Do you use ambush tiles very much when designing levels?

Joined : 16 Dec 2007 Posts : 4 Localisation : At my desk

I was wondering how often you use ambush (deaf guard) tiles. When I design levels, I put them only on the Death Incarnate difficulty level unless I feel like being particularly nasty to the player in that level. Twisted Evil

When do you use them? I just thought I'd generate some discussion here...
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Agent '87.

Admin Joined : 06 Jun 2007 Posts : 30

I use ambush tiles quite frequently, both to surprise the player and to avoid having all enemies in a room leave it once a door is opened and a shot is fired.

I also use ambush tiles to prevent enemies from moving to certain places. For instance, let's say I have a room with a locked door. Along one wall I can see and shoot at enemies in this room past columns, and they can shoot at me. But I don't want them to come out of the locked door. What I do is to make a small corridor behind the door leading into the room and position a deaf guard in this corridor facing the door. Now the enemies in the room can't leave it because they can't pass the deaf guard. I make sure the player won't be able to see or shoot at the deaf guard past the columns. Only remember not to put the ambush tile right next to the door, it must be a floor tile between.

Another nice trick is to put enemies behind tables and plants etc. in a room to avoid having them leave the room even after they are alarmed.

Joined : 16 Dec 2007 Posts : 4 Localisation : At my desk

Interesting, Poet. Thanks for the tips!

Speaking of enemy movement, I'm using a source modification to the AI (based on a tutorial by someone named Matthew) in which if the enemies are losing, they retreat and hide behind walls, waiting for the player to come looking for them, then they shoot.

The tutorial also shows how to implement an "enemy blocking" object (though I haven't tried it yet) so that where it is placed, enemies cannot move over it, but the player can.

Here's the link to Matthew's tutorial for those who are interested:

http://diehardwolfers.areyep.com/viewtopic.php?t=4671
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Agent '87.

Admin Joined : 06 Jun 2007 Posts : 30

That engine sure sounds interesting. It seems to give the level designer lots of possibilities.