New maps vs old maps: updated with my opinion

[Chakra]

I think half the problem with custom maps is the lack of consideration towards the fluidity of motion.  Defaults are just easy to move around, but some customs can really slow you down and leave you a sitting duck with bumpy floors and layouts with little consideration towards how a person can move through them while maintaining a certain speed.

[numgun]

The graphics aren't too important, though I do find good graphics and scenery, when done right, can make the game feel rather refreshing and new... like when you load up a new graphics mod or add new sounds.

I also think people are far too stuck in their ways when it comes to map making. They all follow the generic designs of B2b and Laos, large main routes and smaller alt-routes, rather than doing something subtly innovative and different ....like nuubia.

 Many of the flaws in Soldat's balance in general comes from the very layout of most maps, these large open areas promoting the likes of 'spraying', and small corridor alt-avenues offering little tactical innovation either. Unfortunately not many brave new approaches, and not enough 'hardcore' players dare sway from the maps they're used to.

Why isn't inf_Rise default then? COUGH.

EDIT: And yeah, MM, Demonic & chakapoko maker win by default.

My favorite maps are:
-Are located in an offworld area (Alien-like, space, Industrial complex, Asteroid fields.)
-My own *ahem*
-Are defaultish, but still have good quality.

Those maps are from Boxo, Chakapoko, and some other random maps I've seen...


Also I've noticed that Inf_rise, Inf_Ponutehdas, Inf_POWcamp and inf_rescue are extremely popular on most inf servers. IMO those should become default. They all have great pontential.

Btw.

no offense Avarax, but cant you just delete all the cs maps from all the download locations?

Havent laughed this hard for a long time. xD

Date Posted: 21 February 2007, 19:52:04

I think half the problem with custom maps is the lack of consideration towards the fluidity of motion.  Defaults are just easy to move around, but some customs can really slow you down and leave you a sitting duck with bumpy floors and layouts with little consideration towards how a person can move through them while maintaining a certain speed.

Oh yes. Thats a good point, since ive had hard time moving in several new-gen maps.
Not that I havent adapted, but some are truly non-fluid like Chakra said.

[Boxo]

I guess you know what I think. Gameplay is what matters, and many of the new-style maps are worthless pieces of art to any experienced player. The defaults are still the most popular because nobody has come up with anything better.

That said there are still plenty of good custom maps around and being made (like this, this, this and this) if you dug a little instead of just whining and complaining.

The graphics aren't too important, though I do find good graphics and scenery, when done right, can make the game feel rather refreshing and new... like when you load up a new graphics mod or add new sounds.

I also think people are far too stuck in their ways when it comes to map making. They all follow the generic designs of B2b and Laos, large main routes and smaller alt-routes, rather than doing something subtly innovative and different ....like nuubia.

 Many of the flaws in Soldat's balance in general comes from the very layout of most maps, these large open areas promoting the likes of 'spraying', and small corridor alt-avenues offering little tactical innovation either. Unfortunately not many brave new approaches, and not enough 'hardcore' players dare sway from the maps they're used to.

I think half the problem with custom maps is the lack of consideration towards the fluidity of motion.  Defaults are just easy to move around, but some customs can really slow you down and leave you a sitting duck with bumpy floors and layouts with little consideration towards how a person can move through them while maintaining a certain speed.

Agree totally on both points. Also check out my last 3 ctf maps pretty much inspired by those complaints when you made them before.

[Anna]

I enjoy seeing mappers push Soldat's graphics to their limit, but I think the default style maps (especially chakapoko maker's) are the most suitable for Soldat. I find that good colour choices, carefully placed scenery, and an appropriate texture can make a defaultish map quite appealing. But it's hard to combine extreme graphical prettiness with good gameplay because Soldat just wasn't made for it.

For example, polygon placement greatly affects both how the map plays and how the map is shaded. Visually, the more polygons you have, the more detailed you can make the shading. This is at odds with gameplay, where less polys is better because it reduces collision detection problems like poly bugs (not to mention issues like high poly count maps causing the framerate to drop when edges are on). Then there are things like lack of real support for multiple textures, lack of background polygons, no animated scenery, no parallax scrolling, no real lighting effects...

[{depth}shaman]

Whoa! this ones only been up for 12 hours and look at the commotion! Awesome. Im surprised to see so much more support for the older maps. I'm going to go back and add my opinion to the original post. Thanks for shedding some light on this one everyone!

[Frenchie]

Depends..
I don't pick maps on looks, I usually pick them on how unique they are. (like ctf_warp, ctf_paradrop, inf_meatball, inf_lab(awesome zombie map (WPing atm))

But for
Defaults - Chapako (fav mapper check out inf_meatball, inf_cannibal <--awesome zombie maps) Boxo (I like some.. like Steel)
Graphics - VirualTT (No one can beat his looks (Like all tw maps by him)) Hene (Awesome story mode maps)


So yeah, I don't base on looks (but I like having them to distinguish each mappers style) but on gameplay and uniqueness

[The Philanthropist]

I like old maps because it has movement flow. Soldat's biggest coolness factor is it's physics engine, and the old maps really take advantage of speed and distance of jumps to create a flow. If you notice on ctf_Maya, you can jump and keept running and jetting without any speed loss. the same can't really be said for the CS maps n some other ones. No Flow. You always have to stop and start, and turn around.