UT3 Level Design

Talbot

Hi everyone,

Recently I have been learning about the UT3 editor through the tutorials on the disk. When I started to think about sketching out some maps I kept wondering what makes a good UT3 map. So that's my question, besides graphics, what makes UT3 map fun to play over and over again? Please don't be afraid to get detailed and have multiple points.

Thank you

aesir

what gameplay type? CTF, deathmatch, etc?

killingpeople

I'm terrified of multiple points, sorry I just won't get too carried away. What if I get lost or confused?! Multiple points are like making a new turn in a dark cave.

Dear Heavenly Father II and Talbot,

I wrote to tell you what I think makes a good UT3 map. Weapons are important. Because, I need to be able to virtually destroy homeo sapiens. The purple quazar gun. The green acid slime gun. The Flak Cannon. Sniper Rifle. Basicaly, we need everything available to play the game type. That includes weapons, flags, and spawn points.

Once the game type and tools are in mind, I need a fun area to use them in.
Base the playing space off of my abilities. My jumps, dashes, double jumps, rocket jumps, combination-Rocket-Jump-to-Wall-Jump-to-Some-exploitive-Plasma-Gun-Fling-move, I didn't even know about. Create Health and Ammo loops and rhythms I can find and exploit; timed ammo collection distances, strategically placed Spawn points. Make two collide with each other in interesting ways. Create spaces for certain types of play; players who like to camp, players who like to rush, people who like to sneak, people who like to support... Create interesting player interactions through triggers and scripts; a button in one room rotates a bridge in the center of the map. Create funny details, secrets, and penalties; A huge destructible penis statue in the middle of the map. Inside of it is Quad/Tripple Damage. Make a guess, learn what works and what doesn't, and make it better next time.

3===D

Amen.

Talbot

The type of level I want to start out with would be a duel level, or a small deathmatch. But it really does not matter.

Eric Chadwick

The Valve Developer Community: How To Develop A Map That Works

Unreal Wiki: Legacy:Map Planning

Sjoerd De Jong (aka hourences): The Hows and Whys of Level Design

Eric Chadwick

Added these links (and some others too!) to the wiki here:
http://wiki.polycount.net/CategoryEnvironment

vahl

thank you Cory

kat

Talbot wrote: »

The type of level I want to start out with would be a duel level, or a small deathmatch. But it really does not matter.

It does matter in a manner of speaking but the common denominator for MP levels is the *flow*, regardless as to the design or what's in them. Bad maps have a certain awkwardness to them that's due to all sorts of reasons, but the net result is that they all cause problems in relation to how easy the player can move through the map and access the weapons and items in it. Don't item whore either (putting too many 'power' items in the same area).

It also depends who you ask, a 'competitive' player will give you a different response than a casual player. Bottom line is keep the *flow* clean and uninterrupted and more important build what you want to build (unless you're building up someone else's ideas).

Kawe

I'm not sure.. but I think he meant "does not matter" as in it doesn't matter to him what he's going to make. Not that it doesn't matter to the level design. Like... he might as well make a CTF map if that is more viable.

kat

Kawe wrote: »

I'm not sure.. but I think he meant "does not matter" as in it doesn't matter to him what he's going to make. Not that it doesn't matter to the level design. Like... he might as well make a CTF map if that is more viable.

Oh I know, I wasn't being bullish :poly136:, just pointing out that the type of map you're making does effect the process and design decisions you make - for example, doing a DM style layout in a CTF map won't work too well because the objectives of the level are different and so on.