[FS HappyDay]

Well, I can't say anything for the other maps, but uptown will be dark, destroyed and filthy with lots of graffiti. And at some point, I'll write an interesting character story featuring the map.

[wG*Swiiitan]

Zenity, on 14 January 2016 - 01:31 AM, said:

No way, Casa needs to remain a Spanish town. :) I don't want all maps to be the same kind of dark and gloomy...

It would also be futile to aim for a completely coherent thematic look and feel. That is not the strength of a volunteer project. Our strength is diversity and no restrictions, this is what we have to take advantage of to compete with multi million dollar budgets.

There are more subtle ways we can inject lore into the maps, and by all means I'd love to see mappers try and really catch the mood of the lore in new or updated map projects. But we should never limit ourselves in any sort of way or stick to a single style or environment.

As long as we focus on plain old fun over immersion we don't have to be afraid of the AAA studios. But trying to beat them at their own game would be suicide.

They don't need to be dark and gloomy :)
The apocalypse can also be beautiful, the map don't need to be dark, it can be filled with life! A city where nature took over:



All the maps don't need to be like this, as Bladekiller said, There is also a working society guarded by the U.T.R.T which are better organized and have repaired some infrastructure in the territory they control.

I mean sure let Casa be in a spanish city if that is of such importance to you, but make it fit the lore with signs of the apocalypse. Have shelters and broken windows, have generators keeping things going.


"Our strength is diversity and no restrictions"
Diversity is a good thing, but structure is also needed.
Restrictions are needed too.. A game can't just have bits of that and that and that if it doesn't make any sense, a game can't have fluffy pink unicorns running around on a map up in the clouds, and also try to have a bit of lore and depth into it.. (I exaggerated to make it more clear)
I'm not saying every map should be of ruins and destruction. But they should make sense to the lore.

There could also be "Classic" maps like the Turnpike Frankie is doing. A map-pack that is explained to be a gift for the old schoolers, they wouldnt need the lore and would be loaded as: Turnpike[Classic] or Kingdom[Classic].


"But we should never limit ourselves in any sort of way or stick to a single style or environment."
The World is a big place and Sarah probably has her Red Dragons all over who fight for what they believe in, so I'm not saying that there should be a single style or environment (: as long as there are signs that fits to the lore.

By saying that I saw Casa in UrTHD to be located in a big town may have given you the wrong idea of what I meant. It is not my intention to bring everything to look the same, not at all. I just meant that Frozensand should not be afraid of doing something different. It doesn't always have to be what It's been before, change is good :)


If there is to be a lore then the game should stick to that lore.
Let the community make what they want, in whatever style they want. But as the developers you should stick to the lore.

I know this is not an AAA title with a million dollar budget.. But for the release it should feel like a complete game and not some canvas where each member threw a bucket of paint on it and then said: finished.


@Happyday: That sounds awesome, I can't wait to see more updates of the map :)
And I always love a little backstory, so the lore is much appreciated :D

This post has been edited by JustMe...: 14 January 2016 - 05:07 PM

[FS BladeKiller]

In towns controlled by U.T.R.T. there can be more subtle signs of struggle like graffiti. You might have an sidewalk cafe with chairs turned over and plates on the ground. Beer glasses spilled. Some tables flipped. Signs of a quick exit due to an attack. U.T.R.T. maps can have evidence that the Red Dragons have used explosives to breach the wall. Casa fits this side so it can have some subtle signs of battle and repairs. Maybe some solar panels for power.

[FS Zenity]

I now hope that somebody makes a map with fluffy pink unicorns running around on a map up in the clouds.

[wG*Swiiitan]

Zenity, on 15 January 2016 - 12:52 PM, said:

I now hope that somebody makes a map with fluffy pink unicorns running around on a map up in the clouds.

That would be an epic custom map indeed *-*

[FS Zenity]

The thing is, the line between custom map and official map becomes blurred easily. How many official maps started as "custom" maps? A project full of volunteers means that if somebody does a fantastic job you don't say no to it categorically just because it doesn't fit the canon.

Urban Terror does not have to be consistent, to be fun. That's a misconception, and I'm so adamant about this because I used to have the same misconception for a long time. Once you realise that we don't have to play by the same rules, things become a lot more interesting. In many ways, Urban Terror is a glorious hodgepodge of fun.

[FS HappyDay]

Zenity, on 15 January 2016 - 12:52 PM, said:

I now hope that somebody makes a map with fluffy pink unicorns running around on a map up in the clouds.

That's the best I could do in about 10 minutes:

[wG*Swiiitan]

Zenity, on 15 January 2016 - 08:13 PM, said:

The thing is, the line between custom map and official map becomes blurred easily. How many official maps started as "custom" maps? A project full of volunteers means that if somebody does a fantastic job you don't say no to it categorically just because it doesn't fit the canon.

Urban Terror does not have to be consistent, to be fun. That's a misconception, and I'm so adamant about this because I used to have the same misconception for a long time. Once you realise that we don't have to play by the same rules, things become a lot more interesting. In many ways, Urban Terror is a glorious hodgepodge of fun.

Urban Terror is a mod, and therefore the rules are easier to bypass. But now UrTHD will become a standalone game, this way it's more strict.
If a custom map is good and loved like Tohunga or Orbital for example, then a contract would be needed for you guys to make it official.(Much like Valve for example that have added De_Mirage & De_Cache as their official maps that were made by fans) If then the map is yours, some adjustments could be made to make it fit the lore :) (Valve have made lots of changes to those maps, so that it fits their game. So could you at FS)

There is always rules mate, and I'm not saying this to prove you wrong. I'm saying this because I'm trying to make you understand, if FS wants the game to follow some lore then it should follow that lore, and not just a map or 2. There is no point to even have it otherwise...

If it doesn't fit the canon, then make it fit the canon, the map would be yours to keep so!


Sure UrTHD is a freelance project but by saying that you want the game to have no rules or lines, then you are fu#%ing up for the ones who does :/
Me myself want the game to feel complete when its released, and not be some random mix of what every dev wants implemented..
Don't get me wrong, I love UrT and I want what's best for it. I do believe having the full game follow it's lore is the best for it (:


@Happyday: Those are some sexy unicorns bro! :D

This post has been edited by JustMe...: 16 January 2016 - 06:38 AM

[FS Zenity]

Why do you think rules change for us because we are making a stand alone game now? Do you think there is a fundamental difference between a mod and any other hobby gaming project? There really is not. Even the tiniest budget indie game plays by completely different rules than we do. If you'd want this to change, Urban Terror development would have to change completely. We'd need a budget, pay every developer, and create a business plan that is mainstream enough to have a realistic chance of recuperating the costs within a sensible timeframe. Not to mention somebody to come up with the funds... That's not gonna happen.

Don't get me wrong, I understand what you are hoping for and of course we'll make an effort to maintain a certain level of consistency as far as that's possible (like placing props into maps, or advising mappers what makes sense and what doesn't). But our biggest disadvantage is also our biggest advantage in that we are completely free to do whatever we want. If we limit ourselves to only consistent content, we will be stuck with only the disadvantages. Nowhere is this more true than with environment art, which is incredibly hard to create from scratch but also benefits massively from a large amount of variety. You have to expect maps of significantly varying quality and style, everything else is simply unrealistic. You will choose your own favourites based on your preferences. For you this may be lore, for many others it will be visual quality or gameplay.