Ns_plato
Hypergrip
SuspectGermany Join Date: 2002-11-23 Member: 9689Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
SuspectGermany Join Date: 2002-11-23 Member: 9689Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">Background and Pictures</div> Hi pll.
This is the background and a few pictures of my map names ns_plato.
Just give me a little feedback what you think of this map so far, so I can see if it's worth working on it.
I'll post you a small overhead layout of the map when i got some more time this week.
<b>Background-Story:</b>
Plato is the name of a small colony in the parexa star system.
It's main purpose was as a research facility to develop biological weapons and bio implants to improve Marine soldiers.
When scientists worked on an unidentified example of Alien biomass, and error in the computer mainframe caused all security installation and the main reactor to shut down.
Whan a squad of Marines from the nearby barracks arrived to investigate what happened, they were attacked by an unknown enemy (guess who *g*)... none of them returned.
<b>Layout Idea:</b>
Being a research facility Plato will of course have areas that could be described as research laboratories, storages and computer labs.
Also there will be a generator/reactor area, a docking area and a "military" area containing the barracks (may change).
The "military" area will most likely contain the Marine starting location.
It should be rather bright and have quite a lot of open space to build in.
2 entrances, no vent leading into the base.
Hive may be located at the reactor area, the lab area and the docking area.
A hive will have at least 2 ways in + vent; lighting will be rather dark.
Right now i only have a layout for the reactor/generator hive.
Every hive (and the marine start) will have a res node very close to it... also there will about 5-8 res node all over the map... no double-res btw.
<b>Screenshots</b>
<img src='http://www.teleservice-koper.de/xkc/files/ns_plato01.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Corridors connecting the military area with the storage and/or docking area.
This part is still intact, if you turn left on the back of the corridor passage will be blocked by debris.
behind the crates there's a entrance to a vent.
<img src='http://www.teleservice-koper.de/xkc/files/ns_plato02.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The same corridor from another point of view.
The light behind the wall has a flicker effect.
<img src='http://www.teleservice-koper.de/xkc/files/ns_plato03.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This squared room was first planned as a hive location but changed to be a hangar/storage room (more crates will be added) and will get a res node in it. Still very empty right now...
On the left side there are a few pipes at the cieling and access to a vent.
And overview will be posted in a few days ( got a lot of work right now).
Comments, question and tips are welcome.
Flames are not <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Hyper
This is the background and a few pictures of my map names ns_plato.
Just give me a little feedback what you think of this map so far, so I can see if it's worth working on it.
I'll post you a small overhead layout of the map when i got some more time this week.
<b>Background-Story:</b>
Plato is the name of a small colony in the parexa star system.
It's main purpose was as a research facility to develop biological weapons and bio implants to improve Marine soldiers.
When scientists worked on an unidentified example of Alien biomass, and error in the computer mainframe caused all security installation and the main reactor to shut down.
Whan a squad of Marines from the nearby barracks arrived to investigate what happened, they were attacked by an unknown enemy (guess who *g*)... none of them returned.
<b>Layout Idea:</b>
Being a research facility Plato will of course have areas that could be described as research laboratories, storages and computer labs.
Also there will be a generator/reactor area, a docking area and a "military" area containing the barracks (may change).
The "military" area will most likely contain the Marine starting location.
It should be rather bright and have quite a lot of open space to build in.
2 entrances, no vent leading into the base.
Hive may be located at the reactor area, the lab area and the docking area.
A hive will have at least 2 ways in + vent; lighting will be rather dark.
Right now i only have a layout for the reactor/generator hive.
Every hive (and the marine start) will have a res node very close to it... also there will about 5-8 res node all over the map... no double-res btw.
<b>Screenshots</b>
<img src='http://www.teleservice-koper.de/xkc/files/ns_plato01.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Corridors connecting the military area with the storage and/or docking area.
This part is still intact, if you turn left on the back of the corridor passage will be blocked by debris.
behind the crates there's a entrance to a vent.
<img src='http://www.teleservice-koper.de/xkc/files/ns_plato02.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The same corridor from another point of view.
The light behind the wall has a flicker effect.
<img src='http://www.teleservice-koper.de/xkc/files/ns_plato03.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This squared room was first planned as a hive location but changed to be a hangar/storage room (more crates will be added) and will get a res node in it. Still very empty right now...
On the left side there are a few pipes at the cieling and access to a vent.
And overview will be posted in a few days ( got a lot of work right now).
Comments, question and tips are welcome.
Flames are not <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Hyper
Comments
got an overview / layout in mind?
[edit ffs im an idiot ...... i just posted this then saw "
And overview will be posted in a few days ( got a lot of work right now). " at the end of his post \o/
Yep, gotta love those flat celings. Hate allways bumping my head on suff on the celing.
True the cielings are good for jetpackers (and lerks) to get top speed and it is intendet that way... but keep in mind that the cieling there is quite low, so a good skulk may bite you down anyway <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
This is the current layout (i had about 29535 before but finally am please with it).
Sorry for the very crappy quality, but i wanted to give you an overview as far as possible so I just did it with Paint.
Blue: Marine Start
Green: Hive
Red: Res Node
Pink: Vent
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_platooverview01.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This layout does not show anything like stairs, ramps and so on... I'll try to use those elements to avoid too long lines-of-sight.
Still I'm not quite pleased with the spots i put the res nodes... i don't want any more res nodes, but still think, the Marines will have a hard time securing the first res cause they are too far away... what do you think about that?
Hyper
First of all i wanted this part of the map "feel" kind of cold... but i'm thinking about using a little "fire" on the place with the decals... or maybe use another color for the monitors.. dunno.
Otherwise this is certainly a good start. Hope you get it finished..
This map will have different layers according to the original areas in my first posting.
The top-left corner will have the highest high, wich will decrease the more you go to the bottom-right.
In fact I AM playing with the tought of making the upper-right hive (cargo storage, docking control) a bit higher than the Marine Start... i think a hangar with a landing pad should not be far under the surface...
Well, but that's just a quick thought.
About weldables:
I think about making some of the vents weldable and maybe block one passage with some debris to be weldet away... but i'm not sure about that. (besides i still have to figure out how to make weldables anyway *g*)
It took me quite a while getting a layout that won't provide a mojar advantage for one team because of too near ways between
Marines_Start -> Hive or
Hive-> Hive.
If I put in weldables other thatn shutting vents i have to be careful not to unbalance the routes too much.
I love those teck_wall textures too, and I am suprized I havent seen more community mappers take advantage of them (it would appear everyone loves the wall_lab set even though that set seems a bit overused...knowing htat there are 2 official maps using this set [3 when veil is released <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->])
I also love that nos_wall3 texture and I <i>reaaaaally</i> hope you have some more made for 1.1 heheh
Personally, I LOOOVE the nos_ and r25_ sets...as you can tell by pics of my map.
Personally I think this is quite fair, because Marines can build RTs right from the Start, Aliens have to save res for them first... any comments on that are welcome.
Hyper
There are still 2 location names missing.. i was thinking about "Foyer", "Mass Hall", "Security Stations", "Entrance Area" or "Pumping Station".. but maybe somebody has another idea.
So this is the new overview.. basically the same as the first on but without the vents (they are going to get changed) and with location names on it:
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_status_2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Next 2 pics show the new version of the "Central Cargo Storage" from different angles.
First i planned a ladder but changed it into a ramp for being easier to access and making Marines less of an easy target for Fades for example.
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_011.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_013.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This is a small staircase connecting the "Central Corridor" with one of the rooms that don't have a name yet. Skulks can hide over the door or at the sides of the stairs, making it a nice point for biting down uncautious Marines... i hope <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_014.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This picture shows the debris that block one part of the "Central Corridor".
The light flickers, I'll add some smoke and/or sparks later.
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_015.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Comments are welcome.
Hyper
[edit:] removed picture that slippend in froma previous version of the map.
It's a dead end filler.
As you can see there's a vent nearby, so skulks will still have an advantage gettin to the other side more quickly.
Playing around with texture lighting, too, but don't get the results i'd like right now.
Later version of the map will have both texture and entity lighting.. probably texture lights mostly.
As always comments, tips and questions are welcome.
First of all here's a new <b>layout</b> (only thing that has change is the position of one res node for balancing issues) showing the <b>progress</b> of the map.
The green parts are done.
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_009ds.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This is the <b>"Com Center"</b>. The computer screens are the only custom (selfmade) textures I used so far.
The place where the node is located is the lighest place in the whole map.. otherwise the difference between the different levels would get too big.
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_009d1.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The <b>"Com Center"</b> from another point of view.
Here you cn see some of the "windows" I used (and plan to use) in the upper parts of the map.
The sky is the stardard half life's "night" sky, wich fit's the map quite good in lighting and background story (The plato research facility is now officially located in a canyon on the desert planet "enud prime".. who got the joke in it ? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> )
I'm till unsure if i should use the wall on the "back" of the window for a vent access...
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_009d2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
<b>Commander View</b> on the <b>"Com Center"</b>.
The Z-Position (viewheight) of the Commander will be lowered a bit so that commanding in the lower parts of the map will not get too hard.
Maybe the screens will become func_seethrough, but in fact i like it this way... a com should see of the "non-essential" map details, too, I think. (<b>experienced commanders: comments on this plz</b>).
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_009d3.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This screenshot shows the <b>"Foyer"</b>.
On the right is the way to the <b>"Com Center"</b>.
Here you also can see another "window" I used.
One of my 2 playtestest (right now it's more "bugfinders" than playtesters <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ) told me this room would have too little cover for Skulks so they would not stand a chance here... Well, in fact this room is a <b>Foyer</b>, and those tend to be quite large and with open space.. this room was designed not to be a place for "jump in and bite everything that moves"-actions but for "guirellia"-tactics.
This romm has 3 entrances now and will get at least one vent; and it also is quite dark in some places... so skulks will stand a good chance to take out uncautious Marines.
btw: a 2-hive-skulk can cross almost the entire room with a single leap.
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_009d4.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Another shot of the <b>"Foyer"</b>.
The particle System will get some tweaking to look more like a steam... this version is just a first test of the PS.
The window you can see in the direction of the <b>"Com Center"</b> is bulletproof; the blue console beneath it is non-funtional light-emitting decoration and is placed in several parts of the map (such as you could see in the screenshots of <b>"Central Corridor"</b>)
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_009d5.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Yet another shot of the <b>"Foyer"</b>.
Pay no attention to the hive sight... the hives and res nodes were places in a cut-off testroom (the position of the testroom is quite close to the location of the <b>"Bio Lab"</b> hive, but as said, pay no attention to that now pls.
Here you can see the window a bit better.
The stairway leads down to the <b>"Central Corridor"</b>.
Textures fit well, I think.. of course they will be re-aligned to not have those "gaps" you can see now.
<img src='http://www.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/ns_plato_009d6.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Comments, question, tips and so on are welcome.
Flames are not <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Hyper
Damn i see this all over people's map and it looks like a-s-s!
Make light fixtures instead.
Ever had to cover a large open room?
No skulk has a remote chance of comming close to 1 or 2 marines that cover a large room.
Just my 2 cents.
Looks great though. Different from most maps i see. Nice one.
You could add more textures, i mean not a new room with another texture, but in the existing hallways. Make the top of the wall another texture than the bottom.. wouldnt be that bad.
but it looks good, some more details wouldnt be that bad, but your on the right way
And thats great! NS needs more scary or "cold feeling" levels. I cant wait until its done.
Great use of lights and textures.
KEEP US UPDATED!
Although I did not have that much time to work on the map, it's now in a state of about 15-20% done.
I'm almost finished with the first hive (bio lab).. needs some more lighting tweaks and "optical stuff" like cables.
The Marine Start (Barracks) is also near being finished.. some more "optical stuff" still needs to be added... and the placing of the Com Chair might be changed to make more of the Marine Start being a viable place to build in the first buildings.
Ok, here you go:
<img src='http://home.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/plato_015a_overview.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This is a current dev_overview of the map.
If you compare it the the "painted" overviews i posted some time ago, you will notice, that some parts (corridors) have changed slightly... this was to block lines of sight/fire providing more cover and reducing r_speeds a little.
Compared to the overviews of official maps you might also notice that ns_plato makes no use of spotlights... YET.
There will of course be spotlights, too... but not as much as in ns_caged for example.. more like ns_hera.
Right now i'm using about 85% texture-lighting the rest is entities.
A place where you will surely find spotlights is "Central Corridor" wich will recive a total overwork in lighting (not architecture will stay as it is).
<img src='http://home.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/plato_015a_m1.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This is the current Marine Start ("Barracks").
It provides a lot of room to build on and should be easy to defend in the early game.
As noted before there will be some more stuff added, a few for cover most for the looks.
Light will be tweaked a little, too.
<img src='http://home.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/plato_015a_m2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The entrance leads to the "Airlock".
<img src='http://home.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/plato_015a_m3.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
That entrance will lead to the "Crew Quarters".
<img src='http://home.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/plato_015a_a1.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This is the first hive ("Bio Lab") I almost finished.
As you can see it's heavy infected and has a quite dark but warm lighting (wich will tweaked a bit... the green lights are entities, i might add some spotlights there as support).
The Celing is still a bit too flat, but will get some pipes and stuff soon.
It took me quite some time to get those water tanks done... although they're not perfect I think they are good anought as they are now.
Maybe the large tank will get some detail inside.. some vegetation maybe or even some fishes.
(Hey, anybody know where i can get some small models of JELLYFISHES? That would fit quite well to those "slimy" alien enviroment, don't you think? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> )
<img src='http://home.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/plato_015a_a2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
From another point of view.
If the view was not covered by that big fat ugly hive <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> you could also see the entrance leading to "Central Cargo Storage".
The pipes you can see should provide some good hiding spots to defend this hive.
<img src='http://home.et.fh-osnabrueck.de/~std9323/plato_015a_a3.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Here you can see the resource node in the hive.
I had to use hive sight so you can see it better.
Once there is the entrance to "Meeting Room" (see: earlier "painted" map overviews) and some lighting tweaks it should be a bit easier to see.
Comments, questions and tips are welcome, flames are not <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Hyper
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->uffo Posted on May 8 2003, 12:51 PM
according the "painted" layot, there's maybe too much res points. but that's just my point of view<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If i counted correctly, the 7 official maps in ns1.04 have the following number of res nozzles:
ns_bast: 10
ns_caged: 9
ns_eclipse: 9
ns_hera: 9
ns_nancy: 9
ns_nothing: 12
ns_tanith: 10
ns_plato has 11.. I think this is ok.
The placement of the res nozzles was chosen that every Hive and the Marine Start have their own res node and two res nodes that are "in range".
But these nodes that are "in range" ly just between the hives/marine base.
So where ever the teams start, you got one res node for sure (the one in your base), one that is in range and should be secure for the moment and most likely another one that is in range but the enemy has easy access to.
Theoretical this should work out just fine.. playtesting will show (still looking for 2 or 3 guys who would like to do some testing, right now I got 3 clanmates doing the tests/bugfinding/suggesting thingies).
Last thing about the number and pacement of my res nozzles is this quote from the <a href='http://www.natural-selection.org/Mapping_Guidelines.html#Resource_Nozzles' target='_blank'>official mapping guidelines</a>:
<i>A map should generally have 7 to 12 nozzles, placed so both sides have the same number roughly equidistant from their starting positions. For a longer, closer game, you could place fewer func_resources and place them closer to the starting bases.</i>
I think I follow those guidelines.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Melatonin Posted on May 8 2003, 04:33 PM
what are the power sources behind each hive. for if you want to stick to the offical 'water/ power/ energy' line.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, First of all, what exactly is the difference between "energie" and "power"? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Ok, I know what you mean, but this applies to only SOME of the official maps... eclipse for example (Maintenance, Computer Core, eclipse Command) does not follow this line... and i don't think it's and "official line" at all... at least I did not read about it anywhere (or I missed that part).
But if there WAS such an line, ns_plato would only partially fit into it.
One hive is the "Generator Room", so you got your "energy".
Another hive is the "Bio Lab"... and as you can see it DOES HAVE water in it.. but you won't get wet <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Last one is "Docking Controll"... well no power for you there... unless you consider to have controll over something = to be powerful <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->[DreamCatcher] Posted on May 8 2003, 04:39 PM
In the first two, just a suggestion, I would put some vents. I could see a suprise attack out of the vents that would scare the crap out of the marines <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, as the text says: this is the Marine Start...
To quote the <a href='http://www.natural-selection.org/Mapping_Guidelines.html#The_Marine_Base' target='_blank'>official mapping guildelines</a> again:
<i>There should be at least two exits leading out of the base and it should be relatively defensible. There should be no alien only routes into this area unless they can be secured relatively early in the game. </i>
There will however be one or two vents that lead to a place NEAR the Marine Start.
More Questions, suggestions, tips are of course welcome.
Hyper
Damn i see this all over people's map and it looks like a-s-s!
Make light fixtures instead.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
As said before "Central Corridor" will get a little work on.
I deleted all the supports for w_poly reasons and them replaces the light strips with some spotlights on the walls... I think now, although it has less "real" detail, it looks better than before.
There will be some screenshots of the reworked "Central Corridor" als well as of the "Crew Quarters" comming today or tomorrow, so stay tuned <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->