Different map styles
Tzarcon
Join Date: 2002-02-28 Member: 259Members
Join Date: 2002-02-28 Member: 259Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Many different kinds, but what is good?</div>There are many different map styles, and many different mappers creating different styles. I've seen tons of different styles including the Old, Abandoned, Dirty look, the New, Warm, Colourful look, and the look of a ship/base that was on a low budget
I personally think that a clean look is much more realistic, unless whatever the map is has been abandomed for months, then it would be pretty dirty.
It kinda looks like Red Faction, but of course is good. I'd much rather have a whole bunch of different styles of maps than a whole bunch of maps that look the same.
You really have to take into consideration though, that if we want these maps to be realistic in one way or another, that most of these maps are in places that people would be living in (Communications base, Flagship, etc). If people had to live in something that wasn't very warm/happy, 9/10ths of the crew would most likely crack in a few weeks. Take a look at System Shock 2, for example. The level designers created a space cruiser that is the closest thing anyone will ever see to a real space cruiser, ever. They gave the ship a warm/happy look, and if you've played SS2 you can agree that the crew most likely wouldn't crack on something like that. Yet somehow, Looking Glass Studios managed to create an envirement that scared the #### out of most of us. Mabye it was sounds, or mabye it was the fact that we all new that something could pop out and kill us at any second... That doesn't matter. SS2 is the finest piece of work I've ever seen. If it's possible for mappers to create the same kind of thing in the HL engine, then I'll be impressed, and gratefull
Yet, the dirty look somehow appears scarier to most people. I'd love to see both in this game, and many others. It's the variety that matters to almost everyone. Not only that, but how are we supposed to know which freakin map were playing if they all look the same? It would be VERY hard to memorize layouts as well
I personally think that a clean look is much more realistic, unless whatever the map is has been abandomed for months, then it would be pretty dirty.
It kinda looks like Red Faction, but of course is good. I'd much rather have a whole bunch of different styles of maps than a whole bunch of maps that look the same.
You really have to take into consideration though, that if we want these maps to be realistic in one way or another, that most of these maps are in places that people would be living in (Communications base, Flagship, etc). If people had to live in something that wasn't very warm/happy, 9/10ths of the crew would most likely crack in a few weeks. Take a look at System Shock 2, for example. The level designers created a space cruiser that is the closest thing anyone will ever see to a real space cruiser, ever. They gave the ship a warm/happy look, and if you've played SS2 you can agree that the crew most likely wouldn't crack on something like that. Yet somehow, Looking Glass Studios managed to create an envirement that scared the #### out of most of us. Mabye it was sounds, or mabye it was the fact that we all new that something could pop out and kill us at any second... That doesn't matter. SS2 is the finest piece of work I've ever seen. If it's possible for mappers to create the same kind of thing in the HL engine, then I'll be impressed, and gratefull
Yet, the dirty look somehow appears scarier to most people. I'd love to see both in this game, and many others. It's the variety that matters to almost everyone. Not only that, but how are we supposed to know which freakin map were playing if they all look the same? It would be VERY hard to memorize layouts as well
Comments
(Yes, I know it's just a game, but I gotta get my kicks somehow.)
I do agree with the overall opinion here. Variety is definately good. But when everyone tries to be different and create a clean scenic map that should be in UP rather then NS, that that's what the game will turn into: A RTS version of UP with aliens.
I may be exaggerating, but you get the point. Don't overdo it people. If you want to design something friendly, warm, and cuddly, then maybe it would be better off somewhere else. NS isn't supposed to be horror movie-ish, but is certainly supposed to create a lot of tension. At least from what I gather.
Just my opinion. Take it for that.
Example 1: In the movie Alien, the sets were designed to make the areas of the Nostromo that the crew would spend the most time in clean, light, and comfortable. Those areas were few though, since the idea was that the crew would only be conscious during relatively brief periods of their trips. As one moves further from the small 'living areas' of the ship, the atmosphere quickly becomes much darker, grittier, and foreboding. The lower decks (maintenance, storage, engine room, etc.) were strictly designed around utility and not comfort. No corporation would waste money on making a mining tug any more comfortable on the working decks than they absolutely had to.
Example 2: Following the example above, ns_bast was designed to appear as a fully functional, fairly well-maintained ship, but the areas that players are able to access are limited to the back half of the ship, where the crew would only venture to do their jobs, and where a few of the ships major automated systems are located. No one would know this without reading the background 'story' that will eventually accompany the map, but all the more inviting and sterile areas are located at the far end of the ship, and the players cannot get there.
Now, all that having been said, I agree that variation in maps is a good thing. There are a few mappers that are making some really great looking, cleaner style maps. Here is a great example:
<a href="http://www.natural-selection.org/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=4;t=1002;st=0" target="_blank">http://www.natural-selection.org/cgi-bin....02;st=0</a>
This map is obviously much more centered around a liveable setting, so it is logical that it is more clean and comforting. Even the blue lighting in some places lends a great calming mood.
Believe me when I say that I'm usually the first person to protest against the mindset that "nothing looks realistic unless you pile dirt/rust/scratches on it". There is a place for everything. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Is it just me (probably...), or are people trying to turn NS into something it's not lately? Why the sudden urge for clean and sparkly floors and beautiful scenic vistas?
You can't expect everything all in one game... again, you'll end up with an inconsitent mess. I'm getting kind of sick of this.
Maybe I should avoid this place until I cool down...
/goes off to work on his crummy underground map that no one will play on because it doesn't have "l33t mapperz outdoors areas" in it.
<!--EDIT|ken20banks|Mar. 18 2002,00:25-->
Try and slowly change your map from being nice clean champagne sparkly lights down into the bowls or maintenence areas of your map like the commander area could be nice and clean as if my mum had just gon in there with her hoover and duster then change it to like my room (looks from all around) dark dirty flickering monitors, old technology and some rust (my room is missing that).
Just that i see alot of maps that are just the same all the way through or im not seeing the good screenies.
I wouldnt like it if i join a map and go throught it to see that its really repetative seeing the same thing over again just in a different way
Why not try to create something dark and dirty, yet still visually pleasing?
That's what I've been trying to do... don't know if you'd agree, but isn't this at least somewhat visually pleasing to the human eye? :
<img src="http://tald.readyroom.org/maps/ns/ns_nothing/images/th7_01.jpg" border="0">
Just that i find it alot easyier to make dirty, kinda bowls or maintenence areas of maps than making clean shiny areas of a map.
Like the mapping guidlines say make it nice and quiet controlled on the marines side then when you get closer to the alien area have doors that half-open, lights that flicker , sparks on switches technology changed to suite the aliens enviroment, steam randomly comming out of pipes to scares the marine then the player will laugh later (after he realises it was an alien behind the steam not wires).
just not make a map repetative all the way through just dark and cold looking.
you could make a Greenhouse kinda area that has been changed to the alien hive jungly .