Ns_frostbite
Sycophant
Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7092Members
Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7092Members
<div class="IPBDescription">layout</div> Well, here's my layout. This is the first layout that I'm happy enough with to post here for criticism. And yes, it's just a typical 4-point layout.
The map itself takes place on a military/civilian outpost. The outpost itself is location in an arctic region of an Earth-like planet. The general ambience and feel will be cold and isolated. If I can get even one person to shiver while playing the map, it'll be worth all the work I plan on putting into this project. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Warning: I've posted a rather long rant after the image. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
<i><u>note</u>: black lines are solid, the two shades of grey lines indicate significant height changes within that area</i>
<img src='http://users.frailart.net/cmallard/ns_frostbite.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Here's my comments:
<b>1)</b> The small area above the Marine Start and below Cargo Storage is a double cargo lift, somewhat similar to the big elevator in Bast's Marine Start. I'm still not 100% happy with that idea, so it may still change.
<b>2)</b> The wide hallway between Cargo Storage and Tram Station (<i>including the dashed-line part</i>) is a cargo transport hallway, used to move large objects from the cargo area to the tram. Obviously, this would be a far too direct and convenient path for the marines to travel, so I'll have it blocked somehow. I was considering either having a collapsed ceiling or impassable Kharaa overgrowth. A more likely end result will simply be two security doors being closed and locked.
<b>3)</b> The Tram Station is used to connect the cargo area to the rest of the base. The rest of the base won't be accessable past the Station - the tunnel will have heavy Kharaa overgrowth which effectively seals off this tunnel.
<b>4)</b> My hope is to draw most of the action to the Cargo Storage area. It looks big in the overhead, but it's a cargo area - it'll have plenty of obstacles. I may end up breaking the area into two different sections if it becomes necessary.
<b>5)</b> All paths from the Marine Start to any hive are approximately equal based on how I visualize each room and hallway. If they end up being longer/shorter in-game, I'll tweak the layout a bit to make the adjustment.
<b>6)</b> I'm not exactly happy with the top section ("undecided hive" and the two parallel hallways). That'll definetly have to change, but I'll await responses before making any changes.
<b>7)</b> The lower-right area might get a tweak. Right now, it's basically one direct route from the Marine Start to the Tram Station hive. It might work, but I'll try messing with it a bit before confirming it.
Anyways, there it is. I'm very grateful for any feedback, but please support your answer if it's negative. I gladly welcome any constructive criticism, meaning I can learn something from it or improve something because of it.
I've already got a lot of work done on the Marine Start, Maintenance Tunnels, Water Filtration, and Water Silo hive. They're all in seperate files, and each is at least 70% completed. I'd estimate it'll take at least 4+ months to do the rest of the areas, so I'll hopefully have screenshots up as I complete each section.
Wow, it's 4am already. I hate it when I get into a good mapping groove and have to get up early the next morning. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
The map itself takes place on a military/civilian outpost. The outpost itself is location in an arctic region of an Earth-like planet. The general ambience and feel will be cold and isolated. If I can get even one person to shiver while playing the map, it'll be worth all the work I plan on putting into this project. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Warning: I've posted a rather long rant after the image. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
<i><u>note</u>: black lines are solid, the two shades of grey lines indicate significant height changes within that area</i>
<img src='http://users.frailart.net/cmallard/ns_frostbite.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Here's my comments:
<b>1)</b> The small area above the Marine Start and below Cargo Storage is a double cargo lift, somewhat similar to the big elevator in Bast's Marine Start. I'm still not 100% happy with that idea, so it may still change.
<b>2)</b> The wide hallway between Cargo Storage and Tram Station (<i>including the dashed-line part</i>) is a cargo transport hallway, used to move large objects from the cargo area to the tram. Obviously, this would be a far too direct and convenient path for the marines to travel, so I'll have it blocked somehow. I was considering either having a collapsed ceiling or impassable Kharaa overgrowth. A more likely end result will simply be two security doors being closed and locked.
<b>3)</b> The Tram Station is used to connect the cargo area to the rest of the base. The rest of the base won't be accessable past the Station - the tunnel will have heavy Kharaa overgrowth which effectively seals off this tunnel.
<b>4)</b> My hope is to draw most of the action to the Cargo Storage area. It looks big in the overhead, but it's a cargo area - it'll have plenty of obstacles. I may end up breaking the area into two different sections if it becomes necessary.
<b>5)</b> All paths from the Marine Start to any hive are approximately equal based on how I visualize each room and hallway. If they end up being longer/shorter in-game, I'll tweak the layout a bit to make the adjustment.
<b>6)</b> I'm not exactly happy with the top section ("undecided hive" and the two parallel hallways). That'll definetly have to change, but I'll await responses before making any changes.
<b>7)</b> The lower-right area might get a tweak. Right now, it's basically one direct route from the Marine Start to the Tram Station hive. It might work, but I'll try messing with it a bit before confirming it.
Anyways, there it is. I'm very grateful for any feedback, but please support your answer if it's negative. I gladly welcome any constructive criticism, meaning I can learn something from it or improve something because of it.
I've already got a lot of work done on the Marine Start, Maintenance Tunnels, Water Filtration, and Water Silo hive. They're all in seperate files, and each is at least 70% completed. I'd estimate it'll take at least 4+ months to do the rest of the areas, so I'll hopefully have screenshots up as I complete each section.
Wow, it's 4am already. I hate it when I get into a good mapping groove and have to get up early the next morning. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
maybe you said there is. too tired to read.
master layout ,go build the map 1 thing , i dont see elev's <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
the water silo hive might be a bit too close, but i dont think i really understand the area with water filtration properly <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
I'm trying to keep the nodes <i>near</i> the spawns, but not in them. I may still have to shuffle a few around a little bit to get them in strategic places, but I don't want a team to be able to bunker themselves into a spawn point and still easily control a node. Sounds a bit silly, but it's just something I <i>may</i> go with.
great layout.
master layout ,go build the map 1 thing , i dont see elev's <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, it's MSPaint. I'm not a Photoshop Junkie, so I wouldn't know the first thing about how to use it. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
There's two elevators in front of the marine spawn - the two almost-square things on each side of the resource node. The drop distance will be approximately the same as Bast's, but like I said, I may change that idea.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->the water silo hive might be a bit too close, but i dont think i really understand the area with water filtration properly<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That big, irregular-shaped block in the middle of Water Filtration is the actual filtration unit itself. It takes up most of the room, so you have to go around it. The part along the bottom is just a raised walkway, and the big part in the top-left is a less-industrial-looking walkway. I had a rough screenshot of the room earlier (<i>architecture - 80%, lighting & texturing - ~5%</i>), but deleted it a while back. I'll try and get another one today.
The vents I already have in place weren't strategically thought-out. I like the ones around Maintenance, but the rest will most likely undergo a few changes. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Yeah, I'd like the action to be in or near Cargo Storage. I'll probably shift two nodes into that area to make it worth the defensive investments. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->