Many small maps or fewer bigger maps?

DaMaN · Post by **DaMaN** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:19 am

I'm currently working through a few story-driven maps/map sets and I was wondering what the community thought of map sizes in multi-map games.

(In case people are lost, I'm referring to stories that extend over multiple levels - where it's impossible to compact the entire level into one map. Think Half life 2 storyline.)

So, should stories that extend over multiple maps be split into small maps or big maps?

There are pros and cons to each:

Small maps:
+ Load and download faster
+ Easier to optimize
+ Usually take up less space per map
- Short, choppy, punctuated gameplay
- Level changes happen more frequently
- Custom models/textures etc can make a small map take up a lot of space

Big maps:
+ Large outdoor areas
+ Long, continuous gameplay
+ Level changes happen less frequently
- Load and download slower
- Usually take up more space per map
- Can cause lag

So what do you guys think?

skidz · Post by **skidz** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:35 pm

Depends how good you are at optimizing.

DaMaN · Post by **DaMaN** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:33 pm

skidz wrote:Depends how good you are at optimizing.

That's true, but all the optimization in the world won't help the guy on the other end of the internet downloading the 30 megabyte map.

But that is true, I've managed to really screw up some smaller maps so they lag horribly, and I've also managed to perfect some larger maps so they run at 50 fps.

Steam · Post by **Shana** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:55 pm

DaMaN wrote:
skidz wrote:Depends how good you are at optimizing.
That's true, but all the optimization in the world won't help the guy on the other end of the internet downloading the 30 megabyte map.

But that is true, I've managed to really screw up some smaller maps so they lag horribly, and I've also managed to perfect some larger maps so they run at 50 fps.

If you download it from a separate http server and not trough the crapy slow build-in download, you can dl it with full speed.
I always download maps in less than 10-20 seconds on servers with http download XD

skidz · Post by **skidz** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:58 pm

W0rf0x wrote:
DaMaN wrote:
skidz wrote:Depends how good you are at optimizing.
That's true, but all the optimization in the world won't help the guy on the other end of the internet downloading the 30 megabyte map.

But that is true, I've managed to really screw up some smaller maps so they lag horribly, and I've also managed to perfect some larger maps so they run at 50 fps.
If you download it from a separate http server and not trough the crapy slow build-in download, you can dl it with full speed.
I always download maps in less than 10-20 seconds on servers with http download XD

Indeed, you know a server is good when they use a external download server.

Post by **fug4life** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:10 am

Oh tricky, I suppose the small maps would be better, It's no real problem with the servers that are running map select. And on the whole I think you will encounter less trouble, like skidz said. After reading a few of your tutorials on sdk lounge, I'm looking forward to what ever you will come up with next. Which reminds me I still haven't played your antlion attack!
<me goes to find link>

sgae · Post by **sgae** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:38 pm

i prefer big optimized maps...

little maps are fun for much time... and believe me... sometimes the big maps are much better and more optimizaed than some littlemaps...

Vasili · Post by **Vasili** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:54 pm

Big maps take to long, and suck unless they are good like oc_freezingpoint

Small maps are good because they tend to have more tme into them.

Most small maps will eventualy get bigger, when people get betters pc's and wait for Vista to be good then BIGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!

Steam · Post by **Shana** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:00 pm

Vasili wrote:Big maps take to long, and suck unless they are good like oc_freezingpoint

Small maps are good because they tend to have more tme into them.

Most small maps will eventualy get bigger, when people get betters pc's and wait for Vista to be good then BIGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!

Sorry, but that is a very stupid post...

skidz · Post by **skidz** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:30 pm

W0rf0x wrote:
Vasili wrote:Big maps take to long, and suck unless they are good like oc_freezingpoint

Small maps are good because they tend to have more tme into them.

Most small maps will eventualy get bigger, when people get betters pc's and wait for Vista to be good then BIGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!
Sorry, but that is a very stupid post...

Yea I... I don't know how this could have happened...

CozmicShredder · Post by **CozmicShredder** » Sat May 19, 2007 12:10 am

I personally like map series or lots of maps as part of a huge story... But the effort involved has more to do with how identical or indifferent the maps are to each other...

I think if you want to make something memorable you should make two-three maps per session sometimes people just get bored playing the same story line sometimes they don't ..

But myself I find some mappers that have made like 5-9 maps that the stories are a lot of fun like the AVP series or the leprechaun series from SvenCoop...

Just have to make things stay to some type of story line somehow...

I personally don't care if I see to much of the same old stuff over and over just like to see maybe a map switches and then maybe it's night time or sundown stuff like that or maybe the next day it started raining...

Bottom line is STEAM keeps getting more and more new customers and as you guys get used to certain maps there will all ways be someone new to the scene and finds all you're efforts amazing all over again!