You know what would maybe please everybody. A bio-dome style ship that is over run with kharaa. Make most of it with larger rooms with catwalks all over the place. And of course the obligitory maintence/metal/dark engine area. It could have been at one time a zoo, but then got taken over and the TSA is sent in to rescue any surviving biologists.
Aye. I'm working on a Natural Selection map as well. I've been mapping since Half-Life first came out so I'll have a few surprises when I finish my project <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> You guys will like it trust me.
The TSA is using the _nano-sludge that is part of the _installation. The 'outdoors' wouldn't have nano-sludge, and wouldn't have the network used to control and use the nano-sludge. Therefor, no way to for the TSA to make gear and structures.
So, if you want to make an outdoor map, come up with a reason consistant with the background story for there to be both nano-sludge and the computers/electronic hardware needed to use/control it.
Besides, the marines have the long range advantage. You create a wide open outdoors map, even without a sniper rifle, skulks become pretty much usless. Hell, even in the cramped quarters as is, rushing a marine straight on gets you killed most times.
Your guy's biggest problem--aside from completly disregarding all the gameplay problems, and obvious conflicts with the backstory-- is that you seem to be under the impression that there is no other way to add originality to the game's maps without having outside areas, and that just isn't true. I know that it currently conflicts with the backstory, but think of a luxury cruiseship with an infested ballroom/swimming pool, that would be hella mad cewl.
<!--QuoteBegin--Lt.Warhound+Nov 19 2002, 02:36 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Lt.Warhound @ Nov 19 2002, 02:36 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->So, if you want to make an outdoor map, come up with a reason consistant with the background story for there to be both nano-sludge and the computers/electronic hardware needed to use/control it.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I hate to be picky... but why? (or, 'why bother') I don't play NS because the maps are consisten with a background story, I play NS because it's a bloody good RTFPS game.
I certainly didn't play two fort or hunted or opposing towers cuz of their storyline... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Now, I posted this in the mapping forum earlier, but there are ways to get around the Techincal problems with outdoor maps.
Q: How do you explain commander view?
A: on October 4, 1957 Russia placed the first satalite into space, since then we have advanced satalite capabilty to serve a variety of functions ranging from Communications to orbital observation, such technology is often deployed in areas of conflict to provide battle commanders with accurate up to date information on the field of conflict.
Q: Where do ammo/health/guns/buildings come from?
A: Late in the 21st century man discovered matter transportation, unfortunatly like all forms of communication as the data travels through a field of terrain there is significant signal loss, because of this the more complex an object getting transported requires a more powerful recieving beacon. Humans in there vast complexity require specificly designed transport pads, while ammo, and nanobot containers are so simple a general coordinate location can allow logistical support to pinpoint "drop" supplies to troops on the line. Thankfully TSA equipment such as armorys have built in transportation beacons allowing for more complex equipment to be "safely" transported in a near vacinety.
Q: how do you expain resource nodes.
A: In earths first Millennia water was a precious resource and civilization was forced to build around large water sources. Rivers, Lakes, Natural springs were the hotbeds of human civilization, thankfully due to human ingenuity the Roman empire designed and built what is called an aquaduct such a system was designed to use the forces of nature to bring water to the outlaying areas and provide more usabel land. With the advancement of years so has technology advanced, and many worlds are now sublined with underground labyrenths of nanopipes provideing needed resouces to construct a better society, Knowing this Frontier soldiers in planetary combat have been known to "tap" into existing nano lines to fuel thier war machine much to the chagrin of local populaces.
Ok i've RTFM now! Imagine that a few years ago a spaceship or spacestation crashed onto a planet. The bacterium quickly multiplied from the ship. Perhaps the planet is inhabited, or perhaps the planet is un-inhabited. Whatever the case, there is a danger of allowing Kharra to live in an enviroment with unlimited resources. It may be possible for them to evolve natural spaceships and leave the containment zone. After all, fades can probably use phasegate technology naturally, it's only a matter of time before an evolved super lifeform(spaceship) can do the same.
One problem, other then evacuating a city, why not just bomb the planet?
Hmm, looks like I've hit a nerve with this thread <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Outdoor maps could be based on different dynamics than on indoor ones--To be honest, I think even outdoors maps should only be outdoors in small areas. So the TSA uses nano-sludge to build there buildings, right? Considering how badly the marines rely on turrets and nearby installations, I highly doubt the TSA is going to win a war against the Kharaa by only fighting in spaceships and installations.
For maps where "nano-sludge" isn't available on-site, why not make it a play dynamic to defend drop zones or uplinks where the sludge is transmitted down in bursts? The Kharaa could behave similarly, or even ingest some form of resource that would spawn periodically in certain areas. I'd say use it as a chance to introduce play-dynamics, instead of slamming it with a "If it isn't in the book, it can't possibly exist" repsonse.
Comments
The TSA is using the _nano-sludge that is part of the _installation. The 'outdoors' wouldn't have nano-sludge, and wouldn't have the network used to control and use the nano-sludge. Therefor, no way to for the TSA to make gear and structures.
So, if you want to make an outdoor map, come up with a reason consistant with the background story for there to be both nano-sludge and the computers/electronic hardware needed to use/control it.
I hate to be picky... but why? (or, 'why bother') I don't play NS because the maps are consisten with a background story, I play NS because it's a bloody good RTFPS game.
I certainly didn't play two fort or hunted or opposing towers cuz of their storyline... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Q: How do you explain commander view?
A: on October 4, 1957 Russia placed the first satalite into space, since then we have advanced satalite capabilty to serve a variety of functions ranging from Communications to orbital observation, such technology is often deployed in areas of conflict to provide battle commanders with accurate up to date information on the field of conflict.
Q: Where do ammo/health/guns/buildings come from?
A: Late in the 21st century man discovered matter transportation, unfortunatly like all forms of communication as the data travels through a field of terrain there is significant signal loss, because of this the more complex an object getting transported requires a more powerful recieving beacon. Humans in there vast complexity require specificly designed transport pads, while ammo, and nanobot containers are so simple a general coordinate location can allow logistical support to pinpoint "drop" supplies to troops on the line. Thankfully TSA equipment such as armorys have built in transportation beacons allowing for more complex equipment to be "safely" transported in a near vacinety.
Q: how do you expain resource nodes.
A: In earths first Millennia water was a precious resource and civilization was forced to build around large water sources. Rivers, Lakes, Natural springs were the hotbeds of human civilization, thankfully due to human ingenuity the Roman empire designed and built what is called an aquaduct such a system was designed to use the forces of nature to bring water to the outlaying areas and provide more usabel land. With the advancement of years so has technology advanced, and many worlds are now sublined with underground labyrenths of nanopipes provideing needed resouces to construct a better society, Knowing this Frontier soldiers in planetary combat have been known to "tap" into existing nano lines to fuel thier war machine much to the chagrin of local populaces.
One problem, other then evacuating a city, why not just bomb the planet?
Outdoor maps could be based on different dynamics than on indoor ones--To be honest, I think even outdoors maps should only be outdoors in small areas. So the TSA uses nano-sludge to build there buildings, right? Considering how badly the marines rely on turrets and nearby installations, I highly doubt the TSA is going to win a war against the Kharaa by only fighting in spaceships and installations.
For maps where "nano-sludge" isn't available on-site, why not make it a play dynamic to defend drop zones or uplinks where the sludge is transmitted down in bursts? The Kharaa could behave similarly, or even ingest some form of resource that would spawn periodically in certain areas. I'd say use it as a chance to introduce play-dynamics, instead of slamming it with a "If it isn't in the book, it can't possibly exist" repsonse.
To that, I'd like to add "yet."