Open Environments
Supernorn
Best. Picture. Ever. Made. Ever. Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7608Members, Constellation
Best. Picture. Ever. Made. Ever. Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7608Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">i think theyd be cool if used properly.</div> it would be cool to have some of the maps set on the planets. Now i know why none are out yet. Its because NS just isnt suitable for it yet
(or maybe even ever). I was thinking of maybe one of them ships that the aliens always seem to board for some reason, could crash land on a planet, then its all in bits and stuff, or maybe even hanging over a large cliff (that would be cool) then you would have some open environmets, not too open, cos that would spoil things. maybe large cliff drops, or waterfalls, something different...maybe even a cave?
then we could have some flooded areas. i dunno it just opens up new ideas...everyone has the "oh the aliens are on this big ship go and take them out" scenerio.
anyway its just an idea, and im sure im going to get shot out of the sky for saying it.
(or maybe even ever). I was thinking of maybe one of them ships that the aliens always seem to board for some reason, could crash land on a planet, then its all in bits and stuff, or maybe even hanging over a large cliff (that would be cool) then you would have some open environmets, not too open, cos that would spoil things. maybe large cliff drops, or waterfalls, something different...maybe even a cave?
then we could have some flooded areas. i dunno it just opens up new ideas...everyone has the "oh the aliens are on this big ship go and take them out" scenerio.
anyway its just an idea, and im sure im going to get shot out of the sky for saying it.
Comments
<b>EDIT for clarification:</b> I'm not referring to any limitation in HL, all games must have a 'ceiling' of some type, so all areas are <i>technically</i> enclosed, but they may be presented to the player as unenclosed (as your outdoor areas are suggesting). However, having an outdoor area (IE an area where the ceiling is the sky, not a real ceiling like you would always have on a spaceship/station) messes up the storyline. If you read in the manual about the commander placing structures and such, you will see that he can do so because of nano-things built into the cieling which rapidly create the template structure which then falls to the floor ready to be built by the marines. Likewise, the commander has view of the ships structure, and the things inside it, because these nano-things manifest as cameras as well. Look through the manual, you'll see what i'm talking about.
er...when you think about it...arent outdoor environments just big rooms with different textures <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'><i>No...Get a clue. This post has been edited to protect the innocent and to stop insane haunting me with posts from the past!</i></span>
As a matter of fact a few maps already DO have small outside sections
(shielded by player_clips or glass walls).
A technical problem could be the amount of additional textures required
to make a unique outdoor scenery (I don't know how close the current
NS maps scratch the texture limit).
Another reason for the strict indoor settings could be flying creatures
(like the lerk and the jetpack-marine) as well as the climbing ability of
the skulk.
@supernorn2000: the problem with skies is, that you can actually walk
through them and end up in 'the void' outside the level.
As you correctly pointed out, one possible workaround would be using
a regular ceiling with a sky-texture. The only problem would be that acid
rockets ore bile bombs (f.e.) would be blocked by it and explode. That
would not feel very 'skyish'.
Admittedly I did not quite understand the 'nano stuff in ceilings'
post. <b>Typhon</b>, could you please clarify if you are referring
to a HL-Engine related thing? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Actually you could get around the "how does the comm. see anything" by saying that there are orbiting ships or satelites. that provide area coverage to the comm. (maybe even give the comm view a different look when using satelite data). The big problem I see is the climbing to the ceiling when a skulk or w/ jetpack, but honestly I wouldn't mind that, I know the limitation to the HL engine and I don't think most ppl would be that bugged by it either. I like the idea of a crashed ship into a cave or mountain. You can only do so much w/ the whole "infested spaceship" idea.
Hey that's a bloody good idea man <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
There are satelites orbiting earth that can zoom in close enough to read registration plates on cars (no joke) so why not?! It's ingenious...
You could also say instead of dropping you teleport (star trek stylee) the weapons and buildings, because at the moment they don't acctually drop... they look more like they teleport in...
And as for the climbing-on-the-sky part... well, you could always just put a trigger_hurt way up there, and say that aliens are sensitive to UV rays or something <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> (but really, I bet the trigger_push idea works)
I'd love to see an outdoor map done sometime, as done well it would be really cool. There's also a lot of room for failure here, but this mod has some GOOD mappers, so I say give it a shot <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
I read somewhere that the Predator remote controlled aircraft can read writing on a clipboard from either 30k or 50k feet, can't remember.
and just because i can <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='pudgy.gif'><!--endemo-->
The marines start out in a marine encampment thus you will have the same kind of technology usualy surrounding the CC. The way the commander sees from an overhead veiw is that one of the ships or stations which the maps are will be orbiting the planet and releys telepethy to the CC thus the comm can see overhead. When the comm sets down a building the nanobots are released from the ship overhead and form the building wherever the comm put it. Also for increased fun, I think it would be cool if there were <i>two games</i> going on but they are still part of the same game. Two comms, one on the planet and one on the ship(each attending to the place where thier CC is not being able to control the "other side" of course). Both share resourses but get more since they have nodes on the ship <i>and</i> "natural resourse vents" on the planet. Of course if the marines up at the ship are killed then the comm down at the planet will be in big trouble. This is only possible if the aliens control <i>5</i> hives(i suggest placing it on say, the Kharra homeworld. If they have one, I didn't read the story line <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> ) Once they have 5 the aliens can morph space farring alien transports. The transports will have to breach the ship some way or another. I propose either through transport docks, which should be fairly well guarded or once the aliens get 5 hives they can morph a geneticly altered lerk which is like an flying assault unit which are able to penitrate certain "soft" spots of the ship thus creating a hole which the transports can "unload" in. The aliens on the ship(there won't be any in the start) will have to depend on the aliens on the planet to keep, and maintain the health of the hives or of course they won't be able to morph the bigger morphs.
These maps will have to have quite a bit of people playing in them which of course would be generating quite a bit of lag but I think it's worth it. To be able to fly as fast as you want as a lerk without having to turn a corner or watch out for a wall would be SO cool. This goes for the jetpack too. It will bring in a totaly new stratedgy of play! Who's up for a good challenge once in awhile? If you like my idea then you can post it on the suggestions forum if you'd like.