67 replies to this topic

[Snailio]

From the Dev Q&A 36...

Quote

Splinters: What is a reasonable expectation of the number of maps (w/ or w/out variations) that will be available at the launch of CW?
A: 8 + variations.

The Inner Sphere is a region of interstellar space surrounding Earth to a radius of roughly 450 - 550 light-years, generally demarcated by the outer borders of the Great Houses." Within this region of about 2 million stars, there are approximately 2000 inhabited planets.

If community warfare is to be fought over the Inner Sphere, how is it reasonable to only have 8 unique maps to represent 2000 planets? Seems pretty underwhelming

Edited by Snailio, 21 April 2013 - 01:10 PM.

[Merky Merc]

Is it not a scifi trope to have planets with 1 ecosystem? If so we're set.

Volcano planet, ice planet, city planet, foresty beach planet (?), desert planet, we need jungle and swamp planets to really round this out. Though they could combine those two into.... Mangrove Planet.

[Team Leader]

Better get on that community map maker tool and moderated approval system, PGI

[AlexEss]

Now i do not know about you... but 8 maps + variants make 16 maps... that is a good enough start for me. Especially as people already goes to rather extreme lengths to cherry-pick their maps.

I am sure we will see more maps as time goes on.

[Team Leader]

Merky Merc, on 21 April 2013 - 01:09 PM, said:

Is it not a scifi trope to have planets with 1 ecosystem? If so we're set.

Volcano planet, ice planet, city planet, foresty beach planet (?), desert planet, we need jungle and swamp planets to really round this out. Though they could combine those two into.... Mangrove Planet.

We also need cave planet and mushroom planet! Then all the possible environments knows to human kind will be totally complete and we will never have to make another map again!

[AlexEss]

So.... I am curious... Given the size constraints we have now on maps... How many maps did you lot think they were going to start with..? And how do you suggest they make them diverse enough that they just do not get written off as a copy/paste job?

[Merky Merc]

Team Leader, on 21 April 2013 - 01:11 PM, said:

We also need cave planet and mushroom planet! Then all the possible environments knows to human kind will be totally complete and we will never have to make another map again!

You're on to something there! We should probably also throw in an asteroid or moon map, to play it safe.

[Yokaiko]

To be fair they are actually accellerating.

We had River Sh!tty for a LONG time as the "new map" and before that Caustic was the new map for 4 months.

[Snailio]

AlexEss, on 21 April 2013 - 01:10 PM, said:

Now i do not know about you... but 8 maps + variants make 16 maps... that is a good enough start for me. Especially as people already goes to rather extreme lengths to cherry-pick their maps.

I am sure we will see more maps as time goes on.

Variants are not unique maps, they are simply "day/night/seasonal" changes, to an already premade map. To only have 8 unique maps to represent 2000 planets is ridiculous.

[Merky Merc]

Snailio, on 21 April 2013 - 01:13 PM, said:

To only have 8 unique maps to represent 2000 planets is ridiculous.

No because, bad scifi?

We could also have random *** drops on occasion to simulate planet-with-electromagnetic-interference!! Imagine the thrill of hot dropping onto a planet only to start a match with your rear armor directly facing an enemy AC40 Jagger!

[Roadbeer]

Oh noes... only 16+ maps.

Seems pretty good, I've been in 'AAA' titles that had fewer 'zones' at launch

[Snailio]

AlexEss, on 21 April 2013 - 01:13 PM, said:

So.... I am curious... Given the size constraints we have now on maps... How many maps did you lot think they were going to start with..? And how do you suggest they make them diverse enough that they just do not get written off as a copy/paste job?

With the rate of progress, I did not expect more. But that does not negate the fact that they should have had more. Why do you give them a free pass on the lack of map offerings? There are other options they could have chosen in development to generate maps much quicker. 8 to represent 2000 planets is ludicrous

Roadbeer, on 21 April 2013 - 01:15 PM, said:

Oh noes... only 16+ maps.

Seems pretty good, I've been in 'AAA' titles that had fewer 'zones' at launch

So 8 unique maps representing 2000 planets is good enough for you? That is 0.4%

[AlexEss]

Snailio, on 21 April 2013 - 01:13 PM, said:

Variants are not unique maps, they are simply "day/night/seasonal" changes, to an already premade map. To only have 8 unique maps to represent 2000 planets is ridiculous.

Did i say there were unique maps... No i did not.. i said MAPS... as in a simple count of how many we would have in total.

[Oderint dum Metuant]

Snailio, on 21 April 2013 - 01:13 PM, said:

Variants are not unique maps, they are simply "day/night/seasonal" changes, to an already premade map. To only have 8 unique maps to represent 2000 planets is ridiculous.

Yes, Yes it is, however given the amount of time to create an in depth full working map (and you can see they rushed Alpine and Tourmaline in several places) it was expected.
Community based maps would be the way to go, however that in itself presents it's own problem, they would have to be vetted and reach a certain criteria standard before being included.

Given how long it takes to produce maps currently, do we really want PGI to be bogged down with validating badly designed maps and then editing them into something workable?

When you think about it, for WoT Clan Wars the number of maps at start was similar and they added more later on.
League of Legends plays over 1 map that does not even dynamically change for variety

Edited by DV McKenna, 21 April 2013 - 01:20 PM.

[Snailio]

AlexEss, on 21 April 2013 - 01:17 PM, said:

Did i say there were unique maps... No i did not.. i said MAPS... as in a simple count of how many we would have in total.

I was simply pointing out that the difference between a variant and an actual map. Simply changing a map to night time is not representative of a unique area or planet

[Merky Merc]

Snailio, on 21 April 2013 - 01:19 PM, said:

I was simply pointing out that the difference between a variant and an actual map. Simply changing a map to night time is not representative of a unique area or planet

The Pitch Black planets would like to disagree.

[Snailio]

DV McKenna, on 21 April 2013 - 01:18 PM, said:

Yes, Yes it is, however given the amount of time to create an in depth full working map (and you can see they rushed Alpine and Tourmaline in several places) it was expected.
Community based maps would be the way to go, however that in itself presents it's own problem, they would have to be vetted and reach a certain criteria standard before being included.

Given how long it takes to produce maps currently, do we really want PGI to be bogged down with validating badly designed maps and then editing them into something workable?

Preferably not, as they have already shown their incompetence in the QA department.

[AlexEss]

Snailio, on 21 April 2013 - 01:19 PM, said:

I was simply pointing out that the difference between a variant and an actual map. Simply changing a map to night time is not representative of a unique area or planet

Well... As i know i can not change your mind... You are dead set on this course.. I will not even bother to try. I feel 16 maps (Just to make it clear... not talking about unique versions... just maps) is enough to launch the game on. It will do a good job of offering variety until we see new maps down the line.

[Taemien]

If I remember correctly MW4 only started with 8 maps (more were added in Black Knight, and I think Mercs reused them along with more maps). Basically Innercity, Bigcity, Central Park, a Desert Map, Lunacy, a Snow Map, a mountain map, and like one other.

The planetary leagues didn't suffer because of this. MPBT3025 didn't have a large amount of maps either. So I think it will be fine.

[Tennex]

canyons > volcano > islands > astroids.

so we'll have canyons and volcano at least before launch

Edited by Tennex, 21 April 2013 - 01:29 PM.