[CS:GO] de_sapper

cs_sapper is the third project I've put serious effort in since picking up Hammer as a coronamapper this past spring. Since July, it's gone through a good handful of iterations, but I think it's now at a stage where the layout is mostly finalized and I can move onto fine-tuning and detailing:

Workshop link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…/?id=2259031029

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/0aVhugy.png]

I wanted to make a hostage map since the majority of the focus seems to be on de_ maps. That said, the original idea did start as a defuse, but the only surviving features of those early designs is the long main:

Spoiler First de_ layout design with timings:

(July 2020)

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/SRYfpxw.png]

Converstion to cs_ :

(Aug 2020)

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/bLqFvGG.jpg]

Further cs_ iterations (slowly starting to resemble the current layout):

(Aug 2020)

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/2QmeIAm.png]

The map is centered around the Diamond Exchange Building and the Clocktower, the first structures I built before I even knew what the map would really turn into:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/cKMxlJs.jpg]

These are both based on references from real-life locations:

Spoiler Diamond Exchange:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/hOvtAuG.jpg?1]

Clocktower

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/Ijb48Jr.jpg]

As far as reference goes: the map is loosely based around the city of Bo, in Sierra Leone. There's going to be a heavy West-African theme I hope will come out more as the detailing progresses.

(Oct 2020) Original Alpha 1 Gallery: https://imgur.com/a/TNKtgTH

(Nov 2020) Current Version: https://imgur.com/a/u0aa3j4

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/2ARLslH.jpg]

CT Spawn/Rescue Zone

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/VwO3UWn.jpg]

T Spawn/View of Lower H

Haven't updated this thread but there has been progress in the last two months. Turns out I was a little optimistic about 'fine tuning and detailing'. After struggling with the routing on the cs_ version after the second playtest, I've started working on a de_ version of sapper that feels like it's coming along a lot more naturally. All of the brushing is extremely rough at the moment, but I've uploaded a test version to the workshop here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…/?id=2377882072

Graveyard to A site:

Spoiler

B Site:

Spoiler

Radar and flyover:

Spoiler

After running a few playtests last week, I've made corrections in response to all the feedback. Thanks again to everyone who joined the test.

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/rvQ8p65.jpg]

A big complaint was about the openness of Graveyard and a lot of the wide weird angles that had to be covered. I've tried to address this by smoothing out the excavator angle, covering up the ditch ramp, adding a high-lo route to the T entrance, which really narrowed down the entire area. The faster interior areas have also been adjusted to (hopefully) remove that OP hold point for CTs.

Alternate angle:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/9D78lRm.jpg]

B site has also gotten a re-work with connector stairs leading up to the former drop window. The ladder has been covered and there is now an additional drop entrance to site through a breakable floor in the apartment. I'm not sure how that last bit will play just yet, so that is pending further playtesting before I make it permanent:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/sPeDnC3.jpg]

Some other minor adjustments include cleaning up the mid apartments and balcony, which have been pretty much blocked off entirely. I've also smoothed out the cover in upper mid, replacing the old car crash area:

Spoiler

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/ATaa50q.jpg]

New lower mid apts

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/925VzWk.jpg]

Refurbished upper mid

Ending on a more interesting note.. I'm hoping I can finalize the layout in the coming weeks and really jump into the detailing full time. One area near T spawn, now 'Barbershop', got a jump start on this:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/grmq5pL.jpg]

The sign I hand-painted in gimp from reference, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out despite the mild case of carpal-tunnel.

[Blocked Image: https://cdn.myonlinestore.eu/93ef9d32-6be1-11e9-a722-44a8421b9960/image/cache/full/277a032368e09ec8cfebe7f27235bfe8844ac18c.jpg]

Quote from sn0wsh00

On 2/20/2021 at 12:18 AM, sn0wsh00 said: Just played both versions and so far everything looks really great. The hostage at E1 looks really easy to camp, but overall, I couldn't find any blatant gameplay issues, at least with the hostage version. Can't wait to see the finished map. Great job with that barbershop painting as well. Definitely something worth getting a mild case of carpal-tunnel over.

From a lore perspective, I would have personally chosen someone else other than the GIGN for the CT side given that Sierra Leoneans speaks English. Preferably, I would have the CTs be based on something like the Sierra Leone police, given that I think it would kind of cool for a map set in an "exotic" location to feature local factions as opposed to foreign ones. But that's my personal take.

Thanks for having a look! I don't know how much more work I'll put into the cs_ version as I've invested so much in the de_ map now. I'd love to get custom player models at some point, but at the moment that's way above my technical knowledge. I remember awhile back someone linking a hostage map *Edit: cs_ivory by Quotingmc and @Quadratic* set in South Africa that had custom CT models as local police. I think something like that would really fit well.

I'm working on some pretty dramatic changes after being rather humbled in a playtest last week. Graveyard area has been simplified and significantly de-cluttered (isn't actually a graveyard anymore). T spawn has been shrunk significantly. I've completely removed one of the mid connector routes to hopefully cut down on the deathmatchy-feeling and constant flanking. Spawns have also been adjusted on both sides to hopefully address timing issues.

Screens are very much WIP:

Spoiler

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/ALC8s2J.jpg]

New GY Area

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/BwmGB48.jpg]

T Spawn

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/HRbQAQb.jpg]

Mid Routes

Still needs a lot of polishing, but finally have an updated version pending on the workshop. Rough walkthrough video below:

Once I remember to fix all my visible nodraws and other obvious mistakes, I'd like to do some more testing in the coming weeks in order to hopefully, finally, call it a wrap on the layout and move on to detailing. I do realize I'm saying that pretty much every update, but, something something you have to believe it yourself first before you can achieve it.

After some more testing and a few fairly major layout changes, I'm finally going to allow myself to split time 50/50 layout and detailing. A site was rightfully described as 'uninspired' in earlier versions, so the entire area so has been completely overhauled, taking reference from the Makupa Fruit and Vegetable market in Mombassa, Kenya:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/MwOo0jT.jpg]

I've branched out to include other locations from sub-saharan Africa in my references, but the primary influence still comes from my initial theme locations, the cities of Freetown and Bo in Sierra Leone:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/ZR7CWId.jpg]

Lazy Man No Chop has some new neighbors:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/pdbbYyU.jpg]

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/c1CN7ab.jpg]

I also had an awkward interior space in the Short area that I've converted to a Wakaliwood cinema balcony. The theming here feels a little forced so I don't know if I'll keep it as is, but it was at least fun to make:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/wjSFQxI.jpg]

Progress from here on out will be slow-going. While I really enjoy detailing, I very strongly dislike optimizing and clipping. Which I guess is kind of like saying you like cooking but hate doing the dishes. Anyway, I'm trying to set a timeline for the remaining work. Sapper began on pencil and paper in July of 2020, so it's my hope I'll be able to release a production version right around the same time. I have a patchwork TAR file that I'm using to plan out the (hopefully) final layout and start to look at skybox scenery. Here's what's to come:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/MdLVOnh.png]

Amid other real-world obligations, I've been quite lazy about updating this thread. Nonetheless, progress continues. At the moment I'm trying to schedule another round of PTs before the final sprint. With July right around the corner I've pushed back the release estimate to September-ish.

That said, here's a few screens from a detail update I did earlier today:

CT Spawn looking towards A routes:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/fn6LVYX.jpg]

Still playing around with ground texture. I like my base texture, but just pasting it everywhere is not going to cut it and so far I haven't been a huge fan of this road blend.

The roof has, unfortunately, caved in on Wakaliwood cinema:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/fiJH2AN.jpg]

Slums at B long have gotten a dressing up:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/0bp2Pez.jpg]

A Main (Market) Entrance:

Spoiler [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/V9yV4PU.jpg]

Updated workshop link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…/?id=2377882072

As July is coming to a close, I've crossed the one year mark of working on Sapper. The playable area is mostly finished, just needs lighting/clipping tuning, and maybe another few art passes. The focus for now is on the out-of-bounds areas before I move on to the 3D skybox itself. At any rate, things are moving and I think full release sometime this fall is a realistic goal.

And so with the diary entry finished, here's some screens.

The shantytown around B long is growing considerably:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/4iLbycC.jpg]

Behind the wall going up B house steps:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/L2qRXTN.jpg]

I felt like I wasn't getting enough of a city vibe with my playable space, so I decided to open up the area behind T spawn with a traffic circle and gas station. It won't be accessible, but it already makes the area feel bigger and more urban which is what I've been looking for:

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/o85JzMg.jpg]

I mentioned last time I wasn't happy with the current ground texture, but have not gotten around to working on a new one. I'm trying not to change gears too much between detailing, material-making, and half-assing another blender donut so I can maybe incorporate some custom assets eventually. I haven't done a full compile for some time due to the skybox work, but once I get that wrapped up I'll get a new version on the workshop and post another update.

The last leak has been plugged so I've been able to run my first full compile in about two months. I don't have many screens since I've decided to scrap the current 3d Skybox, but all in all, everything is moving into the finalization stages. The biggest remaining items are the skybox rework, a good pass over all the lighting, also fixing the radar since I haven't touched that for several versions now, and finally just general adjustments and fixing little things. I've updated the workshop listing if anyone is interested in having a look.

I've set a hard release target for end of September, so any unforeseen catastrophes aside, my next update in this thread will hopefully be the last.

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/QpFAS73.jpg]

Football pitch at CT Spawn

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/SY49ieP.jpg]

Slums at Long B

[Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/yVs1aMM.jpg]

General overview of T Spawn/Lower Mid area

And here it is! Roughly 14 months after the first dev boxing of a layout that would not resemble anything that Sapper is today, I'm calling it a wrap on this one. The final version is available on the workshop here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…/?id=2606362134

I won't get too sentimental on the whole project, but just to reflect on a few things:

This has been a learning experience, undoubtedly. It's fun looking at the structures I blocked out last year compared to stuff I've built later on. I'm fully aware of my own, and the map's limitations. Particularly me being a stock model purist with no workable Blender knowledge despite many, many aborted textureless donuts. Optimization is still not great on the map, but the fault of that really stems from me not knowing what proper optimizing was until learning it throughout the mapping process. Yes, I could go through with a comb and fix every bad visleaf, but for me, it's more important to carry all of the new knowledge and skills into the next project, whatever that may be.

I had a few playtests on Mapcore which left me with incredibly valuable feedback during the crucial middle stages of development, so to everyone who participated in those, thank you.

For those following along on this thread throughout all this, thanks and see you next time.