Better MP maps?

[TheBlueFlamingo]

Does anyone else agree with me that there needs to be better MP maps. All i ever see is Bespin Streets, and occasionaly Death Star. I get really bored with thoes, but verry few servers have any other maps going. To me Bespin doesnt even remind me of the movies bespin. It just seems like they tried too hard to put things in there to make it interesting. Also maybe some more place where you could go inside on bespin. In Death Star it feels too cramped and small. Its like they tried putting stuff from the movies in there but forgetting that the Death Star is absolutely huge. It needs to be bigger. Like the tractor beam thing with the two bridges, that seems too small.

I saw a SW mod for UT2003, the Bespin and Death Star maps look more like the movies than an actual Star Wars game made by the Star Wars people, is that right?

I loved JK and cant wait for JA but I had to see if anyone else shares my opinion.

Thanks,

The Blue Flamingo

 

P.S. Sorry about the little Smilies, I got excited.

 

[StormHammer]

Hmmm...I tend to agree about Bespin. It didn't look enough like the scenes from the movies, and there's no interior to the level.

 

As for the Death Star level...well, they did try to cram in all of the elements we readily associate with scenes from the movie...and that map seems a fair size to me. Any larger and it would not be as enjoyable with small numbers of players. I know...I played FFA on a server recently, and there were only 3 of us running around - it took a while to meet anyone to fight, as it did on subsequent maps.

 

It's always a problem trying to find the right balance. If you've got 16 players running around, it's not so bad on some maps - you've got plenty of encounters. 3-4 players on large maps ends up being a runaround. Now that's cool if you have some like-minded people who don't mind some cat-and-mouse, and laying inventive traps to catch you out.

 

Anyway, I agree that if they introduce any more levels based on the movies, they really need to spend more time on getting the look and feel absolutely right.

 

Having said that...I'm not really expecting to see many movie-related maps. It would be good to have a decent Hoth level in there, along with some others, but it would be equally good to see some more inventive and original stuff going into MP. I like a lot of the maps in JO, personally, but few of them really give you the fast-paced attack-from-anywhere feel of some of those seen in UT, for example. If they allow us to walk up walls in MP, then obviously the design will be more open and less linear - but having said that, you can get a lot of vertical action going on with full Force Jump.

 

One of the things I'd like to see less of (unless they can fix the bots) is lots of walkways with drops into oblivion. Warring Factions and Nar Streets turn into Grip/Push fests, with too many suicides down to mis-judged jumps, IMHO.

[TheBlueFlamingo]

I agree, more origional maps would be best.

 

Its hard to find servers with other maps then Bespin. Its like that in Counter Strike de_Dust is all you ever see, i hate that map, but you are forced to play it because its so "popular". It would be great if they released a bunch of great maps so there is variety.

 

Maybe they could do some Endor/Yavin type forest maps, with trees to jump off of. Something with a dimly lit central dual area with huge trees bending over the center, a temple in the background, and paths to run around in. Also they could make breakable trees like they do with some rocks. Although they shouldnt look like rocks breaking.

 

In the screen I mentioned, a SW UT2003 mod had a Bespin platform with lights shining on it like in the movies.

http://www.ut2003troopers.co.uk/

 

Thats the mod site.

I wonder how long till Lucasarts shuts it down. Ha. Joke.

 

 

To me thoes pictures llook and feel a little more Star Warsy than the maps that came with JO.

[StormHammer]

Hmmm...nice pictures.

 

However, the main problem I have with maps based on Bespin is that they keep giving us brownish/orange textures. Bespin really wasn't made up of those kinds of textures...it was the lighting of the sunset that gave the city that kind of hue. Here are some pics from the movie so you can see what I mean...

 

 

In the light of day, a lot of buildings are actually greyish/white, and the interiors are white and airy with some blue hues. I think that's what they need to do to properly recreate a Bespin level, along with the theme of curved buildings. There are a lot of round towers with domes, etc., and this hasn't been properly portrayed yet...

 

Here's hoping...

[TheBlueFlamingo]

Your absolutely right. I havent been able to watch the origonal trillogy in a while. I almost forgot about what it actually looked like. Now I remember. Bespin to me always felt clean and bright. Lots of round stuff. The only dark parts were in the carbon freezing chamber. Speaking of, isnt Carbon Freezing chamber a JO map or duel map? I dont even remember because its never on any servers. Thanks for the pictures.

 

Oh how I wish I could make maps. With pictures like that someone could do Bespin justice.

 

I remember when Han, Leah, and Lando opened up that door in ESP and Vader and Boba were there. Vader just stood out because he's black in a white room. That was an intense moment. The white and brightness of Cloud City symbolised the the safety and serenity they had. And BAM when they opened the door to see an all black Vader, all thats vile and bad in the universe sitting right there. Makes the scene more of a dramatic point. And then I'm sure the John Williams amazing music added to the emotional distress even more.

 

Sorry.

 

I would really love to see a huge hanger with shiney floors, crates and a few big ships like the death star in ANH, the part where OBI gets it. They almost had it in JO but it seemed too small. Also to me they tried to put too much familiar parts from the movies into it.

I don't know, maybe I'm too pickey. Any thoughts?

[boinga1]

Carbonfreeze was a map, but not one of Raven's- Livingdeadjedi made it.

[HertogJan]

And it was an original Duel map in JO :rolleyes: It was a small map though, bases around a central chamber and it didn't really look much like the one in the movies. The newer version of LivingDeadJedi's map is great, and looks very much like the movies. But it's too big too be real fun

 

 

Ohw and you're right about bespin, I remembered that city a lot different too. I too noticed the troopers mod screen and thought it looked great

[Prime]

The biggest limitation with maps is that most admins only use the Raven-made ones. There are plenty of fantastic maps out there, but you can't rely on everyone having them. So we are stuck with the likes of ffa_bespin.

[StormHammer]

Originally posted by Prime

The biggest limitation with maps is that most admins only use the Raven-made ones. There are plenty of fantastic maps out there, but you can't rely on everyone having them. So we are stuck with the likes of ffa_bespin.

 

All the more reason for a really good map review site...and I think maybe that Raven/LEC could take on board what some other developers do...put together a bonus pack made up from some modders work - the best of the best of the best, as they say.

 

Having an official endorsement would go a long way to getting more variety on servers, I think.