A list of Tf2 themes

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Waster

L1: Registered
Jun 28, 2009
20
13
I was searching for a list of themes used within TF2, but i couldnt find it. So i wrote one myself.

Weather themes

The time of the day, the weather or the climate of the map gives a certain feel to the map that is independent of the building style.

Alpine



The alpine team was introduced by lumberyard. It is a fresh theme with green colors and blue-grey mountains.
Maps that are using this theme: arena_lumberyard, pl_swiftwater and pl_cashworks
Other images: lumberyard

Arctic



Maps that are using this theme: cp_glacier
Other images: glacier1, glacier2

Autumn



The autumn theme is seen in the original koth_harvest. It has some unique yellow, beige like colors. Noticable things are the pumpkins, the bare trees and the yellow leaves at the ground.
Maps that are using this theme: koth_harvest
Other images: harvest

Desert



The desert theme is one of the more common used thems in the game. It will evoke a lonely, deserted and dusty landscapes.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_badlands, pl_badwater, pl_halfacre
Other images: badwater, badwater, badlands

Forest



A more dark and sombre theme, settled in a rainy forest.
Maps that are using this theme: sawmill, cp_indulge

Halloween



The halloween theme is introduced in a reworked map of harvest. It takes place in the same time of the year. Its only darker, there are luminous and exploding pumpkins and there are some scary ghosts.
Maps that are using this theme: koth_harvest_event

Swamp



The swamp theme introduced here. Its also quite dark like the rain theme.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_wildmire

Winter



A pretty new theme that is white and light. You can expect a lot of snow, at the playing areas and on the buildings.
Maps that are using this theme: koth_viaduct, cp_obscure, cp_coldfront
Other images: viaduct


Architecture/Building styles

The buildings are a very important part in TF2. Most maps will do with industrial buildings, but some maps have other building styles.

Bunker



Large, plain, concrete buildings housed inside rocks.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_badlands, tc_hydro

Castle



Important elements of this theme are the bridges, large walls and heigh towers.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_castle3, cp_castle4
Other Images: castle

Egypt



The egypt theme is settled in a large and sunny desert with lots of palms, pyramids, ancient walls and pillars.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_egypt
Other images: egypt1, egypt2

Farm



A bit old theme that is more used in the classic maps. You can think of farmhouses, wooden cows, hay stacks, hay cart, silos.
Maps that using this theme: cp_granary, ctf_2fort, cp_labor
Other images: granary, 2fort

Industrial

The main TF2 theme, so a lot of images here. You will see large and heigh buildings that rise out of the playing area. The buildings are connected with pipes and wires. There are chimneys and vents on top of these buildings. The list is split up in materials of the buildings

Corrugated iron



Maps that are using this theme: pl_badwater, cp_gravelpit, pl_goldrush
Other images: goldrush1, goldrush2

Stone



Maps that are using this theme: cp_dustbowl, pl_goldrush, pl_badwater, cp_well, cp_freigth, cp_granary, ctf_2fort, cp_gravelpit
Other images: granary1, granary2, 2fort, well

Wood



Maps that are using this theme: cp_dustbowl, cp_gravelpit, ctf_2fort
Other images: dustbowl, gravelpit, 2fort

Mining



The mining theme works well when there are a lot of tunnels. Mining rails that go through tunnels, mining wagons, pick axes. And off course large mining shafts.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_dustbowl, pl_goldrush, pl_frontier
Other images: dustbowl1, dustbowl2, goldrush


Objectives and missions

This is more a subtheme when you are designing a level. You want to have some additional objectives and missions besides the gameplay objectives like pushing a car or capping some points. Adding some explosives, rockets or spytech buildings to your level and the war between red and blue gets an extra dimension.

Communication

Radiotowers



Radiotowers, radars and other communication devices that can be seen on top of buildings.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_gravelpit

Spytech



One of the most mysterious themes in TF2. Mostly seen deep inside the base near spawnrooms and intelrooms. Controlrooms, computers, meeting-rooms that are all top secret and private.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_well, ctf_2fort, pl_goldrush, cp_dustbowl etc.
Other images: goldrush, 2fort

Economic

Gold



Large amounts of gold are saved everywhere in goldrush. Or in cashworks, locked up in a large strongroom.
Maps that are using this theme: pl_goldrush, pl_cashworks, cp_egypt
Other images: goldrush

Power station



A large reservoir and a lot of generators and electricity pylons.
Maps that are using this theme: tc_hydro

Raw Materials

Gravel



A large quarry of gravel is the confrontation for the teams in gravelpit.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_gravelpit

Transportation

Trains



The train theme. Trains, rails, traffic lights, crates, wheels and a lot of garbage can be seen here.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_well, cp_freight
Other images: well

Stockpile

Explosives



Just some explosive barrels that will explode when succeeding in your objective.
Maps that are using this theme: pl_goldrush, pl_badwater

Rockets



Large rockets that are ready to launch.
Maps that are using this theme: cp_dustbowl, cp_well, cp_granary, cp_freight etc.
Other images: dustbowl, freight
 
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Freyja

aa
Jul 31, 2009
2,994
5,813
I'd say Ice is under the winter theme, and shouldn't be on its own.

I also think that the "industrial" theme isn't really its own theme. Most of those maps fit into other better categories (goldrush, dustbowl, gravelpit = desert) and the mining theme is more of a sub-theme of either desert and alpine and not quite its own theme either.

Oh, and spytech is not its own theme. It's a sub-theme and you rarely see a map all-spytech.

Other than that, good work.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
Gravelpit objectives are communication based (radar dishes and radio towers).

You also missed the intelligence as an objective which has an entire mode built around it (although there is the capacity for custom intelligence models allowing for "ctf" objectives besides the intelligence briefcase).

Objectives are based around control of military based resources for BLU or RED factions. Involving: Economic (gold), fuel (oil), territorial control (communications), food (farm), stockpile (weapons caches), depot (transportation) etc. Just think about all the variables in WW2 and you can pretty much assimilate it into your TF2 maps narrative. The resources themselves can be changed (coal etc), but they'll want to come under these base resource types.

The resources come into various mission styles, generally: destroy X, capture X
 
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Void

Local Man Unable To Map, Sources Say
aa
Sep 14, 2008
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2,971
You forgot maps like Hydro and Gorge, a sort of Heavy Industrial.
 

Waster

L1: Registered
Jun 28, 2009
20
13
Thanks for the comments.

I'd say Ice is under the winter theme, and shouldn't be on its own.

I also think that the "industrial" theme isn't really its own theme. Most of those maps fit into other better categories (goldrush, dustbowl, gravelpit = desert) and the mining theme is more of a sub-theme of either desert and alpine and not quite its own theme either.

Oh, and spytech is not its own theme. It's a sub-theme and you rarely see a map all-spytech.

Other than that, good work.

Glacier proves that ice can be a different theme. Winter can be like every other map with only some extra snow. While the setting of glacier is really in some arctic place where everything is cold and frost. Maybe arctic is a better description.

I have listed the spytech as sub theme to add some extra dimension to your level. I made it part of objectives/missions but maybe thats not entirely clear now.

The alpine theme is actually a theme on its own, its even mentioned as one in the tf2 blog.

With the industrial theme i am not really happy. Its too big and the boundary with other themes to soft.

Gravelpit objectives are communication based (radar dishes and radio towers).

You also missed the intelligence as an objective which has an entire mode built around it (although there is the capacity for custom intelligence models allowing for "ctf" objectives besides the intelligence briefcase).

Objectives are based around control of military based resources for BLU or RED factions. Involving: Economic (gold), fuel (oil), territorial control (communications), food (farm), stockpile (weapons caches), depot (transportation) etc. Just think about all the variables in WW2 and you can pretty much assimilate it into your TF2 maps narrative. The resources themselves can be changed (coal etc), but they'll want to come under these base resource types.

The resources come into various mission styles, generally: destroy X, capture X
Thats a very helpfull post. I only dont know how i will improve my tutorial yet.
 

Freyja

aa
Jul 31, 2009
2,994
5,813
I meant that Spytech is either a sub theme of desert or alpine. Perhaps I worded it wrong, sorry.
 

Keonyn

L2: Junior Member
Mar 27, 2010
56
17
Could use a few minor revisions, but a great list otherwise. I so rarely play Harvest that I forget how nice the autumn theme is. Inspires me a bit to try my hand at a similar theme when/if I should finally finish my current project.

One you might want to add though would be Tropical, like seen in TC_Meridian. There's some customs in there, yeah, but a lot of the look is achieved with valve texturesmodels and good use of water and blends.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
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3,814
I would have to agree with Aly. "Winter" covers "Ice" as a theme a lot more contextually.

The trouble is, anything more than "desert, alpine, egypt, swamp" and we start to get more ambiguously styled maps. Harvest for example doesn't really follow any theme specifically. It should have been farm themed IMO but because of the dead leaves from the deciduous trees and lack of properly architecturally styled buildings people tend to just say "automn".
 

Waster

L1: Registered
Jun 28, 2009
20
13
I have taken a look at gorge and hydro, but gorge is just the alpine theme with some industrial buildings. Hydro is in the desert style with also some industrial buildings. But its a huge powerplant with a reservoir. Thats something i didnt see in other maps.

Off course this list isnt finishes. Its just my first version and there will always be released some new themes that can be added.


Although grazr is describing the problem well and i came with an idea to divide the themes. One more Weather/climate themes and the other is more the architectual/building themes.

Weather themes: Alpine, Autumn, Desert, Halloween, Ice/Arctic, Rain, Swamp, Winter
Building themes: Castle, Egypt, Farm, Industrial, Mining, Trains
Objective themes: Communication(Radiotowers, spytech), Economic (gold, cash), Raw materials (gravel, oil), Transport (trains), Stockpile (weapons, rockets, explosives)
 

Keonyn

L2: Junior Member
Mar 27, 2010
56
17
I would have to agree with Aly. "Winter" covers "Ice" as a theme a lot more contextually.

The trouble is, anything more than "desert, alpine, egypt, swamp" and we start to get more ambiguously styled maps. Harvest for example doesn't really follow any theme specifically. It should have been farm themed IMO but because of the dead leaves from the deciduous trees and lack of properly architecturally styled buildings people tend to just say "autumn".

I agree with Waster, Winter and Ice are quite separate. Glacier uses a lot more than just winter elements, where as winter is just a standard ground based map with the terrain changes and snow added. Heck, glacier's exist in the summer just as they do in the winter as well. The arctic is a 365 days a year thing, and looks far different than winter down here where most of us live.

Dividing theme types that way is definitely a good idea though. Architectural themes could work in most climate themes for the most part. I mean, sure, Egypt wouldn't blend too well with winter or alpine, but overall they're pretty interchangeable.
 
Apr 19, 2009
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I would have to completely disagree with the Castle theme. You could toss up the "egypt defense" but I would argue that Castle is not a very fleshed out theme and I all the Castle maps I have played they were all really ugly.
 

ricardojvc6

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 8, 2009
268
66
actually you forgot more 2 themes.. that are.. "Evening" and "laboratory"
 

Waster

L1: Registered
Jun 28, 2009
20
13
I am not here to discuss what maps everyone like. This guide is meant to show the different styles in the more popular maps to give some ideas for the people that are just starting with a map but didnt know what theme the map has to be.

I updated the startpost. Now weather themes and architecture is splitted.
 

Tapp

L10: Glamorous Member
Jan 26, 2009
776
215
I think it's great how your pictures uses thumbnails. It's a welcome change from the resizing pictures which give the thread a seizure.
 

Waster

L1: Registered
Jun 28, 2009
20
13
I never used dropbox, but i will give it a try.

And thumbnails are very easy with imageshack. I just copy pasted the list of thumbnail links for the gallery. Although the thumbnails are a bit too small for my liking, but there is unfortunately not a bigger variant.


EDIT
Now all images are hosted on dropbox. I also made some larger thumbnails.
 
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Okrag

Wall Staples
aa
Jun 10, 2009
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I would say that the hydro architectural style is different from industrial and spytech can be more than a sub-theme.
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
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You're applying Industrial rather broadly; I don't see any buildings in Dustbowl that wouldn't be just considered Mining. The insides of the bases and the objectives don't count, since they're always modern looking. Also you still left out Pipeline and Hydro, the most industrial maps in the game.

And Gorge is industrial/alpine themed.