My tips to do a fun Wild Wild West map
I was really disappointed when i heard Ubisoft ditched the Wild West setting to go for a more commercially
Instead of just asking peeps to try out my "Wild Wild Vil" map (search by name or creator : Vilarcane), i thought about sharing a few tips to create this map and other few but "wasted potential" wild wild west maps i have seen prior to doing mine :
1-pick the right terrain and vegetation (i went for a wet muddy brownish texture which suits the theme just right by adding), use low grass and bushes
2-get the lighting right, low sun and apocalypse FX helps a lot giving the right "movie" atmosphere
3-Far Cry 5 arcade theme F is a not too intrusive moody theme with the right instruments, other choices are possible Far Cry 5 themes B or C, or even black flag themes.
4-Pick the map limits a bit further from the canvas limits and NEVER alter terrain too close to canvas edge unless you want your map unuploadable (known bug)
5-When you pick elements for your map, think Wild west markers from the movies and use the border of the maps to stock/stack the elements you are gonna use, it is a time saver and then you just pick up and place your stuff (also more fun than endless menu browsing)
6-some markers i used :
-wild west desert town, mineshafts and fort (using AC black flag, Unity items + Far cry 5 ie. for the furnished churches, windtower, signs for shops etc.)
-wild west shops (same sources ie. general store, tavern, you can use the signs (branding and signs) to add flair to other plain base building
-i used flame effects and mist/smoke effects along with high 60 speed winds to give the right visual flair (the damaged US flag in far cry 5/government/branding and sign looks great floating in the wind. Talking about weather, time of day 6 (low sun) with apo FX and "few clouds" looks great as the clouds and sun cast nice natural shadows.
-for the landscape, you can use indian theme : using Far Cry primal totems, corpses, bones etc., tents, skins etc.
-animal life (ie. rabbits and rattlesnakes, bisons, cows, bald eagle, mountain lion etc.)
-right choice of weapon : i chose to hide them in the map rather than using loadouts and i explain this using the loadout titles since you can't have map description anywhere :
i went for 45/70, D2 and double barrel shotties as well as 358 bolt action for long range. Rest, even magnum revolver, didn't feel right to me, and of course don't pick up enemy weapon (xcept maybe flamethrower for fun). For throwables, i went for dynamite and molotov, and i even hid a grenade launcher because it is fun and looks old and like the D2 a bit.
-right choice of ennemies : go for pistolero (magnum and 1911), berserker (shotgun and smoke) and TNT, hunter (if you want bow and some explosives), i also used flame thrower as a boss because i used flame effects to portray a town besieged by outlaws.
Use the variety of available skins that are credible in (followers cowboy, security ranchers and other believable skins with no hats)
Also, it is great to put them on rooftops n towers since they ten to nicely drop fall from them like in the movies :)
Think breakable things too, like pumpkins
-You can use primal branding and signs to create nice blood smears and mud puddles also.
-Hide treasures and fun things in the map (ie. i hid a grizzly inside the mine shafts for a nice suprise)
-lots of other easter eggs to find in my map...
What i need help on from pro mappers is the animal and enemy AI control : i can't figure out the control zones / schemes and how it works exactly, but the beauty of it is that depending on your play style it creates totally different gameplay situations everytime you try my map.
Any feedback welcome, currently at version 13 or so, and no more memory left so it is a pretty sizeable map with lots of details if you don't rush it.
Best played without hud at all, if you can't find the last targets (bounty hunter mode), turn on the end for directions.
I completed the map myself, so it is tested and 100% foolproof, only thing is that for some reason, the bald eagle turns target sometimes, maybe cuz i hit him with blast radius idk ?
That is it for now, any questions, feel free...
If you wanna support me and check the end result my map is :
Wild Wild Vil (search by map name "wild" or by creator name : "Vilarcane"