Does Scenery Have an Effect on Gameplay?

[Ehjookayted]

     Anyway, I digress. There are some maps with a beautiful variation in color scheme, especially Shangri-La in my opinion.

     A map that really does this for me is Ascension. It's really bland, even after the color returns. However, the color scheme at the start of Monkey Rounds or when a Gersch Device is thrown gives me a science fiction feel, something that zombies has perhaps been lacking.

     There are many science fiction elements in zombies but they are played off as reality, with a heavy emphasis on the characters. At times, the characters develop a "breaking the fourth wall attitude" where they talk directly to you.

Hey player, drop the chips and get me some ammo!

     I will now tie this in to formalism vs. realism.

Formalism: distortions of reality, where the elements are made in a way so obvious that they cannot be real. Colors would be extremely unrealistic, a representation of the fiction that is the story.

Realism: making a movie or game in a way that is gritty, sometimes even gory, to represent the true reality of the world. Colors would reflect that, as well the situation.

[tab][/tab]Zombies was played off as realist this time, with formalist elements. Often times, the more formalist elements of zombies created strange weapons and ideas, which was good. However, the realist side truly showed in Moon, even somewhat in Shangri-La, playing off one of the most mythological places as an "ancient temple." There are certainly things to be improved on both ends, but which would you prefer to see and how would that, in turn, affect your focus, concentration, and even willingness to play the maps?

[xFaTaLx RaMpAgE]

I absolutely can't stand the color scheme on CotD. Everything in the map is pretty much gray with a touch of blue. Then the fog comes and you can hardly see anything. What's even worse is the characters. They talk in a pretty full voice most of the time, unlike the main heroes. The reason CotD is my least favorite map is because of the setting, not the actual map itself.

My favorite map for color is Dead Ops. There is so much color variation compared to the other maps. You have the 4 different colored players, colored guns, flamethrowers, and teddy bears. The entire map is a different color for 3 of the 4 rounds in the stage, and you go to a new stage every 4 rounds. One of the biggest things is the treasure. You have gold, silver, and the gems, which are all aestheticly pleasing. Then there are the poles, which turn on and off into different colors. I could go on all day about the colors in Dead Ops. The music can get rather annoying, but that is when I turn on my own music, which I obviously like-otherwise I wouldn't listen to it lol. Dead Ops=Win

[Superhands]

I think it does. As I said to Way yesterday, glad my Kino run came to an abrupt end because that map actually bores the crap out of me the scenery is so dull and boring. I wouldn't say a nicer looking map makes me play better, but it definitely affects my will to carry on playing.

[way2g00d]

Kino is not my fav map because of Nova gas cralwers and also because most of the map is dim inside. This is why i prefer staying in the alley with the gate closed. Problem solved, outdoors so bright light and also no crawlers.

But call of the dead is not as bad as fatal mentioned. I only notice color changes only when I jump from Xbox to ps3, Really you don't want to play this map in ps3 with 4 players especially. This is exactly why I said XBOX has better graphics for Black ops map than ps3. AK74u outside is ideal but when it gets foggy it's painful again. But again this is what the developers/director wants us to give.

Color scheme wise I agree with Eye, Moon could be a bit brighter in the labs and I agree that power room and pyramid is lit bright. But you need to remember that its Moon (even though its indoors) and they might have purposely designed the labs this way to give more grief to players running trains in labs with Nova gas crawlers.

I normally dislike staying in Ascension pack a punch room because of the lighting. It's almost like I am in a torture room with the rotating light. which is why I normally prefer running in lit areas. Indoors depress me a lot. Main reason why I dislike classic maps is because of lighting. I like SNN because I can run outside most places but swamp gets me all the time.

[MixMasterNut]

I think I find Ascension to be the most aesthetically pleasing to me.

The place looks absolutely dreadful (in a good way). The light sources are well motivated. I feel like the light sources in this map really liven up the color palette.

Shangri la IMO is too pretty, too vibrant. It's basic layout has led TacticalInsertion and I to debate whether this place is actually an evil place to begin with, or infact was a paradise gone wrong. It's hard to say. I don't like that. I rather have the feeling from the very start that I am in a very evil place.

I want future maps to go back to that evil WW2 era feeling the WAW and Kino maps had.

[Tom852]

My favorite looking map is Shangri La. Summer jungle safari feeling, just really really cool. It is for sure a major reason, I like that map so much.

On the other hand, we have NDU, Verruckt, and Kino. I do not like those. This wooden-greyish color scheme is not my thing. I also do not like Nazi zombies, they are too... rectanglish.

I do also think, that it has an influence in your subconsciousness. You can ask hands, he thinks I play better on Shangri than on easy maps, and it might be true. I just feel suddenly in my dream home, when I play Shangri.

I guess it plays a greater role than we think, but just in our subconsciousness. I mean you focus on your play, and not on the textures. But it still seems to make a difference on how you play. I mean just have a look at this: You buy the bowie, and you get a ton of hits, you might even die once or twice. Then you can afford jug. Now, you won't get a single hit anymore, although you could afford it now. I mean whats that? You feel safe with jug, you take a bit more risk, and you play better. Couldn't it also be the textures, sounds and the environment, that give you certain feelings that affect your style of play? I think so.

I'd like to stay zombies as it is, realistic with formalistic elements. That's just what it needs. I especially like, that they got away from that zombie cliche with the darkness in lonely decaying houses and stuff as in NDU to Kino.

Zombies in the snow, in the sun, on the moon, thats cool.

[MegaAfroMan]

I think Shangri-la may be the most vibrant in color scheme and it definitely adds to the map, however, I think I actually prefer the scenery and atmosphere of Verruckt. It is just perfectly portrayed as what it is meant to be. An Asylum, where secret and brutal testing took place, and now overran by zombies. The visual and audible aspects of it perfectly tell you the secret story of Verruckt.

[killallzombies]

i think that five could be.....gorier or something

it's sooooooo bland,we see the pentagon like a thousand times threw out the campaign,change it a little

[MyLittleHellhound]

I tend to just have a better time on maps with more greens and reds. I dont know why but it seems like zombies to me isnt just dark places and grey walls. Its like shrubs, fire, everything, such as Verrukt and Shi No Numa

[Jolteon]

This is the main thing that I think Treyarch NEED to improve on... In my opinion most of the maps have some similarity to another map and it creates a sense that they are running out of ideas...

e.g.

Der Riese and Ascension

Shi No Numa and Shangri La

(This is my opinion, if you disagree fair enough but please no flaming)

This is why I find CotD to be the most Aesthetically pleasing... But it still lacks something... I guess I'm just too picky with stuff like this

I guess what I REALLY want to see in a future zombie map is a map set in a huge city like New York or Tokyo... Even London (would be WIN)... Just imagine, night time, the streets of Tokyo completely deserted and nothing but silence surrounds you... Neon signs hanging from the buildings above leave an eerie glow over the damp ground below you... Rain begins to fall and an eerie mist begins to layer on the ground... Suddenly, in the distance, a faint glow of yellow appears, slowly becoming two small circles... A car in the distance? A survivor maybe?... The yellow lights begin to pick up speed rapidly, heading straight for you, and then, from the mist, you begin to see a head, body, legs, and you realise what you had been hoping was civilization was about to become your worst nightmare...

Wow, really got into that

-Jolteon

[Tom852]

I disagree. I think the maps are super versatile. I mean, what can you do? Day and Night, Indoors and Outdoors, Tundra and Normal and Jungle and Desert (hey, where's the desert?), and then you are through it... And what does 3arc too, simply goes into space. I am really satisfied with the map variety.

It is true, Ascension and Riese, SNN and SL look quite similar. There are surely more things that can be done. What you described is awesome I'm pretty sure that the versatility is one of the strength of 3arc, and we are gonna see stuff like you described. However I think it's nearly impossible to avoid repetitive elements.

BTW, that is also why I like the style of FIVE. It seems to be placed in a normal, human environment. I like that it's not 'gorier'. ;)

[Superhands]

I do also think, that it has an influence in your subconsciousness. You can ask hands, he thinks I play better on Shangri than on easy maps, and it might be true. I just feel suddenly in my dream home, when I play Shangri.

Well, I more meant that we play better on SL because it's quite fiendishly designed, so it makes you stay alert which in turn means less mistakes, but I'd for sure say what you said too If you like the environment you're more likely to enjoy the game and stay positive - getting frustrated makes people play badly :lol: