23 replies to this topic

[PhDGreg]

It's been mentioned by others already, but I was poking around in the game files and figured I may as well document some details of the Tourmaline Desert map.

Overview image: http://puu.sh/25BCX

For those who haven't heard of it before, it's an unreleased/unfinished map for which there are numerous files for in the game files. Here are the (hopefully correct) details I uncovered:

• The map seems to be quite large - not quite as large as Alpine Peaks, but bigger than the other maps.
  
• It has a "crystal desert" theme, featuring kyanite crystal formations and rocks.
  
• It has some mechanical debris, including destroyed mechs (Catapult, Hunchback, Raven).
  
• It has an Overlord dropship - likely to be damaged/derelict.
  
• Other than that, it seems to be devoid of other man made structures

Seeing as most of the map files have been modified between late 2012 and earlier this month, it's very likely that this will be the next map.

[Redshift2k5]

We already knew Desert was going to be next (in fact Desert was initially scheduled for this month but then swapped for alpine)

[Dr Killinger]

This really excites me! The crystal theme will be so different from the other maps, can't wait!

[Cattra Kell]

Bryan and the rest of the dev team confirmed that the next map is Desert - with Volcano, Canyons, and Moonscape coming after. That being said, the idea of the crystal desert theme could be neat, would be really different and I could get behind that.

Edited by Cattra Kell, 20 February 2013 - 08:12 AM.

[Bloodsport]

some interesting details, i wonder how big that dropship is as according to the wiki its heigh is 130m

[Sears]

Cattra beat me to it.

Bryan Ekman, on 08 February 2013 - 11:55 AM, said:

Dagger6T6 - We have heard of the next maps coming in like the Alpine and the Desert... Can you tell us even the slightest detail of what locations we might see after that? Swamp, Jungle?... or something exotic like Asteroid, Cave, Garth's boudoir.
A: Volcano, Canyons, and Moonscape are up next after Alpine and Desert. This gives us a full suite of art assets to play with and create dozens of combinations

Be cool once they have the assets as presumably map creation will be quicker. Also I hope with the volcano there will be some environmental hazards.

[Gristle]

Bloodsport, on 20 February 2013 - 08:11 AM, said:

some interesting details, i wonder how big that dropship is as according to the wiki its heigh is 130m

Should be huge!


Cargo

• Cargo: 50 tons
  
• Bay 1: 36 Mechs - 6 Doors
  
• Bay 2: Cargo - 1 Door
  
• Bay 3: 6 Fighters - 2 Doors

[Roughneck45]

Mo maps mo betta'

I just wish that on the release day of the map that that's all we would play on. 35 matches and only one on alpine

[PhDGreg]

Figured it had been announced already, but hopefully the details are roughly accurate... The Overlord was the aspect I was least certain about. The files borrow assets from a few places, so it's hard to get a good idea of it.

[Tennex]

cant wait to see that dropship

Sears, on 20 February 2013 - 08:18 AM, said:

Cattra beat me to it.



Be cool once they have the assets as presumably map creation will be quicker. Also I hope with the volcano there will be some environmental hazards.

they are already reusing some assets in the alpine map for example most of the buildings are reused assets. Alpine looks a bit sparse right now, hopefully they will actually add alpine specific assets. or at least ones that fit it better, instead of just being snow sprinkled versions of assets from other maps.

Edited by Tennex, 20 February 2013 - 08:42 AM.

[Morgana]

The terrain of outward planetary surfaces is open to endless possibilites. I am so looking forward to getting on a map that exudes that extra-terrestrial feel. Having been playing this game in windowed mode, I often get the red sky on Frozen City Night, and I absolutely love it! Not only can they "play" with different surface textures, but different colored atmospheres would be awesome to say the least! Then add add to that, different gravitational fields, and the feel of being on a different planet will be complete.

[PhDGreg]

Morgana, on 20 February 2013 - 09:55 AM, said:

Then add add to that, different gravitational fields, and the feel of being on a different planet will be complete.

Different gravity wouldn't have too much of an impact for heavier mechs and ones that aren't JJ equipped, although it could influence ballistics... Still, it would be worth it for one simple reason: Watching Spiders accidentally fly out of bounds.

[Davers]

Does it have a tunnel or cave?

[Asmudius Heng]

They also mentioned somewhere that once they have done a map of each kind of environment they have the art assets to make more variations on this theme much faster.

This gives me hope that there will be many variations on the theme over time as well leading a huge variety of maps - and hopefully this will mean a great variety when planetary assaults happen so you might be on a similar environment but a bunch of different maps within this.

[Hawkeye 72]

Careful or Comstars secret police might be after you soon!

Great find and it has me excited. Instantly reminded me of MW2:Mercs during the battle of New Prospernia where all the crystals had radar signatures. Also 31st CC had a map where you searched for a crashed dropship in a crystal desert.

Careful or Comstars secret police might be after you soon!

Great find and it has me excited. Instantly reminded me of MW2:Mercs during the battle of New Prospernia where all the crystals had radar signatures. Also 31st CC had a map where you searched for a crashed dropship in a crystal desert.

[Skye Storm]

AH MA GAWD YA ARE A GAWD!!!
Cool find mate.
Not sure about anyone else but my spider is definitely going to jj up to the top of the overlord.

[Tarman]

Tennex, on 20 February 2013 - 08:41 AM, said:

cant wait to see that dropship



they are already reusing some assets in the alpine map for example most of the buildings are reused assets. Alpine looks a bit sparse right now, hopefully they will actually add alpine specific assets. or at least ones that fit it better, instead of just being snow sprinkled versions of assets from other maps.

They've done some nice clutter passes on the previous maps, adding more details here and there. I imagine this one will get the same treatment at some point.

[PhDGreg]

Tennex, on 20 February 2013 - 08:41 AM, said:

they are already reusing some assets in the alpine map for example most of the buildings are reused assets. Alpine looks a bit sparse right now, hopefully they will actually add alpine specific assets. or at least ones that fit it better, instead of just being snow sprinkled versions of assets from other maps.

I haven't had a chance to play since the latest patch, but I did notice assets for a Snowcat (a snowdoser) in the Alpine Peak files, so there's at least one new thing tucked away somewhere

[Applecrow]

I hope it has sandworms!

[LaserAngel]

Redshift2k5, on 20 February 2013 - 08:01 AM, said:

We already knew Desert was going to be next (in fact Desert was initially scheduled for this month but then swapped for alpine)

I remember Desert being on the roadmap at 95% since December. It was even supposedly targeted for the December 18th patch?

Cattra Kell, on 20 February 2013 - 08:11 AM, said:

Bryan and the rest of the dev team confirmed that the next map is Desert - with Volcano, Canyons, and Moonscape coming after. That being said, the idea of the crystal desert theme could be neat, would be really different and I could get behind that.

I noticed that this week's patches were just shy of 100 MB. I know we didn't get a lot of content but they are also talking about developing the map assets to get more maps out faster. Alpine might be an entirely new map and the Trebuchet too but it didn't really add to the game's size. The next few maps will just keep adding to that stockpile of map and mech assets.

Davers, on 20 February 2013 - 05:41 PM, said:

Does it have a tunnel or cave?

I was thinking about a highway or elevated railway.