also you might consider adding a ladder here in cathedral, make it easier for gorges and higher lifeforms to move around rather then climbing up the pipe...
also sorry about the brightness really off, my screenshots don't do justice to the map <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Unslord VERY nice map I LOVE IT,I don't care what anyone else thinks this map is sweet and to me:
THIS MAP SHOULD GO,GET OFFICIAL!! very sexy map,love everything about it. <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif' /><!--endemo-->
moultanoCreator of ns_shiva.Join Date: 2002-12-14Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
edited June 2004
I walked around in this map for a while last night.
First of all, the style you have going is awesome. The problem I have with the map is that it doesn't feel human. Most of your architecture looks like it was created by aliens with heavy egyptian influence. This would be fine if it were limited to the exterior areas of the base, but there isn't anywhere in the map that it looks like humans were meant to go.
This map could be dramatically improved if you came up with a different secondary style that evokes the other areas of the map and blends with them, but still seems human. Then go through the map and decide once and for all, which areas of the map are supposed to be external, and which are supposed to be internal. Apply the new style to the internal areas, reworking the geometry and lighting as necessary. The few yellow and red lights aren't enough to break it up.
When I walk through a map, I want to get a feel for what the people did in each room before it was abandoned. This can be taken to varying degrees, Various computer monitors, warning strips, and text of some kind may be sufficient, but something needs to be there.
The whole map is beautiful, but at the moment it looks more like abstract art than a space station.
moultano you seem to have an eye for this, the was cool in my eyes. but you are right. @ unslord: it wouldnt be necessary to rework half the map like multano said, if you just CAREFULLY adjust the "human side" of the map to SEEM more humanlike.
and I loe the alternate way through the rocks that is only passable for aliens, nice design of this "airduct" <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Tbh i might add little human scale touches here and there, the odd control console would be good, plus it will add variety to your corridors and rooms. Look at processing in hera and rr in tanith. Just little touches like these to give a little scale are all thats needed. A little more variety in your passage would also be good. What did bug me when walking around last night is that some of the steps have to be jumped. I appreciate the effect your going for but they are just annoyances. If you want people to appreciate things like that you need to give them a problem to solve. Simply making a crate opposite the step so you have to make a jump across the corridor to get into the passage would be a good example. This rewards the player for figuring something out and making a jump and it dosen't feel like something made just to annoy you. In a similar vein, in the hive with a pit and the pipe that curves up to the opposite side. Please could you make that pipe climbable as this will make that hive room alot more fun for marines. I would also suggest that here would be a more appropriate place for those unclimbable steps, in order to slow marines down. I suggest putting in mesh walkway around the room though to give the players a choice.
I've just tested the map, and I have some suggests for improve it.
First I really love the map, especially the ambience. The wpoly are everywhere really good (max 800 in commander mode in the upper side of the incubator hive) The infestation is good. The ready room is not really beautiful, just functional. Some details could be welcome, and the entry for aliens/marines could have a real entry, not just a zone. There isn't many thing to weld, just one I think. Perhaps one or two can improve the gameplay and the strategy ? There is too many ladder ! Remove some of them, it's really hard and worrying in marines... The abyss have a good placement, but in the hive incubator it must be really hard to rush with shotgun... In top oh this hive, a fence could protect the way of the abyss, because it's too easy to fall... With some fence or small wall it could be better. The marine start has two corridors to exit, it's good but they join in the top of the ms. With some oc the marines can be blocked. Separate them more to avoid it...
The last thing is the colors : they help to the ambience. I like theme, but one hive, or corridor, or the marine start, with less red colors, could be an advantage to repose our eyes... By example in the marine start a lot of with white lights, very luminous, could opposite the ms and the hive.
last last thing: again congralutation for your map, I love it. I'll put on my server perhaps soon. And this map has serious chance to become an official map. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I know what you mean, haven't heard a response from the author about anything <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Heh, I've looked into all the things you guys suggested. Thanks. I've just been waiting for the sounds to get finished, so a new beta today or tomorrow.
all of the hives have slight clipping issues... you might want to carve the floor beneath them to avoid the "snort" from being inside the floor. that, or place the hives a little higher. although if you do that, remember that there should be enough room to be able to gestate on top of the hive.
overall a very nice map, has this very creepy feel of years of being abandoned, perhaps decades even before the aliens' arrival. i love it.
I haven't replied in this thread before, and I don't really have anything good to say...but, I downloaded the map and walk around on it for a while, and have to say that it is a really cool and uniqe map. If it plays as good as it looks, this map will definately get my vote for official inclusion. Some of the architecture is just...wooah! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
aigh, I'd like to see it tested on some serves to see how it actually plays. Theres a difference between walking around and actually playing good ole ns <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->.
Heh I'm a couple days late... well here's <a href='http://students.washington.edu/garyh2/map/ns_marinerisb3.zip' target='_blank'>beta3</a> with even less orange lights (lights now gradually go from white to orange as you get closer to hives), signs and finally sounds are included, and it is now possible to walk all around the map without jumping.
I've pmed some people about playtesting, so we'll see how well the layout works. If you have a server and want to playtest it, pm or post so I can join up. Thanks for your input guys.
Just had a run round the map for the first time, definetly very different which is excellent.Good architechture but thats already been said. I found it to be quite "compect" in alot of areas, maybe thats just me?? other than that
<!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Awefully good job old bean <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
theres one res node towards the cathederal side were marines have to jump up the ledge to get up, kind of stupid <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->. I'll post a ss when I get back from work..
Comments
also sorry about the brightness really off, my screenshots don't do justice to the map <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Unslord VERY nice map I LOVE IT,I don't care what anyone else thinks this map is sweet and to me:
THIS MAP SHOULD GO,GET OFFICIAL!! very sexy map,love everything about it. <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Firedragon
First of all, the style you have going is awesome.
The problem I have with the map is that it doesn't feel human. Most of your architecture looks like it was created by aliens with heavy egyptian influence. This would be fine if it were limited to the exterior areas of the base, but there isn't anywhere in the map that it looks like humans were meant to go.
This map could be dramatically improved if you came up with a different secondary style that evokes the other areas of the map and blends with them, but still seems human. Then go through the map and decide once and for all, which areas of the map are supposed to be external, and which are supposed to be internal. Apply the new style to the internal areas, reworking the geometry and lighting as necessary. The few yellow and red lights aren't enough to break it up.
When I walk through a map, I want to get a feel for what the people did in each room before it was abandoned. This can be taken to varying degrees, Various computer monitors, warning strips, and text of some kind may be sufficient, but something needs to be there.
The whole map is beautiful, but at the moment it looks more like abstract art than a space station.
and I loe the alternate way through the rocks that is only passable for aliens, nice design of this "airduct" <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
In a similar vein, in the hive with a pit and the pipe that curves up to the opposite side. Please could you make that pipe climbable as this will make that hive room alot more fun for marines. I would also suggest that here would be a more appropriate place for those unclimbable steps, in order to slow marines down. I suggest putting in mesh walkway around the room though to give the players a choice.
First I really love the map, especially the ambience.
The wpoly are everywhere really good (max 800 in commander mode in the upper side of the incubator hive)
The infestation is good.
The ready room is not really beautiful, just functional. Some details could be welcome, and the entry for aliens/marines could have a real entry, not just a zone.
There isn't many thing to weld, just one I think. Perhaps one or two can improve the gameplay and the strategy ?
There is too many ladder ! Remove some of them, it's really hard and worrying in marines...
The abyss have a good placement, but in the hive incubator it must be really hard to rush with shotgun... In top oh this hive, a fence could protect the way of the abyss, because it's too easy to fall... With some fence or small wall it could be better.
The marine start has two corridors to exit, it's good but they join in the top of the ms. With some oc the marines can be blocked. Separate them more to avoid it...
The last thing is the colors : they help to the ambience. I like theme, but one hive, or corridor, or the marine start, with less red colors, could be an advantage to repose our eyes... By example in the marine start a lot of with white lights, very luminous, could opposite the ms and the hive.
last last thing: again congralutation for your map, I love it. I'll put on my server perhaps soon. And this map has serious chance to become an official map. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
-In refinery core I believe its called, those bump like designs that go down into the death pit aren't attached to the wall and its very obvious.
-Maybe too many ladders. Ladders are death for marines and fades.
overall a very nice map, has this very creepy feel of years of being abandoned, perhaps decades even before the aliens' arrival. i love it.
I've pmed some people about playtesting, so we'll see how well the layout works.
If you have a server and want to playtest it, pm or post so I can join up. Thanks for your input guys.
other than that
<!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Awefully good job old bean <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
moconnor