I don't think base maps are boring. Being a more realistic setting, they have a lot of potential for functional details, recognizable locations, and hooks for storyline (as do medieval maps.) The downside is, they are generally very literal, whereas metal or elder world maps tend to be more abstract and visceral.

Of course, medieval and base maps CAN be surreal and abstract, especially the low-poly old-school ones, but even those have somewhat more ties to logic and less ties to emotion, than metal and elder world maps. 

The feeling is quite different from mapper to mapper. I mean that personally, I prefer medieval maps...
I think the different potential comes from the Quake bestiary: as example the standard Quake bestiary is more accurate for medieval map than base map... a reverse example is Quoth2.

Now regarding the architecture potential, it is equivalent for sure, and it depends clearly of mapper inspiration...

Well, afterall, it is just a personal feeling ;) 

i think i'd like to interject here and say that i don't think base maps have to conform to that 'it has to look like something real (to a certain extent)' idea.

ne_doom wasn't really realistic at all, it had floating stuff, gigantic nonsensical machinery, poky bits for no reason other than to be poky...

i think the hardest thing about doing a base map is getting outside of the whole 'base' sphere.

just my 0.02. feel free to tear it up. :) 

I really enjoy the base theme as I think it creates very clearly defined spaces. The textures lend themselves to clean lines which I like a lot.

Medieval/metal/elder are definitely more abstract and you can get away with the "this whole level is some sort of abstract space" vibe much more easily. I also think these maps tend to look nicer if done properly. 

 

i made 2 big base maps now i need some rest in mediavel :) 

just my 0.02. feel free to tear it up. :)

I will not :P : as I said, it is really a personal point of view, and also a personal inspiration feeling... If base maps provide better inspiration than medieval maps (or the reverse), it is up to the mapper to do whatever he wants...

At the end, the most important is the fun you have either creating the map, or playing the map... or both ;) 

true, now go start another one :p since the one u�ve got start beta :) i go map to becouse i already got some idears for next map! 

By conversing "The Hangar" for Quake I had a hard carrot with the extremely enhanced visuality of the map.
Of course, it are the Doom textures, but the experience of seeing the old monsters in a new look makes the gameplay rather sciensefiction.
Also stuffing it up with the skulls harrisment of ten, and the health bowl of 50 make it play on a different skill.
I would give something to understand the Mechtec setup. 

How does this fit as substitute for the Doom models?

http://members.home.nl/gimli/bowl.jpg 

roulfff weardooooooooooooooooooo 

leave old Doom and Quake as it should be :) 

base pisses me off. i'd rather see base in q2. q1 is for metal, gothic, medieval imo. no other game does it as well. but plenty of games offer far better 'base' than q1. 

But remeber its supposed to be an episode.

Are you impatient, or do you want an episode?


Big piece of me wants to help with Remake-Quake, but another large piece wants to make an episode.

Gimme a week and the first map (which as you all know is always a base map) will be in alpha. And you know how I do it - 1 map at a time. Grrrr.......

I dont know what to do. 

play ricky's last map and tell me that it's not as good a base map as in any other game. 

I love it!
A bit more detail wouldn't kill, but it looks very authentic. the "quake large shells" look out-of-p-lace there though. Gimme good old doom-looking shells please! ;P 

I must apoligize to trinca, i will never do Quake any harm again with my truncinized maps.
it took more place in converting doom models and all in a Quake map, so why not the health bowl and skull.

As I mapped the skull.bsp again, I forgot it rests on another hull.
Now it looks sunk.
Can't find the map again though, aargh.

http://members.home.nl/gimli/skull.jpg 

Dude - dont kill the skull!!!
In Quoth there is a worldspawn spawnflag to use models of the items - health, ammo etc - then they take shadows!!!

So:

Make a model of the skull.
Or else you can have it fullbright! 

I wondered how to get a bsp model in it.
I didn't shoot the sherrif!

http://members.home.nl/gimli/doom3.jpg 

By base are we talking about just the texture set which I agree is the least interesting of the Quake sets or do you mean game style? If the later, Gun Cotton rates as one of the best, and I can't see any reason to hate it. 

Depends if you mean idbase or not. Base theme tends to get dismissed because everyone thinks - 'ah flat old level design clothed in idbase'.

Even idbase can be used in new ways still - there's been a few idbase maps over the past year that have really shone and done something new.

Weather base or medievel, metal or elder is best is entirely subjective.

Monsters are a problem, but name me a good unmodified progs base map that uses only grunts and enforcers. Could be I'm forgetting something obvious there.

Madfox, I think they need to be rounder - a few extra verts or maybe even convert the original sprites, though I guess you've tried that.

Ricky, the black goat wants YOU!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Shub-Niggurath.jpg 

I love your maps. No bones about it. You and me both will stick up for IdBase for reasons you and I know. You dont spend months working on something just for it to be dismissed because of the texture set.

Now I am - say 80% through with my current MAP, but that means 16% through a POTENTIAL EPISODE.

I really dont know what to do, because I have recieved an email from the project-website-thingy for every thing that you and Gb have suggested, and frankly it sounds really cool. Awesome infact (although I do think that painskins would work if done properly)(although I would have blood-splat zombie gibs sliding down walls if it was left up to me too, so... ).

What I mean is "do I release my map when finished or do I take it to a small episode level of say - 3 levels - a base, a midevil and then a metal? (I wouldnt try an Elder map because I am so unfamiliar with the format....)"?

I mean do you want another project on the go, seperate from Remake Quake, or do you want all guns aimed at Remake Quake?

:P 

idbase is hella fun. I love the clean lines and the consistent look to it. I'll always be a fan. I'm going to make my next map medieval just so I can force myself into a different style. 

It's up to you what you make. All the code we're working on means the maps are getting neglected so it'd be good to have some help on that side.

I've got complete playthrough alphas for six maps of epsiode 3, but I need to overhaul alot of it. And e3m7 is pretty fun to work on, experimenting with the new enemies.

Most boring secret level? Trying to change that.

Blood splats - we could well be doing that engine-side.

I'm thinking of attacking the Elder maps next . . . mixing dungeon otherworldness and organic elements.

Making an episode on your own is fun, even if it has a bad affect on your social life, but to be honest making an episode in a team has a similar effect.