Then Castle posted his Engine Wars Video on YT last night (be sure to check it out). And there he already did what I would love to do for Q3A. He created a set of blocks, pretty much like in Minecraft, as he mentions, but for UT4. I love the "simple" design, that lets you relatively easily create Lego-like building blocks at any level of detail you want to then build a "blocky map".
Well, anyway, this is exactly my kind of thing. Suitably abstract geometry that lets me create new modules quickly, to then be able to use them all over the place. And more importantly, these modules would for the most part look "good" (hopefully).
Obviously, this would be an awesome test case for instancing. I.e. I start off with some blocks that look OK, then update their design, but only need to change the one central instance, to have the map updated. Alas Q3A does not support that. The closest thing to instancing is, to create the blocks in separate map files, compile them into ASE files, and then import the models into the map. That would be relatively nice, but would limit texturing massively. E.g. I would not use blocks covered with textures on all sides, but would obviously "tactically" caulk to keep overdraw and polygon counts down. Something Castle apparently has problems with under UT4. So my blocks will be in func_groups, letting you texture them as you like on the fly.
Interestingly... since the 64u grid is actually a base path width, 2x normal path, 3x generous path, 3x heigh walls for generously heigh ceilings, and ramps/stairs that tend to be multiples of 64u high in total... a lot could be done. E.g. create a stair module for a previous ramp module.
Initially I was thinking of creating one map out of all this, but it could actually be used by anyone who wants to quickly block out a map to try it out for gameplay, to then replace the blocks with their own detailed designs, but having large-scale layout grid-compliance already in place. Pretty much like the idea of my orange template texture set... only in 3D.
I hope Castle can forgive my application off his idea... though after some more thought, it reminds me that the Portal 2 level editor pretty much did this way back.
Presently imaging Sock's Industrial map in a Lego-like look...
Anyway... this might be a fun thing to try... we'll see how it goes.