Map Gameplay, editing, item placement, etc

by Kaomè on 10/23/2008 20:06, 5 messages, last message: 11/01/2008 14:51, 1088 views, last view: 04/06/2024 02:12

What does make a good map?

The more I think about that, the more I get confused.

I think I understand the meaning of the flow of a map: a player should always have the choice of at least 2 ways to go to the same point, and the layout should not be confusing (move from A to B must be intuitive).
A good map should have some easy to follow way, and let the best players to do tricky move. Item placement should reward a little more the tricky move (by getting good ressources, or getting them faster.)
The most difficult part is to keep everything in mind while editing... Does anyone have tips about that?

Item placement by itself is something I do haphazardly. Not to much ammo at the same spot, not too much health, not too much offensive ammo at the base in ctf (GL, SG, Rf only), some armor and some boost...


About the ammo, when facing 100health and 100armor guys:
With MG, you'll needs at least 7 shots, to kill one. It means maximum 8 kills (because of the 60 ammo), 0.6 seconds per kill.
With RL: 2 rockets ; 7 kills in more than 1.6 seconds per kills.
With SG : 30 instants kills because of the 200 damages ; 15 kills in 1.4 seconds assuming you do half the damage.
Rifle: 7 kills, in 1.5 seconds at least.
GL: 10 kills, in 1 seconds.
=> there is some kind of balance except for the SG: it's a very good back up weapon.

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#1: Golden Triangle.

by demosthenes on 10/23/2008 21:39

Something to consider would be the Golden Triangle: Health Boost, Yellow Armo(u)r, Quad Damage.

Those three objects should have one of each on most small to small-mid sized maps (and probably continuing to have just one quad up through large sized maps), and they should be spaced approximately equal distances from each other and duplicates of themselves. Uneven distribution can cause certain areas of the map to be much more active than others.

That unevenness can also be used to (to some degree) shape the active areas of the map, so keep in mind how the map will play best while you're making and placing.

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#2: Flow

by tentus_ on 10/24/2008 01:09

Another thing that I try to do is force the player to make gambles. You mention that there should always be at least two routes: and ordinarily I completely agree. However, it can be beneficial to set up routes that have only a single option for a lengthy duration, with the reward being one of the golden triangles demosthenes mentioned. Thus, the player has to make a gamble that they won't be targeted in that duration in order to get the prize. Because there is only one path, they have to stay committed to that path once they start, meaning that it's actually a meaningful gamble.

For example, in my Lost Refuge ctf map, there was a route to the flags that went around the outside of the stage, from underneath all the other platforms. If a player chose that route, they could be gambling that they could successfully invade the flag room, because that was the only way out of that route. This means keeping a decent idea of when people are spawning in your head, an often difficult but rewarding task. Similarly, players could take the flag back to their base any of four ways, but once they started on one path their options narrowed to just one alternate (and that was only if they took the more exposed route: the safer route offers no alternatives at all, besides backtracking).

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One other way to increase player options is to add in extra cover. Flow doesn't _have_ to mean going from one room to the next: it can mean diving into a corner with some handy crates to cover your butt. I have seen a lot of good maps built off the concept that cover != ammo, so try placing ammo in places that have little else going for them, and putting a little extra defense into places that are lacking in ammo placement options.

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#3: Archiving this...

by demosthenes_ on 11/01/2008 08:45

I'm going to copy and keep those two replies for future reference and use (that is, if you don't mind, tentus). Anyone have anything even vaguely useful along the same lines to add?

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#4: re;

by geartrooper2 on 11/01/2008 11:59

A good map also instills a particular mood. I site Frostbite as one map that captured a feeling extremely well. Other successful maps do the same in telling a story without words.

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#5: Re: Archiving this...

by tentus_ on 11/01/2008 14:51, refers to #3

Nah, go ahead.

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