Concept Level design dilemma

[Sethis]

Hi guys, and thanks in advance for taking the time to read this and eventually helping me with it

 

First of all, i never introduced myself to this little and joyfull community - and i don't plan to do so right now, i'll probably make a topic later, so let's set this matter aside and get into the main topic of concern : as you might have guessed, i'm here because i stumbled upon the Intersect engine while daydreaming about making (at least) my own oRPG, one that would - of course - revolutionnize the way you play (MM)ORPG. So here i am. Well, i'm probably not good enough to make the next WoW-like hit right off the bat but i like to (modestly) think that i might have some original (if not good) design ideas.

 

Either way, i'm currently playing a bit with the engine, and despite having done a fair share of research on the net, i'm having quite a dilemma about one of my main features. In my game, i'd like to give the player a big (big ! about 90% of the game content) area (a forest, actually) to explore, with many many many secrets (zones, npc, events ...) to discover : yep, exploration would be the main focus of the game. I know it would lead to problems later on, like players finishing the proposed content too fast or such, but that's not the point.

 

I'm facing something more like a level design problem, and without further ado here is it : should i map the forest like a ""real forest"" - that is, with space between the trees, possibility to go everywhere, no real obstacle but bush/thorns or the occasionaly gully or river ... you got my point. The downside is that the visibility will clearly be really low, but i'd like the player to get that "omg i'm lost in this big ass forest" feeling.

 

Spoiler

Kinda like this :

 

On the other hand, should i map with a more ""classic"" feel in mind : "wall" of trees, dirt paths (or not, but the way is somewhat indicated), kind of "rooms" of forest ? The player is more used to this kind of environment, the mapping will be easier, i could lead the player where i want to with correct level design & the visibility will be obviously better but that's not what i want to achieve (because players will memorize the way/each rooms) and i think it would fit less in the eerie atmosphere i'll be trying to set.

 

Spoiler

Like this :

 

 

I'll be glad to hear what you think about this. If you have question, feel free to ask

 

Thanks a lot, guys, really, this community seems amazing ! And the engine is way too great for me to describe

[Neeknog]

I personally like the free roam forest style but that's just personal preference. I guess its a matter of what your trying to accomplish. Do you want the players to get lost in the woods, or do you want to direct them in a certain direction. There no reason you cant create two different styles throughout your game, or even combine two in one. So maybe make a huge dense open Forrest, but leave certain areas narrowed in or open to suggest player movement through certain areas. Or use the big free roam style and still ad dirt paths to certain spots fading in and out to suggest route travel. Either way you go, it depends on your intentions and game mechanics.

 

What is the purpose of this Forrest? Is it a general training spot for players to grind on npc's? Maybe its a gateway to a huge dungeon or boss fight? Determining these details first can make your decision on mapping styles. Now personally if it were me I would not choose both styles in one game, but there's no rule saying you cannot. I would  not though just for consistency's sake. If it where me i would pick the "free roam" style and just add paths and position trees closer together to suggest player movement if need be.

 

Ultimately its your game and your choice, but I would make a decision based upon what makes the most sense for what you are trying to achieve.

[Vus]

I feel like a bit of a mix between the two is the best. Free roam style maps are definitely more fun to explore (at least for me) and look more natural and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. You can then combine the two styles and make a "denser" part of the forest, serving as a wall or a map boundary while still relatively keeping the natural look of the map.

[Gibier]

The utility of the map can also influence the forest. If you you make a quest "find the hidden chest" it should be better to use a real open forest than a wall of trees. Same for the other way if you make a quest "Find the forest witch" a wall of forest would be more usefull to find her.

 

So check what you wanna do with the map. It should help you to find some clues on which type of map to create.

[raeven]

I feel that this would totally depend on your general game philosophy. For instance, our project goes from the beginning for that "free roam" feel, so it would be against our own logic making a linear forest. As you clearly understand (you stated it yourself) there are advantages in both approaches, just go for the one you feel more right for YOUR game.