YM
02-04-2009, 11:18 AM
So I sent a few more questions off to Dario Casali and he sent back a responce and some pictures of early goldrush and badwater alphas.
Here's what he had to say:
Whilst I think another mammoth set of questions is unlikely I've collected a few more that have popped up since the first lot:
-You're able to modify your maps and have them tested in a very short space of time, do you utilise this ability and produce many, many versions or do you tend to conserve changes so each version is significantly different to the previous?
Earlier on in a map’s cycle, changes will be larger, but as a map progresses, we tend to prefer small, fast iterations between frequent playtests.
Sometimes it takes more data to decide on bigger issues. For example, for Goldrush, we spent quite a few playtests collecting opinions on the return time delay of the cart. Instead of making small changes that may not have been appreciable by the testers, we collected a series of observations that ultimately led to one change (reducing the return delay time from 60 to 30 seconds) that ended up working pretty well.
-It's been hinted at in an interview that valve are working on a new payload map for a future update, are you keeping the payload gamemode to yourself or allowing someone else to take the reins?
I can’t give away our upcoming releases but I’m working on another map that you will learn about shortly!
-Several users, including myself, have expressed an interest in seeing early screenshots from the development cycle to see what sort of things have changed; do you have anything like this?
I’ve attached some screenshots of early stages in Badwater Basin and Gold Rush. As you can see, they both changed a huge amount from initial concept to shipping version!!
-When roughing out maps initially what influences where you place health and ammo packs, and what sizes they are?
There aren’t really hard and fast rules for where to place packs, I usually guess at where the SG positions will be and put metal there. The amount of metal depends on how easily I want the SG built and maintained there. Also to consider is spy cloak recharge and heavy weapons ammo. Health packs are usually small near the base, and larger in contested spaces. I usually don’t like to put much health in the SG metal areas so they don’t become impregnable.
-Do you always approach mapping alone or are there occasions when tackling a map as a pair or small team works better?
Usually it’s one guy at a time, except when it’s time for the art pass, at which point, a couple of others will jump in and help. We find the best thing to do is to discuss playtests as a team, identify problems, and some potential solutions. Then the map owner has the discretion of fixing the issues the way they see fit. The map builder usually knows the map best and can make more educated tradeoff decisions. As long as the issues that are brought up are addressed, the actual solutions can be implemented by one person.
Really appreciate you answering so many questions; you've been great, thanks!
And here are the pictures:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3252897277_f4a3f659ce_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3253724172_397fe25091_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3252897503_f6844a7f6b_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/3253724430_09a6b22219_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/3253724528_e5f8e1a8fa_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3253724610_038e2c4c32_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3252897933_8cd7d986fb_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3253724808_64c3044961_o.jpg
Here's what he had to say:
Whilst I think another mammoth set of questions is unlikely I've collected a few more that have popped up since the first lot:
-You're able to modify your maps and have them tested in a very short space of time, do you utilise this ability and produce many, many versions or do you tend to conserve changes so each version is significantly different to the previous?
Earlier on in a map’s cycle, changes will be larger, but as a map progresses, we tend to prefer small, fast iterations between frequent playtests.
Sometimes it takes more data to decide on bigger issues. For example, for Goldrush, we spent quite a few playtests collecting opinions on the return time delay of the cart. Instead of making small changes that may not have been appreciable by the testers, we collected a series of observations that ultimately led to one change (reducing the return delay time from 60 to 30 seconds) that ended up working pretty well.
-It's been hinted at in an interview that valve are working on a new payload map for a future update, are you keeping the payload gamemode to yourself or allowing someone else to take the reins?
I can’t give away our upcoming releases but I’m working on another map that you will learn about shortly!
-Several users, including myself, have expressed an interest in seeing early screenshots from the development cycle to see what sort of things have changed; do you have anything like this?
I’ve attached some screenshots of early stages in Badwater Basin and Gold Rush. As you can see, they both changed a huge amount from initial concept to shipping version!!
-When roughing out maps initially what influences where you place health and ammo packs, and what sizes they are?
There aren’t really hard and fast rules for where to place packs, I usually guess at where the SG positions will be and put metal there. The amount of metal depends on how easily I want the SG built and maintained there. Also to consider is spy cloak recharge and heavy weapons ammo. Health packs are usually small near the base, and larger in contested spaces. I usually don’t like to put much health in the SG metal areas so they don’t become impregnable.
-Do you always approach mapping alone or are there occasions when tackling a map as a pair or small team works better?
Usually it’s one guy at a time, except when it’s time for the art pass, at which point, a couple of others will jump in and help. We find the best thing to do is to discuss playtests as a team, identify problems, and some potential solutions. Then the map owner has the discretion of fixing the issues the way they see fit. The map builder usually knows the map best and can make more educated tradeoff decisions. As long as the issues that are brought up are addressed, the actual solutions can be implemented by one person.
Really appreciate you answering so many questions; you've been great, thanks!
And here are the pictures:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3252897277_f4a3f659ce_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3253724172_397fe25091_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3252897503_f6844a7f6b_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/3253724430_09a6b22219_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/3253724528_e5f8e1a8fa_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3253724610_038e2c4c32_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3252897933_8cd7d986fb_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3253724808_64c3044961_o.jpg