But the more I thought about the concept behind ShootMania [easy map editor and one gun], some thoughts made me worry if its really going to be a good game.
Maps:
What at first got me excited about the game, was the built-in level editor. I always wanted to create my own maps for FPS games, just to be able to play on maps of old games that I loved (R6!) or simply create new maps out of ideas. I tried creating maps for Urban Terror, but found it to be too time consuming and fiddly with the given map editor. Now in ShootMania map creation looks very very easy and quick compared to standard level editors. Thats great! But as far as I've learned so far, the looks of the maps are restricted to certain themes that only change when you buy the new theme pack when it's released, am I right?
And thats where problems arise, IMO.
All maps gonna look roughly the same. Now I know in FPS games, it's mainly about the gameplay on a map, the layout, the design of pathways and battle areas that distinguishes a good and fun map from bad and boring maps. But I do like them to be visually distinctive, just for the ease of eyes and variety and to easily remember the map and the important zones on it. It's only when we know the ins and outs of maps (where the choke points are etc..) that actual skill of a player in a fight situation comes to play and the game becomes fun. Having to learn new maps all the time, that also visually look very similar if not the same, will render some of us running around as total noobs again and again. Ergo: no fun.
Also I (and others propably, too) will get bored at some stage when always having to fight in the same environment. I play games because I enjoy to fight (and be the hero of the day
) on that underwater research station, the medieval mansion, the top of a highrise building, the abandoned factory, the village in the jungle, the temple on the snowy mountain, whatever... you get the point. It might be just me, but the visual boredom is propably one of the main points thats gonna draw me away from the game.Short version:
- all maps look somewhat the same (same textures, etc), making it hard to learn the maps.
- a lot of maps (that are hard to learn) means some of us are having a hard time against players that already know the map (no fun) or if the map is new to all, we will still run around like headless chickens for the first minutes...
- also same looks -> boring
Now I assume the map variety will quickly be limited due to the natural effect that server admins want a full server and therefore gonna chose a map rotation with popular maps. But still the visual similarity is a problem for me.
And another thing that concerns me:
Guns:
I like the idea of simplicity that ensures all players are on equal bases and the outcome of a fight is determined by skill and experience and not choice of weapon or perk or class.
But I admit I actually like to have a choice of weapons at my disposal for different gameplay and maps. I don't need 480 weapons to chose from, but I would like to have at least one submachinegun (high fire rate, low dmg), one shotgun (low firerate, high dmg... you know what I mean), one assault rifle, one sniper and a pistol and grenade as backup just to change my style of playing from time to time or to accomodate for the map or the role I play (defending, flag capturing, etc...).
But hey, if the gameplay is great, maybe I could get used to the one gun thing...
Now thats it and its quite a wall of text, but I really got excited by this fresh breeze of a game and wanted to share my concerns with it. I really hope it's going to be a good game, I really do.
