What makes (or breaks) a great map?

[MadGypsy]

When you are playing a custom map, what is your top criteria for whether or not it is great? I am aware that some Quakers will have a list of things. I am curious more as to the "make it or break it" type stuff.

,
Gypsy

[golden_boy]

Most levels can be reduced to finding stuff to open a lock of sorts. But variation is the spice of life; always opening the gold key door eventually gets a little samey. Basically I enjoy a map when it does a variation on the theme, and does it creatively.

A good start is to replace the keys with something more interesting and involved. This is what most games tend to do - Bioshock's Fort Frolic where you have to take snapshots of people you killed (they are keys but don't look like keys), Crysis where you have to destroy anti-aircraft guns to clear the way for an airstrike (they are locks that don't look like locks), or Tomb Raider with its giant statues that somehow move to direct light rays to a mirror or whatever (another lock that doesn't look like a lock).

Make it interesting, don't give me the same gold key routine for the nth time.

I also prefer if the locks-and-keys stuff is the main course and combat only the side dish, while most Quake maps start by having you kill 600 monsters and then toss in another gold key door to make it look like it has gameplay. That in my opinion is ass backwards.

[Mindf!3ldzX]

that depends on what the map is catering to.

multiplayer or single player?

[RL Clown]

When you are playing a custom map, what is your top criteria for whether or not it is great? I am aware that some Quakers will have a list of things. I am curious more as to the "make it or break it" type stuff.

,
Gypsy

If you ask me, it's all about the space... I love maps that have a lot of space, because I want to fire my rocket launcher in all sorts of directions. Whether it's singleplayer or multiplayer, spacing is very important. More space means more chaos. This is very good for deathmatching. Artistic features are okay, but the quality of spacing is number one in terms of importance.

[bluntz]

I liked Baker's and MDave release of Kurok.
Now those maps may arguably not be the best of breed but having to work things out is what makes a map enjoyable for me.
In particular the map with the helicopter pinning you down in a ravine with not quite enough rockets to bring it down was brilliant and made the map tits for me.Having to work out the best of a bad situation always gives a sense of satisfaction that a frag em all shootem up never can,even if the map is the best.

[MadGypsy]

that depends on what the map is catering to.

multiplayer or single player?

My first response when I read this was "Yes"...but I think I am probably talking more about single-player maps

If you ask me,...

I did! - thanks for answering. I am trying to gather intel so I can secretly build the game that I am not going to admit I am building. This is mostly due to the fact that every time I start, I have a freakin' crisis and I have to stop. So, while I deal with the current crisis, I am using you guys to tell me the game you want me to build (sort of). It's all on paper right now except for my whopping 20 feet of map (below-yep thats the whole map LOL {so far}). I figure that I will just keep building it on paper until I have something that makes sense and feels complete, then as I move past all the bullshit I really hope to sit down and put it all together.



Gypsy

[wicked_lord]

Top Criteria is.. How easy can i gib you on the map. Or is the chase better while tracking your panties in a game of man hunt. I have poor taste for looks and feels of a map, all i want to do is let you ride my shaft regardless of the map. Sometimes the chase is more exciting then the catch, screw whats around you.