cp_castle4, WIP

Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
5/11/08
Final release: http://vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_cp_castle/

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NEW 5/9/08
Castle4 BETA 3
I'm only posting this beta on this forum and on my website.

cp_castle4_b3:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_cp_castle_beta/

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NEW 5/7/08
Castle4 BETA 2
I'm only posting this beta on this forum and on my website, so I'd just like to use it to test for general problems.

cp_castle4_b2:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_cp_castle_beta/

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NEW 5/6/08
Castle4 BETA 1
I'm only posting this beta on this forum and on my website, so I'd just like to use it to test for general problems. As long as everything goes smoothly, I can make minor edits and call it cp_castle4.

cp_castle4_b1:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_cp_castle_beta/

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NEW 5/3/08

Stage 1, CP 1
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_8.jpg
Compare to http://vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_cp_castle/castle1.jpg
The first stage has really come together I think thematically, and it seems like I'm mostly finished here. The new softer sky settings allows the environment to seem more streamlined, rather than rough like it was in Castle3.

Stage 1, CP 2
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_9.jpg
Compare to http://vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_cp_castle/castle2.jpg
You can see that the inside of stage 1's castle has been modified greatly and feels a lot less "raw" overall.

Stage 2, CP 1
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_10.jpg
Here's another addition that should help defense some on CP2-1. This structure allows players to use it while defending the point.

Stage 2, CP 2
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_11.jpg
I've been working with this new entrance so it isn't too powerful for offense. I think I've come to a state that I like with this. It allows people to come into the area some, but once they fall they're in for good. They can also retreat if they're taking massive fire as long as they haven't gone off the lip yet.

Stage 3, Before bridge
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_12.jpg
This trench is now low enough for players to avoid a sniper watching across the entire bridge. Players can use the side route without much fear of getting sniped.

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ORIGINAL POST

I've been aware of the flaws in my A/D map Castle for a while now, and I've been putting it off for some time. I dislike the A/D game mode a lot, but I've decided to put aside my personal tastes and fix this map, since a lot of people play it (and getting a new map played isn't the... easiest... thing anymore). So I figure I'll let the existing players of one of my maps know that I'm not a moron :\

Here are the significant WIP areas of the new version. MANY things are being changed, and I've listened to a lot of legitimate feedback over the months. Let's start at the end of the map and move backwards :p

CP 3-2, overhead:
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_1.jpg
This area has undergone a major layout change. Complaints of massive scale stem mostly from this CP, since it takes a long time to walk to the CP's. This is the second CP. It's been removed from the stand, and moved near the bridge. The canal side route for offense now goes above the CP, so it should make it more interesting than just flat ground. There's a new shack in the canal that allows players to get back up out of the canal on the attacker's side.

CP 3-1, overhead:
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_2.jpg
This CP has also been moved closer to the attacker's area to reduce travel time. The attacker's starting gate was moved back more to allow for more gameplay options around this CP. In addition, the attackers can now mount an assault from above in the newly added house. The windows are large enough for players to jump out of (though I need to make them a bit bigger). The lower right of this shot houses the health pack. This area is enclosed (there is a new wall making it a sort of dead end) so engineers and whatnot can set up there to defend the point.

CP 2-2, overhead:
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_3.jpg
Perhaps the most shoddy of all my points in the current version, CP 2-2 allowed for some serious spawn camping. This has been addressed with an elevated spawn exit, as you can see in the shot. On the far left you can barely see a new elevated ramp for offense to use instead of being sitting ducks on ground level. Also on the left you'll notice a new entrance, far away from the spawn doors. This should make it so offense can penetrate the defense without camping spawn doors.

CP 1-2, spawn doors
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_4.jpg
This area was also massively spawn camped. This has been address by adding a higher spawn exit that has cover from snipers and long range attacks. But with this change, it would be too easy to defend, yes? See the next image.

CP 1-2, elevated entrance
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_5.jpg
This change allows offense to stay elevated as they enter red's castle. Though there is no easy way up to this as defense, it is easily stickied by a piper covering the CP. The two lower entrances still remain the same in this spot.

CP 1-1, the NEW cp!
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_6.jpg
I originally planned for Castle to be a shorter version of A/D map with less CP's. I realize that this is not a reason players play the map, so I might as well add 2 CP's in stage 1. Only 1 CP in stage 1 was also a source of size complaints, so two issues have been addressed. This building needs better lighting yet, but you get the idea. There are some large ammo packs inside for defense to set up, but the doors are large enough for offense to make a fairly simple assault. This should be similar to Dustbowl's first CP in ease-of-capture.

They installed electricity!
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_7.jpg
Spawn rooms now look like more traditional spawn rooms, which is a welcome change in my opinion.

If you guys would like to offer feedback, go for it. I'm open to suggestions, as long as the map becomes more fun. These are the major changes, but not all of them. I've added weapon clips to the stage 2 and 3 starting areas so demomen can't spam over the walls, as well. The clip ceilings outside are higher too.

I don't plan on releasing this for a while. I'm going to try and beta test this beforehand as well (extensively)
 
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Uriak

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Apr 27, 2008
543
70
I reported this on our community forum. I'll try to forward any sugestion that would arise. Castle has been one of our favorites for a long time :)
 

apocguy

L2: Junior Member
Jan 10, 2008
51
2
Iv played older versions of this map and have really enjoyed them. This new version looks very cool and I am excited.
 

xgloryx

L1: Registered
Feb 26, 2008
21
2
CP 3-2, overhead:
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_1.jpg
This area has undergone a major layout change. Complaints of massive scale stem mostly from this CP, since it takes a long time to walk to the CP's. This is the second CP. It's been removed from the stand, and moved near the bridge. The canal side route for offense now goes above the CP, so it should make it more interesting than just flat ground. There's a new shack in the canal that allows players to get back up out of the canal on the attacker's side.

CP 3-1, overhead:
http://vilepickle.com/pics/castle4/castle4_2.jpg
This CP has also been moved closer to the attacker's area to reduce travel time. The attacker's starting gate was moved back more to allow for more gameplay options around this CP. In addition, the attackers can now mount an assault from above in the newly added house. The windows are large enough for players to jump out of (though I need to make them a bit bigger). The lower right of this shot houses the health pack. This area is enclosed (there is a new wall making it a sort of dead end) so engineers and whatnot can set up there to defend the point.
I'm _very_ excited about those two changes in particular, as the third stage is really the only reason I don't like playing castle. Thanks Vile!
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
I recon these changes will revitalise castle, castle3 is a little, well, sparse and not really all that good imho, I know how skilled you are and you can make some good maps, much faster than anyone else too, but you kinda hit a bum note with castle.
Hopefully this new version will correct that and make it the awesome map it should be.

I look forwards to it
 

Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
I recon these changes will revitalise castle, castle3 is a little, well, sparse and not really all that good imho, I know how skilled you are and you can make some good maps, much faster than anyone else too, but you kinda hit a bum note with castle.
Hopefully this new version will correct that and make it the awesome map it should be.

I look forwards to it

Part of the reason is because I had only started using Hammer about a month or so before I made it :\
 

Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
It was. But I updated that in January :eek:
 

Vander

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Feb 16, 2008
506
215
We play this map alot in our clan server. The guys will be excited to see a new version on the way!

*EDIT* 100th post! All glory to Pickle!
 
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Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
Added some new progress to the first post
 

trainRiderJ

L5: Dapper Member
Mar 14, 2008
203
31
Added some new progress to the first post

All the new additions seem pretty solid, gameplay-wise, at first glance. The only thing though is I'm not too crazy about is the metal trim popping up in the castle. If I remember correctly, there isn't any of that in castle3.

I guess it sort of seems like you were still in a cp_stag mood when you were making these changes :)
 

Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
The castle needed some sort of trim to be honest, it's really bare. Metal is pretty rustic and older, so I figured it'd fit in decently. Still working on that though, as it's going to make it either last in people's minds or just kind of fall off the radar like it is now.
 

Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
NEW 5/6/08
Castle4 BETA 1
I'm only posting this beta on this forum and on my website, so I'd just like to use it to test for general problems. As long as everything goes smoothly, I can make minor edits and call it cp_castle4.

cp_castle4_b1:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_cp_castle_beta/
 

Brandished

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 19, 2008
234
311
Not sure if you'd consider it an exploit or not, but last time I played Castle3 a lot of people were complaining about Demoguy's launching grenades through the set-up gate and over the wall here during set up time. Also, in case you forgot, there was this as well. :p

EDIT:
Nevermind, I just saw your post with the link to the beta and saw you've already fixed these two spots.
 
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Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
Yeah, we did some playtesting on the beta tonight and it has some issues too, so I'll be releasing another beta soon. Good thing I'm not making these very public :)
 

Brandished

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 19, 2008
234
311

Vilepickle

Banned
Oct 25, 2007
372
199
Thanks for the pictures, fixed a good amount of things from those.