Infestation obscures terrain features and makes it difficult to learn a map layout
hyperrift
Join Date: 2010-12-16 Member: 75714Members
Join Date: 2010-12-16 Member: 75714Members
Please consider this feedback from someone that was an active casual NS1 player for years (walkingcarpet). I pre-ordered NS2 as soon as it was available, as well as buying some copies for my friends. I've been avoiding playing NS2 while it matured in optimization. After playing last night, one thing really seemed like an issue.
<b>Problem:</b>
The dynamic infestation effect is too obtrusive. When everywhere looks like a green blob, how is one supposed to navigate?
Players learn to navigate maps by building a mental model of the map in their head. Natural Selection's maps are generally composed of identifiable named regions with a distinct look and feel.
When covered with infestation, they lose all of their visual signature. The infestation covers terrain and alters the topography with its 3D bubbling, leaving almost no usable information. This makes it difficult to learn a map, and causes areas to blend together.
I found this particularly frustrating as alien, because of the lack of an always-active minimap. Yes, I know you can press the Map key for a full view.
<b>Proposed solution:</b>
Reapproach the infestation art with the goal of adding a moderate amount of transparency. This would retain the visual signature of different areas, and it would retain the geometry information that is currently occluded by the opaque infestation model.
<b>Problem:</b>
The dynamic infestation effect is too obtrusive. When everywhere looks like a green blob, how is one supposed to navigate?
Players learn to navigate maps by building a mental model of the map in their head. Natural Selection's maps are generally composed of identifiable named regions with a distinct look and feel.
When covered with infestation, they lose all of their visual signature. The infestation covers terrain and alters the topography with its 3D bubbling, leaving almost no usable information. This makes it difficult to learn a map, and causes areas to blend together.
I found this particularly frustrating as alien, because of the lack of an always-active minimap. Yes, I know you can press the Map key for a full view.
<b>Proposed solution:</b>
Reapproach the infestation art with the goal of adding a moderate amount of transparency. This would retain the visual signature of different areas, and it would retain the geometry information that is currently occluded by the opaque infestation model.
Comments
Would anyone else like to show that they did not read the full post? Regardless, a minimap feature does not appropriately address the issues at hand.
The reasons TC specified as to why it's hard to navigate and learn the maps doesn't make sense to me. I still learned them just fine even with infestation all over. Also, yes I did read the full post. There's a reason the game has a minimap feature. Use it.
Exactly what I do. Minimal makes infestation a flat texture. Still looks <i>ok</i>
The people saying to just look at the map constantly are missing the point, the map is a crutch that will prevent you from ever intuitively knowing the layout of the level. You should know the rooms like the back of your hand and only use the map to gain information about other players/structures.
The map is an integral and vital piece of information, and is in <i>no way</i> a crutch. Do you say the same thing when you're trying to drive across the state, or do you <i>read the map</i>? On top of that, the fact you can see any enemy structures that your team is seeing? It's literally required for you to look at the map, and look at it often. If you aren't, it's part of why you fail.
Over time, you will eventually learn the layout. You will <i>still</i> use the map. You just won't use it for the same things.
I hate to say it, but I agree with you. Even in games like Battlefield you needed to look at the map when you just started playing. Playing it <i>a lot</i> will teach you, and a map will teach you faster. Maps are as old as freakin' human history, yet video game players can't ever be bothered to use them. I just don't understand some people.
Most of them reply with 'I don't learn with maps!', which makes me wonder if they learn at all...
That clearly indicates that the problem lies with you, not the game.
I love that though! As a skulk it makes it feel like my home! It's like a nice warm foamy blanket.
The devs should really make it a bit flatter.
But yeah, I've actually found the new infestation a little obtrusive here and there. The blobs can almost completely cover vent entrances especially. Not sure what an elegant and easy solution would be. Maybe decrease the infestation height just a tiny bit?
Probably something along the lines of the nanoshield effect, but the same size of the model and having the original model dissolve.
The game has a couple of visual hacks like how they made transparent glass props.
Over time, you will eventually learn the layout. You will <i>still</i> use the map. You just won't use it for the same things.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Obviously I use the map. But it's vastly easier to memorize the room layouts if you put it away. To use your analogy, it's like using your GPS to navigate every time you get in the car. Yeah you'll eventually memorize your drive to work, but I bet you don't remember half the streets you've been on outside of that. When you're following easy instructions your brain stops actually processing your surroundings.
So is that why they added the blue arrows on the ground for Marine players to find way points? Hmm...odd that I don't hear you complaining about that if the map and infestation is such a bloody obstacle to your learning process.
I feel like I'm being trolled if you think being able to look at the layout of the entire map at once is somehow detrimental to learning the map.
It sounds like you just want your hand held like it is on the Marines team, to be honest. Infestation is awesome, and in no way limits my ability to learn maps. Maybe I'm a genius, but I sincerely doubt that's the case. It's definitely an issue on your end, not to be mean. You <i>will</i> learn the maps eventually, but saying that infestation that doesn't vastly change the geometry of a room hurts your ability to learn is, to put it nicely, redonkulous. Especially when there is already a minimal infestation option, just in case there are people that think like you do.
One final point, how would you <i>ever</i> learn the name of a location <i>without</i> the map? Very few locations have a vegas-style lit sign notifying you of where you are, or where you need to be. It is literally <i>impossible</i> to learn the location names without the map, which negates any downside you might have in learning locations with infestation.
Using this method inevitably gives you a good sense of the map layout and makes you a better player on top of that.
<!--coloro:#FFC0CB--><span style="color:#FFC0CB"><!--/coloro-->Haha I wish I knew. I've often wondered about that, and the glass props. But that's what the devs have said.
One thing they want to do once proper transparency is in is make alien eggs translucent and have the little tadpole thing inside turn as you look around. So like when marines are near you wanna stay still or they'll know you're in that egg and kill you. lol<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
But sometimes it coveres vents almost entirely, thus it can be hard to find the vent entrance even with map.