I wanted to ask what people feel are the key elements to making a good DOD map. I have mapped for CS and other games but I wanted to see if there were some set design theories that make a DoD level play well. I have studied the hell out of CS and other games levels and am just now looking into DOD ones (I am working on a DOD level myself).

I notice the main game-flow theme in DOD is it’s “struggle”. A lot of maps give you this gaining ground feel. It seams like (in the flags levels) there are a few key stalemate flags, if not just one, that keep the game feeling like a big tug of war. It’s like if you can just get your team to rush in and over power the other team you can shift the balance of the round and gain some momentum.

If this struggle is a common game-play goal, then does anyone have design theories that help facilitate this?

Show us what you got so far (label it [WIP]dod_yourmapname)
+ the overview and we'll give you some constructive comments and crits ;) .

Good maps have chokepoints which channel the action to them. Better maps have many chokepoints, which are not too hard to progress through, but tricky enough to cause problems.

For instance in my latest map DoD_Density (see thread below) I have a few chokepoints. In the first section the bridges are, in the second the narrow bending street corners are.

Playtesting is also essential, what you may think is the perfect chokepoint, might not see any action at all.

Choke points and playtests are standard fare and I expect most know about them and utilize them.

I was looking for more incite into DOD level layouts and what people have found to work well. I surely hope everyone here doesn’t build by the seat of there pants, make it look as good as they can and adjust it as needed when the playtest feedback comes in. If so that is a very inefficient way of going about it.

Are Dod games better on:

-Big wide open levels?
-Small, tight, tons of routes levels?
-Linier levels?
-Does the figure 8 pattern or window pane pattern work well?

Think of this as more of an open discussion, rather then helping me out.

DoD works with all of those, although big open ones work less well.

Big Wide Open: DoD_Charlie
Small Tight Routes: DoD_Avalanche
Linear Levels: DoD_Caen
Figure of 8: DoD_Northbound.

All successful levels.

Some great stuff in here for level designers to keep in mind...

http://www.dayofdefeat.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37127

A good map is wide open maybe a few trees and 1 route not 2 but 1 so you have to abliterate? the enemy to get to the last flag and there is no flanking >:)

If you want to make a good map have good textures good spawn points (so no one can spawn camp) Good objectives, maybe some objectives that fight back so theyre harder to take or blow up or etc. make it so its hard for the teams to advance lots of mg nests air strikes mines utter carnage Go overboard on blowing up buildings and vehicles and more things that go boom It is why the dev team added the bazooka




and for the dev team bring back the gibs!

linar sucks ass.....most of the dod levels are linear ... and most of the clanners and sick and tired of it. we need more maps like dod_harrington which is based on the layout of de_dust2 .... layout and route wise ... circular maps are the way to go with more than 1 route to the same place. it gives the players more of an open chance to get up and away from campers and skill players lol.

since you have mapped for cs ... try making a map that has the same flow and layout like de_inferno or something of that extent but with the dod models and flow to it ....

There should be a main area of confliction, with lots of routes to flank. With current limitations, this means unless you're really creative, it's a city map about the size of one block. Sort of like Caen, but with more paths, like Anzio.

I don't know where those great trench maps went, but they started fading out when it started to get impossible getting out of your trench with all of the railguns pointed your way.

Flag layout is key.

Most maps you see in dod rely on the 1-1-2-1-1 layout(in terms of men needed to cap the flag). Generally you don't want more than 2 two man caps or more than 6 flags because the more of those there are the harder it is to cap out and keep a general sense of flow and movement in the game. But by having atleast 1 two man cap, it creates a natural chokepoint and encourages teamwork. Some maps like Anzio have the 1-2-1-2-1 layout or others like Chemille have 4 single man man caps and those maps work out exceptionally well. There are a lot of succesful layouts in dod so just play around with it.

Linear maps(heutau, zafod, or switch) that have big chokepoints are popular with others while maps that are circular/non-linear (anzio, chemille, railroad) appeal to others. Avalanche is a hybrid of sorts and amazingly works out good(understatement?).

Good luck, have fun.