NUMA

The Sunday N

The Sunday N
by Alex Kurcharski, featuring Tanner Rogalsky and Matt Blaylock

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The Daily Rundown
June 10th to June 16th

June 11th

I'm not really sure if this does emulate a space station, but it does a pretty good job of being an awesome map.

June 13th

Jaggedy jaggedy jiggle boo.

June 14th

Multi mondo cool shit.

June 15th

Short and humble. Just like his penis!

June 16th

Man fuck me in the butthole.

Maps of the Week

  1. Green_Ghost - 2nluv
  2. seven_two - space station
  3. Green_Ghost - Desecrated Cake
  4. VV33 - the goffer air vent
  5. yahoozy_Guacamole - Clifford Simak's Bastion

News

The Songs I Listened To, As I Wrote This

Planet X - Midnight Bell, from the 2002 album MoonBabies
Planet X - Ignotus Per Ignotium, from the 2002 album MoonBabies
Yes - Homeworld (The Ladder), from the 1999 album The Ladder
Yes - It Will Be a Good Day (The River), from the 1999 album The Ladder

Artist Commentary of the Third Kind

On a rather spur of the moment gesture, Borealis!


Mups


Just so you guys know, these aren't in any particular order. I can't judge my own work in any order.

Face In A Night-Time Mirror (Pt. 1): I really like this one. It's probably one of the more simplistic tilesets, but it lends itself to the gameplay fairly well. The object placement could be better, mnid that rocket launcher is deviously placed. There's nothing more I like than catching people out. RAWR.

I command thee, Skullgaffer!: Well I can't really say much about this, other than I really like it. As you know, me and IAABH did a vent map each on IRC. We both conformed to the rules (well...sorta) but our outcomes were almost completely different. This map is very metanet-y, it's a MetaMap as Matt calls them, with a little of my own style somewhere in there, I dunno. I really enjoy playing it.

pondering (Psychosis): The idea for this map came to me while I  was in the shower, looking at the u-bend pipe of my toilet. Sure, artistic inspiration can come from better places! But that definitely subscribes to Metanet's philosophy of looking around the environment for tileset ideas. I hadn't really done a 'zoned' map in a while as well, so when you combine these together it's a good mixture, I think.

You won't last a second out there on the battlefield, son.: I really enjoy doing collabs, so me and Mr_Mongoose jumped at the oppurtunity when collaboration maps were a fairly new thing. Collab maps really only work when the styles of the authors blend together, and after lots of bouts of tweaking we managed to get something really fun to play out of it.

Weightless and Horizontal: This map for me at least really signifies the jump in my style, from the abstract-but still metanet-like levels of my earlier maps and the work in Ved Buens Ende to my current fun-but-weird thang I have goin' on. Again, this map definitely features 'zones', and each zone you need to be in in order to collect a door switch. It's linear in that way, but still fairly open. I was going to originally try for an MTI type thing, but the song I was listening to at the time gave me the idea for the distinct zones, like the song has distinct sections. I really like the look of this map as well.

Celestial Peace: I tried going on a minimalism bent for this one. Even though the map is so very open, which some would call wasted space I guess, there is a bit of linear-ness to it. It's also clear where you have to go. Very fun to slam into the launch pads as well and see the ninja fly across the level. ^-^

wither: I thoght I'd like to incorporate an older level into this as well, and this one stood out for me. It's really-Meta-Map, this one, with the absolute symmetry of the tileset and objects, and even though it's not up to the calibre of some of my newer levels it's still play-worthy, and I still like the look of the chandelier in the middle.

Let's get ready to Bumble!: It's a bee! What's not to like?

Interface to God: Another golden oldie, mebbe? The tileset isn't much to look at, but this map was where I started to buck up my ideas a bit and think of the gameplay. I still think to this day that those laser drones are in the best position they could be.

bláskjár: Another fun-times-linearity map, perhaps a little too awkward, I don't know. I like the look of this map though, and I think I used the trampolines fairly well. My tilesets have always been better than my object placement, but expect to see a change in that in "Av Buens Begynner"! </advertisement>

I hope this wasn't too boring for you. <(^_^)> [smilies make it all better.]

Nterviewed

By Tanner Rogalsky

I think it's sort of funny, albeit not altogether unexpected, how a mapmaker's style is reflected in his or her interview. LouDog is the definition of a minimalist. All skillz, no frillz. Cornered.

Tanner: How would you describe your mapping style?
LouDog: Simple geometric tiles with the minimal amount of objects that create a specific challenge. I almost always try to make maps that I want to play with excessive use of the enter key.

Tanner: Who is your favourite author on NUMA and why?
LouDog: 9400. His enemy placement is impeccable. There's never some drone where you think, "Well, that doesn't make much sense," or "That would have gone better there." And the enemies work well the first time you play through, and when you try to go fast, and when you're just mucking around.

Tanner: Why are you less active in the community than you used to be?
LouDog: I really just don't have that many ideas for maps anymore, and a lot of the people I'm familiar with aren't around anymore. Also, NUMA has gotten a little too cool for school in my mind. I think what I derive joy from in N is a lot different than a lot of newer members.

Tanner: What is it about 10 minute maps that appeals to you?
LouDog: It's a fun challenge. If you put limits on your mapping, you're forced to expand your ability. You don't have time generally to be clever or gimmicky, and you just have to use enemies in ways you know they'll work. You can't change your mind so you have to stick with your original plan. That means you might make a map you would otherwise have never seen.

Tanner: You also made 60 second maps. How do you approach or prepare to make such a quick map?
LouDog: E tiles are your friend. :) Basically, just try to create something that will constitute a usable tileset, and then hope you can place objects to make a fun linear map. It's really not much of a skill.

Tanner: How important do you think an overarching style is to mapping?
LouDog: Completely irrelevant. I don't think it will help or hinder someones mapmaking.

Tanner: Do you support the use of drugs to influence artistic creations?
LouDog: More power to you if you can actually create something fun. I've tried to map under the influence and it's never gone well.

Tanner: Have you submitted anything to SUBLiME?
LouDog: Yes, I'm hoping I can muster up something more.

Tanner: Do you have any plans for the future involving Metanet?
LouDog: Oh, once there's some more information on the release of Robotology, I may try to start some sort of event for people to win a copy.