cs_corp [an experimentation from my part on cs_ maps]

Good evening everyone!

Since @will2k brought that up, it inspired me to try my own cs_ map, at the same time I'm detailing my de_ map.

This is heavy WIP and the overview is overly confusing but here it goes:

It is confusing because the map has two specificities. First of, there will be a system to choose between two spawns for both teams, a bit like on cs_insertion. so there are spread off spawns. The idea behind that was to favorite a bit Ct's in their endeavor, because they can use various strategies to either focus on an hostage room, or execute splits etc. T's have that system too to be able to gather a bit of intel, so that it is a bit balanced. Here are the main paths, and in green the chokepoints area for T's:

The idea here is that upper paths are accessible easily from the T territory in the middle, or from the hostages rooms, and those are the primary path which should be used. there is for now the possibility to enter the rescue area from the phase 1 level of the map, I'll see what will happen to that later on.

Testing it with bots has been for now pretty useless, but it kinda felt like it was a bit Ct sided, future will tell.

Here is the screenshot album: imgur

Let me know what you think, and if you need additionnal datas/infos.

Thanks in advance to everyone!

Bump update:

I reworked the second phase area to delay a bit Ct's so that it isn't too easy for them to outrun T's. I've reworked a path too to restrain T's to unfairly rush Ct's, it isn't quite perfect yet but it's a lot better from what I've played.

Here is the new overview with phase 1 paths:

ANd here it is with phase 2 paths and timings (I actually don't know if these are readable though):

The reworked area is the following:

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[Blocked Image: http://i.imgur.com/SkUjiyQ.jpg]

Let me know if I should give a Bsp for you guys to take a run!

On my to do list are the reworking of chokepoints to make them more interesting and adjusting timings a little bit more even if they are roughly what they are supposed to be.

And oh here is the album of last changes: imgur

Edit: I'm including a link to the bsp just in case: Link for the Bsp file

Quote from blackdog

I think definitely organize a test on the server to see if it's working the way you are expecting.

From the overviews the first impression is that the way to the hostages is a bit too short. On the other hand it's interesting that the rescue areas are past the Ts, I have never played a map that works that way. Wonder if it'll be intuitive enough for the casual player.
What are you doing to prevent camping on the way to the rescue? (which is one of the points of the article)

I intend to have the first phase a bit more tense, close, with T's delaying Ct's. I realize it may be a wrong idea to do that considering the rounds are longer in cs gamemode I agree that a test is necessary

I think it won't, especially the spawn mecanism, I need to think about the visual indicators to help players find the rescue zone so that they do not mislead people to the hostage zone.

I implemented a splitted rescue zone so that if you camp, you have one of the three entries which is necessary left unguarded. I tried to make it so that the rescue zone is the hardest part to camp in. This is to force people to gather intel and catch up with Ct's before the rescue zone. Basically there are two intermediary meeting zones, and enough time for T's to rotate back to the rescue zone if they went to the wrong meeting point

currently my main concern is the balance, it feels overly CT sided when playing with bots, but testing will decide if it really is.

Update 3:

Changed connector between hostage rooms as well as phase 2 upper paths. Timings are now more well balanced. Changed the dev textures to their borderless equivalent, it's better for the eye

Reworked the hall chokepoint to give Ct's a plateform so that they can check the left entry for T's, thus balancing the crossfire Ct's could get into.

The new overview with phase 1 paths are now these:

I tested timings too for phase 2:

Light green path is 40 while walking with the hostage, and 25sec while running withe the hostage.

Dark green and strong yellow are somewhat equivalent in timing to the light green one, give or take 2seconds.

Pale yellow is 20 seconds running with the hostage, and 35 while walking.

light blue is 40 seconds while walking and 25 seconds while running with hostage.

And finally, the weird colored one is 20 seconds running with the hostage, and 35 while walking too.

For the light green path, be rest assured, the sightline has been broken by some cover:

example:

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Imgur album and Bsp link

Thanks in advance for any feedback, I'll playtest it when it will be more ready

I'm trying to get te best of last night playtest. So let me know if you guys have something more to say:

-limit the upper areas accesses. I will assess that by closing those areas until an hostage is taken.

-make the layout less confusing. I will change texture tones and add some bits of details and orientation decals which will make it less confusing.

-unclear chokepoints. To me they were clear, so I need to force players more into paths so that chokepoints are where they are supposed to be, and only there.

-changing spawns to make them a bit further apart to gain 5 seconds of setting up at the start of rounds.

-rework upper paths: make them more viable.

Quote from JustFredrik

I think all of your points you made after the playtest are good points.

Here is some things I found during the playtest:

Hidden Content

I like the idea to re-imagine the cs_ gamemode to make it more competitively viable!

Keep it up! [Blocked Image: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/bNxyus36ONO0j6YPwhv1n29WrmfaWINeABZNGxdmZiQNNOyIlOvyopE5hErTNY8D39BJ8Y16cgzVUzFj7M5cy-0YIadpffzLkzWf7Z_iymIY8_3My3Ag43Ub8c3UOJ8UuBizzLIW]

thanks a lot for your feedback

For the latter part about T's swarming Ct's at their spawns, that will be fixed by denying access to upper paths until an hostage is taken, and also the path on the right, I still want to make it single boostable, but I will make it a 3 or 4 jumps boosts so that it takes a lot more time for T's to boost up and so that they don't rush Ct's too much

forthe hostage room boosts you first pointed out, I'll raise the box up so that you can't boost anymore and so that clipping doesn't feel too unnatural

the hostage room is uniquely designed, that may explain why it acts as a landmark. I will work on other corridors to implement unique feature in all of them so that they are more distinguishable from one another. For instance like the "pit" corridor just outside the small hostage room, the one you pointed out had boosting issues.

As for the ladder, it was originally designed to be a risky auxiliary path, with the main path being through the lobby. However it didn't play out how it was supposed, so I think I'll weaken the lobby for Ct's and balance that by providing them a path like you proposed

Thanks for the support!