Weekly Critique

Uncuepa

aa
Oct 25, 2014
793
1,159
Hi, I am Uncuepa. I do map things.

I've always felt visual feedback is far better than text, and without elaborating on criticism many mappers misunderstand their feedback. It's because of this that I have started this show. Welcome to Weekly Critique!

Each week I will take 5 recently updated maps and give them my honest feedback after a short fly around and then run around. This is not a playtest, it's a visual inspection, and I hope it is both helpful to mappers and entertaining to watch!

Without further adieu, here is the first episode:

 

Uncuepa

aa
Oct 25, 2014
793
1,159
If anyone is interested in my criteria for selecting maps, it's:
  1. Map must have been updated in the last week.
  2. Map must not be alpha 1 OR 2. This ensures that the creator wants to pursue the map so the feedback is useful.
  3. Map creator must be level 3 or higher on TF2Maps.net. This will eliminate first time maps, as they often are abandoned shortly after.
Beyond that, I just choose maps that look interesting. I will look at alpha maps more often than beta, as beta rarely requires additional layout changes.
 

Anguish

L2: Junior Member
Jan 24, 2016
94
4
Hey! I've got a map I've been working on for all of 6 hours, where should I submit it and stuff?
 

SnickerPuffs

(*single chuckle*)
aa
Apr 10, 2014
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Hey! I've got a map I've been working on for all of 6 hours, where should I submit it and stuff?

You'd go against rules 2 and 3 right off the bat.

Map must not be alpha 1 OR 2. This ensures that the creator wants to pursue the map so the feedback is useful.

Map creator must be level 3 or higher on TF2Maps.net. This will eliminate first time maps, as they often are abandoned shortly after.
 

Hyperion

L16: Grid Member
aa
Jun 8, 2015
840
659
I have to correct you on Moonbase; it doesn't play so well. Very hard time for blu to push
 

Oatmeal

L2: Junior Member
May 17, 2014
71
40
3. Map creator must be level 3 or higher on TF2Maps.net. This will eliminate first time maps, as they often are abandoned shortly after.

Wow that's discriminatory. I might be a level 1 mapper, but I have a great personality and my mom says I will be an astronaut when I grow up.
 

MoonFox

L10: Glamorous Member
Mar 17, 2015
739
74
*coughs* then why are you map making if you wanna be an astronaut? (I know you can do both)... personally, I did maps prior to ever being on this site.
 

ics

http://ics-base.net
aa
Jun 17, 2010
841
541
Thanks for Uncuepa for mentioning our map!

I have to correct you on Moonbase; it doesn't play so well. Very hard time for blu to push

Quite the opposite. We just had another test today after yesterday where blu won both rounds. Same thing happened today. What you describe was propably beta1 time a week ago. The map has evolved a lot since then.
 

Moonrat

nothing left
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Jul 30, 2014
932
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This sounds cooler than an Australian stuck in Antarctica. I hope to see my map on the next weeks thing.
 

Hyperion

L16: Grid Member
aa
Jun 8, 2015
840
659
Thanks for Uncuepa for mentioning our map!



Quite the opposite. We just had another test today after yesterday where blu won both rounds. Same thing happened today. What you describe was propably beta1 time a week ago. The map has evolved a lot since then.
Yaah, I think it was b1. I have to see latest moonbase
 

Vel0city

func_fish
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Dec 6, 2014
1,947
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I must say on Hadal (@fubarFX @Jusa ): if you go to a zoo with a big aquarium, you'll notice that there is absolutely zero refraction going on between the glass and the water on the other side. All the refracting you'll see there is when looking towards the water's surface and the space above that. If you want to sell the effect of being under water try playing with simulated caustics on the 3D skybox textures/models (there is an overlay available somewhere on this site IIRC), regular detailing (including fish) or with a refracting texture on the very top of the ocean you're trying to simulate so that you can refract the 2D skybox above (and even 3D skybox models like boats or something like that). And don't forget bubble particles from trapped air escaping from the ground or the facility itself (also try playing with the water dripping particle found on maps like Gullywash and Sawmill and make it appear so that there's a leakage in the facility).

I also see you're using the cheap Hydro water (or some form of it) around C. I'd like to suggest you actually use water there that does refract (like cp_well's water). It just sells the effect that much more.

Finally, this is the material that's missing under the yellow submarine:
Failed to load $include VMT file (materials/HADAL/WATER_HADAL.vmt)

Other than that, I'm really looking forward to seeing this in game days and imps. And of course, with even better and better detailing.
 

fubarFX

The "raw" in "nodraw"
aa
Jun 1, 2009
1,720
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I must say on Hadal (@fubarFX @Jusa ): if you go to a zoo with a big aquarium, you'll notice that there is absolutely zero refraction going on between the glass and the water on the other side.

Don't you worry, that's just a stock material for refraction. I have a reputation for having the best water effects in tf2 and I'll be keeping it that way. I was the one to introduce caustic effect to tf2 and I was the one to introduce custom made waterfalls (after sawmill). hadal will feature all that and since we're a little crazy, we're even taking the challenge to make convincing dynamic water levels for the first time in the history of the game. we've got a couple thing up our sleeve.

also thanks Uncuepa. we're hard at work to make hadal as awesome it can be and a8 is just the tip of the iceberg.
 

Freyja

aa
Jul 31, 2009
2,994
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I preferred the format of the first episode to be honest, with you running around in spectator and talking about your thoughts.
 

Uncuepa

aa
Oct 25, 2014
793
1,159
I hope those receiving feedback find it helpful and all viewers find this entertaining! Again, I feel like there have been a void for critical media in the TF2M community outside of @Egan 's spontaneous video feedbacks and YM's 72 hr stuff. As this show grows I hope the audience will too. If you have friends that are into level design as a whole (such as they map for csgo or ut4) I'd appreciate you share it around. As always, I already have ideas to improve the quality of feedback I can offer. If you also have ideas to improve this show please share them. Thank you!
 

Vel0city

func_fish
aa
Dec 6, 2014
1,947
1,589
Don't you worry, that's just a stock material for refraction. I have a reputation for having the best water effects in tf2 and I'll be keeping it that way. I was the one to introduce caustic effect to tf2 and I was the one to introduce custom made waterfalls (after sawmill). hadal will feature all that and since we're a little crazy, we're even taking the challenge to make convincing dynamic water levels for the first time in the history of the game. we've got a couple thing up our sleeve.

also thanks Uncuepa. we're hard at work to make hadal as awesome it can be and a8 is just the tip of the iceberg.
So rising and receding water? Neat. I know Source can do it but it's never been used in any game (apart from that one Half Life 2 map with all the Manhacks). And I can understand why. You can't refract water that's moving up and down and reflections have to be cubemapped (the latter isn't an issue since that's what TF2 has in every map anyway) so it's not exactly pretty looking water.

But hey, surprise me.