Hi Berzerker,

Normally I would point you at the manual on 40ksource.com, but that server is having abit of trouble ATM. I'kll try and get a copy of the mapping info uploaded for you to look at.

Thanks, that'd be great. I would have posted this in the forums there if i could get on

Make sure to take balance and any potential bugs/exploitables into consideration. Read the Balance and Bugs threads for more info.

We had a Space Hulk map but it was so one-sided that it was taken out of the server's map rotation.

I've mirrored the help section onto my personal site. These links will probabaly be the most useful:
Mapping[chromeangel.co.uk]
Map Entities[chromeangel.co.uk]

Basically you need one ex_gameplay, a chain of ex_*_objective's each with it's own set of eight ex_dropzone's.

Dropzones are like info_player_start points, you spawn at one associated with the objective most recently captured by your team.

There are different kinds of objective, I suggest you read up on the map entities to learn about which one to use where.

Thank you very much chrome, glad to see the mod's still very much active

On the subject of maps, the map display shown when pressing F1 is too small in size and resolution. May want to make that bigger so people can properly read it.

We got 2 others who are interested in map making: straydoom and Onslaught Delete. OD has experience making maps (highly-detailed map for Counter-Strike on FPS Banana) and is a 40k fan who collects and paints the tabletop models.

The 2 alternate servers for the Beta are run by CoZ and are free. A 32-slot server is possible if we can make maps that support up to 32 players (the current maps do not).

I figured it would be a good idea to get everyone's opinion on the new map in Alpha 8.11. Post your thoughts on it and keep the criticism constructive.

Remember: straydoom does consider himself a veteran mapper and this map is not a final product.

Also: Post map ideas for future projects. (Example: WW1-type battlefield complete with trenches, bunkers, pillboxes, craters, wire fences, and a no man's land.)

So, essentially, the map is big. Extremely big and wide open. In terms of balancing, this favours the Astartes and lets them exploit their full range. For the Tyrannids, their only hope of salvation lay in the large hallway with the pipeline/gateway and the bunch of tanks at one end. Some players have had first hand combat experience with this, in the way of being stuck and such. The "hallway" may need to be widened so the Astartes could spread out more while not totally negating the Tyrannids' advantage. Furthermore, more props are needed. The lack of props in the big blocks at either end of the "hallway" makes it a turkey shoot. More cover makes for more balance and more spots for the Tyrannids to make use of stealth and tactics to combat the range and power of the Astartes. All in all, the concept for a map is very good. Two big areas for minor combat and a chokepoint for some serious heated conflict. Given how this is Stray's showcase, so to speak, it's quite good as a rough draft.


tl;dr - Hallway = Tyrannids. Rest of Map = Astartes. Very Big. Needs more cover and hiding spots. All in all good showcase of the map and exceptional concept. Centered around a well executed chokepoint. Needs refreshments, preferably lemonade.

I might be forgetting something, I will check back for responses and such.

ex_wreckage was an overwhelming victory for the marines, except at the last objective, which the eventually captured. With only a single path between objectives stealers and assult marines had no opertunities for flanking. The large flat, open spaces were a killing field for turrets , heavy bolters and bolters especialy. Having objectives and dropzone in the same "room" lead to quite a lot of spawn killing as the marines captured.

On the plus side the pipes and low building allowed assult marines and genestealers a place to hang out and ambush from.

Place the tyranid spawn centrally, underneath the launch pad, with the marines objectives in a spiral around the outside. The idea being that marines have to push further from their crash site for each new objective, while the tyranids have a fixed travel time from their spawn to all the objectives.

OFC the marines could take a direct path through the hive and risk getting eaten...

In Wrekage I would like to see more than just one pathway to the objectives and more places where you could take cover, some places accessible only by Genestealers and Assault Marines to make them more useful and maybe less long corridors.

About other map ideas: I would like to see more maps like City Conflict and Thunderhawk. That means more open spaces and less corridors but with enough places on them where one can take cover. And it should be another attackers vs defenders style map. As of now, there're 7 Capture the Point maps(including straydoom's one) and only 2 Attackers Vs Defenders(or however those are called). Or maybe make a map for some unrepresented game mod like King of the Hill or Capture the Flag.

Uhmm.. no offense but can we try adapting some maps from DoW series or even maps from other shooters ? Some maps in the vanilla DoW2 campaign had an very much suitable layout, those 'defend the asset'-type missions on the desert planet inspecially. Certain 1v1 maps from DoW1 like Fallen City would require only minor tweaks in the layout.
Some popular Battlefield maps like Strike at Karkand or Seine Crossing(imperial city themed) from BF3, Cold War and Oasis from BFBC2, Crossfire from MW1.
This CTF from UT2k4:
http://liandri.beyondunreal.com/CTF-BridgeOfFate
(youd have to repair the broken bridge and expand the bridges a bit, tileset would be like Dow2 jungle ruins or crazy idea one side marine's strike cruiser middle is space, bridges boarding tunnels other side space hulk with tyranids in it)

My Favorite Maps. These maps need little in way of fixing or touching up and are fun. Keep in server rotation:

ex_city_conflict - Space Marines only have to defend their objectives (only generator can be captured back from Tyranids). So long as Tyranids coordinate their offense and keep up the pressure, it is possible to break their defenses and capture the objectives (they will spend a small time defending the generator after its capture).

ex_ichar_IV - Relatively equal and balanced control point map with both open and closed spaces to optimize different styles of combat. Though Space Marine spawn with its landing pad and container of ores is easier to defend than Tyranid spawn which is just 2 cave openings (the one above the objective too small for larger classes to fit through).

ex_lycantium - Another equal and balanced control point map but larger. Has alternate routes and many ledges and rooftops for Genestealers and Assault Marines to jump on. The route between the monument and parking lot objectives and between the courtyard and Tyranid spawn see much activity in way of concentrated fire down streets and hallways, making shooting galleries for those with superior ranged weapons. Again, alternate routes and ledges/rooftops help alleviate the pressure.

ex_spacehulk - Cannot say it is balanced as it favors the Space Marines by a long shot due to long hallways good for concentrated bolter fire. I have witnessed occurances of Tyranids steamrolling on this map in the past but it was rare. Just like city_conflict the Marines defend objectives while Tyranids attempt to capture them. I like this map due to the atmosphere and I still believe Tyranids can win on it if they coordinate and keep the pressure enough. Plus, we need a space hulk map for this mod and this is what we have at the moment.

ex_thunderhawk - This time, Space Marines go on offensive while Tyranids defend. Tyranids cannot recapture objectives from Marines but there is a time limit that needs to be met if Marines want to win. The tunnel that leads to the fuel pump right next to the Tyranid spawn is the crucial point of the map as Tyranids can easily camp and spam ranged attacks from the safety of the end of the tunnel. Assault Marines can jump into one of the cave openings into Tyranid spawn to go around this however but need to watch out for Tyranids spawning in.

ex_valley - Large uphill/downhill map with 2 routes between the outpost and bunker objectives. Despite tunnel entrance outside Marine spawn that leads inside their building, it is better defended than the single opening cavern of the Tyranid Spawn. The large open spaces are uneven and give way to obstacles, pits, and hills to prevent fire superiority from either side. Classes like the Warrior and Biovore excel on this map due to the long range of their weapons.

ex_wreckage - It is still a rough first draft of a map at this point but I see potential with what straydoom is working on. Needs more in way of objects such as obstacles to provide cover for players and to make the open spaces harder to traverese. The walls and floor need to be defined as they are one same color and texture so it blends in view. The few traversable walls provide some advantage for Genestealers and Assault Marines but are tall enough that both classes barely reach the top at maximum jump height. Finally, give it the grimdark 40k atmosphere of the other maps.

The other maps I have problems with and I would not mind at all if they were taken out of server rotation. They are notorious for too much close quarters areas (ex_hive) that lead to much ranged spam by either team and melee rushes by Tyranids. Some have nothing but long narrow hallways between objectives (ex_orbital) and lead to shooting galleries or ranged spam. ex_taris_ultra has a middle objective that favors Tyranids more than Space Marines. Also, being a snow map, the map is too bright and player crosshairs end up blending in with the ground and walls. Then there is the sliding feature associated with snow and ice surfaces which can get annoying.

Another map idea: Space Marine offense vs Tyranid defense onboard a Tyranid Bio Ship. An elite team of Marines board the vessel to destroy it from the inside while the Tyranid inhabitants protect the vital systems of the ship from destruction.