sketches, plan views, etc, to help any mapper who may be willing to pick up your project, help as much as you can!
O By posting ideas here, you give mappers the permission to use your ideas and create a map based on them.
O Try not to be vague, I want to see many LONG explanations here, if you are really into it you will find a way to type up a huge explanation
O You do not need a full explanation, just enough for somebody to use, but as stated above, keep it useful and detailed, no matter how small an idea is.
FOR MAPPERS ]]]
O Remember, ALWAYS CREDIT PEOPLE WHOSE IDEAS YOU CHOOSE TO USE, this is a MUST, please.
O This is less of a rule: Try to work in conjunction with the poster of ideas you want to pick up, you are using their ideas, so if they are willing to help make it more like their image in their mind, let them contribute.
O Have fun with the ideas! Play around, combine them! Just always credit people.
</span>
THAT'S ALL -- remember to have fun with it, amazed nobody hasn't thought of this before.
Post away!
-kem1kal
I know that many people are like me and wish to get their ideas out and here is the opportunity for all of you <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
This thread will also be for the mapper without ideas, as they will be readily available here.
--- <u> <span style='color:red'> <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'> Guidelines </span></u> ---
THIS IS THE IMPORTANT STUFF
FOR PEOPLE WITH CONCEPTS ]]]
O You may include any and all visual aides you have, renderings, sketches, plan views, etc, to help any mapper who may be willing to pick up your project, help as much as you can!
O By posting ideas here, you give mappers the permission to use your ideas and create a map based on them.
O Try not to be vague, I want to see many LONG explanations here, if you are really into it you will find a way to type up a huge explanation
O You do not need a full explanation, just enough for somebody to use, but as stated above, keep it useful and detailed, no matter how small an idea is.
FOR MAPPERS ]]]
O Remember, ALWAYS CREDIT PEOPLE WHOSE IDEAS YOU CHOOSE TO USE, this is a MUST, please.
O This is less of a rule: Try to work in conjunction with the poster of ideas you want to pick up, you are using their ideas, so if they are willing to help make it more like their image in their mind, let them contribute.
O Have fun with the ideas! Play around, combine them! Just always credit people.
</span>
THAT'S ALL -- remember to have fun with it, amazed nobody hasn't thought of this before.
Post away!
-kem1kal
Comments
ns_downed (working title)
The main attraction and centre of attention is the MS, the bridge of a crashed marine ship, the ship was sent to investigate the loss of contact with a research station on a remote planet (XS-RG51-B) but they encountered technical problems on the way down.
Excerpt from my tech notes (PM me for more)
"I'm gonna have the MS sort of slanted sideways, and a few units south of the CC will be a hole in the hull, a way in/out, and another on the other side."
The map will be relatively large, medium width and length, but it will be a few levels in height.
PM me for more info if you are interested, more ideas coming soon.
O| When making a hive area, try hanging the hive below the main floor area, in a "black box" with kill inside it. Everyone always hangs the hives up in the main area, why not hang it below the hive area? (Clearly there would be a hole for healing and perhaps some broken railings to stop big Mr. Onos from getting mad about killing himself.
O| Use a ladder texture as a trim. I promise it's fun and it's a Relic25 technique. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
O| Place rewards for Jetpackers and lerks. Ledges/Catwalks/ceiling vents. This makes it even more fun to be able to fly and encourages it through-out your map!
O| Use only NS.wad. This should be interesting seeing as everyone loves ns2.wad, mix it up a bit.
OR
Use custom textures gathered from The WADFather: <a href='http://www.planethalflife.com/wadfather' target='_blank'>http://www.planethalflife.com/wadfather</a>
O| Don't use any SKY in your map. People really seem to want to include a sky map but maybe not using one makes your map even more mysterious...
O| Create a door that opens in four directions. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
O| Give both the aliens and marines TWO nodes in the MS/Hive and scatter just a few nodes (like, 4) throughout the entire level.
O| Create a forfeit button in the Marine Start and Hives that triggers game_end and that sound bite from alien... "Game over man, Game over!!" (Useable only by the according teams, so the marines could only use the MS button, not aliens and aliens could only use the hive buttons, not marines.)
O| Create a map somewhere on earth, like a Tanker or a landing strip where the Kharaa have infested earth! Oh no!
O| Place the comm chair somewhere with lots of cords and wires, like it really is connected to everything, instead of, I'll just drop a CC right here, For no reason.
O| Watch Star Wars then immediately come map.
O| Watch The Flintstones then immediately come map.
O| Watch some girl next door take off... er... forget this one.
O| Have fun and you'll create amazing things indeed!
~ DarkATi
Heh, I got ya covered on this one. My map I'm working on right now has a door that opens in 4 directions. It is part of 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-->
There are no girls nextdoor :/
There are no girls nextdoor :/ <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm sorry monkey. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
~ DarkATi
On the topic of ideas, this is something I'm going to try to do on one of my maps but it's really not a secrete. I'm trying to make rooms look like there was come kind of combat in them before the TSA were dropped in. I have one room in the works along the name of "Last Stand" (the name is subject to change <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->) where I'm going to have busted barricades and such. I'm also going to attempt to have a bit more of my map infested than normal maps and get a better blend from one side of the map being techy (marine) and the other side being alien (primal/infested)
Edit: I'd also stay away from maps set underwater for a while since there seams to be several maps set in underwater facilities recently.
Edit2: or it might be a good idea to try some more underwater facilities. Shake stuff up a bit.
Why are you looking at me like that?
OK, how about a large school? or apartment building... heh
Why are you looking at me like that?
OK, how about a large school? or apartment building... heh <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why is your avatar an innocent looking cat? Why do I get the idea that you're violating it?
EDIT: Me thinks //Kem1Kal\\ has been playing around with teh w33d.
~ DarkATi
a school woud be fun to do, OMG TEY GOT TOLLET !11
/me goes off to photoshop.
<b>Rough Concept:</b>
A large ns_ map set in a space station that is a "Portal-Toll Wayside Station"... what the heck is this, right? I mean a station sitting next to "wormhole portals", like those Cowboy Bebop portals, where travelers (and pirates, and smugglers, and ex-mercs, etc etc...) can rest, refuel, replenish, get laid, get something to eat or drink, or whatever, just before traveling to the other side of the galaxy... This station would also be some sort of "Customs" where what and who goes in n' out is controlled and policed...
But, the thing is, the wayside station got infested with bacterium (maybe some smuggler was carrying some bacterium specimen to sell or somethin'), and, unchecked, it spawned many kharaa in just a few hours in the abandoned cargo section, rapidly stretching out like a cancer... The few TSA oficials and grunts there to police the station and handle customs and such were no match for this "trojan-cargo"... so soon the station was evacuated or "cleansed" by the kharaa of any other life form... The portal was shut down just before mayhem began, and the TSA were notified of the situation, responding with a detatchment of trigger-happy, bored Frontiersmen...
<b>Vague Layout:</b>
Well, the portal'd be shut down, so we'd need a skybox with what would look like a huge shut-down portal floating in space... <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo--> something HALO-like...
The station is divided into sections, "plus sign"-like, joined by short tunnels between each "leg" of the "plus sign". Each section of the station is designed for a specific purpose.
The sections are:
<i>Space-port and cargo hold:</i> This section is pretty big... it features a "star-wars" like hangar with refueling capabilities, and adjoining "cargo storage for rent"... The "plus sign" shape of the station is therefore misshapen, because this section of the station is "fatter"...
<i>Reception/Customs Center:</i> This section is the plus sign's "center"... the 0,0 axis, if you will... here... well... it's pretty self explanatory, I should think... this section needn't be too big at all, really... NOTE: This place is where travelers are imprinted a tattoo on the backs of their hands as a sort of registration, wiith which they are permitted to pass the short tunnels' doors leading to the "Fun" or "Hostel" wings...
<i>Fun Wing: </i>Here is where you probably want to be if you've had a long trip: a couple of long hallways with store after store, from strip clubs to small bars to vendors selling exotic (cheesy) wares on the ground, a regular scum-pit... Also, there's a mini-shopping mall (like in System Shock 2) and there's a lounge area, sort of a chill-out, with big windows looking into space and the portal n' such...
<i>Hostel Wing:</i> Different quarters for different fees... sleep on steel-like mats, or full blown "Nupcial Suites" and the like... whatever... make up the rest...
<i>TSA barraks/Customs Warehouse:</i> The doors leading to this area are strong, sturdy and password and breath-pass (yup, ode to ALIEN:RES) protected... Here is where the few TSA officals n' grunts, plus the techies, doctors, and customs managers rest/live. There's a small armory, offices, store rooms with stacks of files and the Customs Warehouse, with many confiscated goods waiting to be addressed, but never do, therefore piling up forever...
ummm... that's it, I'm out of neurons...
~ DarkATi
-Crew quarters with bunks
-Hospital that is really, really bright (similar to the one in event horizion; amke it creepy bright and clean)
-Armory
-Opera area (like the one in The 5th Element)
-Room with 3 nodes (nodes would have to be spaced out enough so you would have to spend more resouces that it is worth to defend it with static defensives only.
-Lights that need to be weilded on
-Sighns of previous scientiest/marine/ext resistance (baricades, destroyed baricades)
-Sighns of preivous fights (destroyed baricades, walls/doors that look like an Onos charged though)
For a full out map idea, do the cruise ship from The 5th Element with hotel rooms, swimming pool, garden, opera...thing. Stuff like that.
-Crew quarters with bunks
-Hospital that is really, really bright (similar to the one in event horizion; amke it creepy bright and clean)
-Armory
-Opera area (like the one in The 5th Element)
-Room with 3 nodes (nodes would have to be spaced out enough so you would have to spend more resouces that it is worth to defend it with static defensives only.
-Lights that need to be weilded on
-Sighns of previous scientiest/marine/ext resistance (baricades, destroyed baricades)
-Sighns of preivous fights (destroyed baricades, walls/doors that look like an Onos charged though)
For a full out map idea, do the cruise ship from The 5th Element with hotel rooms, swimming pool, garden, opera...thing. Stuff like that. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I am planning on doing a crew bunks and medlab in my current level project, ns_altair, but it is fairly difficult (at least it is for me).
The bunk room is kinda hard to do because I haven't found any good textures to use for things like the bunks or even lockers for the crew and just little items to make it look like people actually use the room for sleeping, recreation
The medlab mas been kinda hard to get that steril look and also get it set up to actually look like a med lab. I'd love to be able to make something that looked like the medlab in Alien or maybe some of the concept sketches I've seen but it's been kind of difficult.
One of the rooms I also have planed for Altair is labeled, "Last Stand". I have a really good vision of what it should look like (think the part in Aliens where they are fixing the baricades and you'll know what I'm talking about). But again its' difficult to make it look like it should. You have to make it look damaged but there seams to be a lack of textures to use for damaged stuff and it's difficult to make a lot of damged stuff scatterd over the place without causing other headaches.
Double nodes are already frowned upon by many designers and I think they just might blow a fuse if someone tried a triple node. ns_nothing had a psudo-tripple node around Cargo and it proved to be way to valuable and scewed gameplay on the map.
</rambling>
It's late and I'm getting tired but I do enjoy reading the ideas yall have posted.
Commander Pannel
Just a room that only is viewable by the commander and has buttons to all doors/elevators/whatever in the map. You can then make few/many/most of the door only be able to opened by the commander.
Of course you should tweak this, like having marines have to weild three points to make the room come online. And also have many of the main doors opened normally, but doors to small side paths and vents (like alien I suppose) be able to be opened/closed at will