Fun... what makes a map fun?

Astute · Post by **Astute** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:42 pm

Well, its something that crossed my mind recently. No matter how I do my level design, or which new units I add, i keep coming back to this. What key elements make a map fun? or even an independant game fun?
Here is what sparked my intrest in this topic. My original map, Rhen Var: Ice Gate, was considered "fun" by most who played it. I got mixed responses like, the Storm Commando's were great, or the uphill battle was cool. To tell you the truth, i disliked playing that map, i'm not sure why, just did. For me i liked maps that gave you that starwarsy heroic like feel where you destoryed the at-at as it walked into the harbor or killed the last man flying at you on a speederbike. So thats my question, what do you consider fun in a map?

Whether or not i get any responses, i'm going to do a bit of research into map styles to see if i can find a winning combination.

Chamboozer · Post by **Chamboozer** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:48 pm

To tell you the truth, i disliked playing that map, i'm not sure why, just did.

that might be because you made the map, i always find the maps I make less fun than other peoples, for some reason.

as for fun maps, i find maps that are of a new genre, for inatance, courascant (high up in a city) and hoth: escape (space)

Tyler_Durden · Post by **Tyler_Durden** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:57 pm

To me, having a variety of options for gameplay make a map fun. If I remember correctly, Ice Gate was a linear styled map. You really had the one option to go up and try to capture the hill. There were no vehicles, but I can understand that. I think urban maps have to have a certain style in order to make them fun. In otherwords, have a lot of cover and hiding places, or other forms of obstacles. With a map that has vehicles, like a large map, you need to have a lot of units on the field at once, plus a high ticket counter. Also if possible, have everything that goes into an urban style map but with vehicles, of which there should be many, at least 3 vehicles of each class (tank, walker, flyer, speeder bike, etc.). I think that a lot of units is probably the key factor in any map. Star Wars battles were huge, epic battles. I think the smallest battle in the whole series was Endor, yet there were many combatants which made it an exciting scene. 16-32 plqayers on a map doesn't cut it with me. I like maps with at least a 45 vs. 45 minimum. Hope that helps.

CarbineImpulse · Post by **CarbineImpulse** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 7:07 pm

fun maps... well I think each person's definaition of what makes a map fun will differ, some prefer close combat all out war, others flying, some will like amazing new weapons or maybe played in a totally new environment. Also what I find fun depends on my mood. It's great to snipe from miles away on some poor unsuspecting person and imagining them thinking "what the...?" and then other times it's great to be infantry and just go on a killing spree. I think a great, really fun map would have to encapsulate all things in order for it to be fun for all peoples tastes. Good luck with reseach and can't wait for the outcome (thought Ice gate was great!)

Post by **-_-** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 9:53 pm

any kind of map with a combination of urban warfare is often fun (Nice scenery would be great, too!)

NegativeSmiley · Post by **NegativeSmiley** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 12:22 am

I enjoy maps that can be played over and over again and u can't get tired of them. Those are the best.

Tyler_Durden · Post by **Tyler_Durden** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 2:26 am

I think the best example of a great fan made map is Majin Revan's Nabbo: Encounter. Though the later versions kind of suck, I think it was better without all the gimmicks such as the Bothan Spy, the Jedi, and the Gungans. That's another thing, a fun map doesn't need a whole lot of gimmick characters and character modifications to be fun. It's what you do with them and how well you implement them into a map without being gratuitous. Remember, this game is about being a grunt, not a super powerful Jedi who can kill everyone with lightning or push.

Post by **guru** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 2:58 am

mont edur remains to be my favorite and for only 1 reason, options!
I can go far in many vehicles and never see any fighting or i can jump out in 5 different areas that look different from each other , marshy trees on one end, a huge fortress /city on another and in the middle a giant valley with huge kashyyk styl mountains in the area. I never got bored on that map no matter how long we played!

theguarder · Post by **theguarder** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:26 am

the things that make me enjoy maps is the new things i havent seen before.

Rends · Post by **Rends** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 12:54 pm

See everyone has different opinions so it isn´t easy to find out what makes more fun then the other.
But i would concerend about the situation if you don´t like your map why should anyone else like it?
If you create a map just for the reason "to create" a map than trash it.
Best maps for me are those maps where you can see that the modder put in all his love to create it.
Everything needs to be well done as possible. If it feels made rushed then it won´t last very long on my Harddisk.
I saw maps with well done object placements but AI pathing or game balance was realy bad.
But i also hate maps with hundrets of different objects wich doesn´t belong to each other.
Epic Battle maps with hundret of bots are fine here and there but they arn´t on my top list because players impact on the Match outcome goes to zero.
I like CloudCity for example. you can run hide run hide most of the time but i don´t like the Courtyjard area because it´s too empty with no place to hide. Kasshyyyk docks is one of the worst maps i´ve seen because snipers are able to shot you over the whole map and you have few objects to hide and no ways to sneak.
After Tatooine Jundland wastes was released many guys asked for more vehicles because the map is big in size and you have long ways to walk. But it was my decission not to put too many vehicles in it because i wanted the "A New Hope" feeling on the map.
I still like this map as it is.
It might sound selfish but i have done the maps the way i like it . If others like em too fine if not i don´t have a problem with that.
So i don´t think that i would be able to create maps the crowd likes but i don´t. This won´t work.

Post by **guru** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 2:10 pm

hands down in battle events, jabbas and cloud city are picked 99% by over 300 players in BW. And thats funny since there totally different maps, rends has a valid point of saying you never know what going to be a favorite but dont make the map just to be that. You have to like the ideas your putting into it , or no one else will.

Melrek_Krakan · Post by **Melrek_Krakan** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 1:44 am

Eye candy is good.

I like maps that make the obvious routs deadly and reward the sneaky and ingeneous player.

Astute · Post by **Astute** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 3:52 pm

Well, lots of comments to sift through lol. Hmm, well one of the reasons i asked is because i'm having a hard time developing a method in which to base my map off of. Example: Rhen Var Ice Gate was really simple, only reason i didn't like it is because it just didn't look right(Example: Gate), obviously because i was a less experienced mapper then. NCB boasts lots of different types of gameplay that all seems to meet in the middle, yet there a wide expanses you might have to walk if all the vehicles are taken. Overall, i've done mabye 5 maps, 2 of which listed above, and 3 which i never felt were fit for releasing (You know, perfectionist attitude).

Well, i said i was going to do some research, guess thats a start. I'm going to start simple, mabye pre-clone wars.

Fun... what makes a map fun?

Fun... what makes a map fun?

RE: Fun... what makes a map fun?

RE: Fun... what makes a map fun?

RE: Fun... what makes a map fun?