Map donations for SVN

[MirceaKitsune]

This is a topic I'm starting from my own choice as I thought it would be helpful to bring it up at this point, so I hope that's ok even if I may not know some of the plans the developers have. It seems that the Nexuiz SVN is slowly getting closer to being released as the latest official version of the game, probably won't be longer then a few more months. A lot has been added and modified since the latest release, but there's still one thing that seems to be missing and pretty much needed: More maps.

The game still has very few maps in my opinion, and from what I seen it could really use some extra maps for different gametypes right now. For DM there is a reasonable amount, although for other gametypes more maps would highly be required. CTF for example only has 3 maps in the SVN, which I think is really not a good thing considering what a loved and common gametype that is. Another reason is that the SVN has new map features as well, like the new pointparticles system for custom particle generators and an optimized map compiling system with some new features in it.

Also, as I had previously mentioned on IRC, I believe the game could use some maps with terrain as well at this point. ONS-Reborn is the only official map with terrain but I seen a few beautiful maps containing heightmap-generated terrain in outdoor environments (one was some map in a temple, with open textured terrain on the outside and a beautiful waterfall in a corner). Outdoor maps would be very welcome in my opinion, because in most of the maps from the current game the action takes place in either a small dark facility or castle, and that's pretty much the atmosphere around the current levels. I think we need at least two or three maps with beautiful outdoor environments, green grass and sunny outdoors to brake the monotonic cycle of closed castles and facilities, and have some nice outdoor maps like the ones from the UT2kX series. So far terrain generated with stuff like EasyGen seems pretty useful and is also great with the performance since all the insides are caulked.

Anyway the idea of this topic is to ask mappers who have made good quality maps (with or without terrain or other features) if they are willing to give their work for the SVN and have their maps officially put in the game as long as the developers want them as well. I'm not sure what kinds of maps the team is looking for, but certainly more maps overall are needed. I tried making this map a month ago myself, precisely with the intention of proposing it for the SVN although I couldn't make it as good as I wanted in order to do that. So if you're willing to propose a good map you made for the game, post here and include some screenshots and info of your map(s) as well if you have any. This should make it much easier for the devs to decide what maps they wish to add in the game at a certain point if any.

[Sepelio]

Well, I've yet to give heightmap generated terrain a try. I'll need to track down that little program that does it. I dont really have time over the next two months or so however due to exams and being in the lab every day.

[MirceaKitsune]

I decided to take a look through the Nexuiz Ninjaz map list yesterday and took myself an hour to download all the maps which seemed good to me and test them. I found some awesome maps at very high quality which I believe would be welcome with all warmth into the game. I then thought to make a list here with the prettiest maps I found from that page so they can be easily checked by the devs and probably implemented in SVN as long as the authors would be to allow that as well. Hope this is the right topic, I mainly made it for people to offer maps here but thought it could be helpful if I made a list with what I seen to help things go easier. So here are the best maps I found in my search (and congratulations to the authors for their talent on making them, some are really lovely ) :

- Arboria: This is a very good looking outdoor map with terrain for around 5 players or more. Only problem is that this map is the exact port of the map Tokara Forest from UT2004, so to distribute that officially we'd likely need to ask Epic Games first, otherwise knowing how crazy stuff has gone these days they could even sue us.

- Breathium: I found this an excellent map even if probably a tiny bit too tight. Its atmosphere is also slightly different then the one in most facility maps from the current game so I think this would make a good change as a DM map.

- Chiroptera: I pretty much like this map because it's a larger and more open space while yet complex and correct. Its only problem is that it needs optimization as its very cruel with the FPS, and sadly someone with a lower specs video card could hardly be getting 15 or 20 FPS in some points.

- Minimim Processing: Another map at very good quality while yet open but still complex and also good with the FPS. It would make a difference as it's another facility-like map that is a bit larger but still very well made and correctly arranged.

- Lucid Enigma: This wonderful map looks very much like Cursed from the UT series and has everything a good map should have. Only problem is that this one is also a bit unoptimized and eats a lot of FPS with World Lightning enabled.

- Tomb of Necrobiosis: Another one of the maps which to me seemed almost perfect. Its a medium but complex arena in some egyptian temple which is a very nice environment that I think the game could use.

- Geocomp3: A spaceship with green windows and tints which to me seemed correct from all points of view.

- CTF Facing Worlds: The CTF map which many players love the most. It has everything it should, with the only problem that being a port of the UT map Facing Worlds, we'd need Epic's accord on this one as well depending on licenses and such stuff.

- Arahia: Although I remember Morphed saying this is not yet ready, this so far is the prettiest outdoor / terrain map which I currently played on Nexuiz. Sadly it only seems to have a Domination version so far, but if it would be to become an Onslaught map as well it would probably be the greatest one for the game at the moment.

[torus]

The problem with these maps is that they don't satisfy the MAIN requirement for inclusion in Nexuiz, which is compatibility with the GPL. Most of those are q3 maps, and their textures/resources are of questionable status. As for Arboria, the map a) uses a few non-gpl textures, and b) is buggy in a few places. It's just not good enough for inclusion in Nexuiz.

[MirceaKitsune]

The problem with these maps is that they don't satisfy the MAIN requirement for inclusion in Nexuiz, which is compatibility with the GPL. Most of those are q3 maps, and their textures/resources are of questionable status. As for Arboria, the map a) uses a few non-gpl textures, and b) is buggy in a few places. It's just not good enough for inclusion in Nexuiz.

Yeah... licenses ruin all that's nice once again. As far as I know no one minds if you make a map that's similar to one from another game, just not an exact port or -way- too similar. So if some of these maps are just close looking or inspired from other Q3 maps no one should mind to the point of getting anyone in trouble. Otherwise, maybe it wouldn't hurt trying to contact the authors of that game like ID software and ask them if they allow us to use the remake of a certain map of theirs. If we have the luck of finding nice people there and it's a map from an older game from the series they might just let us

The textures... maybe some could be checked more in depth to see where they come from. Or better off, if the authors of the map would allow that, the non-GPL textures in the map could be retextured with the closest similar looking textures that Nexuiz currently has. Just my two cents as I think these maps are too pretty to be missed...

[Mirio]

Reservoir? I'm one of the guys who actually like this map ~rare~

[[-z-]]

Arboria

I agree with torus' stance

Breathium

This is actually to the wrong scale and the author came out with an updated "rebreathium". I think it needs a little work but this is a nice map and I believe it fits the theme enough.

Chiroptera

Is this a Quake 3 converted map?

Minimim Processing

I haven't played this one enough to be honest but I think it was a little below the quality of some of the current maps.

Lucid Enigma

Quake 3 converted.

Tomb of Necrobiosis

Quake 3 converted.

Geocomp3

Quake 3 converted.

CTF Facing Worlds

Port of a UT map... not sure if the devs want such a map to represent their game. Maybe better if left as a custom map.

Arahia

Sure, this is a nice map.


* Quake 3 converted maps:
a) usually only include the bsp
b) may have licensing issues as noted above
c) were made for another game

-----

I'd like to see silvercity-reloaded


I feel like we had this discussion not too long ago..

[Fisume!]

Reservoir? I'm one of the guys who actually like this map ~rare~

I like it too!

[PinkRobot]

I also like Reservoir. The updated version also looks prettier than most other CTF maps out there.

Maybe we could turn this discussion around: what non-compliant maps do you like and what would be needed to make them suitable for inclusion in Nexuiz?

[fabz0r]

***corrupted archive***

im terribly sorry everyone.

this is terrible, i somehow lost the map... *shakes head*

guess ill have to make it again