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Katamori

Linear maps - Pro and contra

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I tend to play the more non-linear Doom levels (like E1M4) the same way anyway. There's probably areas in that level I've never seen since exploration (at the expense of progression) does not appeal greatly to me.

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I'd like to know how on Earth people keep mixing backtracking with non-linearity. There's no necessary relationship between the two whatsoever.

Here's two example drawings of maps: One that's perfectly linear with backtracking, and an other one that's non-linear with possibly zero backtracking. Linear, Non-linear

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But that map is also very repetitive. Half-Life is also extremely linear, but doesn't really feel repetitive.

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Katamori said:

OFF


Graf Zahl: where did you find this WAD? I never find any good maps like this...


What do you think? In /idgames, of course. I have been checking the /newstuff chronicles for more than 10 years now.

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Graf Zahl said:

If you want linear, take this:

http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/index.php?id=12608

It's large, it covers a lot of ground but it also feels like you are moving along a rail. It's just one area after another, each one with an entry and an exit to the next one. Yes, you can backtrack but there's no deviation from the main path whatsoever.

I tried that map and looked at it, but you have to admit the design and texturing looks nice.

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NitroactiveStudios said:

I tried that map and looked at it, but you have to admit the design and texturing looks nice.


I tried playing it. It certainly looks nice, but he was a bit nuts if he thought forcing you to fight constant steams of hell knights with only a shotgun was going to be a fun time :(

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Ultimately a map is linear unless it has more than one exit.

However, the path by which you get there can be non-linear by either presenting you multiple ways or paths to get to that end, or giving you a set of objectives that can be completed in any order. I've made a point of giving the player a lot of freedom of movement in a lot of my recent maps, so that there are usually several routes to the end, even if it's just one objective.


Personally, I find it's easier to have a very well crafted set pieces in a linear map (much like things are done in modern FPS games), but it's more fun to have an area to explore and several places to check for an objective or secret. I'd say the Circle of Death (Doom 2 MAP11) has a non-linear layout (being a circle with areas branching off the outside), but a linear progression (as explained by others), which for me is a good thing because it allows a lot of exploration but the player can learn a quick route to complete all of the objectives. This also makes SP maps viable for DM too, which is a good touch.

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