Emp_Canals

I'm working on a new map, as you can see. This one will be focused on infantry combat and vehicles, and it won't be very big as some of you wish. It's composed by a oval canal zone, two bases with its respective VF and capture zone, and a central building with another capture zone (where players can spawn inmediately once captured).

Each capture zone gives an amount of resources, there won't be research, just the basic stuff (I'd like something different, but this is what we can do now). There will be a "low" amount of tickets per team, only 100.

Vehicle zones and infantry zones are clearly different, there won't be almost no cover on canals (not even walls) so players need to use vehicles to move safely. Control over canal will be decisive, because that's the way to get the other base and the central building. I'm worried about the NF superiority on that matter, that could cause imbalance.

These are some early shots:



This map should be available for testing very soon. My plan is to finish basic structures and then make a public test. If you like it then I'll make it prettier.

 

looks really interesting.

do you recon you could add a little water in the bottom of that, just for decoration?

 

Yes, there will be a little water, but not all around, only on some parts. There will be also some sand as part of canals decoration.

 

looking nice. I don't really understand the layout though, any chance of an overhead shot/diagram?

 

Ok, here we go :D Take in mind some important parts are undone, like the lockgate zone on the left.


As you can see, each base has 3 ways to get in/out: main exit for vehicles, low access inside HQ and top HQ access (roof). There could be a bridge from bases to middle building, but at the moment I prefer to stay without it.

Central building is quite linear, but it can be accesed from 2 ways on each side (bottom/middle), and another one at left side. That one is a vehicle access, it means you can go in with an APC there. The most interesting part is the spiral stair which connects the 4 levels, but there is almost no overlapping, only the flag level has a corridor from the stair to the main hall under it.

 

looks good, but how will that bend upset things?

Also: where are the res points?

 

What bend? Top left? That won't upset anything IMO.

There are no res nodes, flag zones generate an amount of res/sec, like a res node does in other maps. Base flags output is 6 r/s, and central flag is 4 r/s. And here comes the interesting part: when a team gets central flag it receives 10 r/s, but its base could be defenseless. So the other team could attack, get their home res and more important, destroy their VF. At that point, the attacked team could try to defend his base or attack enemy base because it coud be low on defenses too.

So that's the key, several possible tactics. The team which attacks effectively without forgeting defense will win. I really want to try it

 

R_Yell, u r the uber-est mapper ive seen ever, other than a few ones i know.

 

yeah this map is lookin good

 

I would suggest adding another bend near the NF side... Beacuse I can see clearly tanks taking the shorter parth (You do this automaticly) and any plans on how to stop arty barrage from one side of the map to the other?

 

The sides look a little plain, but you already knew that. It looks like it will be fun to race jeeps on. We should hold the first annual Empire's mod grand prix when you release it.

 

Thx grayclay88, but I'm not that good :p

Shinzon, I think both paths don't need to get the same length. Once in game players will choose the path taking in consideration turrets/traffic, or just as an escape way.

About arty, as I said there is only basic research, so just plain jeep/APC/LT available. At this moment you can choose between basic/full reasearch for non CV game mode. For this map I'd like to get full research with no heavy or arty available to stop arty hammering or nuke attacks.

I asked for that option, and another one based on placing vehicles directly by the mapper. Both would be very useful for this kind of non CV maps.

Yes, that's the first thing that came to my mind, seems like a speedway :D

 

Here's the central building, outside view:

 

The textures seem really bland at the moment. Do you plan to use different ones, or to spiff it up with overlays, or creative lighting, or what? I know you're capable of making textures that would otherwise be boring and repetitive look spiffy, dammit!

 

no med or heavy tanks? wouldnt that give NF an advante due to LT>AFV?

 

Yes, at the moment everything is very plain and simple, as I stated, want to test this concept and then improve the map if it works (I'm not sure at all :D). So that's the deal, but the beta is going to be a bit better than that, don't worry I should mention that I started saturday and plan to finish this beta 1 today.

About the NF advantage, yes, I also said that there was that risk. So we should do something to prevent it in some way. The starting cash is around 3000 for both teams, maybe NF should start with only half? BE probably will have an advantage in the infantry combat part, which is quite important (central building and enemy base assault).

I also think that LT can be stopped easily, just using a lv3 ML. BTW, I'm not sure at all if engineers should be able to build turrets inside the canal. Maybe that will stop most vehicle battles?

 

No turrets! that would be even better!

but med tanks can't be thaaat bad?

 

Yes, I think turrets inside the canal are out of place, but they are necessary to protect bases.

It's a pity there can't be med tanks, I know, but there is no choice now: full research or no research, no middle point.

 

Here is beta 1, take a look!

http://www.hlrse.net/empiresvhe/R_yell/emp_canals_beta1.rar

Res file for servers: http://www.hlrse.net/empiresvhe/R_yell/emp_canals.res

 

Cool it is out. Yeyz. I am currently testing Emp_MazeV1-1 so there may be two map releases today! Yeyz.