[TF2] CTF Creak WIP

    *Updated to alpha 6, changelist below*

    Hi all,

    This is my first TF2 map, and also my fist venture into mapping for Hammer. Started getting into TF2 more recently so I decided I'd start something. About a week's work so far.

    Any feedback would be appreciated at this stage, though I am fairly happy with the layout as it is (maybe not the mid section at the moment). I didn't want to start with anything too complex so don't go suggesting massive changes to things.

    There aren't any ammo or health pickups yet. Any architecture that looks unfinished looks that way because it is... etc etc

    Play it and let me know what you think.

    Enjoy.

    Alpha 6 download link: http://slainchild.shackspace.com/files/ctf_creak_a6.zip

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    Changelist

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    Alpha 6

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    +Changed the spawn rooms for new ones with the Spytech theme

    +Detailed more of the Red base rooms

    +New mine shaft areas off to the side of the Red base

    +Constructed and detailed most of the unreachable buildings above the bases

    +Swapped the railings on the outside walkways for better fitting BSP versions

    +The lower passages in the mid section are now cave tunnels

    +Central shed is now accessible from the roof for Soldiers and Demomen rocketjumping or pipebomb jumping

    +New elevator shafts in the mid section side rooms create some extra room (elevators are static)

    +Moved the large health packs into the elevator shafts, put the large ammo crates in their place

    +Added nobuild brushes around the rocks outside to prevent Engineers building sentries on them

    +Various trim and detailing work done throughout the map

    +Player clip volumes on stairs added where needed

    +Texture changes in a few areas

    Yes, it's only at alpha stage right now, more details will be added later. Any suggestions for what I could do with areas would be nice though.

    yeah cool - get the layout kicking ass then add all the details and what not.

    I find drawing over in PS real quick can help get an idea of structure in terms of texture changes and what not ...

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    Defines stuff like roads, paths, some cover, pillars/structural details and backgroud views.

    Telephone polls and power lines are also good to break up open spaces.

    Break up long walls with some height variation (top left)

    Nice tips, cheers. Will have a go at drawing over some shots if I find myself stuck. Going into other TF2 maps to see what works in those with similar areas helps too.

    The thin very-BSP-looking ramp in that shot will probably be replaced by a full-height building/structure with a ramp going up around it or through it if I run out of space.

    Right now I'm adding bits and pieces of cover to the outside walkways to break up the line of sight between the bases.

    [Blocked Image: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/Slainchild/crates.jpg]

    Well, uploaded alpha 2: http://slainchild.shackspace.com/files/ctf_creak_a2.zip

    Changed the name to Creak

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    Changelist

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    Alpha 2

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    +Changed name from Watershed to Creak

    +Added some player clip brushes to the Blu base

    +Added railings to the upper outside walkways

    +Swapped the small ramps outside the bases for an enclosed ramp structure

    +Added small structures and crates on the upper outside walkways, to help break up the line of sight

    Do me a favour and please do NOT just mirror the map in any aspects.

    Its totally ok to build a tf2-map with mirrored layout - actually I like this.

    But I hate it if you can find any prop at the red base exactly at the same place in the right base.

    You don`t have much details so far so please don`t start to build just one half, copy and paste it and just change some textures...

    Build the map as a whole object, every single area for itself.

    This will make the map muuuuuuuch better in my opinion^^

    Yeah, I plan to change things around a bit when I get into detailing the level more. The layout will stay the same on both sides of course (which is why I am copy pasting things over for now).

    I don't think there's anything inheritely wrong with doing a fully-mirrored map as long as some bits are modified slightly a la CTF_Well where all the main routes are fully mirrored whilst minor routes deviate slightly from the symmetry. It helps to justify the reason for taking one particular path compared to the other.

    About the map; The middle area seems very open and quite large. I imagine that playing Heavy would be a nightmare with the openess of the area as well as the distance you would have to cover to reach the other base. Take a look at the first area in Badwater. It's open but there are a vast number of rocks which provide hard cover. Rocks are the key so you should experiment with the displacements on the ground and the placement of the various rock models to help provide cover and visually break up the area. Really try to add minor vertical differences as they can will make the gameplay much more interesting.

    Quote from Josch

    Do me a favour and please do NOT just mirror the map in any aspects.Its totally ok to build a tf2-map with mirrored layout - actually I like this.

    But I hate it if you can find any prop at the red base exactly at the same place in the right base.

    You don`t have much details so far so please don`t start to build just one half, copy and paste it and just change some textures...

    Build the map as a whole object, every single area for itself.

    This will make the map muuuuuuuch better in my opinion^^

    Even Valve did this - when you're in spec on Badlands and viewing the control points on top of the 'spires', click to alternate between red and blu and both are absolutely identical, even all the little pipes and rock props. Fastlane is the same, and besides being a really cheap way of making a map, it's also really confusing. I'm always running out the spawn on those two maps and going the wrong way until I get to our own point, realise there's no one around and have to run all the way back.

    I think just mirroring the layout like you've done here is ok as long as you then add all the details separately, change the shape of some buildings in non-reachable places etc.

    I agree that badlands can be confusing since it is so mirrored. Even the small details like bits of grass and small objects are copied on both sides.

    But yeah, I don't want to make it look 100% mirrored, though the main layout will be for balance reasons.

    Next on my list of things to do is adding rocks n stuff to the central area like Psy suggests.

    Already been doing some displacement work on the terrain there (notice how you can see all the way to the other side of the map ): http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/ ... d/h7d4.jpg

    Alpha 3 is ready... Download here: http://slainchild.shackspace.com/files/ctf_creak_a3.zip

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    Changelist

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    Alpha 3

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    +Added displacement terrain for the outside section

    +Added rocks and foliage for cover outside

    +Added health and ammo pickups

    +New structure above flag capture zone, provides cover and limits the FOV of sentry guns built there

    +New routes into the flagroom from the front sniper "bunker" room

    +Added and tweaked lighting around the map

    I've updated the first post and added new screenshots.

    Most of the doorways/small corridors are 128 high. Nearly all the rooms are taller and have more space. I will be changing some of the architecture so its not so boxy in places, so anything that looks wrong is probably like that because I haven't got to it yet.

    Corridors should be 192 units. Based on my experience of mapping for TF2, everything is roughly 1.5x bigger then in HL2.

    Yeah, only the short connecting corridors are 128 high. The other "main" corridors are at least 192.

    Seems ok to me running around as a Scout (except for the areas that do need work)...

    Layout seems quite nice from running around, but I do have to agree with the ceilings feeling a little low throughout the map. Might get annoying for double jumping scouts avoiding spammage but generally I think you can get away with it. Alot of the TF2 maps are alot tighter than you first realise, especially some of Goldrush's or Dustbowl's back routes.

    Keep up the good work anyhow!

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