Thoughts on the map gripes

[noobnite]

Been surfing all the posts and have seen alot of comments and such about maps being to large, ect. I've done a little research, and have seen where it is possible to submit a completed map to HiTech for consideration. So, my question is this...What would make an ideal, happy kingdom in each of our countries (I personally fly Knight as "Blue Kite.") I would be willing to work on a map, and submit it to HiTech for his thoughts. However, it would take a while, as I work shift type work and would need ALOT of education in map building to come up with anything resembling something we could play. Any input or ideas would be appreciated. And again,  to the AH community. Yall make the game worth the rage quits, sceaming fits after I do something stupid (ie chasing some poor pilot into his ack, knowing I'm fixing to get my butt shot off.), ect. 

[The Fugitive]

Maps take a lot of time and work to complete. This is most likely why we don't have people popping off a new map once a month/

If you check the other threads on the board there are some about terrains/maps. Also in the "Alpha" testers thread there is a thread running right now where a number of the guys who have built maps are working on putting together a tutorial of a sort on how to build maps.

Maps made for the main arenas are a bit stricter on the rules for a map. They basically have to have 3 side that start even and are designed so that one side or another does not have any advantage as they capture territory.

Good luck, and I hope to fly your map someday!  <S>

[noobnite]

Thanks ya sir. I've got a very basic idea right now, and may find time during the red eye shift to actually sketch it. Thinking a small map, with several concentrations of VH and airfields to encourage some GVing, some dogfighting, some bombing, and so on. Get a good mix

[Chris79]

I make maps for a living, I tooled around the map editor for AH a few times to see how long it would take me to build a proper medium map. With out going into detail, let's just say I gave up on that idea fairly quick.

[ImADot]

If the terrain editor in the new version works like I think it will (based on reading what they're doing), it will be much easier to make maps when AH3 is released.

[Changeup]

I make maps for a living, I tooled around the map editor for AH a few times to see how long it would take me to build a proper medium map. With out going into detail, let's just say I gave up on that idea fairly quick.

So you only make easy maps?  Ok.  Like, crayons or what?

[DmonSlyr]

Been surfing all the posts and have seen alot of comments and such about maps being to large, ect. I've done a little research, and have seen where it is possible to submit a completed map to HiTech for consideration. So, my question is this...What would make an ideal, happy kingdom in each of our countries (I personally fly Knight as "Blue Kite.") I would be willing to work on a map, and submit it to HiTech for his thoughts. However, it would take a while, as I work shift type work and would need ALOT of education in map building to come up with anything resembling something we could play. Any input or ideas would be appreciated. And again,  to the AH community. Yall make the game worth the rage quits, sceaming fits after I do something stupid (ie chasing some poor pilot into his ack, knowing I'm fixing to get my butt shot off.), ect. 

PM Citabria (forum name) and ask him about making MA maps. He will have a lot of useful information on the types of maps you'd need to create. He has a lot of experience. That being said, I'd focus on working with the new terain model in beta.

 

[bustr]

Aside from the mechanics of building the terrain and meeting the requirements to be included in the MA rotation. Talk to Greebo, Easycor, and Fester about strategies for base placement. Once you know how to make land and lay objects on it that work after you run "build", the map has to have a strategy to move groups into combat.

You can spend a lot of time doing searches for terrain\map likes and dislikes. As you read them, you will gleen the success and failure of different layout strategies. In the past many maps were responses to "The Hoard" and slowing it down when we had 600 player nights. Greebo's CraterMA strategy balances player game styles with a surprising edge towards GVing. Fester's last map is pure combat funneling land, sea and air.

Greebo and Easycor are working on an AH3 terrain editor manual that goes in depth about the mechanics down to the structure of file types. You might want to see if they would be willing to put in a chapter on AH game theory and design strategy. That last is the real secret to good terrains.

[Chilli]

Good points all.  Basically, you're not gonna please all the people anytime.

Do it, if it is something that you would enjoy doing.  The amazing community on the forums, has many members that are amazingly talented.

ImAdot and USRanger are two AvA mapmakers that have shown impressive work, as well as EasyCor (of course), Fester (Citibria), MrMidi, Greebo (multi- talented), and forgive me for not mentioning names like Superfly, Soda and Waffle, etc... as I don't really know who creates the maps in-house.

I would suggest sniffing around the Terrain Editor forums here, and the sticky thread in the Open Alpha forum.

[Chris79]

So you only make easy maps?  Ok.  Like, crayons or what?

Not exactly, they tend to be both specific to electric grids and technical. I also get paid for it too.

[USRanger]

Only dweebs make AH terrains.

[Shuffler]

Ranger I can still see where you had the hello kitty tattoo on your arm...... 

[Greebo]

An MA map is never going to please everyone since players like to play the game in different ways. For instance GVers tend to like TT in CraterMA but the map is less popular with furballers and the win the war players since TT's popularity sucks players away from those activities. Some players like to attack fields or strats while avoiding other players and so like big maps, others want to fight other players and so like small ones. As in all things those who dislike a map will be 10 times more vocal about it than those who do like it, so MA map makers should acquire a thick skin.

The main difference between how MA maps play is in how many front line enemy fields and SPs are available to players at any one time. The more choices of nearby field a player has to up from and to attack the more spread out the action becomes. Too few however and the map can become static, as in Trinity's starting position. Personally I think 2-4 available fields and SPs per front line works best for the player base we have now. An MA map should also have a good chance of CV action, with fleets able to outflank the normal front line to add some unpredictability. I think the HQ and city should be as far back and as well protected as possible by airfields and radar.

My general advice to anyone designing an MA map is design the field layout first, then design the land masses around that.

AHIII will add some new stuff that will influence how MA terrains are designed and play including new types of fields, more subtle terrain variations and the possibility of GV choke points set away from SPs and fields.

[Shuffler]

I suggest to anyone to try to make a ma terrain before you complain. I appreciate all the terrains and I only made terrains for H2H back in the day. There is much to be thought, planned, and done when you work on a terrain for the ma.

I salute you fellas that take that time..... Thanks!!! 

[Chilli]

Heck, try and make a simple 3 or 4 field map.