What makes a great map?

[Nav]

I believe having unique level design really makes a map stand out. Bringing something new to the table always ensures publicity.

[PhilE]

Easy question to answer.

Gameplay. Don't you wonder why some of the ugliest maps get played alot?

[Jest@]

Easy question to answer.

Gameplay. Don't you wonder why some of the ugliest maps get played alot?

Yeah, but read the first post: the question we're trying to get at is what makes good gameplay?

[RaccoonKing]

the question we're trying to get at is what makes good gameplay?

Exactly.

It just seems to me that there's more to it than "make it 3D" or "make it fun". There's gotta be a little more science to it than that I would think..

*hmm*

[DiePepsi]

Play the game, mark down what you like and what you found interesting and provoking.

Then play it more, and find out what makes that level keep you entertained after you are done being awed by the detail/archutecture.

Then play it some more, and find out what the level designer planned the flow to be, and why.

In single player levels, focus on being unpredictable. But this unpredictablity should not focus on killing the player. The goal of a single player level is not to kill the player (hehe) but rather to impress the player and allow them to have fun. You can do this by placing them in a world that is diffrent then what they see every day. If you place me in a data center, and ask me to take care of customers... I can do that at work, and get paid for it. However, if you place me in a broken down factory, discovering radioactive workers with a thurst for my brains/flesh and give me a boomstick to beat them with. Well hell, thats interesting!

If in the same point, you have these workers *SPAWN* behind me and start attacking me after I pass a point. Or have them just standing mindlessly in the center of a room, waiting for me to enter (hello doom3)... thats no where near as cool, as finding them pinned under a table I have to move to get past. Or having them attacking eachother till they see me, with more tasty meat on my bones.

With multiplayer maps, you have to focus on diffrent play types and allow them all to be active in that level. The best example of this is Team-Fortress. You have players who want to be, all of the classes. Each class represents a diffrent type of play style.

Sniper - The guys who like to destroy others before they get the chance to even attack them. (1shot kills, ranged attacking, campers)
Soldier - The guys who like to get in your face, and cause lots of crazy fun gibbing damage. (Close range, multi-targets)
Medic - The guy who likes to be annoying as shit, running around infecting people and then just leaving them to die. This is a playstyle. (Fast moving, focused on destroying YOUR gameplay for their benifit. What makes you mad, makes them happy. Yes im bitter.)
engineer - The team support guy. Enjoys keeping the team strong and the oposition pinned back away from your goals.
HWGUY/Pyro/Spy - Diffrent versions of the above. Spy being a sniper, only more of a front line one.

So for maps, you need to keep these types in mind and give them places to play. Putting a sniper in a map full of hallways 10feet long isnt the best. Likewise, sticking a soilder out in the middle of a football field isnt going to be very good either.

So for multi player, build areas that are important to the players that allow each gamestyle at some point. Such as long hallways that then split into short hallways or rooms, all on the route to the same goal. Snipers will focus on the long hallways, and soldiers will stick to shorter hallways. One of the two will venture into one anothers domain and thats when the action will happen.

Hope that helps a little.

Side note : As a mapper, I found HL1 single player to be a very very very inspireing experance. The levels had all sorts of interesting arcutecture ive never seen before in other games. So I found myself looking to the celings and down the sides of structures in aw of the cool new layouts and design ideas even if not realistic. One of my main feelings about leveling is that "being non-realistic is the advantage of video games"

Like zombie said, real life(Tm) is not that exciting (altho, old industrial areas and factories are rather enjoyable if you ask me) as something made with a flare for the extream. So think outside the box, take pictures of neat arcutecture you see outside in the real world, and look at other peoples designs to try and jumpstart your own ideas.

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Below is just my random thoughts that i didnt have the hear to delete.
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I think their is a lot more to it then simply "Make it 3D" or "Make it fun"

However, its just the rules that go into "make it 3d" and "make it fun"

It also depends on the gameplay type you are making the map for. If it is a single player map, you want to add in un-expected interactions and events along with greater aw-inspireing detail and layouts.

In multi-player maps, you have to focus MORE on diffrent player's play types and how to include them all correctly. Its a lot like ballancing out classes in teamfortress or worldofwarcraft. Everyone needs to be able to participate in what is going on, in a way thats enjoyable for them.

The best way (and only way) to really understand and start to work on this level, is to play games a lot and find what you enjoy. Then play games with others, and watch the types of gameplay they enjoy.

I could break down the diffrent playtypes ive noticed into detail. But that will make this reply more of a novel. Plus I do not have any large scail maps that have been release, but ive mapped a LOT. (so anyone who dissagrees would have a large amount of fodder to throw at me)

That being said, above and below this, are just my views on what I hope will make any maps I do finish, fun.

I try to re-map out popular maps, and find out what are the key points in the maps flow that reach all the players out there. To do this, I also try to play all areas of the map and remember why I liked that area and why class/wep I used there. Was it the most fun as an engineer? sniper? spy? medic? CSS- Was it fun to camp that corner? why? what gave it that advantage and why didnt the other side get upset over it?

If you hate an area of a level, why? If you are forced to go through a small hole and up a hill... The team on top of that hill loves the easy kills and their is nothing you can do about it. You hate it, cause you are just helping them have fun (however, when you get a lucky headshot b4 they take you down, you could say that kill is sweeter lol)

So the basics for multiplayer I think, is splitting areas from 1-to-2, 2-to-1, 1-to-3, 3-to-1, and very very very rarly if you NEED TO, 3-to-2. Anything above that becomes a hassle. What do I mean? 1 entrance to 2 exits, 2 entrances to 1 exit. Focus game flow to one point, then allow it a choice of directions even if it takes you back to the same exit. If you make this transitions the right size. Players have the ability to enter an area and get in some good action and at the same time, diffrent ways to setup and leave the area.

I have never walked into a room, with more then 3 exits/entrances (3 hallsways ill say) attaches to it, and found that area to be overly enjoyable. Why? Because you have to manage 4 diffrent directions(if all being equal) and that puts more stress on your players. Making them work harder and harder for kills and to say alive.

We all (or will) work every day for a paycheck. To me, its a real ripoff, to work at games also. Games should require skill, but not in the users ability to navigate the world. The skill should come from player vs player.

We have all player CS1, and know of maps like de_prodigy, where you could get up inside the sky or behind walls and basicly wall hack. It takes the fun out, not being on remotely equal ground. Esp since with CS you already get advantages with guns.

err I have other stuff I have to do IRL, and this is becoming a very poorly structured novel. So im gonna summarise at the start.

[DiePepsi]

holy crap that was long, sorry... im at work and I dont want to go out and do the audit I now have to...