Are maps varied enough for you?

[Kilich]

The maps are randomised so maps are rarely repeated, but after a week of playing I feel that maps should have more unique features.

For example: Forest has lightning storm, rain river and Code: Destruction, while Caves have fire geysers, stalagmite fall and Code: Open these doors I'm on a timed run!

Are these enough for you? Or would you want, for example, part of the forest map being on treetops, perhaps with some platforming, finding a cave with a secret, or having a Code that will send a gunship to fly you to a new area for a challenge/survival round.

[Bradders]

Yea sounds good i get where your going with that, judging by psu where they had secret elements to certain events where you would have to fulfill certain things and end up in a secret room at the end with special enemies and lots of goodies i would say that most certain they'll incorporate these things (or have already) in full release.

[Skyden]

Just dont start the plataforming (Im horrible at those)......

[CelestialBlade]

I really dig the current maps, the environmental hazards are a really nice touch and I love how everything is semi-randomized. I just want to see more areas at this point, but that's upcoming.

[Adelheid]

I often see the same maps...

[Bradders]

Theres gotta be a ruins with a dark falz awaiting cannot wait to bash his head in. I wonder what enviromental things will be incorporated in that.

[Khabarakh]

The only think I hate about the maps is there are no recognizable landmarks, like in pso forest. I miss the hints of previous civilization. Of course the maps are random but... they seem pretty empty and devoid of... unnatural things.

[Zaix]

The city is pretty full of unnatural things. The desert has plenty too.

[Slidikins]

Theres gotta be a ruins with a dark falz awaiting cannot wait to bash his head in.Don't worry, it's a staple of the Phantasy Star series.

[Phaesphora]

Not a hardcore grinder, and loving the irregularity of the maps so far.

[Ogni-XR21]

Some of the maps could be a little bit more complex. But on the other hand I already "got lost" (well not really) in a cave timed run where I wished it was just a straight corridor...

Yes, I sometimes miss the PSO EP1 layout of maps, but they never were able to replicate these, not even is EP2&4 so I wasn't expecting it to happen this time with randomized maps.

[DreXxiN]

The only think I hate about the maps is there are no recognizable landmarks, like in pso forest. I miss the hints of previous civilization. Of course the maps are random but... they seem pretty empty and devoid of... unnatural things.

I agree but at the same time it's just something developers do not put a lot of time into like days of old. The maps are great and aesthetically pleasing, but PSO's map design has no parallel due to aesthetics, lore, variety, emotional build up, and feeling of immersion.

[HFlowen]

The same 5~ or so segments slapped together in random orders. Varied, but boring. They're also not memorable at all.

[Vylera]

I think all they need to do is to increase the probability of change over codes.

Change over codes instantly increase the intensity of the situation. Love them.

[Randomness]

The city is pretty full of unnatural things. The desert has plenty too.

So does caves.

Forest is on a fairly pristine world, but the others? Not so much.

I would like some more memorable environment pieces, like the waterfall room of caves, for instance, or the final piece in Ruins.

[SELENNA]

Not really. The maps are way too small too.

[Seizure Bot]

Not really. The maps are way too small too.

If they were bigger, they'd be far more monotonous than they are now. They need to make them spicier before they start enlarging them.

[Cyclon]

Forest could use a bit more variety, but I'm happy with the other three. The volcano never gets old, and the city has plenty of unique features, like the parking lot, or the fountain.

[Adelheid]

If they were bigger, they'd be far more monotonous than they are now. They need to make them spicier before they start enlarging them.

Just have them like from, y'know, PSO.

[Lumir]

So far city has the most unique things about it I think. I just wish we had puzzle like aspects sometimes. Something along the lines of zelda.

1. Switches/Computers you have to get in order to unlock something/progress
2. Team work puzzles where you have to work as a team of at least 3 or 4 to progress/open a area.
3. Something about luring monsters into a specific area.
4. A side scrolling area where you have to dodge incoming fire or fall behind and die (think megaman battle network).
5. Combination codes. Like 1 person has to drill, while another person kills a monster, while another solves a puzzle. Could even be timed on hard mode ect with good rewards.
6. Finding a specific item to open up an area
7. Boxes that are monsters in hiding! aka mimic!
8. Rare warps that take you to another area that looks completely different.

Stuff like this an more would be nice.

[The Awesomeinator]

I think that randomly generated areas are nice until you play more than a few runs with the same tileset.

At least have some kind of variety- running around the same forest floor for five hours is incredibly boring.

It's not as bad as the maps being clones every time, but the things you suggest would make things ten times more bearable.

[Scrub]

I like the elevation differences on the maps a lot. I remember the first time I got to the caves, there was this one place where the path split apart, the left went up on top of a cliff that overlooked the area the right side went to. My party went to the right and I went up the left, and i was using a rifle with that 'prone sniper shot' PA and I thought it was the most badass fucking thing ever, layin on top of the cliff shooting people from above while out of harm's way.

[gigawuts]

This stuff is good, but there's no feeling of progression. Having noticeably different areas as you proceed toward the objective would be nice. As it is now it feels like the boss is just a regular enemy you encounter in the field, and considering I DID encounter all of them in the field before I fought them as the boss, I actually thought they all WERE just regular enemies, albeit tough ones.

[Zorafim]

I think it does its job well. I haven't memorized any maps yet like I did in PSU, so I still have to explore a bit. I just wish the map didn't autocomplete so fast, so I'd be forced to explore a bit more. I also miss memorable rooms. The waterfall in caves, the hallway in ruins, things like that. Though everything's so beautiful, I guess every decoration counts as that.

[Cyclon]

Actually, I've thought about it, and I wouldn't say that the forest needs more variety anymore. In fact, it probably needs less.
What I mean is that the various parts are extremely recognizable, because they all stand out so much. So in fact, the area not only lacks variety, ironically, because you end up recognizing every part on spot, giving you the impression that you're always running the same setup; it also lacks consistency.
In the end, desert in particular is a far less varied area, and yet it's far less repetitive. To me at least.

[terrell707]

So far city has the most unique things about it I think. I just wish we had puzzle like aspects sometimes. Something along the lines of zelda.

1. Switches/Computers you have to get in order to unlock something/progress
2. Team work puzzles where you have to work as a team of at least 3 or 4 to progress/open a area.
3. Something about luring monsters into a specific area.
4. A side scrolling area where you have to dodge incoming fire or fall behind and die (think megaman battle network).
5. Combination codes. Like 1 person has to drill, while another person kills a monster, while another solves a puzzle. Could even be timed on hard mode ect with good rewards.
6. Finding a specific item to open up an area
7. Boxes that are monsters in hiding! aka mimic!
8. Rare warps that take you to another area that looks completely different.

Stuff like this an more would be nice.

This puzzle aspect may come into play if the Time Attack mode that comes during release is anything like Challenge Mode.

[FenixStryk]

The maps are okay, but there's a lot of empty space that could be put to use, particularly (but not only) in the City (see: Parking Lot, Amphitheater, etc.)

The Desert is my favorite level thus far; the design is good, and I really enjoy opening the switch doors. That said, the Desert version of Code: Collect is beyond terrible...

IMO, the game could still benefit from better packs, be they thicker, more frequent, more aggressive or simply faster.

[Garnet_Moon]

NO! No, no, no, NO! NO NO NO!

NO!

There are like, no maps with 20 dead ends. How can this be the successor to PSO, which had nothing but dead ends on every map? I was expecting the 2nd in the franchise to at LEAST have 21 dead ends per map. ESPECALLY on the timed missions.

How disappointing...

[soulpimpwizzurd]

the ideas op mentions actually sound pretty cool. i'd like to bounce on treetops of a thick part of forest, or explore a secret smaller part of caves that perhaps has an incredibly powerful mini boss that is not so mini and stronger than all other bosses (lol ys)

[NoiseHERO]

I think in terms of unexplored territory the maps work pretty well. but I would like some more specific and interesting looking landmarks that make you feel like...

You're actually somewhere important...

Again it works for our current areas.

But if we have a mission like... saving a scientist from some Darker swarmed space station, they're gonna have to get a little more distinct with the setting. Of course adding more solid and repetitive things like that could also make things get old pretty quickly, or it feels like you're just playing the same "story" over and over. So there's gonna be a balance between the two. Something I think PSU and PSO failed to have as well...

[Lumir]

This puzzle aspect may come into play if the Time Attack mode that comes during release is anything like Challenge Mode.

I hope so. Also boss battles like PSOBB would be awesom (fighting on the water, in an elevator). Id also like to see one area where the environment changes (say a forest turns into a forest on fire with critters running for their lives).