Turbine v2

CTF Turbine re-artpass Alpha 6

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
Turbine redux

What am I doing? I think Grazr put it best: "Porting turbine to TF2 from 'fuck if i know that spytech is a sub theme'."

Turbine has been called many things, but the consensus seems to be that it's either the best CTF map in the game or the only good one, period... but only in terms of the layout. And looking back at some of the original Team Fortress maps that were adapted for this game (particularly Dustbowl and 2fort), it looks like they literally took the original map and just ran it through a very thorough artpass. So I thought, heck, Turbine is about as blocky and simplistic as a TFC map; it deserves the proper-TF2 treatment more than 2fort did!

The goal here is not just to re-detail the map but incorporate some layout improvements as necessary. I'm looking to Turbine Pro for some ideas, but I'm always looking for ideas and input. The goal, actually, is to eventually have a finished product I can pitch to Valve as an "update" in exchange for co-author credit.

EDIT - May 13, 2013
I've made a lot of changes since I first posted this, so I updated the screenshots at left. The text below is still from the first alpha; since then, I have rethemed the exteriors slightly, converted the air vents to a hallway and a series of catwalks, removed the out-of-bounds spytech hallway and turned it into an outdoor courtyard, and a few other minor changes here and there. See the changelog for full details.

EE0A36B2A8700B6E59CA469EE06434529738DADB


First order of business: Take it outside! No self-respecting map takes place all in one building! I've been wanting to see more purely-industrial themed maps à la Hydro, and a name like "Turbine" was just begging to be used that way. Tentatively I came up with the nuclear-power-plant angle, which I'm surprised hasn't been done yet.

1607167EA42F3C4142CF08AA003B2868E3D0EE20


An early example of the scale of revisions to expect; I didn't care for the 1:2 stairs Flobster put everywhere, so I'm in the process of scaling back to 2:3 without sacrificing the feeling of bigness. In this case, I cribbed a little from the artpass map with some of Badwater's point-B flanking route thrown in.

776480D665839BBC98D8DF01EFD93FDC81BA2CFD


RED base's main hallway and platform. Note the added drop-down from the air vents; I figured this would provide an easy way to counter sentry camping on the platform without adding an alternate route into the building like Turbine Pro does. I love that the dual-plug prop fit perfectly here without any tweaking.

787CF2CE2CEDF25A3A0D8124F8C8474D6E29B523


I'm sorry, you wanted spytech? Here's your precious spytech: Outside the field of play where you can't get to it! Muahahahaha! This is visible through the door in the above screenshot and a pair of double doors just to the right of that. Not pictured: Rexy's vending machine.

Sadly, I may have to throw all of this out because I had an alternate idea that involves a huge window pane and a fenced-in courtyard. I'd also like to raise the ceiling above the hallway and put in some Mountain Lab-style catwalks, but ironically the new air vents are blocking the way.

DF53DEB022CEC0E8D0D2448B8326C3ABDF64EF1C


OK, technically there's spytech in here too. As you can see, I copied Turbine Pro's rejiggered dropdown as well as expanding the capture zone to the whole area because why not. Not pictured: a pair of spotlights shining directly onto the intel stand. Everything else is very up in the air; that stairwell is still 1:2 and will need to be retooled, and the secret underground bunker under the capture area was something I did totally on a whim and may toss completely.

A22C1CFB49D48A86E580481163A57A4760EFDD65


Mid as of today, from the other side. Since it's outside now, it took me some headscratching to figure out how to replace the eponymous turbines that block the sightline between the two main entrances. Rexy's forklift and a giant barrel in Hydro that I'd never noticed before provided the answer! Though I may remove the top barrel from the stack in the center; it seems ... off, to me.
 
Last edited:

owly-oop

im birb
aa
Apr 14, 2009
819
1,215
This looks really great, good job!


Subjectivity: I never liked turbine because the middle is very boring and unfun to be at. My experience with turbine have been the bottom 2 doors at middles endlessly being fought at, and then the defending team slowly retaking middle from uptop. I always felt that there was never enough fighting at middle, but instead at the chokepoints. I would need to play turbine again to get a clear opinion again.
 

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
Valve stacks those kegs in Hydro so you can probably get away with it; looks weird there too, though.

This is a great idea, good going imo.

Now let me download it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
aa
Sep 5, 2010
6,394
5,571
And this goes back to my suggestion a month or 2 ago about "retiring" maps...


... I'll accept this instead. Goodwork.

EDIT: now you got me thinking about seeing if we can get people to redo/update other older maps... fastlane, doublecross, 2fort, pipeline... "TF2 Map enhancement project"...
 
Last edited:
Oct 6, 2008
1,947
445
I love the look of it and would consider playing it for a while - I'm not a huge turbine fan (ha what a pun!)

1 point and 1 question:

The outside shot with the forklift - you sould put some containers or something to break the visual line at the skybox on the right- looks kinda weird just going off like that into the sky.

The shot with the health kit and wires - is that an open vent players can use to jump down from above? If yes, I think that would be a big improvement in the overall game play of the map :)
 

Tarry H Sruman

Large Orphanage Proprietor
aa
Jul 31, 2011
872
1,021
now you got me thinking about seeing if we can get people to redo/update other older maps... fastlane, doublecross, 2fort, pipeline... "TF2 Map enhancement project"...

Since when does doublecross need the same kind of overhaul as turbine?

Also, this is fantastic. Thank you Steve.
 

A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
aa
Nov 2, 2007
4,775
7,669
I love that the dual-plug prop fit perfectly here without any tweaking.
Unless someone like me decides to point out that an outlet and wiring wouldn't be in a solid concrete support column. The building inspectors would like a word with you! :p

Since it's outside now, it took me some headscratching to figure out how to replace the eponymous turbines that block the sightline between the two main entrances.
You might actually be able to keep the turbines if you (or other people) wanted them. What came to my mind was putting them on some over-sized shipping pallets or something of the sort, such that they aren't actually supposed to be outside.

Looking good though. I've always loathed Turbine and this might make me actually want to play it (if I played TF2 anymore).
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
aa
Sep 5, 2010
6,394
5,571
Since when does doublecross need the same kind of overhaul as turbine?

Also, this is fantastic. Thank you Steve.

Just an example.


And if this ever did come to fruition, I called "updating" pipeline... it's my favorite map and goddamn it, I'll make it even better.
 

Penguin

Clinically Diagnosed with Small Mapper's Syndrome
aa
May 21, 2009
2,039
1,484
pretty slammin' reimagining.
 
Mar 23, 2010
1,870
1,695
you might as well make the middle better if your gonna make it outdoors, i like the kegs much more than the turbines, but i suppose that defeats the purpose.

not really sure how i'd improve it either though so.
 
Last edited:

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
EDIT: now you got me thinking about seeing if we can get people to redo/update other older maps... fastlane, doublecross, 2fort, pipeline... "TF2 Map enhancement project"...

I've had some ideas about fixing 2fort too, but I've kept quiet about it because I know what kind of reaction people get on here when they try posting 2fort edits. ;)

And I'd add Egypt to that list for similar reasons as Turbine, but the fact that Heyo is still an active mapper who posts here periodically complicates that.

Love it, but you need some non-90-degree-angles in there to break up the squareness perhaps

Hmm. I might end up doing something like that for the back stairwell, or something.
 

Freyja

aa
Jul 31, 2009
2,994
5,813
I personally hate turbine, doublecross is the only TF2 map I can have fun on.

But what you've done seems to help that a little. For one, looking nice. For another, adding more routes, imperative as half the classes.
 

Miauw62

L1: Registered
Aug 26, 2011
29
8
More routes ftw!
Thats why i love thundermountain, for example.
Fits perfectly into my needs of a quite complicated map to pyro and scout around on.
 

PMAvers

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 29, 2008
389
142
I've had some ideas about fixing 2fort too, but I've kept quiet about it because I know what kind of reaction people get on here when they try posting 2fort edits. ;)

This might go a little off-topic, but there was a solid one posted on the SPUF a while back that I liked.

Mainly because it gives

-A way to get into the basement without going through/past the hayloft..

-A way to get *out* of the basement without going through/past the hayloft.

-Opens up a balcony overlooking the flag room that lets you clear sentry nests a little easier.

-Alternate exit to the hayloft spawn.

It wasn't perfect (the exit required a bit of swimming to dump you out into the sewer, and it was a bit confusing if you never played the map before), but it was definitely a step in a direction.

Back to the Turbine edit, it's definitely looking good. Amazing what you can do when you have "proper" (as far as Hammer can be called) tools instead of just hacked together tools.
 
Last edited: