What makes a good map?

[PFC_Mike 2]

Just wanted to post a couple thoughts on what makes islands good or bad and what can improve them.

1. Ridiculous terrain makes ridiculous maps! 600 foot higm mountains don't spurt out of flat terrain. I can't quite find the words to describe this, but I think a lot of map makers should get outside a bit more and see what real geography looks like.

2. Island size vs. development: Simply put, a 5x5km island isn't going to have four or five towns with a dozen apartment buildings each.

3. Urban planning- the OFP:R apartments are the cheap socialist crap that covered central Europe/USSR. Before you make a town with a couple of apartments facing each other at odd angles, look at some pictures of the real thing.

4. Plants- obviously, the resistance ones are preferable because they are much prettier. That said, how do you place them? Please take a look at how plants are spaced in the real world, specifaclly in the type of terrain you are simulating.

Saving Time: CAT_SHIT_ONE_MM came up with the best way to rapidly vegetate an area realistically. Basically, make a custome forest tile, but with bushes. This looks really nice with tall grass models. All you need is one poly with a texture on it to make an acceptable grass model. Red Storm (GR, RS) is a master of this. That is why Ghost Recon *still* looks more realistic than OFP.

[blackdog~ 0]

Cities are the worst on user-made islands. Every building is so close to eachother, randomly placed. It doesn't look 'natural' like the OFP Official Islands...

[VXR 9]

Cities are the worst on user-made islands. Every building is so close to eachother, randomly placed. It doesn't look 'natural' like the OFP Official Islands...

- hills also somtimes dont look realistic, they are too pointy not very slow higher.

- Roads are straight, not like the BIS islands

[lpdotcom 0]

-roads that actually join up!

-use of fences of towns to cut down on the routes through towns.

-decently designed airfields instead of the runway and a couple of buildings.

[reedkiller 0]

Reprisentation of FARMING

real structure to villages

Trees that dont all face the same way

[edc 0]

I like islands that have a variety of terrains. My favorite addon island is probably Skye.

[SEAL_Sniper 0]

I would personally like to see a highly-urban map, but doubt this would happen...

Another thing that's important is the commonality of unused bases on these maps. There's just too many bases that aren't neccesary.

[USMC Sniper 0]

Definately urban planning. Most islands I see, for towns are horrible. People think that a couple of apartments make for a "city" with a couple smaller buildings randomly placed about. Roads are straight, and there is NOT one lamp post to cover a whole city. There are also stores. When someone makes an island, they should act as if they were the mayor. Fuel stations are not placed in between apartments. There are stores. There are farms and factories, etc.

[MLF 0]

How are the bradleys comming?

[VXR 9]

How are the bradleys comming?

uuhm who do you ask?

[Vladmir 0]

A good example of all the good qualities here would be Legus by iguana.......well I think.

[Nagual 0]

600 foot higm mountains don't spurt out of flat terrain.

They do in australia. Though oz has terrain so weird you couldn't imagine it without being there, even photos don't come close to describing it.

[Eviscerator 0]

Crazy Australians!

[blackdog~ 0]

Crazy aliens!

(sorry... couldn't help myself)

[Nagual 0]

Nice pic Evis, and not far from Uluru is the olgas :

[Eviscerator 0]

"And on the evening of the sixth day, God had about 30 beers and made Australia."

[killagee 0]

I really liked the Tussock grass on the Malvinas Moc beta island. Tall grasses make great sneaking...

I agree that there are too many towns on these small islands, and too many empty bases. A small civilian Airstrip would be nice, with terminal and ATC would be nice. Still I think that SKYE is my favourite...

[Tigershark_BAS 0]

"And on the evening of the sixth day, God had about 30 beers and made Australia."

Which is why we continue to worship him by sacrificing multiple beers everyday.

[cbfasi 4]

Well fo anyone who hasn't seen the pics over at ofpec I am working on a terrain which is takign a significant amount of time as I am working from 1:25000 maps which even mark hedgerows...

The location includes an RAF base, 2 sizeable rivers, coastline (other than the cut off at the edges), and also vally's formed from erosion.

[Guest]

- Roads are straight, not like the BIS islands

Most of these were done before Cupid Moon's WRP tool came out. Whilst I understand the criticism, placing roads piece by piece is THE most tedious, time consuming and annoying part of making an island. It's a little unfair to criticise people for this.

Most of the other crits are well founded. And I agree, Legus by Iguana is very realistic, the way everything is put together.

[VXR 9]

lol, if thats hard i will never solve the problem of importing a terrain but it shows up flat in wrp edit

[Nagual 0]

- Roads are straight, not like the BIS islands

Most of these were done before Cupid Moon's WRP tool came out. Whilst I understand the criticism, placing roads piece by piece is THE most tedious, time consuming and annoying part of making an island. It's a little unfair to criticise people for this.

You got that right, i very much respect the work of people who made islands before the road tool, some of them have amazing roadways considering the incredibly tedious work invovled.

[llauma 0]

Nice pic Evis, and not far from Uluru is the olgas :

Aren't those big rocks and not mountains?

[The Frenchman 0]

A good island is mostly made by unique addons specially for the island

Ex) CatShitOne's Afganistan map.

[ebud 18]

I have to agree. I don't play much anymore, so a new island just using Nogova objects in creative ways, while still a testament to the makers skill and patience, doesn't really do it for me. A totally NEW island with new terrain/buildings/vegatation would be ideal and not just be something old presented in a new light.