Comments on: The trouble with big maps http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/ Transporting our ACUs to your base since 2007 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:53:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Master Grim http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1823 Master Grim Sun, 13 May 2007 03:14:12 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1823 Righty-o! 40x40+ maps are great for defensive players, like me. But anything less than 10x10? Get out. It just ends up being an artillery gang bang, or an insane exercise in horde-ing. Anywho, there is one thing that bugs me to no end about the larger maps; the AI just can't handle them. I played a Horde AI on a 81x81 map, dug in, and awaited an assault. Guess what? There never was one. After 6 hours (I took a nap), I just quit the game in disgust. Looking at the replay, the AI was staying strictly in a 20x20ish area. WTF? BTW, I'm against using nukes. :P You'll never see me use one. Oh, and in case you're wondering, my comp's stats are as follows :P CPU: 3GHz (dual core) RAM: 1.25Gb (256Mb x3, 512Mb x1) Graphics Card: Sapphire Radeon X300SE (128Mb x2) Graphics Memory: 256Mb Resolution: 1280x960 Average FPS on the 81x81 map: (with fog of war disabled, and 750 units in play, against 3 Tech AIs; graphics settings to minimum) 8 FPS Righty-o!
40×40+ maps are great for defensive players, like me. But anything less than 10×10? Get out. It just ends up being an artillery gang bang, or an insane exercise in horde-ing.
Anywho, there is one thing that bugs me to no end about the larger maps; the AI just can’t handle them. I played a Horde AI on a 81×81 map, dug in, and awaited an assault. Guess what? There never was one. After 6 hours (I took a nap), I just quit the game in disgust. Looking at the replay, the AI was staying strictly in a 20×20ish area. WTF?
BTW, I’m against using nukes. :P You’ll never see me use one.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, my comp’s stats are as follows :P
CPU: 3GHz (dual core)
RAM: 1.25Gb (256Mb x3, 512Mb x1)
Graphics Card: Sapphire Radeon X300SE (128Mb x2)
Graphics Memory: 256Mb
Resolution: 1280×960
Average FPS on the 81×81 map: (with fog of war disabled, and 750 units in play, against 3 Tech AIs; graphics settings to minimum) 8 FPS

]]> By: ivan http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1604 ivan Fri, 04 May 2007 04:26:42 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1604 Grokmoo: That's a shame, we need a logical carryover from our turtling games in TA, and these future games need to be won without spamming nuke launchers. My computer will be up to the challenge. Grokmoo: That’s a shame, we need a logical carryover from our turtling games in TA, and these future games need to be won without spamming nuke launchers. My computer will be up to the challenge.

]]> By: T2A` http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1603 T2A` Fri, 04 May 2007 00:06:52 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1603 "It can also get rather drawn out and boring with no action really taking place for long periods of time." Exactly. I've certainly played games for four hours at a time without getting off my lazy ass, but a single game in SupCom taking that long is rarely full of action during that four hours. There's a reason I've taken a liking to 1v1 and 2v2 on smaller maps, and it's simply because there's constant action. When there's nothing going on, SupCom is really no different than SimCity, and I'm not a big fan of SimCity. You spend all that time building up for a single attack that has the possibility of taking no more than a couple minutes... Just seems silly. “It can also get rather drawn out and boring with no action really taking place for long periods of time.”

Exactly. I’ve certainly played games for four hours at a time without getting off my lazy ass, but a single game in SupCom taking that long is rarely full of action during that four hours. There’s a reason I’ve taken a liking to 1v1 and 2v2 on smaller maps, and it’s simply because there’s constant action. When there’s nothing going on, SupCom is really no different than SimCity, and I’m not a big fan of SimCity. You spend all that time building up for a single attack that has the possibility of taking no more than a couple minutes… Just seems silly.

]]> By: Sir_Brizz http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1602 Sir_Brizz Thu, 03 May 2007 23:01:46 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1602 I think the biggest problem is as a lot of people have commented in here, the games just take way too frikkin long. I played a 2v3 on one of those big maps (can't remember the name now :( ) and the game took almost 3 hours, not because I didn't tech up fast or have a lot of mixed units or whatnot, but because you have a long ways to go to get to the enemy and kill them. The strategy usually either turns to nukes or t3 units that have a long ways to travel. Sometimes it moves more towards the center, but blowing up the ACU is a pain in the butt when that happens because you can't hardly get across the map without getting mowed down by something. Anyway, I can see it as fun, I used to have 4 hour plus matches on TA, but it's not realistic for me to spend that much time in one sitting on one game. It can also get rather drawn out and boring with no action really taking place for long periods of time. I think the biggest problem is as a lot of people have commented in here, the games just take way too frikkin long.

I played a 2v3 on one of those big maps (can’t remember the name now :( ) and the game took almost 3 hours, not because I didn’t tech up fast or have a lot of mixed units or whatnot, but because you have a long ways to go to get to the enemy and kill them. The strategy usually either turns to nukes or t3 units that have a long ways to travel. Sometimes it moves more towards the center, but blowing up the ACU is a pain in the butt when that happens because you can’t hardly get across the map without getting mowed down by something.

Anyway, I can see it as fun, I used to have 4 hour plus matches on TA, but it’s not realistic for me to spend that much time in one sitting on one game. It can also get rather drawn out and boring with no action really taking place for long periods of time.

]]> By: MochaChiller http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1599 MochaChiller Thu, 03 May 2007 20:49:51 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1599 Wuped: Interesting assessment. I guess anyone that's passionate about this game and frustrated by such WELL 'founded' comments from people like Cyde Weys, would have to be a noob. But hey, that's cool...it's your opinion and I have no interest in swaying you from such stereotypical thinking. Cyde Weys: Yes, it was indeed a challenge and I'm happy to see that you picked up the gauntlet. When finals are over for me, then I'd be more then happy to face off against you. I'm willing to set aside some proper time to do such and I hope that when were both done we can walk away with a good experience. Maybe then you'll reconsider your thinking on larger maps, but we'll see. Wuped: Interesting assessment. I guess anyone that’s passionate about this game and frustrated by such WELL ‘founded’ comments from people like Cyde Weys, would have to be a noob. But hey, that’s cool…it’s your opinion and I have no interest in swaying you from such stereotypical thinking.

Cyde Weys: Yes, it was indeed a challenge and I’m happy to see that you picked up the gauntlet. When finals are over for me, then I’d be more then happy to face off against you. I’m willing to set aside some proper time to do such and I hope that when were both done we can walk away with a good experience. Maybe then you’ll reconsider your thinking on larger maps, but we’ll see.

]]> By: Grokmoo http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1598 Grokmoo Thu, 03 May 2007 18:12:50 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1598 A 1v1 is probably quite doable on an 81x81, if both players have good hardware. Alas, my computer is probably not up to the challenge. A 1v1 is probably quite doable on an 81×81, if both players have good hardware. Alas, my computer is probably not up to the challenge.

]]> By: T2A` http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1597 T2A` Thu, 03 May 2007 17:14:18 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1597 I can't imagine that working too well, tbh. I 2v2'd with my roommate yesterday on White Fire (10x10) and by 40 minutes in the game was going slooooooooow. Wish I had some money to spend on an upgrade, but even then, I'm waiting until UT3 to do so. Long battles for me are more like Sim City + sloooooooowness. I can’t imagine that working too well, tbh. I 2v2′d with my roommate yesterday on White Fire (10×10) and by 40 minutes in the game was going slooooooooow. Wish I had some money to spend on an upgrade, but even then, I’m waiting until UT3 to do so. Long battles for me are more like Sim City + sloooooooowness.

]]> By: amanasleep http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1593 amanasleep Thu, 03 May 2007 16:04:53 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1593 Somebody should stage a show battle on 81x81, using a LAN if possible, like the 6 Way epic FFA series. I think it would be very interesting to watch. Somebody should stage a show battle on 81×81, using a LAN if possible, like the 6 Way epic FFA series. I think it would be very interesting to watch.

]]> By: Wuped http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1592 Wuped Thu, 03 May 2007 16:02:35 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1592 Heh.... I want to see the replay. Heh…. I want to see the replay.

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-1590 Cyde Weys Thu, 03 May 2007 15:21:44 +0000 http://www.supcomtalk.com/2007/05/01/the-trouble-with-big-maps/#comment-1590 Wuped: Ah well, if that's the case, he's going to have some angry SCUs rampaging through his base <em>far</em> before he is ready for them. Wuped: Ah well, if that’s the case, he’s going to have some angry SCUs rampaging through his base far before he is ready for them.

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