Battle map border idea

[Thorgrim]

Currently the map borders are raised, presumably to try and define the border of the map.

Although this is a nice idea to make the borders less noticeable, it has a number of annoying problems. The main one being that because reinforcements spawn at the edge of the map, you often find enemy archers etc at the top of a hill you cant get up, enemies also often get stuck up these mountains and you have to go find them. They also lead to horsemen un-mounting for no reason when they keep crashing into them. It also makes maps that should really be large plains look like little valleys. Wouldn't it be nice to have the edge of the map fade away into the distance?

I think a much nicer way to do borders would be something like this:

The map extends a little further than it currently does, with reduced level of detail beyond the current border. When the player reaches the map edge, they can continue moving for little way, but the camera stays at the map edge (as with the world map, and world map borders). When you are outside the map boundary you get the option to leave the battle as happens when you currently are at the edge. The map fades into the sky-box, perhaps with a number of sky-boxes to allow nicer fading out for snow, steppe and plains.

With this system, reinforcements would walk onto the map, and not end up at the top of a huge mountain where you cant get them. There would be no mountain borders to back opponents onto where there should be no mountains. And I think the terrain would generally look a lot more realistic.

Of course the added terrain area needed for the border might take a little from performance, but currently performance seems to be great, and so a little hit from extending the terrain would be worth it I believe.

What does anyone else think about the idea?

 

[barbaros]

Definitaly it would look better. Its a bit strange and unnatural to fight in a perfect square area surrounded by hills at borders. But the problem of enemies spawning on these borders and get stuck there is easy to solve and does not necessarily require your system. Just spawn them a little bit away from the border.

 

[Copy_con]

Good idea! With this kind of maps you could actually (more or less) let the spawned soldiers ride onto the battle field. It looks quite silly when 15 troops spawn a bit up in the air and then falls down.

Anyway, I also think that the maps should be a little bigger maybe 1,5 of the size they are now, and some fog for great distances.

 

[Kelpo]

Aye, I like the idea. Still, the area beyond the border should be almost completely flat so that no-one could accidentally get stuck there and the AI should be taught to avoid running past the borders. Bigger battle maps would also be nice.

 

[Bigwig]

Something like the sophisticated battlemaps in R:TW, or even a simple skybox would be a lot better than the goofy box arenas we have now. Seeing worldmap terrain features (towns, mountains, rivers) far off in the distance would be amazing and the best option. You could go the Tribes way too, and just make the terrain repeat after a certain point, although I think the terrain would need to be overall a little flatter than it is now.

 

[jrawlings]

Having either a physical impediment (like it is now) or a fade-away approach, as mentioned here... both are fine with me. My suspension of disbelief accepts both

I do like the idea that reinforcement troops should spawn away from the edge a bit.

One other thing on the spawning of reinforcements... I have had several battles where I am chasing some poor fool across the map and I finally kill him, and then I get the "new enemies have arrived" message and they all spawn on top of me... NOT fun. Could there be a check at the spawn point to make sure there are no players present, if so, spawn at an alternate point?

 

[Vachir]

I lose more knights to "new enemies" popping up on top of them than I do the entire rest of the battle. Finding an empty place to spawn, and spawning on relatively flat ground rather than on steep cliffs at the very edge of the map would be very nice.

 

[-GandalfTheGrey]

Full support on this idea from me, Thorgrim. I love it.

 

[Copy_con]

You could go the Tribes way too, and just make the terrain repeat after a certain point, although I think the terrain would need to be overall a little flatter than it is now.

Good idea, it cant be that "processor intense" to do it that way, I remember that they even used it back in the first Delta Force. But then we would definitely need som fog.
You'll only have to ride away far enough from the enemies to be able to escape, just like it works now.

 

[Juicy_jae]

This is a good idea, I am not sure if any of you noticed that the maps have defined corners where hills make sharp, 90 degree turns; it would be nice to get rid of those.

 

[Taal]

i agrre with this so much i will duel any one who doesnt. i even have my glove poised to slap .

 

[Blackspirit]

The problem with this idea is that wou'll be able to see where the border edge ends. It will stick out like a sore thumb.

I don't think M&B supports multiple transparency values, you've got transparent, and not transparent, so fading at the moment isn't possible. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Good idea though. I really liked in half life 2, how they put simplified 3d objects between the playable map and the skybox.

Having a not so far of castle between the skybox and the map would look pretty sweeeeeet

 

[Thorgrim]

When I said fading, I meant fog as a number of people have said. Fog is very cheap, and can look great if it is used with the right skybox. Glad everyone else feels the same anyway, I think once the borders are fixed up a bit the battles will be much more fun

 

[Sir Prince]

*endorses petition*

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I agree. I've had similar thoughts as well.

Another related problem is that the current AI and map edge system allows the edges to be used as a tactical weapon against mounted archers As they try to circle they hit the edge and have trouble recovering. When this happens even infantry, who realistically would have few weapons against mounted archers in the open, can easily defeat them.

 

[Blackspirit]

When I said fading, I meant fog as a number of people have said. Fog is very cheap, and can look great if it is used with the right skybox. Glad everyone else feels the same anyway, I think once the borders are fixed up a bit the battles will be much more fun

Ah, yes, fog on the borders would be good, nice idea.

I spose with this system the AI won't really get stuck on the borders, as they'll be able to turn back into the battle. Back if a enemy dissapears off into the border fog, and gets stuck, you couldn't see them, so the battle wouldn't end.

Maybe they could dissapear and count as routed units

 

[<deniz>]

Good idea.

It may solve one another problem: I don't know if I am the only one that is suffering from this problem but during a battle when new enemies appear near me or my forces the game tends to crash. What I mean is this is not deterministic, sometimes it happens sometimes not. If the active border is kept smaller than the battle map the remaining part of the map may be used as spawn points.

BUT if this is going to require more of system resources I would prefer to have it as an option. I play the game on a laptop and believe me sometimes I get annoyed because of it.

 

[ThVaz]

This is another suggestion whoo needs to be implementde in the game

 

[Ashlander]

I really really like the idea!

 

[Harlequin_]

great idea, but it would be nice if there was a red line (or something) at the map edge just so u know where it is