New Map Advice Please. Autobahn

(Benfun7) #1

Hi,
I am starting a new map. I drew this up real quick; can you please tell me what you think? And if you see anything wrong? Or if I should change somthing. The objective is to destroy the autobahn over pass, construct a bridge, and destroy 3 planes that are using the autobahn as a landing strip.

Thanks,
Fritz

(carnage) #2

This is asuming that the autoban is a tall construction so it can block/spilt the maps vis

the shoulth area looks ok but the north area is a masive open space with no obvious vis block, i would surgest putting walls instead of the river so you can split up the top part of the map

(Ifurita) #3
  1. I doubt the autobahn would block vis since people can get onto it, therefore, the entire map is likely to be drawn at all time. You could extend that middle spur all the way across the map and make a tunnel thru which the autobahn goes and use that to section off the map into 2 distinct parts.
  2. You haven’t marked how people can get up to and down from the autobahn or where they must plant dyno to blow up the bridge. If everything is at ground level, then this makes for a very nasty chokepoint. Make sure you have multiple paths linking the two sides of the autobahn
  3. You don’t mention how the allies gain the second spawn point (e.g., flag, blowing the bridge). If a flag, the chokepoint is still a big issue, especially since the allies have to run all the way past the axis spawn to get to it. Looks like spawn differential + travel distance greatly favors the defense. You might transpose the position of the second spawn and the initial axis spawn and make it a flag.
  4. Phase 2 looks like a fuel depot/temple type chokepoint also, where the allies get to be pinned down by arty and direct fire while trying to build the bridge. Again, you haven’t marked any alternate routes, so that’s probably it.
  5. If they get past the chokepoint, they get to blow up 3 targets that sit right in front of the axis spawn. Again, spawn differentials + travel times make this very favorable to the defense.

In summary:

Phase 1: Spawn differential < travel time differential + lack of multiple routes + one chokepoint that can be easily spammed = heavy defense bias
Phase 2: Spawn differential < travel time differential + lack of multiple routes + two narrow, open chokepoint that can be easily spammed + difficulty of dynoing 3 targets in the open = heavy defense bias

Aggregate: I think this will be a nightmare map for the attackers + performance is likely to be poor due to lack of any vis blocking structures or terrain

CAVEAT: This assessment is based only on what I see in the sketch. I haven’t pulled any punches as I don’t see that helping anyone. I’ve tried to point out what I think would fix some of those issues and you might have other ideas not represented in the sketch. If so, we’d love to hear them.

(Benfun7) #4

Thanks very very much Ifruita, and Carnage

This was just a quick sketch. I will work on it more, your advice helps a lot!

Thanks,
Fritz

(Ifurita) #5
  1. Good to see my comments didn’t dishearten you
  2. Try to draw your sketch to scale. When you get a version that you think is workable, make a big box map, texture the bottom floor with your sketch, then ‘fit’. This will give you a nice template onto which to drop blocks of caulk to mark all of your key buildings
  3. While you’re noodling around with your sketch, you can actually build all of your objectives in a small box map
  • you can do this totally independant of the rest of your map
  • the small map is much easier to compile, run, and test then having everything in your large map
  • You can all almost everything from objectives, spawns, capturable flags, scripting, limbo menu, etc so that you can actually run thru the game play of your map before you’ve laid down your first building
  1. Once your sketch is directionally right, and you have a box map, import your box map into the large map and see how the distances and connectivity work out.
  2. If you do this, you can actually get in a large amount of testing and feel for how your map will run without investing a ton of time doing other stuff
(fattakin) #6
  1. Try to draw your sketch to scale. When you get a version that you think is workable, make a big box map, texture the bottom floor with your sketch, then ‘fit’. This will give you a nice template onto which to drop blocks of caulk to mark all of your key buildings

That is the best peice of advice ive read on the forum in ages!
makes me want to try mapping again! (if only i didnt have 2 jobs and a fledgling clan to support :frowning: )

(carnage) #7

corse you have time to map, even 1hr a week will make a small but good map is no time if you know what ur doing

(Ifurita) #8

That is the best peice of advice ive read on the forum in ages!

What can I say? I’m lazy.

I do things in that sequence so that 1) it’s easy to translate concept to brushwork and 2) gives me something very early on that I can run around in and play.