I make a lot of small maps, generally 2 to 4 players. I've gotten down the idea of making the map action-packed, but well-balanced so that playing with so few people maintains the necessary level of intensity and competition. Most of the games I play on my maps with my roommate come down to the very last kill. The only problem I keep having with these maps is setting spawn points. With such limited space and only 2 or 3 different areas on a map, setting up spawn points so that people don't spawn on top of each other is a real chore. You want to have enough respawn points so that you don't keep spawning in the same place, but there just isn't enough space to keep respawns separate. I dont know how many times I've been testing out a map, only to find that when two or more people die at the same time, they spawn right next to each other and one invariably gets the jump on the other before they've had time to react. Does anyone have any good tips for setting balanced respawn points on small maps that don't result in these unfortunate situations? It's the only thing holding me back from publishing at least 2 of my maps, if not more.
I guess you can try to only have one spawn point at one place while another one is lets say like 40 feet away in the game in another place, so they spawn at the same time but at different areas if they die at the same time. for example: __ = spawn, :squirrel_blush: is player, one person spawns here __ :squirrel_blush: (while the other spawns farther away here)__ :squirrel_blush: Just an Idea that you can test out
I think you can use spawn areas to prioritize spawns so you don't spawn next to somebody. Then again, why do a double kill and then get shot before my shields recharge in Team Doubles?
I've heard that it doesn't make a difference, but since you have so little spawn points you might want to try changing them from the Neutral setting. My wife and I play a lot with a couple of our other married friends, and I make a bunch of smaller maps for us to play on, and there are a few occasions where I'll spawn right next to someone who's headed straight for me. You could also make a custom Slayer setting where you have a couple of seconds of invulnerability in case you do spawn close together.
The respawn traits might be your last resort. Maybe active camo and invulnerable for one second after respawn. My last small mad had about 5 neutral respawn areas placed around the map so players would respawn in lots of different areas. Without the respawn areas, they would always spawn in one of two corners, depending on where the enemy was. Respawn AreasNo Respawn Areas You respawn in lots of different spots.You only respawn in one or two different spots. You might respawn near an enemy.You'll spawn far from enemies, but in predictable spots. I prefer the respawn areas. It's more unpredictable.
As stated above, use the advanced respawn options. It will help. Give players 3 seconds of invulnerability and high speed, and then your problem should be minor. Respawn areas seem to work well too.
I think I'll give the respawn areas a try. I wasn't really sure how those worked, so I was wary about using them. The particular map I'm having trouble with right now has a lot of tight hallways and a kind of pit in the middle that you have to climb out of using stairs and a walkway that spirals around the interior of the map. There's active camo and a sword at the bottom, and it's a lot of fun trying to fight your way back up to the top of the map to find cover, but since I had such limited choices for respawn points, I had to put a few of them in the pit. It kind of sucks spawning down there after you've just been killed by the guy with the rocket launcher and he has 3 more rockets left... And AZN FTW, I'll add you to my friends list. My gamertag is also The Jon B.
Ok, so I've tried respawn areas on one of my small maps. I think it would actually work perfect because the map is nicely sectioned off into several rooms and a couple of back hallways. I setup a respawn area in each section of the map. I then set up starting points for slayer, and I did not put down any respawn points at all. Only respawn areas. I went into slayer to try out the respawn areas, and I found that I started on my starting points no problem, but everytime I died, I spawned completely outside my map in the default bungie respawn points. So why didn't my respawn areas work? Am I missing something here or is my game just being a pain in the ass?
Are you sure you deleted ALL of the other Stating Spawn points from the other gametypes? I've noticed that in Forge I've spawned where I know for a fact I placed a starting spawn for KOTH even though there's not one on the floor when Forge starts. You still need to have the respawn points. Bungie added 'emergency respawns' in case you forgot to put them in. From my understanding, the spawn areas are just a filter for where you spawn in relation to your enemy and you need the respawn points to focus that filter. I'm still kind of fuzzy on respawn areas, so there's a good possibility that I'm talking out of my ass. AZN, maybe you should hold a class. I'll sit up front and bring an apple.
As they said Jon, Respawn areas only alter traits of respawn points. You have to actually have respawns in each room. The reason for this is because you can select location of spawning with a respawn area, but you can't determine facing of spawning. That is why respawn areas only alter traits. Squidhands don't worry I'm working on a full-blown forging guide called "AZN's Tricks of the Trade". Basically half of it is tricks (basically all of the forging 101s, and then some secret tricks that I know), and the other half is tips (golden rules and ways to make things just a little bit better... theory and such... this is the section I will cover spawn control). I have just finished the floating objects section of Forge Tricks, it will be a bit before I get to Forge Tips.
So...I need respawn points too. Ok then. I guess I'm still a little confused. In what way do respawn areas alter respawn traits? For some reason I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around this.