UT2004 Level Design - Want Ideas

badgermonkey · 27 Feb 2007 at 12:58

Hey all,

I'm going to be starting work on designing a level in UT2004. I've come up with several thoughts, but no solid ideas, can anyone give me sugestions?

EDIT: A very open ended problem I know. I'm after potential ideas for setting perhaps, any strategic features you think would be cool to include etc. Basically a I'm brainstorming at the moment

Or does it have to be a "mind-web" or whatever?

Supercow · 27 Feb 2007 at 13:28

ooh oohh, can I help you test it?

edit: map has got to be "3 stories high" ... 3 levels in other words, not too big, not too small, something between Rankin and Campgrounds

Supercow · 27 Feb 2007 at 13:33

No kitchens or stupid spacey crap, no one will play on it.

R3DBuLL · 27 Feb 2007 at 13:42

UT versions of some of the quake 3 maps???

Unless it's already been done

platypus · 27 Feb 2007 at 14:19

A parking garage based on 6 levels, but 3 levels with the other 3 at half intervals, so you can shoot between them. Elevators, stair cases, and open ended floors so you can jump off and under.

The low grav map on UT was my favourite, based around 3 structures over a road.

Alex_6n2 · 27 Feb 2007 at 14:48

^ He means Morpheus? There's a 2k4 version of that.

It's quite hard imo to do a map which is really good unless you spend a lot of time play testing.

Before you make it look pretty get the layout and weapon spawns right.

It needs to be 3 dimensional, single plane maps are very boring. You could possibly do something based on Antalus? That's the only decent pure outdoors map I can think of.

Indy500 · 27 Feb 2007 at 14:53

Parking garage idea sounds good to me. Perhaps use the Max Payne level (B.B.) to help with a basic plan? But with additional paths, lifts and staggered levels.

badgermonkey · 27 Feb 2007 at 15:13

I like that carpark idea

Can't do remakes of maps or whatever, I want it to be an original creation (Kind of).

Thanks for the current ideas though

Supercow · 27 Feb 2007 at 15:25

I think you need to keep in mind which Gametype you are making the map for.
Is this for Deathmatch/AS/Vehicle AS/CTF/DDom/ et etc ?

badgermonkey · 27 Feb 2007 at 15:43

sup3rc0w said:
I think you need to keep in mind which Gametype you are making the map for.
Is this for Deathmatch/AS/Vehicle AS/CTF/DDom/ et etc ?

Going for either deathmatch or CTF. Deathmatch is easier as I wouldn't have to faff around balancing the sides, however if whatever I'm making looks like it would make a good CTF, I might alter it slightly and do that while making it

Supercow · 27 Feb 2007 at 15:54

badgermonkey said:
Going for either deathmatch or CTF. Deathmatch is easier as I wouldn't have to faff around balancing the sides, however if whatever I'm making looks like it would make a good CTF, I might alter it slightly and do that while making it

Then I really suggest you dont make a map with loads of levels, or low mavity crap, checkout all the decent Dm servers, and you will see that maps on rotation/being voted for the most.
I reckon campgrounds is probably in the top 3, something like it should be great

badgermonkey · 27 Feb 2007 at 15:58

sup3rc0w said:
Then I really suggest you dont make a map with loads of levels, or low mavity crap, checkout all the decent Dm servers, and you will see that maps on rotation/being voted for the most.
I reckon campgrounds is probably in the top 3, something like it should be great

I've always agreed on low grav being crap

I reckon I'll have to include at least an extra plane over or below the first, 3D maps are better, plus you can faff around with strategies for viewpoints that way!

I'll probably start on idea sketches this week, upload them end of the week maybe for advice

Mat · 27 Feb 2007 at 16:30

I used to play on the TCP clan server... they have some awesome home-made maps:

http://www.tcp-clan.nl.nu/

PinkFloyd · 27 Feb 2007 at 17:47

Head over to Insite (UT map review site) and check out some of the high rated maps on their highest rated maps, might get some inspiration here.

Its often easier to balance CTF maps than DM in my experience of mapping for UT, Its really hard to make a deathmatch level where the action is spread out, the map I was working on last summer (haven't had time to finish it yet) only has one quiet area now, getting closed to spreading the action nicely

With CTF you have an aim other than Kill the enemy, so balancing out areas can be easily done by how easy they are to stay alive in.

If your getting any problems with the editor add me on msn and gimme a shout

porkrind · 27 Feb 2007 at 18:52

look here

that should get your creatibe juices flowing

underground moscow

amazing hdr pics

Andri · 27 Feb 2007 at 18:58

how about destroying your home town or something

i did start work on a East london map... actually... thats a bad example... i cant really destroy it any more.

what i mean is like a post apocalypse map of somewhere you know. they are usually quite fun to do.

Slogan · 27 Feb 2007 at 19:09

What do you make the maps with?

Andri · 27 Feb 2007 at 19:13

Slogan said:
What do you make the maps with?

UnrealED

you can find it in your Ut2004\system dir. you can also use other 3D development programs to create objects and import them.

Phalanx · 27 Feb 2007 at 20:17

a good idea when designing maps is to draw them out on paper and then draw out possible strategies people would use, work on the actual gameplay of a map before creating it, aesthetics come last because no matter how good a map looks, if its gameplay sucks it will be a waste of time

samcat · 27 Feb 2007 at 20:49

Phalanx said:
a good idea when designing maps is to draw them out on paper and then draw out possible strategies people would use, work on the actual gameplay of a map before creating it, aesthetics come last because no matter how good a map looks, if its gameplay sucks it will be a waste of time

Box based construction next, then you can actually test it out before any real work goes into it.

Sam C