Official NS maps announced
Flayra
Game Director, Unknown Worlds EntertainmentSan Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
Game Director, Unknown Worlds EntertainmentSan Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
After a lot of thinking and playing, we have finally decided on the maps that will be "official" NS maps, and will be included with the NS release.
Official maps represent the combination of visuals, gameplay and atmosphere that NS strives for. There were many great maps that weren't selected, because they either had problems with one of these areas or had technical problems. This was not an easy (nor fun) decision to make, as so much great work has been done in this forum and in the NS mapping community, that it's painful to see some maps come so close and not quite make it.
A map that wasn't selected to be official can always be resubmitted for a future version, and will not change the chance for making official status. Also, the team is not responsible for providing feedback on why a map wasn't included. It would be nice if it was always easy to describe exactly what changes could be made to make a map official, but that's usually not the case. It's the intangible soul or gestalt of the map that usually determines it's inclusion. Also, the team doesn't have time to provide detailed feedback on all the maps that were submitted.
If you are disappointed that your map wasn't official, <b>please</b> don't give up on it. Release it as a community map, submit map shots for feedback here. Listen to the feedback here and try to incorporate it where appropriate. NS changed a lot with feedback, and it's better because of it. Maps work the same way. There were maps submitted for NS that at first didn't seem to be official quality, then improved so much over time that they were accepted.
Lastly, make sure to release your map as a community map for playtesting no matter what. Get it on a server, spectate, and see how people play it. You will see what problems people have with it, how people play it (in <b>practice</b>) and you will become a better mapper as you watch.
<b>Official NS maps (in alphabetical order)</b>
----------------
<b>ns_bast</b> - Relic25 (NS dev team)
<b>ns_caged</b> - Manah
<b>ns_eclipse</b> - KungFuSquirrel
<b>ns_hera</b> - Merkaba (NS dev team)
<b>ns_nancy</b> - DevilDog
<b>ns_nothing</b> - Ken20Banks
<b>ns_tanith</b> - TommyD
Please congratulate your fellow mappers that have worked so hard for this, and if your work isn't listed here, don't become discouraged. We appreciate all your hard work and dedication to NS.
Official maps represent the combination of visuals, gameplay and atmosphere that NS strives for. There were many great maps that weren't selected, because they either had problems with one of these areas or had technical problems. This was not an easy (nor fun) decision to make, as so much great work has been done in this forum and in the NS mapping community, that it's painful to see some maps come so close and not quite make it.
A map that wasn't selected to be official can always be resubmitted for a future version, and will not change the chance for making official status. Also, the team is not responsible for providing feedback on why a map wasn't included. It would be nice if it was always easy to describe exactly what changes could be made to make a map official, but that's usually not the case. It's the intangible soul or gestalt of the map that usually determines it's inclusion. Also, the team doesn't have time to provide detailed feedback on all the maps that were submitted.
If you are disappointed that your map wasn't official, <b>please</b> don't give up on it. Release it as a community map, submit map shots for feedback here. Listen to the feedback here and try to incorporate it where appropriate. NS changed a lot with feedback, and it's better because of it. Maps work the same way. There were maps submitted for NS that at first didn't seem to be official quality, then improved so much over time that they were accepted.
Lastly, make sure to release your map as a community map for playtesting no matter what. Get it on a server, spectate, and see how people play it. You will see what problems people have with it, how people play it (in <b>practice</b>) and you will become a better mapper as you watch.
<b>Official NS maps (in alphabetical order)</b>
----------------
<b>ns_bast</b> - Relic25 (NS dev team)
<b>ns_caged</b> - Manah
<b>ns_eclipse</b> - KungFuSquirrel
<b>ns_hera</b> - Merkaba (NS dev team)
<b>ns_nancy</b> - DevilDog
<b>ns_nothing</b> - Ken20Banks
<b>ns_tanith</b> - TommyD
Please congratulate your fellow mappers that have worked so hard for this, and if your work isn't listed here, don't become discouraged. We appreciate all your hard work and dedication to NS.
Comments
<!--emo&:p--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'><!--endemo-->
Just kidding, Kevin. Congrats to all the community mappers that made it - onward to release, and you getting lots of emails from people with tiresome uninformed and purely subjective nitpicks that slowly drive you insane, much as you have done to the Dev team. RETRIBUTION!!!
*cough cough*
Great job, all.
There are a couple of reasons why I fell in love with NS and a important one was the maps.
When I first saw a picture of KFS's Eclipse I realized that the HL-Engine wasn't dead.
When I saw a picture of SpaceStation Nothing (by Ken20Banks) i realized that the HL-Engine is more alive than ever before.
I'm a free-time mapper myself and downloaded the NSTR as soon as i read about it. I read all the Guidlines and I can tell you that all Mappers that make maps for NS, even if they're not "good" enough for the first beta, have made a great work. Everytime I look in the Mapping-Forum I'm impressed how some people can archive stunning graphics while still staying to a layout, following the strict guidlines and still uses the hl-engine.
One thing that makes Natural-Selection so special are all those great mappers in its community!
KFS (eclipse absolutely rocks man! Awesome job!<!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
TommyD (great job tommy, Tanith plays like a dream!<!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
Ken20Banks (need i say anything? nothing absolutely rocks.)
Manah (caged is great manah, and i can't way to play it in pubs! =D)
DevilDog (great job on atmosphere man, easily the most imerse NS map!<!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
Encouragement Shoutouts:
Yamazaki (i absolutely loved penumbra, i'm sorry to see this not go in v1.)
narby (both freon and romana rocked man, only if romana had been fixed sooner D=)
Well, congrats everyone, even if you didn't get chosen, and Ekaj, START WORKING ON SHAFT MORE. It is the most beautiful map ever.
[EDIT] If you community members havn't realized, ns will have 7 official maps, so this won't be existence for you! <!--emo&:D--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'><!--endemo-->
<!--EDIT|Cyanide|Oct. 04 2002,15:28-->
I personally am truly sorry to hear that Shaft didn't make it in, I thought I was a really great map (although I know nothing about the gameplay)
What was there was great, but just a few too many rectangular rooms with random bits of glass and walls sticking out into invisible purple lights. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo--> Not to say that I have anything against empty rooms and purple lights... but Ekaj needs to FINISH WHAT HE STARTS!! <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
/me pokes Ekaj with a pointed stick
(this is all in good humor, by the way, just to clarify. I do not condone the poking of anyone with a pointed stick, save that one guy in #ns. You know who you are.)
<!--EDIT|KungFuSquirrel|Oct. 04 2002,16:41-->
i'd also like to thank all ns mappers (not just official) for putting in the countless hours and coming up with unique environments - ns maps are truly the best visually (and most challenging technically). keep 'em coming!
/me breathes a sigh of relief.
Congrats everyone! I'm really happy for all you guys.
You guys did a damn great jobs on your respective maps and you all deserve an oscar for teh maps =)......
Now talking seriously:
Ns has the most athmospheric/bestlooking/gameplay maps ever =D and you guys deserve the honor of having your maps on this list.
Btw: Ekaj i hate you, get ur arse to work on shaft or ill kill you for don´t using your skillz!!
And if Flay is first, I call second in line for Ekaj's map. Quite a work!
There aren't words to explain what u guys did.
i'd like to propose a thing: we all know that there are other great maps... maybe when they'll be finished, like Shaft, or maps that need that are fixed...the team can choose other 5-6 maps for an OFFICIAL map-pack <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
what do ya think?
Congrats all, not that there was much doubt for any of you, of course.
well, from ALL -official or non-official- the hardwork generated from these top-notch levels i would say that they never ceases to amaze me.
hell, it was the maps that got me drawn to this mod. why because (apologies but this quote summarizes it all, courtesy of ramses)
<!--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-->When I first saw a picture of KFS's Eclipse I realized that the HL-Engine wasn't dead.
When I saw a picture of SpaceStation Nothing (by Ken20Banks) i realized that the HL-Engine is more alive than ever before.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
so, take up some shades...sit back -enjoy a cup of refreshing space juice- and take a well-needed break!