To start, I've noticed two formats for maps (whether they're latent or manifest, I don't know), inline and web/circular. Inline maps are maps like Origin, Frontlines, Facility, and Last Eco (greatest to least). Web/Circular maps are the others, Bazaar, Prosk, Wreckage, Uptown and Bunker (Last Eco could also fit in this category). You might notice something here, The maps that people like most are inline maps, were as the least liked maps are the web maps.
Why_ Well first of all, the inline maps have a clear directional flow, if you start at one end, you naturally flow to the other (hence inline, the map has a line of flow). This type of design works great for game modes like Siege or TD. Second of all, web maps are chaotic in their path flow: despite how a player wants to make their way the other side of the map in a straight line (relatively), the lopsided manner of the map makes it hard to get the feeling of two sides clashing together (web style maps typically have the AA to one side or the other, not in the general center like in inline maps). This chaos works great for Missile Assault; flanking is difficult when there are only one or two entrances to an area. [SIDENOTE: I omit the Deathmatch game mode because player flow is irrelevant when their are no teams]
Now about Bunker, the circular in the web/circular category, I've read a lot of fuzzy bunny about it, and I get that, but it really is an all around map, literally and figuratively. Everyone knows that when playing Missile Assault in Bunker, you end up generally ignoring the 'bunker' on the hill and the teams just chase each other in circles. In TD and normal Deathmatch mode, the map works great because, for the most part, there is both an inline flow and a web-like chaos. [SIDENOTE: I don't advocate Bunker as a Siege map]
Tired yet_
Anyways, the maps in general are designed with a specific mode in mind (IMO), Origin is the king of Siege, a tie between Frontlines and Bunker for Missile Assault and, well, any map is good for a game of TD or Deathmatch.
But that's the problem, most maps in Hawken are engineered for a certain mode, but also get used for other modes as well, and though I don't blame the devs for conserving resources, I would like to propose an idea: Make maps that fit the game modes.
Now they (devs) don't have to go around making totally new areas, regions and stories, just do what some before have suggested and just make maps that are extensions of the preexisting areas and engineer them for specific modes. (An easy task in the Unreal Engine, especially with the body of assets they must have created by now)
There that's it, I'm done now. Tell me what you think!
TL;DR - Make maps geared for a specific game mode (i.e. Siege Origin, Missile Assault Origin, ect.)
Edited by IronClamp, June 24 2014 - 01:02 PM.