Rippleside

Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
Beta 2 is out! Less eye cancer!

CTF, 13 seconds before dropped intel returns to base.

Thanks to:
MangyCarface- Giving pointers
Shmitz- TF2M Sign
The Muppets- Regular playtests of Rippleside
Everybody who gave feedback
Everybody who tolerated my map
Aly- For constantly harking about those damned roof edges. Are you happy now?


No Thanks to:
Those 4 Snipers rtv'ing my map on its 2nd last gameday because they had a really bad score
Whoever decided rain effects should be really annoying to place
 
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Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
Very good for your first map but I am seeing some nasty sightliness in the outside and in this picture: http://forums.tf2maps.net/geek/gars/images/6/9/9/5/ctf_rippleside_alpha1_04.jpg Try and break up the map more or give people some cover.

I figured doing some playtesting on the map could give me some insight on where to put some cover, but I guess I'll put some in beforehand - it's pretty difficult trying to imagine 12-24 people playing in the area and where you'd need to place cover without breaking up the action. :blushing:

Should have some cover blocked out tomorrow with some revised shots (Hooray!)
 

Freyja

aa
Jul 31, 2009
2,994
5,813
Indeed, it's something that gets better with practice. Don't put in way too much cover though, or it will be cluttered.
 

Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
I like the look of the map but it could use some articulation. Right now the setup looks pretty plain, so if you added in some nice exciting features it could really help things along :)

It's plain for now because I'd prefer to have feedback saying "This could do with x" instead of "The thing you've put here is really really bad", I'll add/subtract once people play the map. :)


Also: Map uploaded for all to tolerate!
 

Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
Alright, ran some 9v9 playtesting on the Muppets server down here (love you guys), loads of issues came up, most of which anybody could have predicted:

- Snipers can lock down the exit of buildings easily
- Long sightlines
- Needs another entrance to intel (working on that)
- More cover on hill: Some suggested a train that fell off the cliff for cover
- Generally too open
- Lack of ammo/health

Off to work! :)
 
Aug 10, 2009
1,240
399
I can give you advice but I can't tell you what to do where, and where to put a path to somewhere else. I can tell you that imo a tighter playing space with plenty of paths through it is more interesting than an open room, but I can't make it for you.

I'm saying that the map has a ton of space in the screenshots that I don't think it needs. All that does is benefit scouts, engies, and snipers. Tighten up the space! In screenshot 2 there is all this unused area behind the ramp, that will never come to practical use. Don't cram people up like sardines, but at the same time don't allow for unused space like that. Open space is good- as long as it's logical, so it has appropriate cover and routes spanning it. Badlands middle cap is a great example of this as it has huge amounts of space, but keeps the gameplay tight and focused. Allowing for unused space, especially in comp, just gives the classes more fighting room in an already big place, spreading out the players and creating confused gameplay. This in turn slows down gameplay and frustrates players, especially the slow ones like solly and demo.

Another good example is the second round of pipeline, at the spawns and in the upper area. There's plenty of space, but it's focused and tight, so players always know where to go. HAARP also does a good job of this, as well as Vector and Nightfall.
 
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Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
After a good hour or so of playing the map with others, I quickly started to dislike how I had set up the buildings in general- so I'm essentially rebuilding the map from scratch.

It's all a learning experience for me, so I hope this redone layout will be much better than the first one. :p

ctfripplesidea3preview.jpg

ctfripplesidea3preview2.jpg

ctfripplesidea3preview3.jpg


Upcoming changes:
  • Underground tunnel that approaches the intel room from the other side
  • Multi-door spawn room to counter the camping in previous versions
  • Windows in spawn to open up the area
check it out, I photoshopped the name on the screenies like the pros, I'm a shoe-in to win now, right? >_>
 

Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
Did some more work on the intel room, put in some non-dev textures for once and even (gasp!) built a cubemap that functions correctly.

ripplesideintelroomnewp.jpg


ripplesideintelroomnewp.jpg


Gave a rethought about the underground tunnel, putting it where it previously was would cramp the hell out of the room and it's big enough as it is in my opinion. Any thoughts on an alternate option into the room?

(Pretty sure I'll need to drop the cover out of the yet-to-be-included entry doors into the intel, too.)
 

Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
Going on the concept no news is good news, I've finally finished the intel rooms and I'm now rebuilding the mid.

I've yet to do the displacement hill, I was having fun making the remains of a train crash that clearly defies the laws of physics. The carriage should hopefully replace the old part of the cliff that stuck out.

ctf_rippleside_a3_01.jpg


ctf_rippleside_a3_03.jpg


ctf_rippleside_a3_02.jpg



At this rate, a3 could be out tomorrow night, depending on how lazy I am. :)
 

WastedMeerkat

L3: Member
Aug 15, 2009
144
142
Those flag rooms are looking pretty great! Glass allows for a look at the room before you walk in so I think it compensates for the openness of the room, and the sacrifice of taking the quicker route through the door is exactly that you can't see inside on your way in. But at the same time, I think the room is just the right size.
 
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Freyja

aa
Jul 31, 2009
2,994
5,813
The flag room feels...empty. Try tossing in some boxes/barrels and that for cover as well as good spots for sentries to hide.
 

Eyce

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 13, 2010
370
225
Alright, this map is having a bit of an identity crisis, namely the middle ground. I hope to god this is somewhere close to the final change I'll do to it.

That being said, it looks far more clean than the last one which actually makes it easy on the eyes, unlike the last one which sorta resembled a map for prophunt.

Oh, I also filled out the intel rooms a bit and removed one of the doors, because it seemed to allow teams to steamroll like a mofo after the first cap or so.

ctfripplesidea40007.jpg


ctfripplesidea40005.jpg


ctfripplesidea40002.jpg