The unavoidable thread: maps -- add, remove, or update?

[TheAssassin0]

The maps collection hasn't been updated in quite a while. Many maps are really old and use rough textures. Some others have never been played very much because they're either very unforgiving (e.g., maps that allow for camping with the rifle across the entire map, etc.) or too large for the small players counts we've seen in the last years. Therefore, it makes sense to update the maps collection!

The goal of this discussion is not to reduce the amount of maps. It's supposed to help improve the quality of the maps collection. We can add new maps or remove old maps, depending on their overall quality of experience.

TODO:

• First of all, we need to compile a list of maps that should be removed.
• Next, we need to discuss which maps should be updated (texture and overall style wise). Looking for mappers to help us on this task!
• Finally, suggestions for new maps are very welcome! We have only very few race and gladiator maps coming with Blue Nebula, and might include a few more!

Rules of engagement: Please only post your suggestions for maps to be removed, added or updated. Discussions about other people's suggestions are not permitted and might be removed. Once we have an overview about the community's point of view, we can start discussing on a per-map basis, respectively looking for contributors to update maps. One post per person, please! (You can edit your own posts if you change your mind.)

[TheAssassin0]

Here's my own, personal suggestions.

General notes:
I don't mind asymmetric maps at all. What I don't like is mixing this "medieval" kind of style with the "modern space-y" one. I would like to have either-or, not both mixed together.

Maps to remove:

• eternal: not-too-pretty gladiator map, not really fun to play, rarely voted (actually almost only when the other gladiator maps had been played already)
• cutec: classic camper map, pretty large, makes hardly any sense in non-deathmatch modes
• battlefield: I really don't like it as it's a very easy map for experienced players, and very challenging for newbies; it's not too bad regarding camping (as it's not that large and forces people to keep moving), but also not ideal
• futuresport: Camping across the map, anyone? Only ever played in bomber-ball, really, and no fun there especially if teams are not balanced. 1 vs. 2 for instance is not playable
• mist: just doesn't feel right, it has no consistent theming and, like battlefield, it is easy for the experienced but very challenging for the newbies (e.g., in one direction, one can just launch onto that bridge...)
• tower: this map has just an extremely bad layout, only playable really for deathmatch

As I know it'd be a very unpopular change to remove center, my suggestion would to keep it but remove it from the map rotation.

Remixes:

• error: it wants to be some kind of medieval map, however it looks a bit too comic-like; replacing a few textures should make a big difference
• abuse: there's remixes like toxic abuse, we should consider including it; the classic abuse is still my favorite map, we could consider adding the remix next to the original
• cargo: I think it looks somewhat inconsistent, and there's a few layout problems (camping wise)
• dutility: we're blue now, so maybe this map should become blue, too? (we should rename it then)
• nova: I could imagine a toxic nova; IIRC there's been at least one remix, maybe we should search the old RE forums and community repos
• vault: a very dark map with a lot of gray, it needs some more lighting and some colors!

New maps:

• toxic abuse: as mentioned in the "remix" list, I like this remix of abuse and would like to add it (link)
• blizzard: a pretty unique and fun gladiator map (link)
• ghost at night: there's some remix of ghost at night, we might add it next to the original map (link)
• knot: another gladiator map, color scheme very similar to torus (link)

I'm undecided on canyon (don't like the layout), conflict (camping map), deathtrap (just not newbie friendly, don't like to play it), dropzone (bomber-ball map, very camper-friendly) and oneiroi (very large, strange gravity, camper map). I'd be curious to hear what you think!

By the way, there's a glitch on canyon which should be fixed at some point.


I would furthermore suggest to restore the original bath map. The remake included a couple years ago looks too gray-ish in my opinion. I liked the original one more.

[Laggy]

These are the default maps (not gladiator) that caught my attention and that need some improvement:

Battlefield, too open map. Don't even find it enjoyable to camp at the spawn. Perhaps this map works on singleplayer mode with bots for beginners.
Biolytic, too dark map at one side of the map, while other side feels too open for me. Perhaps some balance in lights and openness?
Cutec, who wants to be the best camper in the game? But in all seriousness, too campy even though it's a nice looking map.
Depot, too open in some places resulting more camping. Feels like Battlefield. :/
Futuresport, too open. Feels like Cutec in some way.
Vault, I don't think it's smart to have match like CTF with all these teleports. Could that be me though.
Processing, feels too grey&green making it look very very dirty and old.

dutility: we're blue now, so maybe this map should become blue, too? (we should rename it then)

Yeah, that would look cool.

toxic abuse: as mentioned in the "remix" list, I like this remix of abuse and would like to add it

Yes. I like the idea of this map's remixes. It's quite popular map anyway and it's nice to have some remixes.

[Matadula]

I'm more about layouts and what's fun to play on than looks, so the biggest offenders for me are:


Ares: The layout it's boring, but newbies like this map a lot for some reason. A small revamp with some new elements here and there could be nice.
Biolytic: I feel like there is potential on this map. A revamped layout could work since some rooms are too big.
Canyon: F@%K THIS MAP. It doesn't look bad, but i don't think it fits Blue Nebula gameplay. In general, i feel like maps that have uneven terrain and walls don't fit this game. I wouldn't mind if there were spots/rooms here and there that you as the player should take into account while playing, but the whole map? NO. Revamp or delete.
Center: A favorite of a lot of people and i somewhat like it. But i feel maps this big don't fit the game very well. Maybe if we added some pushers here and there to accelerate the gameplay and make it more interesting?
Deadsimple: The layout is too plain and it has a somewhat uneven terrain/walls that make it slower. But i wouldn't like the idea of removing this map since it could be fun for "MULTI" mutator with some fixes.
Erosion: The layout is too boring and is too big. It doesn't fit the game very well in my opinion. Revamp or delete.
Mist: BORING map layout. Revamp or delete.
Oneiroi: Fine map. But not for this game.
Processing: Boring map and meh layout. Revamp or delete.
Vault: I don't know why, but this map always seemed boring to me. But it is pretty. Maybe a layout revamp is needed?


There are other maps with problems that i don't like, but for now those are the ones that i would focus on.

I think Quin spoke about adding map variations as an option. We could add Ghost (night), Abuse (toxic), Dutility (blue) and Center (day). Although, default Abuse needs a small retexture here and there, since it looks a bit plain.