Map Inspiration

Author Topic: Map Inspiration  (Read 1298 times)

not really a need to since I kinda lost interest and don't have any ideas. If I did have something to port i'd port it but I did what I wanted/could do.
This is kinda how I've felt since porting Kitchen.  I've tried out a few new technologies.  But I don't have inspiration for anything specific.


Maps can be used to create an atmosphere.  They're basically just freeform scripting with an environment in mind.
Technologically, they can spread beyond bricks, but bricks CAN be used in a map.

I would suggest StaticShapes for static visual shapes, TSStatic for collision shapes, and Items for animated shapes.
The sky has various utilities for portraying the weather and things far off.  Extra stars and celestial bodies, extra layers of clouds, etc.
Rain and weather effects can be properly achieved through the use of physics zones.  But this does increase load on all clients.
Physics zones can also be used to emulate zero gravity, water, negative gravity, increased gravity, acceleration zones, etc.
Lighting is very limited.  There is a max of what- 8 light emitters on a client at once?  Forget about lights.
Shadows work with most of these technologies, but in the shade it becomes difficult to differentiate between surfaces.
The sun can move in real time.
The draw distance is limited to 1000 units.

I would abandon Selective Ghosting and it's derivatives (EnvironmentZones, WarpSpace, GhostAllBricks, GhostClose).  Afaik Selective Ghosting is no longer being updated with the main game.
That cuts out pretty much any option of multiple zones in a single map.  And without GhostClose, this also cuts down on the maximum size and complexity of a map.

So we've got visual shapes, collision shapes, pretty skies, rain and weather, physics effects, shadows, and an animated light point.

"Maps can be used to create an atmosphere.  They're basically just freeform scripting with an environment in mind."

So what sort of environment would you like to use?  As I said I'm kind of dead on ideas.  I need to get out more. :<

you could always go through old map archives for ideas, but for ones specifically considering the fact blockland is now forever slate:

a set of islands, possibly mirrored

an outdoor picnic, with blockheads scaled as toys

a very long fence with a gate/an area enclosed by a fence with a gate

a treehouse

honestly at this point it would be better to make maps for v20. v21's staticmaps are far harder to deal with and dont have proper lighting. also no infinite terrain

Yea, I really wanted to keep making maps but I did lose interest for a while. Part of that was the fact that the entire other thread was wiped and I couldn't exactly recover it.

I have gotten back into it once I started to experiment with things inside the map. Like lights, sounds and other things. I've been making some new things and new progression with other stuff (Terrain) which is pretty nice. But I am getting back into map making and stuff like that. But mostly I've been tinkering with ways to get terrain to work and most have worked but I've unfortunately lost the maps due to the PC I used died on me. I could always recover the HDD but I don't have the stuff to actually be able to make it usable anymore.

On top of that I have been trying to make the most out of the limitations of the engine and trying not to have too many datablocks so users can actually download the maps and use them.



But, since I have gotten back into it I've found a better method of producing more accurate collision and with reduced datablocks. Since then Its been way more fun to make the maps and along with the ability to add lights and stuff to actually create an environment that actually feels like a place to play in.

honestly at this point it would be better to make maps for v20. v21's staticmaps are far harder to deal with and dont have proper lighting. also no infinite terrain

I would but idk how to use torque constructor and couldn't find any tutorials relating to it. I like making maps in V21 cause finding ways around the complications is pretty fun.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2018, 06:46:43 PM by Datiel12 ² »