Levels: General Discussion

[Lee]

[bahamut]

I want MORE FUSION

I want MORE PLASMA

I want SPEW CONTROL

[Morfod]

[LotharBot]

I like levels that do something different and challenging with the weapons.

A lot of levels have 2 sets of primaries, a bit of extra vulcan ammo, 2-6 smarts, and 2-6 homers. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's nice to have some variety.

Some levels have only 1 of some specific primary -- spreadfire (black rose), vulcan (wyndham), fusion (athena, one of the versions of vamped), or all of the above (io). That's interesting, but can end up feeling really badly balanced.

I like several levels that use power loadouts, like (Untitled), Power Pro, Octave Pro, CTRL, and Forte. No vulcan, no spreadfire, few or no homers, and often concs designed to be respawned. Yeah, in theory you can limit weapons to this loadout in any level, but these levels are designed to play with that loadout, and that makes them interesting.

I'd like to see someone try what DKH did with Godspeed when it was in testing (as box1) -- plasma, fusion, and spreadfire only. Or quads, fusion, spread would also be an intersting restriction.

[DKH]

3rd Level Complete

"NIKNAK"

http://www.enspiar.com/dmdb/viewMission.php?id=1311


Enjoy!


-DKH

[Drakona]

[Morfod]

Reporting may be simplified by "mutations" not dissimilar to existing drop down menus. I'll scratch my head on it and come up with a fuller idea for the podcast.

[LotharBot]

[Swarthy]

I like Drakona's brilliant idea of loadout files for Core. Until that happens, I feel that the map is usually designed per intended use; 1v1 and up to 8 pilots in anarchy. Usually, ideas are sketched out on paper considering flow, cover options, pyro visibility against textures, cube angles, choke points, camping areas, etc. These are the important things to consider here, not the weapons as much. I like all the weapons and missiles to be available for an official DCL match due to their different uses and my personal preference and I'm pretty sure most everyone else does too for that reason. You can use each weapon in every map in any situation if you want to. Whether it's the right weapon for the moment is another matter but who is to say. I may be on a fusion kick one day...or fancy Q4s. So, to design a good fast 1v1 map I look at the cube dimensions of popular 1v1 maps and I see Ascend (12 x 13 cubes), Mindtrix (10 x 14 cubes), Take 2 (12 x 11 cubes) etc. Therefore going by that information you would think to look at the core levels and design map size based on the maps getting played the most.

Except for ugh, I believe all the core DCL maps all have at least 2 of each weapon (missiles vary) because it keeps the match fair and balanced. I mean why were the maps chosen? Design or weapon/missile count or both? The post Jedi made about why people like logic was mainly about the map. In summary:

1.) you can get to anywhere from anywhere
2.) you can also force a runner into action
3.) weapon balance
4.) compromised sightlines so camping is a calculated risk
5.) Effective orthogonal geometry
6.) Grates

The only comments about the weapons were that they prefer balanced, meaning 2 of everything. Ascend has 2 of everything 3 homers and 3 smarts. Mindtrix has 2 of everything 5 homers and 3 smarts. Take 2 has 2 of every weapon with 6 smarts and no homers. Now it looks like missile count is the varying factor in these three and the X factor and mcap would fix that.

Weapon balance seems to be most important in an official core DCL match and that's what makes it fun, it's balanced. 2 pilots can always agree to do whatever they want and add or take away weapons. But beware, people can master weapons like fusion ( ex. Jeds vs. Birddog ) but does that make birddog a better all around pilot than Jeds? Risky move but fair according to the agreement they made.

Therefore until we get the loadout file option maybe we need Core Map Categories that can be requested in any variation and even any level can be remixed to be whatever you want. Fusion, Vulcan, spread, etc. Combination categories; Fast and slow weapon, spreads and plasmas, etc. ALL for ONE weapons; all q4s, all spreads, etc. These can be kept in a DCL database as to not offend original authors or intermingle with the DMDB and confuse anyone unless they are renamed and properly explained in the map comments. Lee has been doing a fine job of this already. It only takes a few minutes to do it. Then the maps get played based on pilot preference.

We could also use more posts about what people like in their maps. (Thanks Jedi) Or a menu of items people like to see. Map size, Big dog-fight rooms, narrow or wide hallways, vulnerable grate bridges where missiles await the risk, trap areas for proxies or smart placement, better camping areas, no camping areas (yeah right pfunk), texture no-nos, etc. We make maps and post them to DMDB and if they get played once, cool but we never know why people don't make them core or play them any more. It would be good to know what are we doing wrong and what makes it a good map. What one or two (or more) things would make it better?

It's really fun to build maps and it's pretty darn easy once you get the hang of it. It's usually a thankless task if no one else plays them so 90% of the enjoyment is just making it for yourself but a total a 100% thrill to see others enjoy your efforts. I am not a pro or anything like DKH is but I do have some basic Descent Level Editor videos if anyone wants to wet their feet in that program. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTbAxf ... TEP6X3MUxw

At any rate, "Feedback" is a great start!

[roncli]

Holy crap did Niknak look like a thing of beauty on the observatory. I can't wait to fly it.