Now I know this is a touchy subject here...but I have to ask...what is it with people wanting EVERYTHING interlocked or geomerged?:frustrated: I understand when it directly affects gameplay (such as with a staircase, ramp, pieces that don't fit exactly with the plan/map), but it seems everytime a map that doesn't extensively use it everywhere is posted, someone comes along and says something like "Needs more interlocking" or "What? No geomerging?" (Not only here, but in many Forge groups.) I ask this "Why?" If the map isn't crippled by lack of interlocking, and doesn't look like a shambling wreck, why must everything be interlocked? Why must there be a goemerge somewhere? Two double blocks resting flat against each other causes no problems-the tiny crack doesn't actually cause issues unless the blocks aren't actually flat against each other. Further, interlocking everything can actually cause culmilative issues when you consider it. More so in maps that use the objects themselves as objects of measure (more so in Foundry, but in Sandbox some of the objects don't fit nicely into the grid squares..and some of the geometry in the Crypt isn't equal)- constantly interlocking everything, even a little bit at a time, can cause you to come up several feet short at the end of the project, even whole items. Yet it seems that as soon someone spots something not interlocked, their little hamster trips and falls out of its wheel, and their brain starts a mental breakdown that ends with cute fuzzy creatures on fire and fields of flowers turning grey and dying. I can see calling something ugly or bad, if you know, it actually looks bad or doesn't work. But calling something "cubey" when the provided building materials are squares, rectangles and triangles seems a bit odd. A map can look professional and well done without having make sure everything piece doesn't have a single visible break in it. Or maybe there is some sacred Forge law I'm not aware of?
I don't think that every map needs interlocking. Today, I went to my cousins house, and he has Halo 3. He doesn't even know what interlocking or geo-merging is! His maps are so ****ing good. He is a master forger. Those guys that are saying: "Needs more interlocking" just think that interlocking is part of the game. It's a glitch, guys!!!
Most of the time when people complain about the lack of interlocking or geomerging they have a decent reason for it. Often interlocking and geomerging would really help the map in terms of gameplay. sometimes when people say the map needs more interlocking they may not be going by the way the pictures look. Sometimes there will be a bump in the maps geometry that would affect gameplay seriously. Considering 75% of the people probably haven't played the map before they post their comment. Going by pictures the member would be looking for how well the map looks. If the lack of interlocking affects the way the map looks in a bad way then they would obviously mention it in their post. Point being that when somebody posts a comment saying that the map needs more interlocking or geomerging it does not always mean they are going by pictures. So you don't need to report their post for a bad review. No, interlocking is not majorly necessary in maps but it doesn't hurt to guickly interlock the floors and walls toghether. In MLG maps geomerging and interlocking is almost necessary in our current world. Grenades and equiptment can slip through the cracks between boxes. If you want any chance of getting your map in MM you need both interlocking and geomerging. However, in infection maps it is not as nessasary. For the most part it all depends on your target audience. When looking for infection fans players are looking for a fun expirience. They don't mind it being super competitive or anything so interlocking is not as necessary. it wouldn't hurt to make some basic interlocks so that you get rid of any large, noticable bumps. Tell him about them sometimes. His maps may be good, but smooth floors and walls could make his good maps even better. ~ForgeGod117~
I know that it is necessary in areas, more so when the map is actively working against you (like in the map I'm working on, Shalestone, where the "floor" in the Skybubble absolutely refuses to allow me to place a couple wall pieces flat on the floor). However, when it gets spammed seemingly in every map submission, I would tend to think someone is just trying to be annoying. And now I have the perfect example of this. After finishing Shalestone, I went through and tested every random crack and hole I could find, and indeed some cracks did allow grenades through. However, it is impossible to fix the map by interlocking it, because interlocking it as often as in would need would cause major gaps to form, and the map can't have any more objects placed on it.....thus I have to deal with an imperfect map, or no map at all.