ns2_youpick

Evil_bOb1

There are some example layouts in the mapping guild-lines. What kind of map are you going for?

Tig

i don't know how professional my advice is, but if you're having problems with long hallways, eliminate them. guidelines ask for room based combat and less hallways anyway. wherever you have a hallway, put a little room in it. or just take advantage of wallmod props split up by perpendicular geometry. just my 2 cents. i think you're doing great, remember to take breaks so you don't burn yourself out. leave a problem area alone and go take on something different in another room for awhile.

Sgt_Simple

<!--quoteo(post=1832733:date=Feb 17 2011, 04:32 AM:name=Evil_bOb1)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Evil_bOb1 @ Feb 17 2011, 04:32 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832733"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->There are some example layouts in the mapping guild-lines. What kind of map are you going for?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


im using the 6X8 double as my base

Deadzone

Sgt_Simple, do you have an overhead view of your map at all? Maybe we can give some better suggestions if we can actually see your floor plan. :) Even if you just want to scribble a map in MSPaint, that's fine.

Sgt_Simple

<!--quoteo(post=1832918:date=Feb 17 2011, 06:49 PM:name=Deadzone)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Deadzone @ Feb 17 2011, 06:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832918"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Sgt_Simple, do you have an overhead view of your map at all? Maybe we can give some better suggestions if we can actually see your floor plan. :) Even if you just want to scribble a map in MSPaint, that's fine.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


that my prob every time i try to bring some rooms ive made together to get a floor plan its never looks right when i connect them

Insane

Try drawing a floor plan out first. It sounds like at least some of your problems are coming from a lack of planning, so if you already have an idea of how areas will connect, you will most likely find things easier when you come to actually build the map.

Sgt_Simple

<!--quoteo(post=1833284:date=Feb 18 2011, 04:13 PM:name=Insane)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Insane @ Feb 18 2011, 04:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1833284"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Try drawing a floor plan out first. It sounds like at least some of your problems are coming from a lack of planning, so if you already have an idea of how areas will connect, you will most likely find things easier when you come to actually build the map.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


ive not planned anything if there is a proper way to do it a pm with details on the proper way to do it would be greatfully received

Deadzone

<!--quoteo(post=1833692:date=Feb 19 2011, 01:35 PM:name=Sgt_Simple)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sgt_Simple @ Feb 19 2011, 01:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1833692"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->ive not planned anything if there is a proper way to do it a pm with details on the proper way to do it would be greatfully received<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Seriously. DRAW a map for us, like Tig did in this thread
<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=111726&st=0&start=0" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/in...t=0&start=0</a>

It doesn't matter if it's good or not. No one will make fun of you, especially since we know you can model rooms and are serious about making a good map. We'll take a look at what you start with, and then help you figure out how to move things around and make adjustments.

Show us something, then we can help you. We can't read your mind to figure out what you want to do - we have to have something to start on.

Sgt_Simple

<img src="http://www.sgtsimple.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/layou1.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

this is about as far as i have got in a floor plan for my map

ive never had anything other than where i would want to place my rooms based on that mapping guide lines i have no corridors paths and some rooms dont have a final layout so i have no planning no concept drawings nothing other than whats in my head if you know of a planning process to get me on the right track even if i got to start from the begining it would help i kind of jumped in with both feet and was figuring it out as i went

i think now is the time to start doing it proper and get some results other than rooms that i dont know what to do with once they are made
even all the entrace exits i make suit the room but dont suit what i would need for the map ie armouy i made only had 2 exits but needs 3

Deadzone

Sorry to keep stressing the point, but you still haven't shown us what I'm asking for. I want to see an actual overhead view of the map, not a graph. Draw out the rooms and hallways for us.

You keep talking about "doing it right" but you're not doing anything! You've got a plan in your head, so put it on paper (so to speak) and let us see it.

Don't worry about what's in each room quite yet, I just want to see how the rooms and halls connect.
(by the way, I apologize if I'm coming off as bossy/rude, I'm just going into "critique mode" and being straightforward)

Sgt_Simple

<!--quoteo(post=1833715:date=Feb 19 2011, 08:41 PM:name=Deadzone)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Deadzone @ Feb 19 2011, 08:41 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1833715"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Sorry to keep stressing the point, but you still haven't shown us what I'm asking for. I want to see an actual overhead view of the map, not a graph. Draw out the rooms and hallways for us.

You keep talking about "doing it right" but you're not doing anything! You've got a plan in your head, so put it on paper (so to speak) and let us see it.

Don't worry about what's in each room quite yet, I just want to see how the rooms and halls connect.
(by the way, I apologize if I'm coming off as bossy/rude, I'm just going into "critique mode" and being straightforward)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


i understand what your saying but i dont have one all the rooms ive made are seperate not in a map not connected to anything there is no layout other than the pic i just posted i dont know how to connect anything to anything but i know what your saying you need and the best i can do is show you the floor plan of each room ive made so far


<img src="http://www.sgtsimple.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/testlayout.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

heres a very very very rough look at what it might look like

pSyk0mAn

Entrances and Exits are important parts on how a room is going to play out.
If you think about that and know where your routes connect your rooms, you are one step closer.
Then you can focus on locations of your rooms, traveling times between them and how the hallways can help to block sight regarding gameplay and vis regarding performance.
Not really professional though, considering how many slight adjustments I made to the layout in my mind and in Spark over and over.

Remember that NS2 maps aim for large rooms (landmarks) and short corridors, so don't only rely on hallways for visblocking, but create some interesting "obstacles" within the rooms that also help gameplay.

Deadzone

OK, going back to this image:
<img src="http://www.sgtsimple.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/layou1.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

How many of the connecting arrows are hallways, and how many are vents? Let's start with MS, Sol, Library, and Med. I'm assuming MS connects to Sol and Library in a normal MS fashion - one hallway to the left, one to the right. I need you to think of two things, then.
1) How do Sol and Library connect with Med?
2) Where is Med located compared to MS?

Insane

<a href="http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/categories/level_design_tutorials/how_to_plan_your_next_map/how_to_plan_your_next_map.php" target="_blank">This tutorial</a> might help you plan your map a bit more. As you can see in the last section, you need to sit down and draw out ideas for your level's floorplan.

I know you are saying that you don't have a plan for your layout, but now is the time to make one. Close the level editor, take out a piece of paper and sketch a map layout. Then once you know how everything fits together you can go back into the editor and start connecting things up.

Soylent_green

I would also like to emphasize the importance of failing cheap(since the resource in question is time, this is synonymous with failing fast in this case).

Striving to fail fast allows you to quickly explore many ideas and discard the bad ones. This is especially important if you're new to some field and it's difficult to guess if an idea will work or not; failing cheaply then has a double benefit, it allows you to learn quicker what not to do as well as reject bad ideas quickly.

How do you speed up failure? The usual approach is to make some sort of cheap mock-up, sketch or prototype that is just powerful enough to test a feature. If it still looks like a good idea you commit more and more resources.

hookeyed

<!--quoteo(post=1834170:date=Feb 21 2011, 08:19 PM:name=Soylent_green)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Soylent_green @ Feb 21 2011, 08:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1834170"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would also like to emphasize the importance of failing cheap(since the resource in question is time, this is synonymous with failing fast in this case).

Striving to fail fast allows you to quickly explore many ideas and discard the bad ones. This is especially important if you're new to some field and it's difficult to guess if an idea will work or not; failing cheaply then has a double benefit, it allows you to learn quicker what not to do as well as reject bad ideas quickly.

How do you speed up failure? The usual approach is to make some sort of cheap mock-up, sketch or prototype that is just powerful enough to test a feature. If it still looks like a good idea you commit more and more resources.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
agreed. I'm after doing two hive rooms up from scratch about 20 times with different focal points and all that. just now I'm getting a handle for the overall atmosphere

fmpone

Any updates on this? It's very cool if you ask me!