Map layout and level design suggestion

[Ronin]

I have a suggestion for a different level desing. Why not make the street bigger, with more smaller buildings, than a single street with a some building that are huge inside? I think it would make the game a little more realistic, and make the exploration more addictive, not leaving you in a single building for hours, you know?

[Zannen]

The game map always randomizes, and its like a labyrinth of mirror rooms, hallways and such, loads everytime for every door or stairs you go through.
What I would suggest is just dump that idea, and remove it entirely.
Create unique Maps.
A Town - Has buildings = Bank, Police Dept, lotsa houses, markets, and many more.
Lets not make it another maze.
Give it a realistic style of how people would really build.
You can simply check every house and building, and this doesnt mean, its a maze inside, its basically the real size from what you see from the outside. Make it real. Opening doors wont load another area, its just another unique room from the others.

You can view, shoot, through windows and doors, cuz zombies tend to use those ways, of course you can use those as your escape points as well(example, running straight to a window from 2nd floor then while running press a button to immediately jump and smash through it to get out, which unlocks upon adding a skill for it with required level.) In DF2 There are STRONG MOBS like titans, so there'll be like, already broken walls(and breakable ones), and more details you can think of. You can also barricade those broken walls and windows, if you have planks or cabinets that were already put down. (you can lift it up to rebarricade). There are a lot more ideas!

So when there will be loading an area? - The town can be divided into parts where the loading will start, similar to Half Life 2 but more access to more areas.
So, lets say, there are a few cut-through points where you can seal-off away zombies from that way to the next map.
But the aggro will still follow you and the zombies will spawn on the area you've just went in. Seems pretty good if you think of it.

I still have tons of ideas to improve the game graphics and gameplay, but I'll stop here.

[Ronin]

I mean, I like the current setting, it makes the game looks like it has a dungeon system, etc, but i liked DF 1 too because you used to fight a lot in the streets, zombies would spawn there and the majority of the game was played outdoors. We rarely went inside. But I mean, still use the procedual generation, make the streets twice long and have intersections that lead to another streets, and with smallers houses and buildings that we can get inside, wich would be procedual too. I think it would make the game fresher.

Originally posted by Zannen:

I still have tons of ideas to improve the game graphics and gameplay, but I'll stop here.

Your ideas are damn solid, but that would take a lot of time and effort to be made, but would be very nice too. Here's hoping Neil can give us some nice new stuff now that he's back.