Ns_nothing layout...
realityisdead
Employed by Raven Software after making ns_nothing Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 94Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Employed by Raven Software after making ns_nothing Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 94Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">Looking for feedback</div>I guess it's my turn now. Here is the layout (thus far) for my NS level "Space Station Nothing". I'm looking for some serious feedback about it, seeing as layout has -always- been my weakspot.
Some important notes:
- This is a first draft, and therefor does not detail the setting or describe the rooms. I'm more interested in comments about the actual layout of everything at the time being.
- The rooms are numbered for reference in discussion. Nothing else.
A screenshot or two may follow shortly, but any constructive criticism on the layout would be really cool. Thanks. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Some important notes:
- This is a first draft, and therefor does not detail the setting or describe the rooms. I'm more interested in comments about the actual layout of everything at the time being.
- The rooms are numbered for reference in discussion. Nothing else.
A screenshot or two may follow shortly, but any constructive criticism on the layout would be really cool. Thanks. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Comments
Someone might say something different, but I like the sealable corner in the bottom-left. I can see a good urination of pants happening thar har har.
The alien only areas would be something like an airduct where only level 1 aliens and the such can access.
Another note: Once the two button doors are opened, they would stay open. The hazardous area would have the likes of steam or something else harmful to the player in it.
I look forward to being out-flanked in room 9 <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Good stuff.
Howling,
The numbers, as mentioned in the first post, are simply for reference in discussion. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Look any better?
I love your screenshot in your other post your detail on the architecture is superb, keep up the good work!
from a very very very amature "look I made a hollow box thingy" mapper person <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
Don't be afraid to include quite a few weldable doors on your map. Flayra has already stted that welding a door is not the same as sealing it. Given enough damage a welded door will break and can never be welded again. So please make sure that you design such options stratigically.
A good example of what I mean by strategical is having a series of weldable doors in sequence. Like having a long hallway with both doors at either end being able to be welded shut. In order to combat this the aliens should be able to have pathways that cross this hallway, allowing them indirect access to the areas that were shut.
In this manner the marines can attempt to create choke points forcing the aliens to move in patterns where they can take them on with greater numbers. The trick to map layout isn't so much in appearance, but in movement patterns. So figure out what the most common routes will be and then decide if you want those to be the ones that can be blocked or the secondaries. Best case scenario is the primary routes get blocked forcing the use of less secure secondary routes. All in all strategy at its best.
I added the pointless rooms (5, 11, 12) with the intent of creating a more interesting experience than just running down a long hallway. (BTW, rooms 11 and 12 may just as well end up looking like one large room with a sort of division in it.) You do have a good point about making it more closed in and tense near the hives though. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
Tzarcon,
Thanks. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo--> I am much more satisfied with the new layout too.
Pimpy,
Thank you very much for bringing that up. That was something I (and I'm sure many others) was not aware of. I was thinking it was more permanent. This opens up quite a few new possibilities, and I'll be sure to explore them.
tip: Ad small short dead ends with a unopenable door in the end. this gives the felling that the map is part of a larger building. And gives small corners for the aliens to hide in.
But you already know this right.