2012-03-18, 03:30 AM
I question the assumption that 'flat simple maps' should exist in the game at all.
When I was just a small Page, I trained in the Ant Tunnel. I went around the Drake's Meal Table, I navigated the tree tunnels in Ellinia, I found the hidden streets with wild boars in them.
Then came El Nath. More specifically... Zombies. Two reasonably flat maps, that everybody and their mom trained on (Z3 and Z4). They had drawbacks, but... you just walked back and forth. And suddenly people lost the ability to jump, the ability to find an efficient route around a map. They griped and groaned about the depths of Ludi having long ropes, Aquarium wasn't great because you had to swim up and down... and then there were Himes. One level, one kind of monster... walk back and forth until your eyes stop opening.
Stronghold sadly is just the latest chapter in the tale of 'maps too boring to talk about'. You could sit still for an entire level if not for the 100 attack limit.
For me, the ideal map has mobs that take 6-8 hits to kill, multiple platforms each with an adequate number of mobs to use your mobbing skills, and, with proper cycling techniques, safe spots to attack most of them from. If it has enough platforms for several people to do this, it's a good party map.
When I was just a small Page, I trained in the Ant Tunnel. I went around the Drake's Meal Table, I navigated the tree tunnels in Ellinia, I found the hidden streets with wild boars in them.
Then came El Nath. More specifically... Zombies. Two reasonably flat maps, that everybody and their mom trained on (Z3 and Z4). They had drawbacks, but... you just walked back and forth. And suddenly people lost the ability to jump, the ability to find an efficient route around a map. They griped and groaned about the depths of Ludi having long ropes, Aquarium wasn't great because you had to swim up and down... and then there were Himes. One level, one kind of monster... walk back and forth until your eyes stop opening.
Stronghold sadly is just the latest chapter in the tale of 'maps too boring to talk about'. You could sit still for an entire level if not for the 100 attack limit.
For me, the ideal map has mobs that take 6-8 hits to kill, multiple platforms each with an adequate number of mobs to use your mobbing skills, and, with proper cycling techniques, safe spots to attack most of them from. If it has enough platforms for several people to do this, it's a good party map.