Vents
esuna
Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">We all love vents!</div> Now, this is a bit of an odd thread. I've been thinking about vents.
In my time playing NS and the short time i've spent mapping NS i've come to realise two things:
<ul><li>None of them go anywhere
<li>None of them serve any purpose</ul>
True, they provide a quicker route from point A to B that is only accessable to the Kharaa or to jetpacking marines, but lets look at them from an aesthetic and realistic point of view.
Why, exactly, would you have a hole running from room A to room B? There's no logical reason. So how about in the route between room A and room B we have another shaft going up or down with a fan or a blocked grate. A simple concept, but it makes the point of having a vent less ridiculous. Just throwing ideas around.
As to vent entrances / exits. Where some of them are, there's no logical reason for them. Most of them don't have grates (Which any vent would) and some just seem to be a hole in the wall. How about having the entrances behind panels in the wall, and you have the panel sitting on the floor propped up against the wall? How about behind a computer console, but the console has been moved out of the way to make the vent accessable? How about removed floor panels giving access to a vent or conduit running beneath the floor?
Of course, being NS, there's no real reason to take such things as the purpose of a vent into consideration, it isn't a realistic mod on the whole, but it definately improves the atmosphere and the visuals somewhat.
From now on, i will endeavour to make all vents have an actual purpose, starting with my current map, co_disgorge.
Thank you, and goodnight. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
In my time playing NS and the short time i've spent mapping NS i've come to realise two things:
<ul><li>None of them go anywhere
<li>None of them serve any purpose</ul>
True, they provide a quicker route from point A to B that is only accessable to the Kharaa or to jetpacking marines, but lets look at them from an aesthetic and realistic point of view.
Why, exactly, would you have a hole running from room A to room B? There's no logical reason. So how about in the route between room A and room B we have another shaft going up or down with a fan or a blocked grate. A simple concept, but it makes the point of having a vent less ridiculous. Just throwing ideas around.
As to vent entrances / exits. Where some of them are, there's no logical reason for them. Most of them don't have grates (Which any vent would) and some just seem to be a hole in the wall. How about having the entrances behind panels in the wall, and you have the panel sitting on the floor propped up against the wall? How about behind a computer console, but the console has been moved out of the way to make the vent accessable? How about removed floor panels giving access to a vent or conduit running beneath the floor?
Of course, being NS, there's no real reason to take such things as the purpose of a vent into consideration, it isn't a realistic mod on the whole, but it definately improves the atmosphere and the visuals somewhat.
From now on, i will endeavour to make all vents have an actual purpose, starting with my current map, co_disgorge.
Thank you, and goodnight. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
You can use them to escape enemys, they make you feel safe, and they add the excitment as in
"oh god.. i bet there in the vent O_O "
I mainly like them for fleeing in <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
But they also add effect to the level, some of the vents have purpose, as in , there just the under parts to the level.. i think there awesome
they should NOT be removed <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
But I agree with you. No more floor vents!!
Anyways, vents that are just little square holes in walls between rooms are indeed a bit of a lame implementation of the game mechanic. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
At the same time you always have to suspend disbelief for video games, I think the debate here is just about how much suspension people should have to do.
<img src='http://www.btinternet.com/~diesirae/pictures/diagram1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The light red is, of course, the vent itself, the dark red shows the two rooms the vent is creating a path between, and the blue line is the path you'd take through the vent. The path is exactly the same as normal as if the extra parts of the vents weren't there, but as you can see i extended it longer on both sides, and blocked off the extra with a grate / door.
This is, in no way, a lot of work at all, it makes the vent seem like it has a purpose, the r_speeds cost is entirely minimal, and it adds a hell of a lot more atmosphere. As in the mapping guidlines, it's an inaccessable area used for detail only. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
oh, and cHIs, i'm in no way suggesting getting rid of vents. If you don't want to read a whole post, don't bother replying.
You can make convenient 'nowhere' vents by using grates. That way, vents can "connect" with one another but you can't necessarily traverse the entire network. Some or most of it can just be eye-candy. Then again, someone might complain about unbreakable grates...
I think the maps with the best vents are ns_eclipse, veil and origin. Origin has these cool little hub things and vents that look different depending on the area, which go outside into open areas in places and have signs so you know where your going, eclipse has nice vents with grates, pipes and some nice lighting and the same with veil. They're so much more than ugly boxes.
To conclude, vents which are interesting are good, vents that are repititive and exactly the same with nothing different about them anywhere SUCK and should be burnt.
Anyway, i've gone off on a completely different direction but whilst we were on the subject of vents i wanted to raise that point.
There is always one...
The modifications esuna was talking about wouldn't do anything to the gameplay, so don't even think about bringing that up. They would, howeverm greatly affect the realism, which is good.
Gameplay + realism = good gameplay
Gameplay + good realism = better gameplay
But I agree with you. No more floor vents!! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually floor vents would fit in to what Esuna is describing, a believable atmosphere on environment that would create a vent / shaft. Like a floor panel being lifted up or ripped from the floor <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I play a lot of D&D and one of the most important things to me, when designing an adventure (Or in NS, a map) is Dungeon Ecology. Don't stick 3 giants in a room to provide enemies, THINK about it. What do they eat? Where do they sleep? Do they need to drink? If so, where do they do it?
Same goes for NS mapping. Ok, so you have a Ventilation Hive. Are there at least SOME vents leading from it to other parts of the map? A Sleeping Quarters area for the inhabitants of the space station? Good idea but where do they eat/shower/etc.?
Also, is it reasonable to think that their Shower Room is located 20 feet from the Xenoform Holding area? What was everyday life on the Space Station before hell broke loose in Xenoform Research?
Think about things like that, enact the scenarios in your head and you will automatically PLACE that vent cover on the floor, make more realistic areas, etc.
I have recently begun an attempt on a map myself but progress is very slow (I don't have that much spare time atm) but I am working on it CONSTANTLY. When I am at work and have an idle moment, I go over the everyday routines of the crew on the Space Station. I write background information that nobody will ever read but it provides me with the knowledge of the areas, etc.
Anyway, I could go on an on and on and on about this but I think most of you will have got the point already <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> (And Doombringer put it so much more succinctly <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> )
PS: Like the vent idea Erias talked about. The pipe-space thing. Nice...
Except:
Except: <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Somehow I seem attracted to that vent, I expect a headcrab to burst out of it at any moment too.
Ive been playing alot of Sven Co-op..all that Vent adventure has left its mark. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
One of the best layouts I'm working on so far lets you run under the entire ship on its infastructure. Pretty neat.
One concept is the vent below the AC style
Generally, you have the AC drop down cold air, now some of this air will rise back up. The rest however, will pass through to another room, which of course, wasn't designed with an AC in mind
But of course, additions to realism is always nice, but some maps may not be able to implement it due to the fact that they may be pushing the limits of HL mapping <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->
However, it's another good aesthetic thing to add to maps, if the compiler spares you that is <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Ive been playing alot of Sven Co-op..all that Vent adventure has left its mark. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You know it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->