Maelstrom

MVM Maelstrom rc1

phi

aa
Nov 6, 2011
832
1,815
Awarded 2nd Place in the TF2Maps MVM Contest!

Maelstrom: a map made by PDT (Mapping) and Turbo Lover/Behind You (Population File).

Many thanks to the many testers and people who gave feedback!

This MVM map makes use of two entirely distinct paths the bots take, each with a quite different route - one is short, the other is long. This will require the players to be on their toes and constantly alert; also, there are two flanks that correspond to the two routes.
Contains two wonderful paths for tanks to take as well.

The bots work properly and they follow the correct paths, as well as the tanks.
 
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GPuzzle

L9: Fashionable Member
Feb 27, 2012
638
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I read the name of the map as Malestorm.
 

phi

aa
Nov 6, 2011
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Updated to A3 - partially textured, full (but not customized) population file, and working nav meshes and tanks! Ready to play, all you have to do is extract the files to your steamapps/*username*/team fortress 2/tf folder, merging the folders as necessary.

Screenshots:
2013-01-03_00001.jpg

2013-01-03_00002.jpg

2013-01-03_00003.jpg

2013-01-03_00004.jpg


Also, I'd like to test this sometime soon - how would I go about doing that? Should I just mention it in the chat so an admin could upload the map?
 

phi

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Nov 6, 2011
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Texturing and skybox work
2013-01-04_00007.jpg

Also yes those edges on that cliff to the left are wierd.
Sadly I can't use the awesome mountainlab rock texture as that uses a different blend texture... or I could if I knew how to change that property. Someone direct me to a thread teaching how to change the blend texture or something I'm pretty sure it involves directly editing the texture itself but I'm not really sure.
 

tyler

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Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
Well, 2 things:

There probably shouldn't be grass patches up and down the cliffs, idk, it looks weird unless you plan to add ivy or something. Grass doesn't do that. It's used more for blending the cliff edges, check Gorge for example.

Second, textures are just VMT files (text files) that call images (VTF files). VMTs and VTFs are not always 1:1; there are many VMTs and far less VTFs. Open a blend texture in Notepad++ (like the one you're using), change the rock texture to the Mtn Lab one (make sure you use the correct path) and resave it in the correct folder and it should be good to go. The dev wiki is actually pretty good on this if you want to go more in depth. If you want examples of edited textures like this, open Anthem in GCFscape; I changed the default grass to use swamp sprites. It's basically the same idea.
 

phi

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Nov 6, 2011
832
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Yea or nay?
maelstrom_cliffs1.png

Thanks for the tip, yyler, I'll probably end up using that a lot now that I know how to do it.
I believe as with all custom textures simply using a normal packing program properly will attain this result in others' computers, hopefully.
 

Penguin

Clinically Diagnosed with Small Mapper's Syndrome
aa
May 21, 2009
2,039
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it's cute but it reminds me an awful lot of mannworks
 

Languid

L5: Dapper Member
Oct 9, 2009
240
256
I am pretty sure every single map I've made has used the yukon cliff textures at one point. That's how good they are.

The final point seems a bit anticlimactic (a criticism I'd level at the valve MvM maps too). It might be the case that MvM needs a fairly flat and open area for the final point, but I would dearly like to see maps that push the boat out in this contest. Height differences or at least the bomb point somewhere a touch further away from spawn. Get this shit tested and I will stop theorycrafting all over you!
 

phi

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Nov 6, 2011
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it's cute but it reminds me an awful lot of mannworks
I don't really think it's *too* much like Mannworks. The starting area might be somewhat similar but I'm fairly sure it'll play very differently from it. The structure of the rest of the map is completely different, however. Visual-wise, yeah, the finale might be a bit too close to Mannworks with all that concrete. I'll get around to changing that when I can get this thing gameplay tested at one point or another.

I am pretty sure every single map I've made has used the yukon cliff textures at one point. That's how good they are.

The final point seems a bit anticlimactic (a criticism I'd level at the valve MvM maps too). It might be the case that MvM needs a fairly flat and open area for the final point, but I would dearly like to see maps that push the boat out in this contest. Height differences or at least the bomb point somewhere a touch further away from spawn. Get this shit tested and I will stop theorycrafting all over you!
Yeah, I'll definitely think about changing around the detailing and layout for the finale once I get the pop file finished and the layout tested.
And yeah, along with a lot of help I've come to realize the Yukon cliff texture is hands down the best cliff texture. I repent for my old ways.
 

Languid

L5: Dapper Member
Oct 9, 2009
240
256
Maaan the yukon file is the best ever but I don't get why mountainlab's cliff texture gets so much hate. It works in that map! It justifies the weirdest fuckin cliffs ever that seem to grow out of buildings, and has a not terrible blend texture.


I mean look at this baby I'd eat my breakfast offa it!

dkZGG.png
 

phi

aa
Nov 6, 2011
832
1,815
B1 RELEASED - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/84556731/mvm_maelstrom_b1.bsp.bz2

Changelog:
-Fully textured!
-Mostly detailed
-Minor soundscapes
-3d skybox
-Trees!
-Optimised doorways and nav mesh for near optimal bot performance
-Fully custom population file (1 mission)
-Refined tank routes
-Added water and new sewer tank route
-Moved tank path B a bit
-Hopefully the population file won't crash on later waves but fingers crossed, I haven't gotten a full test yet
-There shouldn't be anything custom in the map yet but if there is I'll update it

BUGS:
-Prop fade distances a little wonky
-Aesthetic pleasings are a bit off when it comes to the tank depositing the bomb
-One of the later waves might have a glitch, not sure yet
-Clipping errors in quite a few places, I'll fix that for b2

Pictures:
2013-01-18_00005.jpg

2013-01-18_00006.jpg

2013-01-18_00007.jpg


Everything should be packed, all you need to do is merge the folders with your tf folder. Any problems, just tell me, I'll update it ASAP.

EDIT: corrected link I hope
 
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phi

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Nov 6, 2011
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1272943LOL.jpg


(a.k.a. the map crashes the server and I'm currently attempting to fix it. hold off on downloading b1 for now)
 

phi

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Nov 6, 2011
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Okay, sorry for the triple post, but b2 is out - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/84556731/mvm_maelstrom_b2.bsp.bz2
just had to compile and nav again. I looked at the way mannology was packed and tryed to mimic that in my packing, hopefully this version'll work and can get tested. If it doesn't work I'll just edit this post here to include any modified versions that may/may not fix the issue.
 

phi

aa
Nov 6, 2011
832
1,815
So in the most recent test we figured out how to pack an mvm map correctly and found out a few things about my map. (download here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/84556731/mvm_maelstrom_b2.zip although you might not want it due to these reasons)

(** - high priority)
1**. The boss medics are ass-crunchingly hard on this map, since it's so small. Those will be removed in b3.
2**. The A tank gets stuck under a doorframe.
3**. The later tanks in wave 6 are ass-crunchingly hard as well, those will be switched
4**. Bots get stuck in a certain place in spawn and render the wave unbeatable
5. Clipping errors on rocks
6. Impossible-to-reach places where bots can get killed
7. A few things in waves that make it either too hard/overwhelming to beat the wave in.

So that's that. I know how to pack the map correctly now so the only thing to do is optimize the waves.