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Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)
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Author:  Mapmaker [ Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

Here's a first look at the rooftop level of my Colony Station (tentative title) map set. These will be the flip-sides of my 4-part space station.

Since this is one with quite a bit of flexibility in the layout and the potential to be a stronger competitive map than some of the others, I'm presenting it here with terrain features color-coded for your viewing comfort. Feedback is, as usual, most welcome:

Image

Author:  Mapmaker [ Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

By the way, the doors with red dots might end up being normal doors on the map, but I'm playing around with a custom indicator for "secure" doors. They are doors that do not open automatically: they have to be forced open (with door control) before functioning normally.

These may be used inside the complex and other maps in this set to represent "locked" doors or maintenance hatches that aren't intended for normal use. Picture a ventilation hatch with pressurized seals that need to be sliced or blown open before a person can pass through the wall.

I'm also considering a similar indicator that can be used to turn a designated floor hatch into a pit with the same game mechanic: it's normal floor by default, but when R2 overrides it, the floor opens up beneath you...

Author:  LESHIPPY [ Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

Mapmaker wrote:
I'm also considering a similar indicator that can be used to turn a designated floor hatch into a pit with the same game mechanic: it's normal floor by default, but when R2 overrides it, the floor opens up beneath you...


Awsome idea.

Author:  Disturbed1 [ Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

Amateur Map critiquer attempting to help. Willing to hear pro map critiquer comments on my amateur critiquing, lol.

Player from the left has a shorter distance to gambit by about 4 squares near as I can tell (13 from left, vs 17 from right), but the player on the right has a slightly more defensible position once in gambit thanks to the buildings right next to it. Crediting the building to the right side player, since they are on their side.
LOS to gambit seems to favor the left player slightly as well, as they can get cover fire from the top and bottom of the map, whereas the left player can really only provide cover fire from the top, unless they want to rush in towards it directly.

My big issue, which may not be big really: Left starting area is likely (at least for whatever piece you have going for gambit) going to be someplace near the Uplink station. The right side player is able to start a shooter near the bottom of the map and after one move, be within LOS of that area (albeit through cover), giving them a good chance at early points. If the 2x2 block above the EM Baffles (sp?) was one square higher, it would almost, if not entirely, eliminate that problem.

Lastly, the right side seems to have much more low objects and difficult terrain than the left side does, especially between rooms, making it more difficult for them to take cover by hudding the walls or to get to gambit.

Thoughts on my thoughts?

Author:  dalsiandon [ Mon Apr 25, 2011 8:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

I think it has some nice changes from other maps. SO often the maps look very cookie cutter and this one has that big open space but it has plenty of other varied terrain. I agree there is that one long los but I think it's off set by the amount of cover and the way to really adjust from the other side to compensate with all the buildings

Author:  GeneralGrievous [ Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

If the red walls in the lower center part of the map were shortened (the upper box having it's squares moved up one, and the lower box having it's right side squares removes) there would be another spot for a huge to stop. Which would be nice. Also widening the doors from the landing pad to three wide? Same thing for ease of huge movement.

Author:  Mapmaker [ Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

Thanks, guys!

I might move the Uplink Station one column of squares to the right to free up more space between it and the Commsat dish, and stretch the hard cover box on the rightmost EM Baffle up one square to cut off abuse from that line of fire.

If the open landing platform space is a problem, I can put a ship there to help break it up--but I'd prefer to keep it empty for RPG versatility if it's not a concern.

One other point of concern I'd like to sound out: the twin door sets through the blast shield around the landing pad are intended to make it tougher for the left-side player to snipe gambit, but they also have the effect of making left-side huges inside the landing pad area unable to open their own path; they depend on another piece to clear the path.

Problem? Or feature?

The doorways could be widened if necessary, but would that open up too great a field of fire?

Author:  Disturbed1 [ Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

I like the idea of moving the Uplink Station.

The landing platform looks good to me as is, though if you dont have a plan for the card for that particular map, you could maybe do another ship, so someone could use it for rpg if they wanted to. I know youve got a starship tile already, but more options is always better, lol.

Despite the number of places youve got open for huges to come to a stop on this map, many of them involve moving through green/yellow to get to. I like the blast doors how they are, and dont find them terribly different from the doors near the middle of the map on the Jedi Temple. I like the feature, personally.
It wouldnt really help to have them be 3sq wide from what I can tell, as a figure cant stop in the middle of a doorway (at least I think it cant. Its been months since I last played and Im not sure if Im remembering that correctly), but if you think theyll look good being 3sq wide, then go for it.

Author:  GeneralGrievous [ Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

Mapmaker wrote:
Thanks, guys!

I might move the Uplink Station one column of squares to the right to free up more space between it and the Commsat dish, and stretch the hard cover box on the rightmost EM Baffle up one square to cut off abuse from that line of fire.

If the open landing platform space is a problem, I can put a ship there to help break it up--but I'd prefer to keep it empty for RPG versatility if it's not a concern.

One other point of concern I'd like to sound out: the twin door sets through the blast shield around the landing pad are intended to make it tougher for the left-side player to snipe gambit, but they also have the effect of making left-side huges inside the landing pad area unable to open their own path; they depend on another piece to clear the path.

Problem? Or feature?

The doorways could be widened if necessary, but would that open up too great a field of fire?


Great ideas. Agree to moving the uplink station to the right and the right baffle up. Have you thought about moving the box to the left of the left em baffle one square to the left to allow a huge stopping spot on the south? And I love the idea of the two sets of doors but I still prefer them to be 3 wide so the huge can move up on it's own.

Also the open landing area looks good as is, maybe a small 2x2 or 3x3 traffic controller shack I'm either the top left or bottom left of the pad would work well?

Also disturbed1, too open the doors on their own they could move next to one set, then next turn or a pawn later they can move next to the next set. As they are the huge could never get to the second set on it's own. And honestly huges need all the help they can get. Still hoping for an update for them in the next set.

Author:  Disturbed1 [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

GeneralGrievous wrote:
Also disturbed1, too open the doors on their own they could move next to one set, then next turn or a pawn later they can move next to the next set. As they are the huge could never get to the second set on it's own. And honestly huges need all the help they can get. Still hoping for an update for them in the next set.


I understood the logic of doing it, I was saying what I thought was that you cant stop a piece in the middle of a doorway. In other words, since a huge is 3x3, and the space between the doors would run through the middle of the piece, the huge couldnt open the second set of doors anyway, even if the doorway was 3sq wide.

Like I said though, I could be making that up, since its been so long ago that Ive played, but I coulda sworn that was the rule.

Author:  thereisnotry [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 1:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

Yes, a large or huge character can finish its move while occupying the place where a door would otherwise close. As long as you don't finish your turn in a squeezing position, you're fine. That door cannot be closed via override as long as that large/huge character occupies those spaces, though the door could hypothetically be held open via override or door gimmick.

When a door is open, it is considered to be not-a-wall (ie, a piece can occupy spaces on both sides of it), and when a door is closed, it is considered to be a wall (ie, no piece can occupy spaces on both sides of it).

Author:  Disturbed1 [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

I knew it involved the 'cant close the door on the piece to try to kill it' idea, just didnt remember which side it fell on, lol.

So, then yes, I suggest making the blast doors all 3sq wide, if you think it looks good artistically.

Author:  Mapmaker [ Tue May 03, 2011 12:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

I'll do that with at least one of them, then. :)

Author:  GeneralGrievous [ Tue May 03, 2011 9:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Colony Station Rooftop (Sketch)

Mapmaker wrote:
I'll do that with at least one of them, then. :)


Thanks, being able to bring back the huges and use another one of your amazing maps is the classic having the cake and eating it comment. Keep up the great work.

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