Will 1.5x new version have more maps?

[juanval]

Hello guys. I enjoyed a lot xenonauts this summer playing ironman and now I'm happy to see a new version mixed with comunity edition.

I'd like to ask you if this new version will have more maps or simply the same maps that 1.09 had?

Thanks in advance and congrats to the developers for this great game.

[kabill]

No, there won't be any more maps (at least, this has not been announced).

If you're not already using them, though, Skitso's Megamix Map Pack is amazing and you should download it.

[juanval]

The Skitso's Map Pack will be compatible with 1.53 version?

[radek]

I think that Sitso map pack should be just included in the game ;D

And some other skitso imporvments as well

[kabill]

The Skitso's Map Pack will be compatible with 1.53 version?

Yes, definitely.

[juanval]

That will be great!! thanks for your fast answers

[podbelski]

so is it assumed Skitso's mappack is generally better than Kabill's? I guess some files (eg farm) create a collision, so I hesitate which mappack to use... first time I used both, and now only Skitso's, after game reinstallation

[dpelectric]

I'll try to answer that.

The random maps, of far greater quantity, offer tremendous variety. However, once you play them for a while, you'll notice that they often have overlapping and placement issues, and are not up to the standards of Skitso's individually crafted maps. At bottom, it's a choice between quality vs. quantity. Of course, ideally, you can use both, but the sheer amount of random maps can somewhat overwhelm your chances of seeing Skitso's.

Hope that's a fair assessment.

[kabill]

Seems fair to me.

I'd add that the overlapping and placement issues are mostly a problem for the farm maps and seldom (never?) occur with the desert and arctic ones (partly because I learned a lot doing the farm ones and partly because the desert and arctic tilesets don't have features which render them especially difficult to make randomised maps like the farm ones do). That said, I can't help feeling that in spite of their randomness the Desert and Arctic maps feel a little too samey on aggregate. Still, not a massive amount that can be done about that I don't think.

(An aside, but Skitso's pack doesn't add any Arctic maps so if you're wanting some variety there mine is the only choice you have at the moment. Although, actually, Khall's Tundra map stuff might be a reasonable substitute as I think the places where Tundra maps spawn overlaps the locations where arctic maps spawn in vanilla, so implicitly you're creating more variety in the vanilla arctic zones. But you could still play with my arctic map pack and it wouldn't affect the Tundra stuff at all).

[dpelectric]

Replaying things in my head, you're right, I do believe the map oddities I've encountered are just on the farm maps.

[ventuswings]

Yeah, I just use both and it didn't prevent me from getting one of Skitso's oasis maps few times anyway. I suspect similarity of arctic+desert maps are bound to occur considering "theme" of these tiles (military bases could be organized differently but those aren't present).

Speaking of the tiles, is work on the Random Maps finished or do you intend to make more additions eventually? I wouldn't even mind it takes years for everything to be finished, since I understand it can be difficult work and requires much motivation.

[podbelski]

yep, I actually use that combo: Skitso + Khall tundra + Kabill arctic

[kabill]

Speaking of the tiles, is work on the Random Maps finished or do you intend to make more additions eventually? I wouldn't even mind it takes years for everything to be finished, since I understand it can be difficult work and requires much motivation.

I think the best answer I can give is 'maybe'. I've been suffering from a prolonged bout of demotivation and have yet to reclaim it. In principle, I'd like to get it finished (which might also mean revisiting the farm maps and redoing them/making them better as they're the ones with all the bugs) but when/whether this will happen is still contingent.

[dpelectric]

I wouldn't even mind it takes years for everything to be finished, since I understand it can be difficult work and requires much motivation.

This may be going off on a tangent, but that is so true and such a shame. I'd love to make maps, and have free time available, but despite the fact that Kabill and Skitso will both modestly tell you that's it's not that hard, I've watched too many other people struggle with the arcane and byzantine process and give up in the end.

It's the same thing that has ultimately killed the replayability of many other titles: the lack of an easy-to-use map editor. I really, really hope that the next big game GH is working on gives the community much greater mapping potential.

[llunak]

This may be going off on a tangent, but that is so true and such a shame. I'd love to make maps, and have free time available, but despite the fact that Kabill and Skitso will both modestly tell you that's it's not that hard, I've watched too many other people struggle with the arcane and byzantine process and give up in the end.

It's the same thing that has ultimately killed the replayability of many other titles: the lack of an easy-to-use map editor. I really, really hope that the next big game GH is working on gives the community much greater mapping potential.

Too bad those two are contradictions. Primitive tools (i.e. what you call easy-to-use) usually do not provide much of a potential, because that needs complex tools (i.e. what you call arcane and byzantine). It is rather confused to think that one can create good maps (or even learn to do so) within one hour and without giving much effort.

[dpelectric]

Too bad those two are contradictions. Primitive tools (i.e. what you call easy-to-use) usually do not provide much of a potential, because that needs complex tools (i.e. what you call arcane and byzantine). It is rather confused to think that one can create good maps (or even learn to do so) within one hour and without giving much effort.

Wow, dude, that's a bit harsh. I've watched guys on this forum spend one hell of a lot more than "one hour and without giving much effort" to mapping attempts that wound up in frustration. And there are games out there with great, yes, "easy-to-use" map editors that produce solid results. I'm done with this conversation, and done being condescended to.

[Chris]

Making new maps using the Level Editor is relatively straightforward; it's only when you delve into the Sub-Map editor that it all turns into a horrible mess.

[juanval]

yep, I actually use that combo: Skitso + Khall tundra + Kabill arctic

Do you, experts in maps, reccomend this combo for the last 1.5x version close to be released?

I think the final version of xenonauts should include the best map mods by default.

[Skitso]

Wow, dude, that's a bit harsh. I've watched guys on this forum spend one hell of a lot more than "one hour and without giving much effort" to mapping attempts that wound up in frustration. And there are games out there with great, yes, "easy-to-use" map editors that produce solid results. I'm done with this conversation, and done being condescended to.

Yeah, it can take anything from 3 to 15 hours (depending on amount and size of unique sub-maps that the level requires) to make and play test a highly polished and well playing map, even from a seasoned mapper like myself. Learning how to use the level editor is really straight forward and shouldn't take more than few hours to get a hang on as long as you use just the existing sub-maps. There's also a good, step by step guide on mapping on these forums, so anyone can try it.

it's only when you delve into the Sub-Map editor that it all turns into a horrible mess.

...and even the sub-map editor is fine, or at least not horrible mess after you get to know it better.

Edited December 1, 2014 by Skitso