# of maps

bobthesob

This NS2 is a mp only game so there needs to be a good # of maps on release imo. Right now we have 3 maps in summit, tram and mineshaft. I know docking should be ready for 1.0 and UWE has started on discovery and refinery(156 play-testers told me this). Still i think more custom maps like summit should be added to the game. Triad and turtle are pretty good maps. I would love to see these added to the full retail game. <3 triad the most tho =)

Raven_XI

+1 for more maps.

ScardyBob

Add to that the roughly 11 maps custom maps duplex has on their <a href="http://www.duplexgaming.co.uk/downloads/maps/" target="_blank">maps list</a>, and that brings us up to 17 official or custom maps at release. Of course, the quality between those maps vary greatly, but I'd say that would be a decent selection for a v1.0 release. The problem right now is that we don't have direct-from-server map downloads, so few servers run custom maps because few people would go through the hassle of manually installing them. Once that gets in, I'd expect the variety of maps that get played will vastly increase.

Squeal_Like_A_Pig

We are planning on having 6 official maps on release as well as automatic downloading of custom maps from servers.

--Cory

Arkanti

<!--quoteo(post=1926244:date=Apr 17 2012, 03:29 PM:name=Squeal_Like_A_Pig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Squeal_Like_A_Pig @ Apr 17 2012, 03:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926244"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->We are planning on having 6 official maps on release as well as automatic downloading of custom maps from servers.

--Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It's great to hear that automatic downloads are still part of the plan. Are Veil and Summit included in that official map count?

Obraxis

Don't forget Veil ;-)

sickboy

<!--quoteo(post=1926259:date=Apr 17 2012, 01:23 AM:name=Obraxis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Obraxis @ Apr 17 2012, 01:23 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926259"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Don't forget Veil ;-)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Watched the (attempted :P) playtest vid the other day of it... SOOOOO excited. My god it is sexy, and it just brings back so many great memories.

Squeal_Like_A_Pig

<!--quoteo(post=1926249:date=Apr 17 2012, 05:51 AM:name=Arkanti)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arkanti @ Apr 17 2012, 05:51 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926249"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's great to hear that automatic downloads are still part of the plan. Are Veil and Summit included in that official map count?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, Summit and Veil are included in that official map count.

Summit
Tram
Mineshaft
Docking
Refining
Veil

We are also working on 2 other official maps, Discovery and Descent, most likely for post release.

--Cory

AegisXI

can't wait too seem them!

DJPenguin

did you guys really scrap rockdown? i was so looking forward to playing that with 32 people.

sickboy

Wasn't Rockdown just meant to be a quick test map though? Thought I read that somewhere... I seem to recall UWE responding to complaints on the balance/size/etc. of it by stating that it was never really meant for actual play, but rather just as a game testing map.

Obraxis

Rockdown and Junction were just test maps really. To help develop mapping techniques and ideas for what works, and what doesn't. They were pretty small, more like deathmatch maps than anything else. As the game has developed these maos no longer conform to mapping guidelines and things we've learned after they were created.

The upcoming maps are great. I'm sure the community will love them!

sickboy

That's what I thought. Thanks for the confirmation Obraxis!

Heroman117

No!

My dream of 32 player matches on Junction is being thwarted!

I don't even have the map anymore after I built my new PC a bit ago, I pray to god that somebody has a copy of ns2_junction saved on their hard drive somewhere!

Arkanti

<!--quoteo(post=1926263:date=Apr 17 2012, 04:32 PM:name=Squeal_Like_A_Pig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Squeal_Like_A_Pig @ Apr 17 2012, 04:32 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926263"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yes, Summit and Veil are included in that official map count.

Summit
Tram
Mineshaft
Docking
Refining
Veil

We are also working on 2 other official maps, Discovery and Descent, most likely for post release.

--Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Sounds great! Veil looked fantastic in the stream preview and I can't wait for <a href="http://www.naturalselection2.com/storage/concept_generator_room.jpg" target="_blank"><u>these</u></a> <a href="http://www.naturalselection2.com/storage/concept_specimen_containers.jpg" target="_blank"><u>bits of</u></a> <a href="http://www.naturalselection2.com/storage/concept_lava_falls.jpg" target="_blank"><u>concept art</u></a> to be made into playable realities.

sickboy

I just really want those bubbles with aliens in them to make it into a map... I want to crap myself as a marine, looking at them with my flashlight only to realize <i>one isn't in the damn bubble and is instead eating my face off.</i> Straight out of a horror movie. OR Scooby Doo episode, now that I think about it... the skulks would need to be pretending to be mannequins though, with silly hats and scarves. Let's stick with horror movie.

DJPenguin

<!--quoteo(post=1926286:date=Apr 17 2012, 04:22 AM:name=sickboy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (sickboy @ Apr 17 2012, 04:22 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926286"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I just really want those bubbles with aliens in them to make it into a map... I want to crap myself as a marine, looking at them with my flashlight only to realize <i>one isn't in the damn bubble and is instead eating my face off.</i> Straight out of a horror movie. OR Scooby Doo episode, now that I think about it... the skulks would need to be pretending to be mannequins though, with silly hats and scarves. Let's stick with horror movie.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Let's see who this Fade REALLY is!..


Max McGuire!?

sickboy

Corrected:

Old man McGuire?!

It's always them elderly fellows, and clearly Max is a cantankerous old farmer just trying to keep those darn marines away... by stabbing them in the chest with two giant, scythe-like appendages.

*That's our Max!* (insert canned laughter)

Ryne

<!--quoteo(post=1926263:date=Apr 16 2012, 10:32 PM:name=Squeal_Like_A_Pig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Squeal_Like_A_Pig @ Apr 16 2012, 10:32 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926263"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yes, Summit and Veil are included in that official map count.

Summit
Tram
Mineshaft
Docking
Refining
Veil

We are also working on 2 other official maps, Discovery and Descent, most likely for post release.

--Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Whats the time frame on releasing them in the beta? Maps seem to be the aspect of play that takes the longest to work out all the kinks / balancing.

peregrinus

Can't wait. I hope the maps will be released during beta so we can give feedback and find bugs before the game is out.

Wilson

I saw them playtesting docking earlier tonight so perhaps it will be out soon. Veil also looks close to completion.

Ryne

<!--quoteo(post=1926550:date=Apr 17 2012, 03:38 PM:name=Wilson)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Wilson @ Apr 17 2012, 03:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926550"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I saw them playtesting docking earlier tonight so perhaps it will be out soon. Veil also looks close to completion.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Playtesting probably solves a lot of the issues, but the beta test player base is how you find the majority. Hard to beat the shear numbers!

Just saying, tram has been out for awhile and still has problems. These other maps arent, and are supposed to be included in the release in <3 months?

Yuuki

What about including community maps (turtle, triad, ...) into the builds until map download is ready ? It doesn't cost anything (just of few mega more to the patch) and allows everybody to enjoy the maps.

Xarius

<!--quoteo(post=1926606:date=Apr 17 2012, 08:27 PM:name=Ryne)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryne @ Apr 17 2012, 08:27 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926606"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Playtesting probably solves a lot of the issues, but the beta test player base is how you find the majority. Hard to beat the shear numbers!

Just saying, tram has been out for awhile and still has problems. These other maps arent, and are supposed to be included in the release in <3 months?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I think mineshaft still has the most glaring issues.

Ryne

<!--quoteo(post=1926693:date=Apr 18 2012, 03:07 AM:name=Xarius)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Xarius @ Apr 18 2012, 03:07 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926693"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think mineshaft still has the most glaring issues.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Yeah, tram was the worst up until recently. I still have trouble cysting to the upper RT in central drilling :( I almost never see aliens cap that RT

derWalter

<!--quoteo(post=1926244:date=Apr 17 2012, 06:29 AM:name=Squeal_Like_A_Pig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Squeal_Like_A_Pig @ Apr 17 2012, 06:29 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926244"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->We are planning on having 6 official maps on release as well as automatic downloading of custom maps from servers.

--Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


how long will max need for that? 2 hours? considering you do the grafix for the loading bar in half an hour to an hour? :P

checking dependencies-list on the client for the map/mod, if not there download it?


later on check what to do if its there but has a different checksum and so on ^^

Argathor

<!--quoteo(post=1926684:date=Apr 18 2012, 11:20 AM:name=Yuuki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yuuki @ Apr 18 2012, 11:20 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1926684"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What about including community maps (turtle, triad, ...) into the builds until map download is ready ? It doesn't cost anything (just of few mega more to the patch) and allows everybody to enjoy the maps.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Great idea. Simple and solves the problem in the short-term!

acid_rain

Some of them are getting pretty close. We've been testing them thoroughly lately, and they're coming along great. Right now we're really hammering the maps for balance changes and getting the big map bugs worked out.

For Max to really get automatic downloading in, it might be a little longer than you think. We don't want to risk the possibility of stuff downloading to your machine that you don't want or know. I think he'll want to have the pure feature working before that goes in, but that's just my speculation.

Yuuki

>For Max to really get automatic downloading in, it might be a little longer than you think.

What about my suggestion above then ?

Electr0

Wasn't file checking added sometime ago?

Im pretty sure server downloads wouldn't take long to add if they wanted, it might be a good idea to limit it to maps for testing and presuming it's secure mods can follow sometime after, until we get this the game will be 'limited' in potential, there's already a bunch of decent mods waiting to be played.

While we badly need more maps we could really do with some completely new environments, something like the planned biodome theme would be nice, i've never been a fan of the current style, it's too dark and dull, we really need some variety.