CTF_BankJob

[ArsenaL]

Greetings! This is my first map and i've been working my butt off on it. I still have a lot to do (as you can see).

Basically it's designed to be in a city environment, both teams have set up shop in 2 banks. Hey that gold we always see has to go somewhere. The banks will also be a disguise for the buildings actually being a somewhat training facility for both teams.

Like i said .. this is my first map. Please please please let me know what you think of these initial screen shots. I have a ton of work i still need to do (i still havent quite gotten down proper lighting.. that stuff is tricky!)

Hopefully in a week or 2 i'll have a working version of the map for everyone to test out.

Looking forward to your thoughts and tips!

Hall between spawns that leads up to battlements

2 spawn rooms for both sides

view towards the loading dock via blue battlements. I didnt want direct fire to base entrances.

Red's lobby

Blue's lobby

Loading dock in the middle

Pillbox for engineers to set up shop to defend the intel room to the right. All 3 levels of sentrys can fire through the window.


If anyone has a good link to a lighting tutorial please let me know. I'm having a lot of trouble getting it perfect and right now it's really sloppy. I had to place tons of lights and i keep seeing maps with few lights but everything has a light source on it. I'm doing something wrong here.

 

[joshman]

Cool.

 

[Snipergen]

Cool.

Oh josh great comment there, really helpfull.

Arsenal, for a first map, great job. However like I say to everybody that shows of his first map: it's not good enough.
Your indoor lighting is not interesting enough and looks too bright, no use of props, looks a bit bland, no detail brushwork and I see here and there some hl2 textures.
Ditching the map and start a new one to learn learn learn is the best way, but you probably don't want to hear that

 

[BaNaNa]

Thats way better than my first two (an proboly 3rd) maps. Use some props for sure.

Make sure spys can function, too many pillboxes and stuff just kinda screws them over

 

[Sgt Frag]

Well, I think it looks pretty clean. Not sloppy building or anything and that's good.

But like Sniper said it's very sterile. Deffinately needs props. Some people like to build all terrain then add props. I like to detail a bit of everything as I go, less boring for me that way.

Specific things I think could be fixed:
The pill box room. Of course you need some cover there, way to much of an empty space for an engi to waste players, and the window will make it hard to take out sentry.

lobby's. While they look like ok play space they don't really look like a bank. Of course addition of props would help.

The walls need broken up. have trim on bottom half, stucco top half or whatever, but not same tex on all walls. You need to distinguish seperate areas more.

Think about things a bank would have:

Teller stations. Maybe with windows across so it'ss a hallway for players. They could see the enemy running around back there but they'd have to go around thru doors to get there, not just shoot over counter.
Each station needs a money drawer/chair/etc...

Offices. Need a few rooms off side of lobby for the execs.tables/chairs...

Breakroom, coffee pot, chairs, tables

Vault. You GOTTA have a vault, the blast door would be great for a prop there. What better place to have the intel?

Windows. Every bank has windows. This would enhance the lobby alot, even if they aren't see thru. Skylights would be great in lobby.
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Anyway, I wouldn't really say scrap it. It's hard to tell overall layout without an above shot or something. Sometimes it's easy to build yourself in a corner and might be hard to add stuff, but it looks like you have room to spare.

Good luck with it.

 

[ArsenaL]

Thanks

Thanks for the input everyone!! basically the order of things i'm doing is

1)layout
2)textures
3)lighting
4)details (models, sounds, 3d skybox.. etc..)
5)all over again until it's perfect

i just finished the lighting i've got soooo much more to go

right now its basically.. everything was dev boxes then i threw some lighting in and slapped some textures on.


No way i'm scrapping it. If i start something i have to finish it.

There's going to be plenty of "side offices" and what not

Already have plans for a vault its going to be one of the non-playing areas just for eye candy. The intel is going to be in kind of a records room so it's like you're getting all the bank account information. The next set of screenies i post in a day or 2 will have a lot more props for everyone.

Sadly.. i have never created any personal models and until i learn how (won't take long at all) i have to use pre-made stuff.

The comment about spy-friendly: The pillbox is actually spy friendly... big time. I was thinking about adjusting it a little so it wasn't in favor of spies. Right now the platform makes it so the sentry sits right up against the window. All a spy would have to do is run straight up to it and start sapping away. It would actually force the engineer out of the pillbox.

Taking out the sentry wouldnt be as hard as you'd think. any splash damage past the gun and into the wall will damage the engineer and dispenser (if its inside the bunker)

Anyone have an intel briefcase that has money flying out of it instead of paper?

 

[Nineaxis]

Looks extremely bland. Lighting needs contrast. Also, it seems you are recklessly texturing everything. Look at the repeating textures and how ugly they are. Either stretch them out or find the version of that texture that repeats seamlessly.

Also, you're another victim of the "openspaceitis". Large, open spaces suck for gameplay. Especially for an "urban environment", why is there so much space. Urban means cramped areas.

 

[MangyCarface]

You've got some basics down, it's time to tune up your structure. BEFORE textures.

Angular door entrances are different but probably won't make sense in the end.
The outside of your buildings are fairly square at this point, vary their facades, create layering of protrusions etc.
Ramps should be around 30 degrees. Stairs should be 12 over 8 up per step.
Curved walls are neat but they're really more of a TFC motif. Study the sentry room in 2fort. Compare the red styles and blue styles.
Tighten your focus on the bank theme, keep your brushwork neat, and you might be able to release your first map. However the vast majority of first maps are best for learning, this isn't a bad thing. It's just how it goes