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Author Topic: Tracking Maps  (Read 3565 times)

AtavisticPuma

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Tracking Maps
« on: January 06, 2012, 15:09 »

These seem a bit too plentiful right now, and while they are a neat idea for an item, they often kill the tension for me.

I think they would be better if they were a multi-step upgrade system from the regular computer  map;

IE, the first thing you find is always a regular computer map, the second one could be a "motion detector" that shows the position but not the type of the enemies (or maybe only the ones in a radius of 20 or so) and the third pickup could be the regular tracking map
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Game Hunter

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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2012, 15:31 »

I think they would be better if they were a multi-step upgrade system from the regular computer  map;

IE, the first thing you find is always a regular computer map, the second one could be a "motion detector" that shows the position but not the type of the enemies (or maybe only the ones in a radius of 20 or so) and the third pickup could be the regular tracking map
How would you suggest this be implemented? I suppose we could have some sort of generic "map upgrade" item and, for each one you find, your knowledge of the surroundings become better as you described. This depends quite heavily on there being multiple of these items, however, which wanes quite a bit as you descend (since more items become possible to show up). Or, it could be three separate items: one that displays the map cells (that is, walls, doors, etc), one that displays the map items, and one that display the map enemies.

Trying to make it a step-by-step process is a pretty tricky thing to do, given how very random this game is (and that none of the special levels bother with maps). I don't mind working with the map idea some more, however: currently Tracking Maps are just better versions of Computer Maps, so having both spawn on the same floor is often an annoyance at best.
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GrimmC

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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2012, 16:58 »

This sounds like a good idea to me. Especially as the technician, having three or even four tracking/computer maps spawn on the same level is pretty wasteful...and it happens with surprisingly frequency, even in later levels. It would also make Technicians less "instant pwn", getting full view of the level and everything in it from one mere computer map, laughing at those who took INT 2 and their inferior view. With this, they would jump to Map level 2 immediately and max out at Level 3 with only two pickups, instead of three. Sounds fair to me.

I'm not sure of the best way to implement it either...generic map upgrades sounds pretty good to me. I don't think separate map items would work well...what's to stop three map cell items from spawning on the same level. Now that would be annoying.
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Falker

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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2012, 17:05 »

This is a nice idea indeed, but it's hard to understand how it would work, so there's my idea:
What about adding a palmtop to the game, that will be able to be upgrades every three levels? (I know that's ridiculous, but there's one more option)
OR there should be disks scaterred over the maps that would work exacly like modules, and there should be only three of them in-game. (You don't find it, you lost it forever)
The palmtop would be nice in graphical version too, where instead of a black screen and letters, there would a palmtop pop out with green interface and eye-candy text. (For example when you level up, or when you want to check your inventory)

I think I might have slipped a bit out of the toppic by the last sentence, but even if I did, take that as a mini-suggestion for the current graphical beta version for improvement.
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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2012, 20:44 »

How about making the tracker just give you the old Int2 effect with no map data and let the tech get both map and tracker from either one?
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AtavisticPuma

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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2012, 21:44 »

How about making the tracker just give you the old Int2 effect with no map data and let the tech get both map and tracker from either one?

Right, I guess I was thinking of replacing both with a single item (that provides 3 levels of upgrades, or 2 for technicians) but your solution is good too, and probably implies a lot less new code.
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So_1337

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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2012, 06:04 »

Along these same lines, I'd like to suggest that successive normal Computer Maps for non-Technicians act as a Tracking Map. For instance, the first Computer Map you pick up acts like a normal Computer Map and the second one on the same level adds the tracking data.
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Uitë

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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2012, 13:21 »

Since it's not too uncommon to have multiple computer/tracking maps spawn in one level, I like the idea of combining them and having multiple levels. Level 1 would be regular Computer map, Level 2 is the old Int2 and Level 3 is the full Tracking map. What are now computer maps would increase by one level, tracking maps by two. Technicians would get an extra level if they picked it up, so move straight to the old Int2, then the full tracking map.
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Zalminen

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Re: Tracking Maps
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2012, 00:53 »

Yes, currently the map powerups are the only ones which are totally useless after you've already picked up one on that level.
I'd support the previous idea.
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