What makes a good co-op map?

Discuss Certain Aspects of Mapping, Modeling, and Coding.
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Vasili
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Post by Vasili »

Not to be made by me say some.(And you people know who you are)
But Who cares! (Some of you)
A map is a map, all maps are the same.

I should not post whilst I've got a hang over but whoopy do i have
unconnected
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Post by unconnected »

Vasili wrote:Not to be made by me say some.(And you people know who you are)
But Who cares! (Some of you)
A map is a map, all maps are the same.

I should not post whilst I've got a hang over but whoopy do i have
All maps are not born equal. Yours especially.
I am the Devils Advocate
cannon_fodder_51
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Post by cannon_fodder_51 »

coop maps as with anymap should be fun to play without enemies. Just navigating the map should be fun.
You should also make sure that theres a range of environments in your map. Have corridors wide spaces and no matter what make sure you provide cover when your fighting enemies. Make sure you supply enough enemies for everyone to have a decent go at killing everyone. When you complete various objectives make sure its gratifying to the gamer. For example if you destroy something dont just make it break make it explode spark and zap.

Be original if your map is like everyone elses it makes the entire game repetitive and boring but dont rely soley on your originality.

Secrets are always great fun. finding secrets should be like side objectives. Like objectives but not essential to the game.
Power-Mad
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Post by Power-Mad »

My 9 step layout to mapping! Not all need to be followed and osme are just common sense but it works and makes great maps!

First, people want action! Occasionally lock the door and just put spawns of enemys that they need to kill. This is simple butnessessary to hold the action for other poeple to catch. Just adjust it so the spawn doesn't last too long that it's repetitive, but so it's not so short it's gone before poeple all arrive in that room.

In any map, people love buttons that do things, even if it just spins something or turns on a laser. Buttons are fun and something I forget too much about.

Puzzles are fun but try to make them action puzzles. You make a puzzle with no action and some guy will just walk in with the solution to every one of them, finishing it in a matter of seconds. (action puzzle is a puzzle that requires you to fight in it, such as raising water levels in a sewer by reaching a protected valve.

Cover! You need cover spots for allies ot feel at least somewhat safe durring big action scenes! Otherwise players can blame you for their death to a shotgunner.

Node properly! Remember to node and cubemap your maps! This goes for any map expecting npc's in it! (The cubemap goes for any map period!)

Good spawn! What's the first place players ever see? Your spawn point! What's the first impression players will get of your map? Spawnpoint! Make it cool! This isn't nessessary but it's something I found that improves the way people look at your map.

Don't make a long walk! If you plan to make hte player go far, when htey die, there should be some kind of new path opened that will shorten their walk time! No one likes to die and have ot walk through your abandoned field all the way back to combat!

Sound! Make sounds in a lot of places, wether it be hte roaring of an engine, the music for a fight, or even just wind, we need something to hear!

End it right! Have people know this is the final boss! This is hte end of the map, and let them out of it with a damn good boss fight!

Secondary things you should do:
Add details such as piping and wiresystems.
Make Secrets
Create scripted moments! Doesn't nessessaroly have ot be npc scripting. For example, I put sprite glows on a track that activate when the second hte last boss of starlight dies, as the sprites flow twords the teleport point, the teleporter activates.
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Stene
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Post by Stene »

Good co-op map is full of some nice scenes and action. Like some maps in Sven Co-op; with some scenes showing up in some maps, and storyline. Play svencoop1 and svencoop2 in that mod and you will see what I mean.
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[FTA]c0m4ndo45
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Post by [FTA]c0m4ndo45 »

lol Power mad... im reuniting allmost everything you said on my OC_R-day map, that im making now...

Efficient respawning system (screenshots on the topic @ wip mapping), with alot of chekpoints.

Action scenes. Ant guard spawning and rushing intro combines tryin to defend their base... Helo coming to help defending...

"Hidden" things (not really that hidden... Just like, valve-ish style.. Placed on a corner, behind some stones... etc)

and well alot more to be done ... im still at early stages of it.


and cannon fodder, if you like no enemies map, play my oc_TheinfectedCourse.. possibly the first airboat hazard co-op map ;)
<Proud to be a gamer>

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