Graffiti (Alpha) Alpha 3a

Fixed the paint vat doors staying open after passing the quasi-checkpoints.

Apparently, my map is a bit too stalematey, and everyone is telling me that the sewers suck. One playtester even suggested I get rid of them altogether. I have no intentions to remove it, but I'm giving my map treatment for Dustbowl Syndrome. Medic says it should clear up given some time and some versions, but it might be a while before the symptoms are completely gone.

First, I've added two extra entrances to the sewers. This can serve as a quick emergency escape if mid gets too hectic, with water at the bottom to cushion the fall. Pyro could airblast players down one of these, but it's also possible to rocket- and sticky-jump out of this normally one-way drop.

The sewers themselves are a bit more elaborate than before, now having a figure-eight kind of design. I might still add more pathways if this isn't enough.

I've shrunk spawn from having three exits to only having two. I may add a third one back in a different spot, but that can wait for the next update.

Now, instead of being a third exit for spawn, the door on the right is a flank that opens up once the match starts. Hopefully, this new side-entrance will make it easier for attackers.

Apparently, allowing players to jump out of the spawn courtyard proved too unbalanced. I've since added a temporary invisible barrier that vanishes once the match starts.

Besides the bases and sewers, I've mostly just been adding minor changes, such as improved signposting.

Mid is only slightly different, with the crates moved to weaken the two intentional sniper sightlines.

Logically, I've made the timer and quasi-checkpoints more generous to break ties, and now the midpoint grants additional time, too.

Still to do:
-Map is apparently too small... I have an idea on how to make it bigger, especially around mid, but right now, I just want to test what I've done so far, especially with the new flank and see if it breaks up defenses.
-Map could still do with more elevation variation.
-I think I might remove the quasi-checkpoints and keep mid as the only checkpoint.

Whew! Your feedback has really helped me with my mapmaking!

First, I've revamped mid. There's now partial railings to provide cover, but there are still gaps to allow you to fire down at those lowly groundlings, and there is now a small healthkit on each track (and I've marked the respawn locations of all the items near mid). In addition, I've widened all non-spawn doorways in the map.

Though the buildings all had ramps already, I've also added an outside ramp to reach the overhead subway tracks.

I've moved one of the spectator cameras to get a better view of this hallway. Has anyone noticed that all the team spectator cams have a corresponding security camera prop? ^^

I've made the two side gaps in the sewer a bit deeper for more viable cover and upgraded the medium healthkit to a full, given how far this location tends to be from the action.

And finally, I've revamped the paint-vat courtyards. I've lowered the slopes slightly, making it harder to duck past the horizon, and the resupply lockers are now moved further from the doorways, making things harder for the defending team. The flank to the right has been significantly widened to aid attackers, though I might still need to add some more entrances.

All three exits now have setup gates at the start of the round. (I'm especially proud of the telescoping main gate in the middle there!) That said, if you're a mobility class who's got places to be, that white overhang doesn't have a player-clip brush over it... wink wink~

Besides that, I've also rearranged the spawn rooms and spawn points themselves and added windows, non-bullet-blocking railings, and decals.

TODO:
>Add some more gradual verticality to the map, not just those obvious ramps and props.
>I want to add two more points to the track HUD, but for some reason, hitting intermediate points make the payload impossible to push for the now-defending team. IDK, must be a logic issue. I'll have to look into it.

To specific testers whose issues I haven't yet marked as fixed:
@Tiftid - I don't yet know if I've successfully made it easier to breakthrough defenders yet or not. I'll see what the changes have done, and if it's still too hard to break up a dug-in defense, I'll add further means of ingress.
@sweglord227 - I want to keep this map on the small side because of the back-and-forth nature of the payload, but I may reconsider this opinion in the future.
@spruce - I hear you, and I'll see if I can add some subtle inclines, though I might need to experiment where I need to place them.
@pumpko - If I figure out the above logic error, I'll gladly add the points to the HUD. I'm going to keep the cap ding, but I'll make sure to set the bell on a short cooldown to avoid rapid dinging if a payload is constantly passing back and forth over a point.