Topic: Map Graphically details

These are just general suggestions for improvements:

1. I've noticed that most of the maps are just too barren. That works fine for Tatooine maps (which ironically the busiest are far as objects) but Endor and Bestine... well there just needs to be more. Streams, grass, planets, weathering on buildings and objects, steam vents...more, more, more. Though you guys have done a great job, the barrenest (is that even a word?) of the maps is just not very immersive.

2. There are still many issues with light maps. Walking into the tank cave on Bestine and having a row of lights brighten the whole room without variation in the light maps or shadows again just seems unreal and pulls you out the fantasy of being in a Star Wars. On Endor, you have some light beams breaking through the trees... that's great you need more real lighting like that... less of one light lighting up a whole room it could never possibly do.

3.  Smaller maps. Maps with lots of trees and valleys, don't work well with vehicles and transports. Like Bestine you have all those great catwalks you guys made but no one uses them because no one is on foot. The flag on the bottom of the valley just goes unnoticed because no one bothers going down there and the whole valley feels like a nuisance but it really should be the center point of all the fighting... the map is just too big to support that kind of battle.

4. Space maps need more objects. Whether it be asteroids or space rubble (imagine old destroyed Venerators from the Clone Wars or a space station) just to give the map some depth besides space flying around empty space. It just gives the map more atmosphere then they have currently.

Anyway, these are the suggestions I have. Balance is important too, but I just personally feel that if the levels don't make you feel like you are there and fighting in a Star Wars battle, you could care less which tank it accidental more powerful. I suggest fixing the current maps before building more maps with similiar issues.

My two cents...

Re: Map Graphically details

Ummm....


Bestine is my map, big city Tattooine map, infantry combat with few armor assets to tip the tide of battle. Features a crashed Gallofree and a large cliff face. Also a map people need to run on servers more often wink


Ryloth is the red barren map with automatic orbital bombardment, mines, catwalks and craters. Also has the underground rebel base and the imperial base encompassed by the shield generator.



Onto your suggestions:

1. I agree with you, but Endor looks pretty good, some more undergrowth would look nice, but performance has to be considered, the map has an enormous amount of trees already.

2. The Ryloth rebel base cave wasn't lightmapped in time for release, we will get to it in time.

3. I agree, the gamemode setup [flag order] is just illogical imo. I think the 2 first flags then down to mines then the last 2 and onto rebel base would be better. We will see how things turn out in future fixes or versions.

4. I agree, I would have really liked to see some asteroids on convoy raid.

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3 (edited by SurfingDoc 2008-05-21 21:13:30)

Re: Map Graphically details

Ah yes, I meant Ryloth.... Honestly I can't even remember what map Bestine is, but I was referring to Ryloth.

Also as far as Endor goes, doesn't BF2142 support grass like in BF2. You just need some small blades of grass everywhere. That never affected gameplay in BF2. Also the trees can be fixed by just having a "canopy" made of sprites high up. The real redwoods branches don't start till 100 feet in the air. The trees are really just trunks and a high canopy w/ some saplings and smaller branches lower to the ground... that might help the workload of computers with less to render (but maybe not... I don't don't).

Example http://www.dangardner.ca/Images/redwood.jpg

Re: Map Graphically details

We had grass earlier but there was an immense amount of lag from many users.

Re: Map Graphically details

Trust me, we worked on alot of different options for endor, it took us 2 years literally to get it working as it is, so although your suggestions are nice Im afraid we have maxed everything out with all ideas.

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Re: Map Graphically details

Fallen, a Point of Existence Map has a lot of Grass and Undergrow...
...but only because they have use a lot of fog to reduce the visting distance.

Fallen is a great map, but IMHO it looks not so impressive as Endor.

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Re: Map Graphically details

I agree especially with one thing: Streams. We need one or two of those smile .

As for Ryloth, it's good in theory, but I really think the number of air vehicles and maybe even armour needs to be halved, replaced by Landspeeders, Combat Speeders, and APC Freerunners (or perhaps another Lambda in the Imperials' case). And that goes for both teams. Currently I get the impression that it's 90% air combat and little actual fighting over CPs.

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