My map was in part designed to be capable of handling both TDM and CTF game modes, somewhat similar to some of the most successful maps on shooters like Call of Duty's 'Scrapyard' and 'Highrise'.
For this peer review, I had implemented the steel containers on a matinee for base functionality, triggering the appearance of lava and a pain causing volume for realistic gameplay feedback.
I once again formed a set of questions, this time four, more detailed questions, as I am progressing through this unit I feel more detail is necessary to gain proper feedback, the questions were as follows;
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Q1. Without adding bots in, play the map and wait ‘til 3:30,
the switch to activate the environmental hazard should appear, press the button
and let the animation play out.
Do you feel the animation is the right sort of length? Or would you say it is too short or too long?
Do you feel the animation is the right sort of length? Or would you say it is too short or too long?
Q2. Back out then restart the game, add in 15 bots and play
with a focus on making sure you activate the environmental hazard.
How do you feel the hazard impacts play? Is it balanced in terms or health deductions? Too much? Too little?
How do you feel the hazard impacts play? Is it balanced in terms or health deductions? Too much? Too little?
Q3. Do you feel half way through the round is an adequate
time to enable access to the environmental hazard? Or would you bring the time
forward or push it back slightly? If you would make any changes, why?
Q4. How do you feel the environmental hazard impacts the
flow of the game, do you notice any slow down to the pacing or any other
negative effects on gameplay structuring?
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The feedback was fairly positive in terms of functionality, with suggestions of tweaks I could make to the environmental hazard itself.
Peer 1:
1.
The animation itself is fine, not that it’s
relevant to functionality but I like the added touch of the block out pouring
the lava. It just feels correct and it serves as a pre-emptive warning that the
lava will be coming up.
2.
The idea and role of the hazard will be
absolutely fine end game but I tested this over several games and it currently
feels redundant in the sense that you can practically ignore this and be at no
real disadvantage. To test this, I stood in the lava and strafed up and down
the length and got about 5 kills before the lava eventually finished me off.
·
The lava needs to be ramped up in terms of
damage. This will work because the pouring serves as a warning that the lava
will surface and thus people have plenty of time to position. Also you can
pretty much avoid the damage from this entirely by jumping – arguably you’d take
an incremental tick of damage which you won’t even notice anyway amidst the
fast paced game type.
·
I feel that the lava should still be a per
second damage type but perhaps triple. I’m not sure double would do it justice
(but this could be your next rule of the loop testing here, double it and see
how it balances). I feel like it should have more of a decision on the outcome
of whether you live or die if you take ticks from this and it doesn’t feel like
that currently.
3.
I can’t help but feel like it should slowly sink
and disappear. I like the idea that it surfaces half way but when this no
longer disappears it feels a bit off to me. Quickly thinking of something you
could into your next test what about quarters? So 3.5 / 2 = 1.75. So you could
have the lava surface 1.75 in and then have it vanish at 3.5 – at 5.25 it
resurfaces and stays until end of round at 7 minutes.
4.
No issue whatsoever really, the lava is jumpable
– and assumable on final blockout it will be encased by a small raised section
(so it makes sense) which will either automatically be a part players step over
depending on the height you set this or a simple jump. I don’t feel this really
adds or takes away from the flow at all, the map is practically the same.
Another point here regarding the CTF map type inparticular is that this
shouldn’t be affected in either way either – even for the flag carrier for the
reasons described above.However I would look into what happens with pain
volume scaling (if it even exists) when flag carrier opposing team has
advantage.
Final Comments:
Adding to what I said in 3:
Because the switch surfaces and may not always get used instantly the timings could be off, now you could either keep it working in quarters regardless of when the button is pressed (ideally wanting players to hit it close to as soon as it spawns) or you could ditch the switch entirely and have the lava automatic. This will possibly add to the idea of your map – automated machinery on timing systems pouring the lava and the lava draining over time etc.
Final Comments:
Adding to what I said in 3:
Because the switch surfaces and may not always get used instantly the timings could be off, now you could either keep it working in quarters regardless of when the button is pressed (ideally wanting players to hit it close to as soon as it spawns) or you could ditch the switch entirely and have the lava automatic. This will possibly add to the idea of your map – automated machinery on timing systems pouring the lava and the lava draining over time etc.
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Peer 2:
1. Animation is fine
to be honest and a really nice touch.
2. I found with the
hazard, it forces you to go through alternative routes. So by the hazard being there and causing
health problems and potentially death, you are creating choke points else where
in the level and not having as open, although there are several options to back
and forth across the map. It’s a nice
touch.
3. It seems
fine. Possibly bring it in slightly
earlier, but when you’re killing bots you don’t notice the time being an issue
for the hazard. The map covers all the
bases I feel. There is a lot of
variation, its large enough, plus the hazard, its fast but not too fast.
4. Doesn’t slow it at
all. Just forces the player to take alternative routes. It’s a quality map!
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Peer 3:
1.
I think the animations length is fine however if
possible try extending the damage over time so that players can just stand in
it for too long.
2.
The hazard doesn’t seem to hinder gameplay to
much however if you do increase the damge over time I would added a few more
vertical floors near the middle to avoid hindering your map flow once it is
active.
3.
I don’t think the timing of when the hazard can
be activated needs to be altered at all and is set nicely.
4.
Currently as the hazard doesn’t kill players
that fast it doesn’t have that much impact on the flow of your map however if
you altered this then some changes would need to be made.
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Peer 4:
1.
The animation feels about the right length as
the objects themselves are enough of a warning that the hazard is being
activated.
2.
I think to have more of an impact on the
gameplay, the damage should be higher to make it more of a risk/reward type
element.
3.
I’m not sure if this is something you already
have in mind, but if I were to implement this hazard myself, I would make it
first accessible around 1 minute into the round, then the hazard area itself should
stay for around 30 seconds, then it should clear up and after another minute
the event is accessible again. Making it a repeatable event, and not just one
that stays will keep the gameplay fresh and have the players always using
different routes through the map. Possibly putting the button in the middle of
the upper gantry will make that a strategic area for gameplay, fairer on both
teams, and I think this would make more sense thematically.
4.
I think the hazard needs to have more of an
impact on gameplay, as I didn’t notice much of a change. I think the repeatable
event and higher damage would help with this. I think it would be interesting
to have the level flow change multiple times through the game.
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Peer 5:
1.
I would say that the animation is indeed the
right time. By putting it at the halfway point it adds a nice twist to the
gameplay.
2.
With the addition of the lava in the middle of
the map, it will make the player take the higher level. This will also put the
players at a disadvantage, so it is up to them wherever to take that risk or
not. I like the idea you have put there, but I have noticed once it is
activated it stays there. You could make this so it can pop up for a certain
amount of time and then it falls back to the ground again. But if you do what
it to stay up there, I would say the damage over time is fine.
3.
I liked the idea of having the hazards at the
halfway point. It makes a great game changer and it could also turn the table
for the team players. If one team is using that bottom part a lot, then
activate that switch to stop that from happening.
4.
I do not see any changes to the gameplay when
the hazard is activated. The bots still take the hazard route anyway, so the
best way to find out is the gameplay slows down or not is to test with human
players. In my opinion I nice twist for the hazard is to have the damage over
time increase at the time passes. It would make the game more interesting.
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From this peer review cycle, having gathered feedback from five of my peers has allowed me to pinpoint some experimental things to try out with the next build, I will be experimenting with;
- Environmental Hazard damage values (Currently 5 health per second, looking at 10)
- Environmental Hazard presence (Possibility of making it subside and resurface)
- Remove interaction to begin Environmental Hazard sequence.
- Insert sound clip for audible warning
These experimental changes will be documented in the next changelog.
