Gameplay or Looks

(/\ndy) #1

I realise this is probably an age old arguement but i thought i’d bring it up anyway; i’ve recently been talking to a friend of mine who maps for ET (and RTCW for that matter) and he was talking about a new map he’s designing. Before even considering the layout/objectives/routes between objectives etc etc he was talking about the amazing models and all the easter eggs and such like he was going to put in. I got quite annoyed at this and had a go at him.

Personally i don’t care if a map looks like crap, if it plays really well and is evenly balanced for each team then i love it. Choke points have to be placed strategically to provide the best battles, if a map has an excellent design then it is much more playable than a map which simply looks good.

Now, i realise that there are good maps which look good AND play well, and that’s fine (obviously :p). I just feel that precedence should be given to gameplay and after the basics of a good map are put in place the designer can have some fun making it look good and adding some funny easter eggs.

I realise this could have been placed in the mappers forum but thought i would be better off in the general one.

What does everybody think?

(CM..Punk) #2

I think people will still be discussing gfx vs gameplay in 20 years time no matter what the outcome of this thread.

(blushing_bride) #3

for me i only like maps that are pretty and playwell. both looks and gameplay are important

(puubert) #4

Gameplay is number 1. I can play a game with crappy graphics for hours as long as it’s fun. I remember sitting at a friends place playing “Heli Battle” for hours. It was one of those old school hand held games with those primitive LCD displays, before they became animated. It might have had something to do with the large amount of weed, but it sure was fun as hell.

(Elements) #5

Yes, gameplay owns…remember console games like Topgear 3000, Zelda, and Super Mario Bros? Those games where fun as hell…Without good graphics. Graphics is just a bonus.

(MindLink) #6

For me it will always be both. If a map plays good but looks like p00 it will suck, if it looks awesome and plays like yuck it will suck too. That’s just the way things go. :slight_smile:

(evilsock) #7

Tsk - I don’t know whats got into you lot - forget graphics and gameplay, here’s a stick and hoop now go and get some fresh air.

(RAV3N) #8

the way my config is set up i cant tell if its a good lookin map or not :stuck_out_tongue:

(Elements) #9

My config makes everything look super-cool and allowing supreme game-play! :slight_smile:

(L2|B4tt3rY) #10

i turn down all the settins etc
all a game needs is a nice community and good gameplay imo
venice is a good example, large maps detiled etc but one of the worst costom maps ever made, well that and cean, no where to hide/take cover, small chokepoints and no announcments when stuff is stolen etc…best map is supply depot, FAST paced, very attacking map, easy to camp the axis etc very nice map

(fattakin) #11

I too will have to side with gameplay on this, the most enjoyable maps in ET are those that are well thought out and developed (Goldrush/ Oasis/the Dump). These maps have a delicate balance of great gameplay and objectives with a touch of ‘space’ making you feel the map is bigger and more open than it really is.

I cant understand those who heavily tweak their PC’s brighness/gamma etc. I just run my ET at mediun and high settings with no tweaks because i like to get immersed in the game and enjoy the graphical flourishes how they were meant to be. I enjoy the feeling that im in a war movie or whatever that ET creates, spectacular moments with Arty going off and explosions, not some limp grey shaders going ‘poof’ when a nade blows and crazy ass lighting that lets me see people across the map, feck that

In conclusion, fattakin loves his gameplay but rates immersion just as high!

(seven_dc) #12

When I started to map I just thought that I want to create nice spaces… not the details because I wasn’t up to it yeat. But just nice settings. Anyhow It is hard to be a mapper and know the gameplay because you just sit home and map :slight_smile: Maybe clans could adopt mappers and take them to matches so they would know the gameplay more better. All great mappers have been in clans so that help.

I am actually making small map for 3vs3 play… check my sig and from left menu ammo_bunker.

Wendie 99

(Sauron|EFG) #13

Eye candy may get people to download a map, but gameplay is what keeps them playing it.
I love good looking maps though, as long as they don’t kill FPS.

Brightness/gamma shouldn’t be considered tweaks any more than adjusting brightness/contrast on your monitor.
fattakin = tweaker :wink:
:banana:
ps. I do know what you’re saying. :slight_smile:

(OMG! The babana isn’t dancing in Firefox 0.9.1!!!)

(fattakin) #14

fattakin = tweaker

Ok youre onto me :smiley: I havent a clue how people tweak up those configs so bad, never really bothered trying!
I dont know how people can be arsed with this:
http://team-arise.com/config/etcfgs.php

(Oxygen - o2) #15

i think i was the mapper, andyD

no its not really like that

i care about them both equal, although if i had to pick i would pick gameplay, personally i use my imagination to open radiant or easygen and just start drawing

and also i was talking about the gameplay, its just i found a way of making gameplay fun :banana:

(evilsock) #16

@ fattakin - I thought most ppl’s maps would look like that these days - you’re lucky that PB restricts Cvars or it’d look like my old RtCW config which had more in common with lego than anything else - heh.

(Oxygen - o2) #17

lol :banana:

BTW andy dont tll them my plans, they have to wait and see :wink:

(EvilBaga) #18

venice is a good example, large maps detiled etc but one of the worst costom maps ever made

At last! The truth!

(eRRoLfLyNN) #19

I love Venice and Caen, but that’s just me.

(Cerebrate) #20

I haven’t read the replies, but I’d say that the gameplay is most important by far. Only thing that matters, in fact, considering my configurations. I think what attracts a lot of people to try and make maps are all these “cool” ideas they get when playing other maps. “Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if there was tank right here, or a mg there”. It just doesn’t work.