NS2 Map Asset Release: Derelict

During any game development project, many concepts and ideas will be explored, not all of which will see the light of day. Games must necessarily be limited in scope, or they will never be finished, let alone profitable! Often, these concepts will be consigned to the dustbin of studio history. A forgotten folder on someone’s hard-drive,  tossed away like a forgotten Bitcoin. This isn’t something we want to happen to all the work we put into the Derelict map concept.

If Biodome is a map that expresses life as a force contained by humanity, Derelict is its opposite: a map in which life has broken free of the constraints imposed on it by humans, and now runs rampant an abandoned facility. Paradoxically, this free and vibrant expression of natural growth creates a map that is distinctly forlon in tone – Derelict would have stood as a map that left pondering the nature of quiet, abandoned places.

The key word being ‘would’ – Derelict will never be finished by Unknown Worlds. Every expenditure of effort must be carefully considered against the value it will create, and the value of alternative projects. While undoubtedly emotive and with the potential to be a wonderful Natural Selection 2 map, Derelict did not make the cut. But that does not mean Derelict has to die! Today we are releasing the map, unfinished, free to you in the hope that in the hands of the NS2 modding community it will grow and flourish.

Derelict went through several months development in 2013, and reached a playable ‘grey box’ stage. ‘Grey boxing’ is a technique used to test a layout and major geometric features before detailed art is applied – a grey box map is functional, but not particularly beautiful!

After reaching a playable state, Derelict was put on hold in favour  of completing Biodome and Eclipse. Making maps is one of the more expensive and time-consuming parts of NS2 development, and when we reviewed Derelict at the end of 2013, we decided it unfortunately not a project we could pursue.

Derelict is available on Steam Workshop, where you can also browse through the concept art that we created specifically for the map. Please note that the map is an unfinished work and is provided as-is, with no guarantees as to functionality. It is intended purely as an NS2 modding resource and is not intended for use as a playable level in its current form, though we welcome you to try!

Join me (Andrew) in the mapping forums for an in-depth look at the design and thinking that went into Derelict before it was cancelled.

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