OSMT Map Ideas

[SuperApe]

While I kinda like the idea I had originally to finish OSM-PeakPerformance (outlined above), it's not the strongest story, not the best layout for an OSM map and frankly, I'm not happy with how representitive that map would be of a standard OSM map.

In the interest of economy (of time, mostly) and value to the launch of this toolset, I need to present an Example OSM Map that will demonstrate the mechanics required and the tone desired for this gametype. This means a new map taking the "Gauntlet of Puzzles, Traps and Monsters" description to heart. I think I'm going to tentatively call it, ... OSM-Gauntlet.

The idea is simple and somewhat predictable, but effective: You are chased by baddies to an entrance to a tomb. The baddies stop chasing and let you "escape" into the tomb. Once inside, you decide between three routes: one that is puzzle heavy, one trap heavy and one monster heavy. All three routes combine the elements of Puzzle, Trap and Monster, but do so with different emphasis. Perhaps three Objectves per route get progressively harder, but lead to the same "exit", which really just puts the player in direct conflict with the original baddies, who have been waiting for you. This final conflict will have more than one way to complete (brute force, puzzle solving or skill/luck in evasion) and actually escape the threat.

I'll start an alpha thread to document it's progress. I can always use some feedback there on that thread.

[Blitz]

As suggested, I started a thread outlining my map idea and what I think I'll need.

Click click

[SuperApe]

This from another thread...

Originally Posted by Lord_Simeon

I've been thinking about every other game and the type of traps / puzzles / scenes they have in there for inspiration.

Originally Posted by me

I was thinking back to the last time I made SP maps, it was DOOM and DOOM2. Quake and even Duke3D mapping were mostly for team games. But, I think my inspiration should come from games like Oblivion now. (raisin' the bar ) Another source for good traps, puzzles (and new monsters, frankly) would be the old D&D stuff. (and T&T. ...I'm old.) Although I do want to keep things balanced and not always think in terms of indoor or confined areas. (Vehicles! Forests!) Any good story source is good too: books, movies, legend, etc.

[Sjosz]

Tomb Raider series has interesting puzzles, Indiana Jones anyone? Quake 2 I've recently been playing since I bought the SE of Quake 4 (that came with Quake 2 as a bonus) has very basic puzzles, but all the map layouts ooze the right connectivity in layout for SP.
Then there's whole different series like Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter. These platformers have basic puzzles, but they're sure fun puzzles.

[n3m35i5]

actually, Dungeons and Dragons would be a very useful source for traps and puzzles. all the D&D goodness without the nerds whining about how your +2 flaming bastard sword affects trogdar's spot check. the handbook has full pages on traps, doors, locks, and the like. pick up the dugeon master's guide at a bookstore somewhere and flip through it, they have everything from rolling boulders to all types of spike traps.

EDIT: of course, this comes with the standard caveat of copyright protection. inspiration only! Wizards of the Coast is pretty picky about this.

[SuperApe]

I'm trying to think of other examples of this new feature we have available with respect to monster AttitudeToPlayer. Creatures can now be Friendly, meaning they will greet you and the mapper can set them up to lead you to goodies or something, or they can be an ally, called Follow, meaning they will greet you, then stand by your side, follow you around, threaten "wild" monsters, and attack those monsters attacking you. The first one would be like some NPC character like a town citizen in Oblivion, the second one could be a sidekick, like the rodent character in the Jaxx series (sp?), or a character you must rescue and escort to safety, like countless "special ops" or "secret agent" games.

To make characters like these, you could use stock monsters with a little cutscene to explain to the player, "Hey I'm a friend now, don't kill me". But, it might be best to have a new character, new animations. The toolset gives you a base class, ScriptedMonster, to subclass and make your own unique character with unique behaviors, attacks, sounds, etc.

[Blitz]

Originally Posted by SuperApe

... or they can be an ally, called Follow, meaning they will greet you, then stand by your side, follow you around, threaten "wild" monsters, and attack those monsters attacking you.

=====+===
|.......|
|...@...|
|.....d.|
|........##
========= ##+

[SuperApe]

I would have never gotten that reference to NetHack if Blitz hadn't clued me in.

I found an Old Skool Unreal site that just came back up online. It includes walkthroughs for the old Unreal singleplayer levels. This is an excellent source of inspiration for OSM SinglePlayer maps. And it's kinda neat to hear about these older maps that CliffyB made.

OldUnreal.com/Walkthroughs

[Lord_Simeon]

Couple of odd ideas i was thinking about with the main character being Virus -

1. Similar to Blitz's Rat Trap except in a bathroom / yoiler combo.
Cutscene shows a Tom and Jeery style old maid walking into the room and screaming at the infestation of Skaarj etc.
She pours out the contents of a bottle of "Nano-clean" which is about 10 or 15 Virus's.
One you play and the rest are on your team via the team bot support.
You'work your way around the bathroom cleaning up the swarms of monsters in the tub, sink, toilet, shower, drains, shelves etc.
At the end there would only be one left (you)

2. Again with the mimi-me style of map but based on an old movie, the Incredible Journey (i think from memory).
Cutscene shows a man on a hospital bed being told that nano tech is the only solution he has to rid his body of a particular influenza / virus.
Doctor injects man with syringe, cut to inside an artery with Virus and company again. Work your way through the bowel, intestines, stomach, lungs, throat and mouth.

[SuperApe]

Originally Posted by Lord_Simeon

Couple of odd ideas i was thinking about with the main character being Virus -

These are great.

Originally Posted by Lord_Simeon

based on an old movie, the Incredible Journey (i think from memory).

I think you mean Fantastic Voyage with Raquel Welch. (But, could also be like Osmosis Jones, I suppose)

[Lord_Simeon]

Originally Posted by SuperApe

These are great.

I think you mean Fantastic Voyage with Raquel Welch. (But, could also be like Osmosis Jones, I suppose)

You could be right there, so long since i watched the mocie now

[SuperApe]

I woke up with another "Virus" series; a different set of maps, not mini-style.

"Bit Byte" - Robot Tournament Players are being taken over by an unknown software virus. Games spill out of the arenas and become real blood baths. You escape.
"Newark Network" - You find out the source of the virus is ... Virus. You must track him down as he is hiding somewhere in vast the Robot Factories of New Newark, NJ.
"Server Sever" - You know where Virus is now, and he knows you're after him. Fight through his defenses and take him out to restore the Robot Players and save the world.

[Lord_Simeon]

LOL, nice ideas
I like the idea of Newark Network the best, real factory type maps with sounds and movers galore.
Incidently i started messing yesterday with the bathroom one tentatively called OSM-NanoClean

[SuperApe]

Originally Posted by King Mango

Is anybody interested in some insanely high poly SMs? I was thinking it would be cool to do a highly zoned off level along the lines of DOOM or FEAR with a lot of detail in small spaces so that it could be zoned off for good optimization, (basically R-C-R type mapping) but I just can't come up with any good ideas myself for this. But I'd be more than happy to provide deco for anyone.

What's R-C-R type mapping?
I noticed during OSM-Gauntlet that optimization was easier to do than multiplayer maps. Something about the lack of interconnectivity I had; that and the indoor, sectional layout. Without even trying, I got consistent FPS well over 130. Unheard of on my machine.

[King Mango]

Room Coridoor Room (coridoor is one word I always forget how to spell no matter how many times I look it UP)

Basically like Gauntlet and most other SP maps. Only RCR is more of a derogatory term, at least towards Multiplayer levels that is. So maybe for SP we can call it, fighting area, transition area, fighting area?