I am a product designer by day, so I am always analyzing how things look. I have had a few things nagging me with SC2's aesthetics for a long time, but I never could quite put my finger on what they were. I'd like to make a series of concise posts highlighting how we might improve or add variety to maps and units. Recently, I realized the first main thing that bothered me about the game's visuals:
Everyone always fights at 9am. On every planet. Every battle. WTF. What do they have a treaty at Siesta time and take the rest of the day off?
NOTE: I am NOT suggesting day/night cycle. Battles and environments feel fake when that is introduced. We want a game to feel like it's happening in real time, which wouldn't really change given the average SC2 game length.
What happened to a showdown at high noon? The searing heat of late afternoon? Why is every planet's sun in the SC2 universe positioned the same? Why must shadows always be cast the same direction? Hold that thought....
Issue 2: Most ladder and competitive maps are blue and green and blue and blue and gray and green and blue and blue. What happened to desert, badlands, squaring off in the barren wasteland? Browns, yellows, oranges. Terran mech requiring cleaning so it doesn't get too sandy and tarry? Blistering Sands looked cool, but it's did horrible layout alienate everyone from fighting in the harsh desert plains? Maybe if the 'pros' took their settings off low so it wasn't a sea of nuclear red, we could convince them?
I challenge map makers to explore maps that truly reflect the heritage of starcraft's races doing battle in 150 degree searing heat, with gleaming metal and parched creatures.
This post would be longer, but I'm working on my first map that will implement the following ideas:
1 - High-Noon lighting. Note: Cast Shadows reflect true position of air units. Harsher lighting and shadows. 2 - Explore the best WoL tilesets to capture warm desert/badlands feel of BW desert maps. No cool blue sand or lunar gray sand, but warm, hot sand that will nerf marines by slowing their march.
Who's with me? Here's a crappy screenshot illustrating the general feel:
EDIT: Here's a more fleshed out version with more subtle shadows:
Quick rundown of lighting changes from memory: Tone Editor: Diffuse multiplier increased from 1 to 2 Terrain: Creep Specular Multiplier decreased from 3 to 1. Key: changed to H:0, V:272 (overhead lighting)
Notice how you could see when mutas are over a Thor, when an air unit is hovering above a cliff, etc? This is the idea for spectators and players alike. More clarity, looks cool. Progamers could adapt quickly and would probably welcome the clarity.
Yeah one of my main problems with maps right now is that they all aesthetically look the same. Using different tilesets, lighting effects, shadow positions, light color (different stars, different wavelengths of light etc), etc would do a lot to make watching games even more interesting.
On October 28 2011 14:45 lichter wrote: Yeah one of my main problems with maps right now is that they all aesthetically look the same. Using different tilesets, lighting effects, shadow positions, light color (different stars, different wavelengths of light etc), etc would do a lot to make watching games even more interesting.
Yes, it seems that some amazing map makers that create GSL maps, etc. have an affinity for blue and green maps. Just because snow maps hurt players' eyes in BW, doesn't mean we have to make EVERYTHING dark and dreary. Darkened yellows, reds, and browns are okay. Don't be afraid!
On October 28 2011 14:47 windsupernova wrote: Well, you can change lighting on the Editor.
I guess once we have maps more figured out we will be seeing more beauty maps.
Yes, I did change the editor lighting to roughly illustrate how it could feel.
Also, your point is invalid. GSL mapmakers did not run out of time laying maps out before skinning them. The skins are very intricate, beautiful, and elaborate. They just got stranded on Belshir and Shakuras.
I do applaud BelShir Beach for trying something new. A little saturated and resort-ey, but it's a step in the right direction.
Don't know if I would like a map to have a day and night cycle, maybe try it out on a few maps and see how it is, I like the idea. There is still so much room for experimentation out there. I think right now we are just trying to make maps that are balanced above all else. Looks will come second.
On October 28 2011 14:50 Sea_Food wrote: Mby its like this because if you change the lighting all of the units start to look stupid IMO.
I disagree - doesn't that siege tank look great with the sun shining brightly on the top, while a harsh shadow is cast directly underneath.
Isn't it much clearer where the Medivac is flying over?
Some of the units do look stupid, but overall I think this feels great, like a contemporary evolution of BW desert maps. Stupid unit design will be addressed in a future installment.
On October 28 2011 14:51 Meteora.GB wrote: The searing desert certainly could use more lighting. Though for competitive reasons I doubt they'd implement or create maps that are too bright/dark.
BW Red Desert tileset would be a good threshold. That felt bright, but didn't get too crazy. Heck, make players compete with sunglasses.
To be fair, there have been maps with different colors that everybody ended up hating. Desert Oasis, Blistering Sands, and Searing Crater come to mind. There might also be more interesting looking maps coming with HotS. Since they are doing the new destructible rocks feature that they will at least add a few more maps to display this feature, we can only hope they will look interesting.
On October 28 2011 14:50 Sea_Food wrote: Mby its like this because if you change the lighting all of the units start to look stupid IMO.
I disagree - doesn't that siege tank look great with the sun shining brightly on the top, while a harsh shadow is cast directly underneath.
Isn't it much clearer where the Medivac is flying over?
Some of the units do look stupid, but overall I think this feels great, like a contemporary evolution of BW desert maps. Stupid unit design will be addressed in a future installment.
You have to consider the clarity of the game for players and spectators, especially at times when there is a lot happening on screen.
and most players set their shadows to low so the shadow is directly below flying units.
Well I for one would like to see a few more tilesets on pro-maps. The issue with Desert Oasis and Blistering Sands was map design and not tileset- at least as far as I know. That tileset is actually good looking.
On October 28 2011 14:58 0neder wrote: Well, eSports could certainly use more physical trials. Poker players do it. Whatever it takes if you want to be a 'legit' sport.
Those were both jokes by the way, meant to get people excited about how maps could feel more exciting.
I don't think sunglasses are gonna make Starcraft a more legit sport. Also, poker players do it for strategic reasons... not because the cards are too shiny. lol.
If you watch the Blizzcon panel where they show off new map textures/tilesets for HotS, you'll see that there's plenty of reason for people to get excited about maps
EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/PgeV3.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/IpeLz.jpg)
