[Concept] Looking for feedback on a koth map idea...

Ouroboratika

L1: Registered
Jun 5, 2013
1
0
Hi everyone!

I've been wanting to get into TF2 mapping for awhile now, and I've finally decided to take the plunge and take the time to learn TF2-specific Hammer things (I used to make simple build maps for GMod). Thanks, in part, to a lot of free time at work, I've sketched up a map concept that I like a lot. I scanned it in, but the text didn't come out terribly clear, so hopefully the map itself is still understandable.

A quick (text) rundown of the map is that the teams spawn on opposite sides of a coast on an island. The beach stretches from end to end, but there is a gradual incline from the spawn camps to a central coastal bluff on the more inland side of the coast. This bluff and beachfront are up against a sheer vertical cliff (acting as a Northern boundary). A waterfall will run down from the top of this cliff and make small ponds / streams that run down the middle of the map until eventually ending up in the ocean.

What I'm looking for is some general, broad-strokes opinions on if this is a decent layout for a map. I intend for most of the combat to occur on the bluff itself (which will have a lot of jungle foliage, a cave, some water, etc), but I also want the beach area to be relatively open. I want to avoid snipers having extremely long sightlines into the jungle area, but I'm ok with the beach being pretty sparse and open to snipers since I want it to be a risky route players can take to reach the other side of the island and flank the enemy team.

Right now, I'm also concerned with only having one main way to get up into the jungle area (the gradual slope that goes under a cliff arch). I added in an underground tunnel at the Southern tip of the bluff that runs into the heart of the jungle, but it seems more like an auxiliary route into the jungle than a viable second route. I'm trying to keep the map themed as "natural land with some plane/cargo wreckage and crude stick shelters", if that makes sense. I want to avoid just throwing a ladder up against the steep edges of the bluff, but I can't otherwise think of a good thematic way of allowing players to get on top of the bluff from the Southern end.

Finally, if it's not clear, the map will be mirrored down the middle, so this is only half of it!

Any advice would be hugely appreciated. :)

koth_stranded.PNG
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
Island maps are cool and holy gosh do we need more of them. Do it.
 

Bud Calypso

L1: Registered
Jul 28, 2015
39
25
I have to admit that your sketch is hard to read and not quiet obvious to me. So excuse wrong conclusions I may take.

As far as I understand it there are three ways to the Control Point:
The beach is leading to a ladder in the mid and the tunnel in "south". And then the main jungle path.
If these three offer transitions between each others right before they reach the point
and if you choose the distances / scale right, it can work out for a KotH, imho.

Otherwise you risk that a team splits up and spreads out too much so the players can't support each others.
The beach for example seems to be covered behind the Control Point.
This way the route will only be risky if the enemy advanced in spawn direction, so only under special circumstances.

In a Koth mainly the Control Point area itself is relevant due to the connection of timelimit and respawn times.
If one team isn't definitely superior there is no reason to advance further, getting shot and risking the enemy advancing by another path.

This is just what needs to be considered for this gamemode for your layout.

But generally this looks good. There is nothing generally wrong with it. Don't let the option to fail stop you. Good luck!
 

Bunbun

aa
May 18, 2014
401
782
Sightlines would be a massive problem in wide open areas.
 

MoonFox

L10: Glamorous Member
Mar 17, 2015
739
74
Yep. Open maps always looks amazing but they are so unbalanced or very hard to balance
I think the best example I can think of, is Premuda (forgot server), and skull island(?)