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Projects & Creative / Re: [Maps] CS_CM Pack. V2 + Remixed maps coming soon!
« on: April 03, 2011, 07:43:31 AM »
Alright. I'll admit this: the work put into the maps is good. Props for that. Now it sounds like an update is coming along, but I'll try and squeeze in some *useful* criticism into the current maps. My problem with CSCM01-04? They're a bit repetitive. You have two "large ring maps with doors & stuff" and "big castle with huge outer area". So... For the "colossuem maps", I'm a bit stuck on how to diversify it. You could try making it more contiguous, or really: make outer areas seem more important. It's real bad on the map with the Ice thing in the middle: other elements are there, but nothing really happens outside one room. It's really pushing "big circle room with stairs" and CSCM08 has similar problems.
Now for the "big castle maps": One, the insides are really claustrophobic. They're narrow, hard to get through, and can't really fit more than one person. Look at Ivory's MMCTF08 from v1c to v1d. The immediate change (besides Rushjet area overhaul) was the expansion of bridges/hallways so that the map can support more than four people. It makes it look *much* more official and refined. In roboenza in the Kottage going inside is almost useless because it's impossible to avoid running into someone in the hallway: zombies get stuck in the chimney frequently(and I have won a match that way). If the castles are expanded, the outer areas will be shrunk(this is desired) and not near so barren and empty(which they are right now: you have a lot of grass and space). These are serious overhaul changes I'm talking about, but I'm trying to highlight issues that elicit the "this sucks" reactions you'll get from people who don't like the maps. I'm sure others may agree with sentiments...? I've heard these maps called "more Doom-y" as well. Take that as you will.
(also: Kottage has EVERY SINGLE WEAPON KNOWN TO MAN! it's a little overkill, and these are roboenza maps anyway)
CSCM5+ starts to get a little more interesting. For one it's not so grey. "Strange Castle" is nice, but it still has the unintentional ability to stand on the 'fence' next to the gutsmen. It's also a little claustrophobic, mainly exiting hallways(the halls themselves are not so bad): for example, the stairs leaving the Gutsman area. It's impossible to get out smoothly. You have to awkwardly jump on one stair which slows you down. (or go in the middle and get out easily) then jump again to escape. In rage mode you'd be infected instantly. The tall towers also have difficulty getting to: you have to jump off the edge of a stair-thing. Really, tricky areas in a map to get through shouldn't be in the main area; it should be on the fringes and not so common. Of course you can add a hard-to-reach spot in a map; but putting it in the center seems terribly out of place. But I'd like to see the Bass/Colosseum maps more like this one: a bit more diverse, not so centralized. (this map does not focus entirely on the center)
Kero Palace... Better name, please, as now it's just a name plug for the author and not creative in the slightest. I like the map however- but this one actually lacks centralization and seems like a blend of mini-maps tossed together. It's not cohesive. You have the outer-areas and the brown corridor(stone?) hallway which is a key claustrophobic issue; you have the inner area with the crescent pit and then there's random firetraps? The area with next to the firetraps (elevated plateau, four-pillars) seems to have *no* room for anything except for passing through it. You can't really stand and do anything on it... Which is odd. Where as cscm1-4 were all 'big area' this is trying to be 'all outer area' and seems to lack focus. I like the map though because I've made similar things: it focuses on little details and like I said, is sort of a mini-map hodgepodge. It's got various textures which help diversify it and sort of blend 'ivory-style' imo. (this is a good thing, I like the way Ivory's maps cross textures).
SSW's map is pretty good so I'm not gonna say much. The reliance on item-1 to get saku/other powerups is a bit annoying. You CAN reach the corner towers from the window/fence but that's frustrating.
Fireball Deathmatch - it's a really a flashier version(colors wise) of one of the "kolosseum" maps, which are like I said: big rings with stairs & stuff. People get bored of that easily. It needs more bells & whistles, really. Maybe throw in say, fans to make the top area accessible in LMS? Lava to make it an *actual* fireball deathmatch? (Mess doesn't like deathtraps and neither do I, but they spice up roboenza) It's gotta have more spice. Make it more deathmatchy. I'm a bit stuck on expanding the whole "big circle" maps but really: make the outsides more interesting.
That's what I try to call useful input on maps. I'm just one opinion but I feel like others will share my sentiments. Oh, and like I said: the work done is good. You want to do more work here's my idea. Or they don't, and that's their decision and I respect that.
Now for the "big castle maps": One, the insides are really claustrophobic. They're narrow, hard to get through, and can't really fit more than one person. Look at Ivory's MMCTF08 from v1c to v1d. The immediate change (besides Rushjet area overhaul) was the expansion of bridges/hallways so that the map can support more than four people. It makes it look *much* more official and refined. In roboenza in the Kottage going inside is almost useless because it's impossible to avoid running into someone in the hallway: zombies get stuck in the chimney frequently(and I have won a match that way). If the castles are expanded, the outer areas will be shrunk(this is desired) and not near so barren and empty(which they are right now: you have a lot of grass and space). These are serious overhaul changes I'm talking about, but I'm trying to highlight issues that elicit the "this sucks" reactions you'll get from people who don't like the maps. I'm sure others may agree with sentiments...? I've heard these maps called "more Doom-y" as well. Take that as you will.
(also: Kottage has EVERY SINGLE WEAPON KNOWN TO MAN! it's a little overkill, and these are roboenza maps anyway)
CSCM5+ starts to get a little more interesting. For one it's not so grey. "Strange Castle" is nice, but it still has the unintentional ability to stand on the 'fence' next to the gutsmen. It's also a little claustrophobic, mainly exiting hallways(the halls themselves are not so bad): for example, the stairs leaving the Gutsman area. It's impossible to get out smoothly. You have to awkwardly jump on one stair which slows you down. (or go in the middle and get out easily) then jump again to escape. In rage mode you'd be infected instantly. The tall towers also have difficulty getting to: you have to jump off the edge of a stair-thing. Really, tricky areas in a map to get through shouldn't be in the main area; it should be on the fringes and not so common. Of course you can add a hard-to-reach spot in a map; but putting it in the center seems terribly out of place. But I'd like to see the Bass/Colosseum maps more like this one: a bit more diverse, not so centralized. (this map does not focus entirely on the center)
Kero Palace... Better name, please, as now it's just a name plug for the author and not creative in the slightest. I like the map however- but this one actually lacks centralization and seems like a blend of mini-maps tossed together. It's not cohesive. You have the outer-areas and the brown corridor(stone?) hallway which is a key claustrophobic issue; you have the inner area with the crescent pit and then there's random firetraps? The area with next to the firetraps (elevated plateau, four-pillars) seems to have *no* room for anything except for passing through it. You can't really stand and do anything on it... Which is odd. Where as cscm1-4 were all 'big area' this is trying to be 'all outer area' and seems to lack focus. I like the map though because I've made similar things: it focuses on little details and like I said, is sort of a mini-map hodgepodge. It's got various textures which help diversify it and sort of blend 'ivory-style' imo. (this is a good thing, I like the way Ivory's maps cross textures).
SSW's map is pretty good so I'm not gonna say much. The reliance on item-1 to get saku/other powerups is a bit annoying. You CAN reach the corner towers from the window/fence but that's frustrating.
Fireball Deathmatch - it's a really a flashier version(colors wise) of one of the "kolosseum" maps, which are like I said: big rings with stairs & stuff. People get bored of that easily. It needs more bells & whistles, really. Maybe throw in say, fans to make the top area accessible in LMS? Lava to make it an *actual* fireball deathmatch? (Mess doesn't like deathtraps and neither do I, but they spice up roboenza) It's gotta have more spice. Make it more deathmatchy. I'm a bit stuck on expanding the whole "big circle" maps but really: make the outsides more interesting.
That's what I try to call useful input on maps. I'm just one opinion but I feel like others will share my sentiments. Oh, and like I said: the work done is good. You want to do more work here's my idea. Or they don't, and that's their decision and I respect that.