31_05_2014

I’m starting a review of the level. This forms part of the process of reviewing the whole mod; from gameplay to code to models to story to, as said, the level. Many mods and games go through such a process, or partially so, although not usually 7 years after being started. But, there’s only one of me, and I’m fickle, lazy and not great at this.
Part of the reason for the review is that, after trying a number of gameplay ideas, and either rejecting or failing to implement them, I’ve got to be honest about both what isn’t working, and what wouldn’t work. More importantly than that, I have to be honest about what I can achieve; there’s little point in having a brilliant, ground-breaking, gameplay idea and it either not being possible in Quake, or not possible for me, my skills as there are, to make.
Anyway, to the images:

The car park.
PROBLEM: Dead, dead space. It’s next to the (uncompleted) shop, but serves nothing either aesthetically, environmentally or gameplay wise.
SOLUTION 1: Tear it up and build a row of shops from the garage, down to the railway bridge.
SOLUTION 2: Tear it up, move the garage down along the street, think of other options; shops and misc. buildings (taller ones!), to fill the gap

The damaged warehouse and hole in t’ ground
PROBLEM: It’s ugly and unconvincing, and quite probably framerate killing due to it being a bit crappily implemented
SOLUTION 1: FIll the hole and replace the warehouse with a complete one. Probably (warehouse) better decided upon when the gameplay is ‘rationalised’ ( 😉 )

The long road by the park
PROBLEM: It’s long and framerate killing, plus, well, boring. It shares failings with the park itself, but more on that later.
SOLUTION 1: Break it up. Stretch the houses on the left out, possibly forming a cul-de-sac
SOLUTION 2: Break it up. This will again depend somewhat on decisions made re: gameplay, and what’s happening to the park.

The park
PROBLEM: Big, uninspiring and ugly. Three features, the long, outer wall, the fountain and the back feature, are all of interest, but generally it’s wasted, open, dull space.
SOLUTION: Very gameplay dependent, but it cries out “make me a zoo!”, which is an option as it would fill the space with interesting buildings, but throws up a load of other issues.

The church on the hill
PROBLEM: The hill’s too high for the rest of the map, and effective blocking. Also, it’s fairly appallingly implemented.
SOLUTION: Bring it back down, maybe keep it higher, but more realistically and part of other areas that are higher.
SOLUTION UNPLEASANT: Take the church out! Again, once gameplay is better understood, it may be best to get rid.

Anyway, decisions to be made. First gameplay and story, then a LOT of mapping…