Energy Flow

UFO

L2: Junior Member
May 20, 2009
85
52
Hello, this is my first own map. The game mode is something mixed between 5 CP and gpit modes. The early discussion of this mode was [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=7959"]here[/ame]. Now, it works like this: team's goal is to capture all 5 points. The central point (A) is always opened. BLU has B & C; RED has D & E. There is a setup time (50 sec) to make defence of team's 2 points. Team that captures central CP (A) have an ability to attack enemy's points. Enemy team can't get their point back if it is captured. Meanwhile the team who ownes A must defend it. If enemy captures A they can get back their point in one minute if it's captured, and the other team becomes defender.

Example:
BLU captures RED's E point, and then RED captures point A from BLU, RED's E point will become RED's in 60 seconds. Screenshot:

cpenergyflowa10033.jpg


The HUD icon shows that the E is temporary BLU's, but it can become automatically RED's, if RED would own A for at least one minute.

That's the idea. The entity system is working good.

I used some custom textures, models and sounds for this map.

This is not the first map I ever release. My first experience was dm_crossfire, which was done from ctf_crossfire_b2. I reworked most of entities and layout a bit. And I want to notice the main thing: I'm bad and lazy at layout constructing, but I like to work with entities. And I will appretiate any help and suggestions about layout of the map. I even don't know what the hell the point A is: it's just two rivers falling down to some basin. Also I would ask for help with layout of points B & D - how to show Energy and its Flow? May be some electrical mechanism?

Questins after you test the map:
1. Should I use timelimit of 10 minutes instead of 6 minutes?
2. What changes you would advise for balance?
3. Should I make any changes to game mode entity system?
4. Should I rework/remove spawns?
5. Can anyone make a watermill model?
6. Which texture should I use for flowing water: waterfall model's; CS:S's; new one?
7. Any exploits?
8. Is it long to map this map for two months for newbie?

Questions not for map this only map:
1. Can I change team_control_point's Print Name? Would players have problem with their localized versions of TF2?
2. Can I make HUD icons like this?

abcdeenergyflow.jpg


3. Can I change footstep sounds on clip brushes?
4. Are there booletproof clips in Hammer? I use both player clips and block bullets brushes.

Special thanks to:
A Boojum Snark's [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=4674"]Ultimate Mapping Resource Pack[/ame]

Artesia's [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=6669"]3D Custom Holograms[/ame]

Acegikmo's [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=4872"]Environment Gallery[/ame]

[ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=141"]Custom Objective Icons TUTORIAL[/ame]

FaTony's [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=3067"]func_rotating TUTORIAL[/ame]
 
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Omnomnick

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 16, 2009
335
111
This looks interesting and possibly very confusing. Sounds like it could play quite well though - Just make sure you get the timings right.
 

TMP

Ancient Pyro Main
aa
Aug 11, 2008
947
560
OP said:
Questions not for map this only map:
1. Can I change team_control_point's Print Name? Would players have problem with their localized versions of TF2?
2. Can I make HUD icons like this?
3. Can I change footstep sounds on clip brushes?
4. Are there booletproof clips in Hammer? I use both player clips and block bullets brushes.
1. Of course you can. It is often done in maps.
2. Read up for solutions.
3. Theoretically, you could create a custom clip texture with a material to replicate the footstep sound. That would be your best bet.
4. Block bullets both blocks bullets and players. So it in essence is a booletproof clip.

I'll try out the map and answer some of your other questions. It looks like it might play for a bit too long with the style but it could certainly be fun if A is hard to turtle.
 

UFO

L2: Junior Member
May 20, 2009
85
52
Om nom nick, the timings are right.

Steff0o, BrokenTripod, thanks, but there is no cap point layout that I want. Ok, I'll keep the current.

Magical Potato, thank you! I'll follow your advices.

Also, I forgot to mention important things:
Overview of the map:

cpenergyflowa10045.jpg


The first spawn has overlays of points' positions:

cpenergyflowa10036.jpg


Each team has 3 ways to A and the doors of these ways can be opened by its own team. It makes A harder to defend. You can see them at screenshots:

cpenergyflowa10042.jpg


Forward spawns of teams are separated, but you can go to CP you want or just quicly change your class (1 or 2 times) to spawn at another spawn point.

All spawns has 3 ways to go out, and every door shows the CP you will go to.
 

Lazy Eskimo

L2: Junior Member
May 17, 2009
74
11
Scouts can cap a point VERY easily due to the size and having more then one cap open at once. Breaks the map.

Your at way too much of a disadvantage when trying to cap middle people can be spammed from above.

Spawns seem to close to the middle. Can very quickly get to middle after spawn.

The med cabinets can be abused in spawns.

I don't think a team can win once other team takes middle. Trying to defend 2 separate points and needing them both to push to middle which has close respawns for other team.
 

MrTwitch

L1: Registered
Jun 27, 2009
37
9
Every time I try to download your map it comes back as a bad link. I just downloaded all of the other maps for the playtest tomorrow and yours is the only one I can't seem to grab, any ideas?

edit: Never mind, waited a while then tried again and it worked. Can't wait!
 
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UFO

L2: Junior Member
May 20, 2009
85
52
MrTwitch, I've reuploaded the file. Try now.
In case it doesn't work try this.

edit: It's late :D
 
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Owlruler

L12: Fabulous Member
Dec 10, 2008
964
275
After I discovered how to get under the map (by building under the gate at B/D), I was able to build a undestroyable sentry defending C/E. I really like the cp icons though.
 

MrTwitch

L1: Registered
Jun 27, 2009
37
9
Capture point A needs a much bigger platform. One of the most frustrating things was getting knocked off of there by a soldier from halfway across the map.

Another issue we seemed to have was whichever team captured A would capture the other two points 90% of the time. It almost seems like it would work much better as a KotH map rather than a CP map.

I have more criticisms but I want to see what other people thought of the map first. Overall good fun, can't wait to see how it looks when it's fully detailed.
 
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Caliostro

L6: Sharp Member
Jul 6, 2009
261
110
Ok, played this today, let's see:

- First, the map in general, except for point A, feels unnecessarily big. It feels too spread out, with areas too big for their real "content".

- Point A is almost the diametrical opposite: Too difficult to cap, the capture area is frustratingly small, takes forever to cap, and after capped, it's too easy to spam and defend from above.

- Conversely, it's nigh impossible for the loosing team to make a comeback (the only time it happened was due to someone cheating with a sentry under the ground to make their last point unattainable). They need to defend both points WHILE attacking the very easy to defend and hard to cap point A.

Ultimately, the map system feels a bit convoluted... My recommendation: Try making point A bigger and faster to cap, and the other areas considerably smaller. Or try to convert it to KOTH
 

MrTwitch

L1: Registered
Jun 27, 2009
37
9
These are just suggestions, so take them with a grain of salt:

01.jpg


These should be two separate doors instead of one large one as it looks really off when they open.

02.jpg


You need to put a playerclip brush around this log so slower classes can use it to get the the cap platform. The only class that seemed viable on it was Scout and even then it was a chore to get on as you needed to jump no matter what. Lighting in this area could be upped as well, not too bright but enough to see what it is people are running into.

03.jpg


Could use a playerclip brush as there is no reason to be up here.

04.jpg


And finally the biggest issue.

Good luck!
 

UFO

L2: Junior Member
May 20, 2009
85
52
Thank you guys!

I've seen SourceTV demo. And I should say this system doesn't work. Everyone go attack, only few people go defend or search exploits :D

Once A is captured, the other points are captured very easily and fast.

I think of making it KOTH. General spawns will be on C/E points, and I'll remove the old general spawns and garages (B/D).
Should I make a new thread, or can I rename this thread to KOTH?