What makes a map to be called "final"

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Rends
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What makes a map to be called "final"

Post by Rends »

first i have to say that i like maps finished by the creators. I realy hate maps in beta stage never finished. But then i asked myself what makes a map final.
Well the answer is easy. I compare them with the shipped maps!

Here are some points i check before i call a map "final"
1. Mapname. I like the standart style PLANETNAME: LOCATION. (not required but nice)
2. Flybymovie. Makes it looks more professional (not required but nice)
3. Minimaps. I hate it to get lost (required)
4. Gameplay . The most importand point. Must be fun to play the map. If not or if i get boored soon i trash the map faster than i installed it.
5. Balance. Normaly the fractions should be balanced in medium difficult settings. But i also like challenges.
6. Object placements. Flying buildings droids or whatever... destroy the feeling very fast to be in a real world and makes the map looks made rushed and never realy tested. I also realy hate stuff in a map wich didn´t belongs to specific locations.
7. Music. there should be ingame music on the map.
8. Vehicle sound. Since we know how to add them all vehicles should have engine and weapon sounds.
9. Enironment Sound.Example: It´s raining but you don´t hear raindrops? It´s stormy but no wind sound? Sounds unrealistic doesn´t it.
10. Working AI. AI standing around doing nothing AI crowds running against walls or AI don´t use the vehicles. go back and fix your planning!
11. Graphic and environment lights. I hate to play at bright daylight and objects looks yellow like they stand in a battle happening on Geonosis. We have a sticky about the correct sky file usage here at gametost.
12. Localize your map. Oh i hate it also to "watch out for Gamorreans" at the "Throneroom" even if there are no Piggys running around and the CP doesn´t have something to do with the standart named CP1 "Barracks" or CP2 "Thronerroom"
13. Bugs. Crashing maps wich could be fixed very fast if the mapper would test it with SPtest.exe. Ok, it don´t tell you every problem. But some maps are full with hundrets of errors recorded in the log file.

to be continued...

Feel free to critisize or add comments. Now someone may say i don´t know how to do this or that. But hey we have enough stickies here and a board to ask. Psych0fred answered also a couple of question at his own board you can find at the left of this site below links!

Rends
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RE: What makes a map to be called "final"

Post by Qdin »

aha.... that explains A LOT!!! thanks...
NegativeSmiley

RE: What makes a map to be called "final"

Post by NegativeSmiley »

Thank you very much I'll defintaly use this :D
Darth_Bonks

RE: What makes a map to be called "final"

Post by Darth_Bonks »

Hey about the music part does it have to come from battle front of can it come from another star wars game or soundtrck that u riped?
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RE: What makes a map to be called "final"

Post by Leviathan »

Indeed, you can use both methods... (Use SWBF shipped musics and those you made.)
Darth_Bonks

Post by Darth_Bonks »

so u can put songs that is from like a game Knights of the old Republic game and put it into a map? Just making sure cause i never seen a map that did this before.
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Post by Leviathan »

You can add your own sounds to weapons, vehicles and others. So, why not for maps ? :)
Dan2435

Post by Dan2435 »

woot lets make a gt map with Queens "We Will Rock You" playing.
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Post by Teancum »

I'm going to bump a sticky by saying something simple:

Quoting Rends:
1. Mapname. I like the standart style PLANETNAME: LOCATION. (not required but nice)
Please, for continuity's sake, do it in all caps as he stated. Then it will look like all other maps.
2. Flybymovie. Makes it looks more professional (not required but nice)
Again, please, do not add sound to your loading movie. Personally, it ruins the Star Wars feel, and competes with the bg menu music.
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