So I made up some grout and laid my tiles... Geometry is more or less complete, just going through colour schemes and spawns and lighting now. Test drive tomorrow night with any luck!
Here's a slightly random discussion topic--one which I've been kinda mulling over as of late with the trend of people (me included) using round pieces--is the difference in gameplay a 90 degree corner, a 45 degree corner, and a rounded corner offers for engagements. How each type of corner affects aggressive and defensive plays, and how they can make a playspace that encourages types of playstyles or dictate flow of a map. For example, its more difficult to rush a room that has a 90 degree corner, because upon entering you have to immediately swivel 90 degrees to see if anyone is in the corner. A rounded corner gives the player a more natural and gradual LOS when entering to check for opponents. With this in mind rooms could be empowered or nerfed with different types of corners. LOS can be created or blocked, CQC shenanigans can be encouraged or discouraged, etc As a general rule forgers are encouraged to use 45 degree corners and not 90, but I think this rule has many scenarios where it can and should be broken. This is probably level desgin 101 to many of you, but I think it's interesting to think about nonetheless
To simplify the history of forge maps in MLG we have: Midship The Pit Sanctuary Lockout Warlock Dispatch Android Oasis Lotus Station 9
It's definitely situational. There are a number of factors that play into it. For me, the weapon set and placements play a big role. I personally try to design geometry to work against the optimal circumstances for each weapon. In other words, if I have a Sword or Shotgun on the map, I know those weapons are going to be most lethal in tight quartered areas with sharp angles, nooks and crannies, etc. I will design my geometry so that these areas either don't exist, or are combined with other qualities that counteract them (may have area that has tight corners, but is also opened up to lines of sight that would allow an opposing team to take advantage of a player that tries to camp there). Of course, other people take the opposite approach and have the map layout/geometry complement the weapon set (Close quarter weapons combined with close quarters geometry, or long and open sight lines combined with long range weapon sets). It can work like that too. I just don't personally enjoy it. Another important factor in 45 vs 90 degree angles is grenades. If I have an entrance leading to a potentially campable area, I'll be much more likely to have a 45 degree angle built into it just because it gives the approaching player an opportunity to bounce grenades off the 45 degree wall and through the entrance. 90 angles don't allow that. So yeah, there's a lot to thing about with angles of approach. There are pros and cons to each.
Midship. It's less me criticizing the designs of the forgers, and more calling out the inability for the pro community to progress. Nexus was two base, two tower, top mid connecting the towers, etc. It did things to change the design a bit, but it still used the Midship formula.
Wasn't it spelled Nexuiz? Or am I confusing the game with the map? Anyway it was a pretty basic 2B2T design, but it had some unique spawning aspects that require a slightly different set up then most 2B2T maps, which i think helped make it so popular. Plus for the time that it came out, it was really nice to look at.
Yeah, you're thinking of that arena shooter that came out in the arcade. I always wished it had gotten more popularity.