27 replies to this topic

[Anjian]

Should remove map voting first. It makes you realize that the game has more maps than four.

[Yosharian]

Mechwarrior1441491, on 28 June 2018 - 08:59 PM, said:

That's how I identify gaming newbs, because Polar gets the worst rep in this game and it is the best map they have designed so far. It replicates actual fluid combat more than any other and would be at home in any self respecting tank simulator game. It isn't difficult to isolate which maps are "game" maps and which actually give a battlefield experience.

What is a "good" map in your opinion?

The transition from the old maps to their new versions was rough and it wasn't because of bad design, it's because we were used to, for the most part maps without any terrain in the way besides hills. We have trees, rocks all sorts of crap you'd expect on an actual battlefield. It means more maneuvering and more forethought put into your actions. This game is designed for thinking 5-10 steps ahead of what you are doing. If you aren't doing that, you are at the complete mercy of those who do.

Alpine is probably the least liked map on my list. I always thought that it could be improved if the giant mountain was hollowed out into a base, with passages leading out of a few exits. Would make threatening the position easier and harder to defend.

A good map is one that offers an advantage to players that use terrain effectively, make use of varying strategies in order to surprise the enemy, punishes players for not paying attention to the terrain around them... there are hundreds of things that go into making a good map, and it's beyond the scope of this thread to properly explore it.

Honestly, I'd settle for no stupid terrain hitboxes blocking my shots.

[Yosharian]

Davers, on 28 June 2018 - 08:13 PM, said:

LOL And you think a procedural map generator by PGI would be better? Even the Big Boys don't have a good one.

By PGI? Not really. Another company would probably have to do the hard work.

The bigger problem is that the engine doesn't support it because it's a piece of ****.

It's too late now for MWO.

[Eisenhorne]

KoalaBrownie, on 28 June 2018 - 04:03 PM, said:

How would this map not completely screw-over mechs with LRMs?

LRM's are already basically worthless on Solaris City, and of questionable use on River City, Crimson Strait, and HPG. Nobody should bring them to quick play anyway, they're far too situational, so having more maps in there to punish those that use them in this mode would be great.

[Vellron2005]

I agree with OP... more maps are needed..

And since two of the last maps we got are high-cover and anti-LRM, some nice open maps should be next..

My suggestions:

1) Farmlands

2) Sahara-style desert

3) Islands and sea

4) Ice and lava combination

5) Lunar surface style

6) Spaceship surface

Eisenhorne, on 28 June 2018 - 10:30 PM, said:

LRM's are already basically worthless on Solaris City, and of questionable use on River City, Crimson Strait, and HPG. Nobody should bring them to quick play anyway, they're far too situational, so having more maps in there to punish those that use them in this mode would be great.

Just cose' you don't like LRMs, doesn't mean that nobody should use them, and nobody should bring them to QP..

Your personal haterism is showing, please, stow it away.

Edited by Vellron2005, 28 June 2018 - 10:56 PM.

[Anjian]

Desert + Urban map.

Call it a Middle East Conflict map.

The title for this map is "Syria".

[Tom Sawyer]

Now go buy a mechpack!

[Koniving]

KoalaBrownie, on 28 June 2018 - 12:57 PM, said:

They're adding maps on a regular basis, I don't see why that trend is not going to continue.
I hadn't played for a year and there were two new maps in the mix since my absence.

Regular basis..

If we don't count Solaris maps, which are mostly really elaborate versions of the "test maps" we've had for a few years (surprisingly, meaning Solaris has been a 'thought' for a long time...), then we've had 3 new maps in 2 years. Four if you count faction play. There were some map reduxnigs, too, which I suppose does count in their favor.

But compared to the first two years, six maps (including the 'snow' version of forest colony) (possibly seven depending on when Terra Therma came out) and in the year after another five maps (including faction play) and the start of reduxed maps.

Interestingly when the mechs started pumping out like clockwork, the map production suffered heavily.
---Although the real reason map production took a hefty hit isn't actually the mechs but MW5: Mercs... (PGI's staff barely increased in size, less than a dozen positions as far as I could tell through sites such as linkedin and so on. Yet they expanded into a new game in development for what appears to be 3 to 4 years. Keep in mind that despite Transverse flopping, Brian's almost completely disappeared from MWO (despite having been its creative director).



When MW5: Mercs was revealed as a pre-alpha playable demo trailer in 2016, with absolutely amazing 'progress' since then, meaning that either PGI is amazingly fast at developing or its been in development for quite some time prior to that initial playable trailer, especially given the level of destruction.