• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

FPS Map Design: 1993 vs 2010

Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
BITmX.jpg
 
That was a Doom 1 map, isn't it. It looks really familiar, and I used to make my own Doom 2 maps (like Temple, which I still am proud of).
 
Nothing will ever top Q1DM6, DM3, and DM4 from the original quake. They were virtually perfect in every way.
 
PJABBER said:
I wish I could figure out which map is the one on the right.

:hmm:
Click to expand...

That's what I wanna know. The point of the comparison seems to be that some 2010 FPS has awful level design... but which game is that? I don't think I've actually played any 2010 FPSs. The newset FPS I have is Borderlands (2009).

The newest FPS out is Black Ops right? Is that a level from Black Ops?
 
GaryJohnson said:
That's what I wanna know. The point of the comparison seems to be that some 2010 FPS has awful level design... but which game is that? I don't think I've actually played any 2010 FPSs. The newset FPS I have is Borderlands (2009).

The newest FPS out is Black Ops right? Is that a level from Black Ops?
Click to expand...

I'm just guessing, but it seems like the one on the right is an open world kind of map where borders and boundary exist as cut scenes. You don't know you can't go any further till you run into an invisible wall.

What's interesting to me is the one on the left is all but extinct as far as I can recall. The last time I played a real map like that was TF2 and even that has some cut scene boundary. I can't remember playing a dungeon type map since I last played Quake 3.
 
@paperfist
I think you're thinking that a cutscene is an invisible barrier:

wikipedia said:
A cutscene is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no or only limited control, breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot, present character development, and provide background information, atmosphere, dialogue and clues. Cutscenes can either be animated or use live action footage.

Cutscenes are sometimes also referred to by other terms such as cinematics or in-game movies. Cutscenes that are streamed from a video file are sometimes also referred to as full motion video or FMV.
Click to expand...
 
paperfist said:
I'm just guessing, but it seems like the one on the right is an open world kind of map where borders and boundary exist as cut scenes. You don't know you can't go any further till you run into an invisible wall.

What's interesting to me is the one on the left is all but extinct as far as I can recall. The last time I played a real map like that was TF2 and even that has some cut scene boundary. I can't remember playing a dungeon type map since I last played Quake 3.
Click to expand...

Bioshock and Bioshock2?
 
GaryJohnson said:
That's what I wanna know. The point of the comparison seems to be that some 2010 FPS has awful level design... but which game is that? I don't think I've actually played any 2010 FPSs. The newset FPS I have is Borderlands (2009).

The newest FPS out is Black Ops right? Is that a level from Black Ops?
Click to expand...

The "map" on the right isn't from any specific FPS, but it's certainly a caricature of the single player design that has become popular in FPS games as of late.

Take the COD series for example. It's essentially a purely cinematic game would be nearly on rails if you didn't have the freedom to move around. While the maps look large, they're really small corridors that you must go down. There's little ability to use strategy and flank enemies in single player, most of it's designed for you to go down a specific path and experience it as the developer intended.

And that's fine. There's room for that type of FPS, and certainly many people enjoy it (as do I). It's just that a lot of people still pine for the FPS that requires you to do a little problem solving to advance to then end of the map instead of just following each checkpoint (see Half-Life, Duke Nukem 3D, Unreal, etc).
 
GaryJohnson said:
@paperfist
I think you're thinking that a cutscene is an invisible barrier:
Click to expand...

Nah, I know what I cut scene is, to my mind though it was the best explanation for what the map on the right represents. Basically if you took a screen shot of a cut scene you could get the same effect of what they are showing. Otherwise I have no idea what they mean 🙂
 
paperfist said:
Nah, I know what I cut scene is, to my mind though it was the best explanation for what the map on the right represents. Basically if you took a screen shot of a cut scene you could get the same effect of what they are showing. Otherwise I have no idea what they mean 🙂
Click to expand...

it's showing that instead of having an open level to roam around, instead most current FPS games will instead have you run through a VERY small environment until you reach a point where the game forces you into a cutscene... and then when the cutscene ends the player is in an all new very small environment.


rather than exploring a level at the player's own pace... a player is forced into a linear series of disconnected environments.
 
thujone said:
it's showing that instead of having an open level to roam around, instead most current FPS games will instead have you run through a VERY small environment until you reach a point where the game forces you into a cutscene... and then when the cutscene ends the player is in an all new very small environment.


rather than exploring a level at the player's own pace... a player is forced into a linear series of disconnected environments.
Click to expand...

Dead Space was like that. It was still a good game I thought, but I was constantly wondering: "Why don't they just let me wander all over the ship?" ala System Shock 2.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top