Project 'RIFT'

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  • Donator
    Member
    • Jul 2004
    • 457

    Project 'RIFT'

    While doing some mapping concept tests with the BarrensArchitecture sets there was this weird little idea floating around in my head recently...

    A) The concept of a completely non-linear campaign. The lobby map is star shaped around your dropzone or the first map, allowing for playing the maps in any order, finally unlocking a boss map once all maps have been played.

    B) The idea of truly not-human-made looking environments, or at least a map style that completely differs from the usual swarm maps.

    C) Combination of A and B through a stargate-like story arc. Either deep space archaeologists discover some ancient facility, some experiment goes wrong, a new kind of teleporter was developed, blah blah, go pick your cliché. SynTek and Telic butt in to get the thingy into their greedy claws, maybe they send scout teams through the portal, one side releases xenomorph specimen during the fight, calamities and bloodshed everywhere, aliens accidentally run into the gate and are spread out across half the galaxy. The brave marines now need to follow them to other planets, check out the situation, bring back the lost scout teams and attempt to contain the mess if at all possible.

    D) The non-linearity would allow for this to be used as a basis for a kind of community mapping project/contest. People's maps would only need to follow a set number of simple rules, like beginning and ending in the same room (the 'gate'), alien planet /facility like appearance, shortness (say, ~5-8MB, god-rush possible in under 2 minutes), simple objectives (find and fetch something, kill all aliens/eggs, rescue someone, find out where you are, blow the entire place sky high with a nuke, defend the gate for x minutes...) and a fulfillment of a certain minimum of polish and playability.

    Your opinions please.
  • reemulmyu
    Member
    • Jul 2004
    • 587

    #2
    yep i will try it sounds good to me,or maybe each map was on a different planet
    also known as mega ,On the internet, everyone can hear you scream - it's just that no-one cares.except moses{also been known to use rapidfire}was also here before fuzzy and moses

    Comment

    • Baz
      Member
      • Jan 2005
      • 3094

      #3
      Could also have it so certain items picked up in one map could be used to unlock another.
      ..it's safer here.

      Comment

      • sofos
        Member
        • Mar 2006
        • 161

        #4
        Originally posted by Donator View Post
        While doing some mapping concept tests with the BarrensArchitecture sets there was this weird little idea floating around in my head recently...


        C) Combination of A and B through a stargate-like story arc. Either deep space archaeologists discover some ancient facility, some experiment goes wrong, a new kind of teleporter was developed, blah blah, go pick your cliché.
        ROFL I know a map, that currently is in internal alpha and I helped a bit to create, that has stargate with RANDOM teleporters. So each time you play one of them gets activated and guess what happens... So far there are two different endings, to keep things as simple as possible. The story (some part of it is still written) is exactly that there are stargates and another squad got lost somewhere and you have to save them, but they all died etc...
        Actually having a map with different endings, (you don't have an option like in Ort-5, luck decides for you) is easy to create and adds to the playability, although somehow it has to be explained from the story.
        Originally posted by Donator View Post

        D) The non-linearity would allow for this to be used as a basis for a kind of community mapping project/contest. People's maps would only need to follow a set number of simple rules, like beginning and ending in the same room (the 'gate'), alien planet /facility like appearance, shortness (say, ~5-8MB, god-rush possible in under 2 minutes), simple objectives (find and fetch something, kill all aliens/eggs, rescue someone, find out where you are, blow the entire place sky high with a nuke, defend the gate for x minutes...) and a fulfillment of a certain minimum of polish and playability.
        The other days I created an AOL-xxx map and a lobby for a custom campaign and I added maps like Meltdown, Retreat, BugPlanet, Dansel etc. So after all the work was done, and it was VERY tough to make it look nice, I played it and I was like: so now I have to write descriptions to explain why these maps are together or why on earth nobody adds a debrief to his maps etc
        Anyway having a "standard" of textures and meshes etc looks promising and you don't need the same person, or even a small team to map, anybody can add to the Custom Camp as long as the map is linked the others.
        Antikythera mechanism
        KISSSSSS

        Comment

        • Fuzzy Bunny
          Member
          • Sep 2004
          • 4006

          #5
          Originally posted by Donator View Post
          A) The concept of a completely non-linear campaign. The lobby map is star shaped around your dropzone or the first map, allowing for playing the maps in any order, finally unlocking a boss map once all maps have been played.
          I had a similar idea awhile back. Instead of a star shaped campaign lobby map I had the idea of multiple exits/endings in a single map that resulted in different starting points or areas for the next area. I like the idea of a non linear campaign, and a community mapping project sounds like fun.

          Since the idea is for less than normal landscapes, perhaps you should recruit Moses for this project
          Based on a true story.
          The prequel.

          Comment

          • reemulmyu
            Member
            • Jul 2004
            • 587

            #6
            same here once discussed how feasable was it to have the same start place but choose different lift to next map i think it was uarch i was talking to about it i had forgotten
            also known as mega ,On the internet, everyone can hear you scream - it's just that no-one cares.except moses{also been known to use rapidfire}was also here before fuzzy and moses

            Comment

            • Moses2k
              Member
              • Oct 2004
              • 5674

              #7
              Originally posted by Donator View Post
              ...simple objectives (find and fetch something, kill all aliens/eggs, rescue someone, find out where you are...
              We were on Earth all along! Damn dirty apes! You've finally made an ape out of me!

              Comment

              • NoData
                Member
                • Mar 2005
                • 889

                #8
                The star shaped lobby is a good idea.

                About a new campaign now! I was about to add a new thread called "1 (or 2) week mapping contest". Fuzzy give me that idea caus i started a new map last sunday, and i wanted it to be release fast as i can. 1 week was the limit, but i dont think its gonna be possible anymore. The project turn into something more serious actually. But why put a limit of time? Well, i realise that i have like 3-4 uncomplete maps, all with a different design and concept, but i usualy dunno where to stop, so those maps become so huge that i dont finish them! Sulfure was the best example, 500 damn hours of work... I really dont plan to do a big map this time. Its gonna be a small/mid one. The actual creation is at 30-40%.

                So I think i could add my map to a community campaign. But i smell few problems comming... What if a map suck bad? Or if that map have a damn ugly design? How did we will decide if a map is in or not? A poll for each could be a great thing (hide vote)! Plus a new project like this could stimulate some ppls to finish their beta maps (theres many actually, some listed in the Complete Map List thread, but many others are not show cause the authors requested me to not put them). Many of those are made with good taste, the quality is at the rendez-vous! *Ding ding Ki!ler-MK1, Lightfoot, ect*

                To stimulate the mapping effort and makes your small mappers brains overheat, heres a screenshot that show mostly nothing!

                UnknowMap.JPG

                PS: Im in Don!
                My AS2K4 map: Sulfure-SE
                And a fixed one: BehemothTournament-TE2

                Comment

                • lightfoot
                  Member
                  • Oct 2005
                  • 576

                  #9
                  I will sure be in, if I may, and if there is story ideas that kick me.

                  I thought about a 'map of the week' contest once, too.

                  Though I must admit I have a problem with finishing things.

                  So maybe it is especially nice if the projected maps are small and simple. The first rush could carry it over the line then.


                  About the teleporter thing: it would need a nice 'explanation'. I felt a little bad when I used the teleporters in my (unfinished) map, 'cos they just seem too high-tech for me, to fit into AS.


                  Game-wise, teleporters can do mighty things: I read that it is even possible to teleport betweem maps, in principle. You can do impossible map layouts with them, and maybe there is a way to make the players teleport without them even noticing.


                  I really like the idea of non-linearity. Inside the map there is something that can be done with the telic random actors I guess, I didn't really explore that up to now.

                  And some non-linearity at the lobby would be nice, too. Could there be a way to re-play a map that is already beaten?
                  Or maybe an effect even better can be done with another, but very similar map that just has changed a bit 'in the meantime' but appears to be the same place.
                  Last edited by lightfoot; 26 Apr 2007, 09:16 PM.

                  Comment

                  • Fuzzy Bunny
                    Member
                    • Sep 2004
                    • 4006

                    #10
                    Originally posted by lightfoot View Post
                    maybe there is a way to make the players teleport without them even noticing.
                    It was possible in the first UT, if you've got that on your HD take a peak at DM-Fractal. The hole you fall through in the floor actually loops back up to the ceiling and drops you into the electricity up there.
                    Based on a true story.
                    The prequel.

                    Comment

                    • Nurbs
                      New Member
                      • Mar 2007
                      • 12

                      #11
                      Sounds like a good project!

                      Originally posted by Fuzzy Bunny View Post
                      I had the idea of multiple exits/endings in a single map that resulted in different starting points or areas for the next area.
                      This idea i like.
                      Subdivisions, ya...i got that.

                      Comment

                      • Ki!ler-Mk1
                        Member
                        • Apr 2005
                        • 2014

                        #12
                        Will there be a snow map at last, then the marines can wear giant bulky "keep-warm" suits instead of helmets and air.

                        The arc off doom, springs to mind, or that thing in HHGTTG
                        Alien Swarm Map List

                        Comment

                        • Fuzzy Bunny
                          Member
                          • Sep 2004
                          • 4006

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Ki!ler-Mk1 View Post
                          Will there be a snow map at last, then the marines can wear giant bulky "keep-warm" suits instead of helmets and air.
                          Perhaps you'd like to make one as a contribution?
                          Based on a true story.
                          The prequel.

                          Comment

                          • NoData
                            Member
                            • Mar 2005
                            • 889

                            #14
                            He did already one with snow.
                            My AS2K4 map: Sulfure-SE
                            And a fixed one: BehemothTournament-TE2

                            Comment

                            • Donator
                              Member
                              • Jul 2004
                              • 457

                              #15
                              I must say, I am almost surprised by the prompt and positive responses. Reckon we should start working out he rules and details then so people can start putting all their enthusiasm to some good use. For the sake of consistency, you should prolly leave the 'entrance' room in your maps empty for now, the 'gate' will be provided, so we don't end up with a dozen different stargate meshes and emitters.

                              Of course, if you think you already have THE ultimate gate of gates solution... feel free to send it over for survey.

                              Comment

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