De_Despot [WIP]

[Odin]

Despot is a classic defusal map partly inspired by the cut map de_depot. It takes place in a post soviet setting and is a traditional 4 square layout. The greybox build is on the workshop at https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2076619992 please tell me what you think!

This is currently a solo project and I am working on the first art pass to establish the various enviroments around the map, I plan to publish this update on 05/01/2020...

 

Here's some screenshots plus a little sneak peak at the art direction.

[Odin]

Alright the most recent version just got published to the workshop.

Unfortunately I lost a couple days off work this week that I thought I would have to work on the map so its not as far along as I had hoped. On the bright side, it got some time to marinate in my brain. I spent a lot of time this week walking around Moscow in Google Streetview gathering reference material. I also spent some time reworking the bombsites to make them both be more playable and unique, I want A to be straightforward and a little more forgiving to eco weapons while site B is more open and treacherous. 

So now I get to tear the map up and poke holes in it, build it back up, pray that hammer doesn't crash... again.

 

[Odin]

First big update!

Most recent version is on the workshop.

Thanks to the virus this map project has become almost a full time job for me. This update gets us out of greybox, all the buildings are built, everything has texture. Most of the props that weren't part of the game play of the bombsites or middle are absent as well as most of the trim and details except where I felt they helped me stay on track thematically. I did however go ahead and clip all the stairs, I cant stand bumpy stairs.

Next up, I have some assets to make. I have about 15 years of Hammer experience and about 2 months of blender experience, so I expect this next stage will take me a bit longer although I have created a few props before.

 

Let me hear your feedback, it's a lot easier to make changes to game play now rather than later.

 

 

[Odin]

So I'm not gonna post pics of every asset I make for this map, but seeing as this was the first I want to show it off a bit lol.

The model itself took like 30 minutes but due to my lack of experience with blender and gimp it took 2 days to get an ambient occlusion bake to come out properly/deal with some UV issues... Im not 100% satisfied with the texture, too much grunge, going to work on cleaning that up and adding better normal data tomorrow.

[Kokopelli]

I dig it. The timings are really tight and the map has a nice flow overall. Well done. Here are a few things I noticed that could be improved.

Seems like the earliest pick a CT can get on this site is by sprinting to this position (7-8 seconds). 

The problem is the T gets better visibility of the CT. I imagine the T would win the encounter more often than the CT.

I feel like there's too much brick going on throughout these tunnels, which kinda gives this feeling of not progressing. Could use some more texture to break up the repetition.

Are CTs suppose to be able to see the legs of Ts standing here? I feel like those planks should extend and cover the whole length of the train. Or there could be a 32+ unit high elevation against the brick wall so Ts can avoid being seen at the cost of losing some mobility.

This upper spot on the scaffolding is clipped off. There should be some visual representation of that, as it seems like a playable spot.

You should rotate some of the CT spawns so that they are facing bombsite B. Took me awhile to discover the route to B site. There's also something about this route that makes me always want to go straight to bombsite A. Doesn't feel as tempting to make a right to mid.

I feel like people are going to complain about this angle.

There's a T right there and you can barely see him. Maybe just board that up.

Most, if not all, of the T spawns didn't allow me to go up this ramp naturally, but instead had me jumping up to it. I see there's a ladder there, but it just felt a bit frustrating to tease me with the ramp. Is there a way to make it shorter so I can run up it from the start? That would feel more natural.

This is one of the longest angles on the map and it's the CT's main way of navigating their side of the map. Might be a bit rough for CTs to retake this site.

CTs need to cross the mid entrance to rotate, which also feels rough. Dust 2 gets away with it because the sightline through the double doors is very narrow. Mirage avoids it altogether by making it really inconvenient for Ts to get access to the CT side of the map.

[Odin]

First of all thanks for your input!

Some of these issues I've identified myself but I'm gonna go down the list with ya

1, I plan to decrease the width of that entrance so that the angle is closer/at the entrance instead of in the tunnels

2, will be addressed in next art pass, also, I feel like it's too dark in there, I wanted to accentuate the vaulted ceiling

3, no they arent supposed to be seen but I forgot to add a temp brush to block it off, I have a sketch for a custom asset along that side of the train which will add verticality and also block sight under train

4, I actually already fixed this one, there is another crate nestled into the scaffolding frame

5, oops, will fix, was also going to play around with spawn groupings

6, this spot looked good in hammer but is too tight in game, I dont want players on A platform to be able to pixel peek the utility room on the other side of mid, I might block it off or play with the rotation and spacing of the boxes

7, yeah I felt that was awkward too, I'll have it fixed next update

8, the ct to a route is currently what I'm focused on reworking, I chose to split it up a bit

9, hadnt thought about this yet, will brainstorm

 

Again thanks a lot for your feedback!

Edited May 8, 2020 by Odin
Forgot a bullet

[Odin]

It's funny what comes to mind when you're taking a smoke break while a map compiles... 

It occurred to me that csgo maps all have a colour theme, usually 3 distinct colours that help give identity.

Mirage: Tan, light blue, salmon red

vertigo: orange, grey, blue

nuke: blue, white, high spec metallic grey

etc...

Despot doesn't have that yet, but it will. I'm thinking light blue, dark red, forest green.....hmmmm

[Odin]

Just published an update

Spent a lot of time making various models and textures this week, less time in hammer. 

A site has been built out, the major details are all there, it just needs decoration in a later pass.

I also got some time to address some of the issues Kokopelli pointed out, thanks again mate!

Here's the screenshots

 

[Kokopelli]

Looking better by the day. I'm glad you added that E-box so players can boost onto A site. The thought occurred to me while I was running around the map but forgot to mention.

[Odin]

Thanks mate, Iyeah the e-box was there in the grey box version and I forgot to add it back in lol...

I'm actually taking a break from this map for a second to work on a different map, work to much on a single map and the burnout will get ya