My idea is to have 3 layers to work with for maps:

Foreground - Everything is at the front.
Midground - What we have to work with now.
Background - Behind everything

Having a foreground layer would eliminate problems with overlapping when trying to put polys on top, and you would not have to worry about collision types since the foreground layer does not affect the actual game.
A Background layer would be really useful for caves, tunnels and buildings. Huge scenery files would no longer be needed for back grounds. This layer could be used for many things like adding hills to a background or buildings.
Scenery could also be placed on the foreground or background layers.
I think this would add a lot more depth to maps, the environments would be much more immersive. I'm sure skilled mappers would be able to make a new generation of maps that would look better and have more depth than current maps.

I did some quickly photoshopped screens of some uses on current maps.
[IMAGE]
Tunnels in Run

[IMAGE]
Rock cave in B2B

[IMAGE]
Tunnels in Abel

I don't particularly like your examples, but more flexibility in polygon making is definitely necessary.

BTW, we already have foreground, all we need is background.

I Agree...

quote:Originally posted by VijchtidoodahBTW, we already have foreground, all we need is background.


The z coordinate values tend to change when deleting polys, compiling, etc.
A seperate layer ahead of the playable layer would eliminate the problem.

And the abilety to use at least 2 textures because it looks wierd to use the same texture as background for tunnels.

well u could use the white-square scenary pic and stretch it n stuff and use different colors with it - and u can say when tat should be in fron or back or w.e

quote:Originally posted by zyxstandwell u could use the white-square scenary pic and stretch it n stuff and use different colors with it - and u can say when tat should be in fron or back or w.e

I know, but the blank scenery does not have the same versatility, or the abilty to shade/color as polygons would.

That is a good idea, nice thinking, it would make mapping less about order of polygon laying.

i agree, looks cool :p

Yeah, nice idea!

the run tunnel looks awesome :)

I think for now we can just use customly shaped sceneries...

Yes, we CAN use scenery, but it would be much easier and faster to just put in the background poly's. Besides, we would get rid of the "y00 can putt schrenery0s to mak 1t l00k liek(!) thear's backgorund poligons" topics. I hate those things.