How big is too big
HerrSpitzvogel
Join Date: 2002-10-23 Member: 1573Members
Join Date: 2002-10-23 Member: 1573Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Size/design-related question</div>Ok, in general, I've been mapping (for 10 hours straight now, no work today, ugh) with the assumption that the movement speeds are more or less equivalent to the way they are in the NSTR2.
So, taking into account phase gates and relative movement speeds, how big is too big? I'm designing this as a 20-32 player map, so it's very large, and has a lot of different routes throughout, but some of them are a little too long I think.
What I'm asking, essentially, is "hey playtesters, how far are you willing to run before you say, '#### this map, man, my W finger is sore?'"
-Tom
So, taking into account phase gates and relative movement speeds, how big is too big? I'm designing this as a 20-32 player map, so it's very large, and has a lot of different routes throughout, but some of them are a little too long I think.
What I'm asking, essentially, is "hey playtesters, how far are you willing to run before you say, '#### this map, man, my W finger is sore?'"
-Tom
Comments
you'll find that most maps are roughly the size of the worldcraft grid. Sounds big, but when you take into account everything you have to put in an ns map - you'll be strugglin to squeeze it all in
Fortunately, I've got enough layout on paper to fill the whole WC grid, so it's not like I'm going to run out of ideas. =)
Eclipse is one of the larger NS maps (I do think, at least) and takes up a little over half of the grid. If not for the protruding marine spawn at the top of the map I do believe I could fit <i>almost</i> all (exception probably being the core hive) of it in the top 2 quadrants.
That's just my view on the subject.
Simple rule: as a marine, you should have to walk ~25-30 seconds from the MS to any hive. You should have to walk 30+ seconds from any hive to any other hive (again, as a marine); however, shortcuts through vents between the hives can be more direct (say, 15secs or so between two adjacent hives, run as an alien).
I actually thought Eclipse was about average, with SS_Nothing being the biggest map.
Timing between hive rooms and the marine start is crucial, more important than just size
hera, bast (its actually not that big), and tanith are medium-small.
you dont have to take up the whole grid to get the feeling of a big map. if you make certain room relatively big compared to others, or add extra view-only or off-map areas, you can create the illusion of a bigger complex (as bast does).
/me shrugs.