New map idea: Maker needed.

posted on August 30th, 2011, 2:14 am

Ok I have an idea for a map, but I suck at A2 map editing.

Idea: The Badlands.

Basically, a map with a large ammount of red nebulas, with paths thru it, some decent sized, some very small, and big clearings for bases, smaller clearings for expansions.

The point of this map is that it would make using large fleets not practical as the formation would run ships into the nebulas.

Not so much intended to be annoying as just different.

Thoughts ?

posted on August 30th, 2011, 3:00 am

I've been planning to make something like this, but this semester has me incredibly busy and it could take a while to get to it 

When I finish it, it'll be an 8-player map called Pyroclasm.

posted on August 30th, 2011, 11:00 am

hasnt a badlands map been done arleady?

either way i wouldnt like a map with lots of damaging nebulae for two reasons:

1) pathing sucks, even with small fleets it would be a nightmare trying to get your ships to do simple moves.

2) borg ships with regen would have an advantage. they could fly through damaging nebulae and regen on the other side. romulans have better regen too, but nowhere near borg levels. leahvals would be a good ship for this sorta map. fly through, auto repair, then attack with full health and a bigger fleet than the enemy could fit through the paths.

posted on August 30th, 2011, 11:51 am

hasnt a badlands map been done arleady?

Did you per chance mean the map The Expanse? Created by me? It was something similar to this idea. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that well. It is real hard to balance and make it fun to play.

Anyways: Here's the link to the map:
The Expanse

posted on August 30th, 2011, 11:58 am

Did you per chance mean the map The Expanse? Created by me? It was something similar to this idea. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that well. It is real hard to balance and make it fun to play.

Anyways: Here's the link to the map:
The Expanse

not sure, i just remember maps talking about being like the badlands. could very well have been your's.

posted on August 30th, 2011, 12:19 pm

Having those small passages might have another problem.

You can easily turtle in at your base, build a dozen of turrets and small fleets would be destroyed within seconds.

No chance of bringing down the base, while having for example 5 excelsior classes vs. 10 quantum torpedo platforms.

So, i guess this type of map is more likely useable for single player maps/campains, where you have to explore some areas e.g.

posted on August 30th, 2011, 12:20 pm

@Myles:
Well it was awhile ago. But could very well not have been this map.
I really like to have a map that resembles the badlands or something similar.

posted on August 30th, 2011, 3:22 pm

Boggz also made a map recently about the Badlands . It's a pretty popular map ethos to try and recreate - there are roughly a half dozen variations on 'Badlands-style' maps over the past bunch of years and they can be quite fun 

posted on August 30th, 2011, 5:49 pm

Lol, I'm currently working on one also. I really wish there were dangerous yellow nebulas to work with though, it would work well with the overall red and orange of the map. I'm making the red nebulas on all sides of the paths at various heights to create tunnels.

My blue version will be better I think due to the same color nebulas that do damage and disable shields, it'll make death by enviornment quicker. 

posted on August 30th, 2011, 6:33 pm

Yeah I made a "Badlands" version quite a while ago.  Frankly, I don't think it was very good  .  The inherent problem with lots of Nebulae is that the pathing just suffers so terribly from it that it's usually not worth whatever aesthetic design is offered.  I didn't really know enough about map-making at the time to make it good enough for the type of play we have now.

 

posted on August 30th, 2011, 8:42 pm

Yeah I made a "Badlands" version quite a while ago.  Frankly, I don't think it was very good  .  The inherent problem with lots of Nebulae is that the pathing just suffers so terribly from it that it's usually not worth whatever aesthetic design is offered.  I didn't really know enough about map-making at the time to make it good enough for the type of play we have now.

 

I haden't taken pathing problems into account...You think that it will be a good looking, yet worthless map in terms of playability?

posted on August 30th, 2011, 9:24 pm

Well, test out the map and find out!

posted on August 30th, 2011, 10:04 pm

I haden't taken pathing problems into account...You think that it will be a good looking, yet worthless map in terms of playability?

if it has lots of nebs, im afraid most likely this will be the case. even if a map is completely unbalanced and just crazy for fun, it will be painful to have your fleets not complete move orders with any sense.

posted on August 30th, 2011, 11:18 pm

Here are a few things I've figured out for nebulas:

1. If it just has to look pretty, stick a small nebula and some asteroids inside a blocking trigger.

2. If ships are going to be flying anywhere near it, don't use large nebulas.  The pathing around those is HUGE.  Try to build the same shape out of small nebulas.

3. If your damage nebula is big enough, put a blocking trigger in the middle.  Ships can still get hurt in the outlying nebula, but it greatly reduces the chances of players clicking on the minimap and ending up with their entire fleet dying.  Also for sending out scouts in the beginning, when you mouse over the blocking trigger on the minimap it won't let you move there so you don't lose your scout for a stupid reason.

4. Put blue nebulas over part of your green nebulas to make them harder to use.  Put red nebulas with your green nebulas to make the shield gain slower.  Put green nebulas in your damage nebulas to make it so they don't cause much damage, they only mess up pathing.

5. If you have a green nebula, put a blue or purple nebula somewhere and vice-versa.  Try to make it so both borg and non-borg players can use the nebulas, but neither gets an unfair advantage near the enemy base.

6. You can put small blocking triggers in your nebulas but they won't have the same effect as regular blocking triggers.  Small blocking triggers don't prevent fleeted ships from trying to move somewhere inside them, so they might cause ships to fly around their edge or bunch up next to them, which doesn't keep them out of the nebula at all.

posted on August 31st, 2011, 12:19 am

Well, I will try the smaller nebulas to avoid some of the pathing problems. I kinda want fleets to be destroyed if the player does not pay attention though, the idea behind it was to navigate your fleet, which may, or may not be fun for the majority of players.

If it works, it will almost have a scenario feel to it. now what would be perfect is if there were only miners and yards, no starbases, no turrets. Playing hide and seek in a dangerous nebula maze...