So how do you do it mappers?

Jesmonda

L1: Registered
Jan 30, 2010
20
8
with TF2 been consistently being updated, it bewilders me how i could possibly attempt to get any work done within Maps, especially with all the new custom items being added, class updates and the Engie Update looming upon the horizon, so how do you vertern or otherwise mappers get around to actually working on your maps? has it become harder over time or easier (which i highly doubt) to build your maps, i'm still learning but i think i know enough to get the map done to playtesting stage, give or take a few things, i'm believe i'm green on, but i find so little time in my life to do it, and when i do, i find i'm forcing myself to stop playing TF2 :bored:

forgive me if i've place these questions in perhaps the wrong area, but this does concern a mapping problem so i figured it best belong here :)

(oh, and i bought TF2 at beginning of the year, so i've yet to tire of it as some of you may have, if that's possible :p)
 

lana

Currently On: ?????
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Sep 28, 2009
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We have caches of radioactive materials in our brains that helps us to predict the future and adapt our maps for it. That, and Team Fortress 2 is a very balanced game. Unlike most constantly updated PC developers, Valve makes sure that new updates add elements to gameplay without making a particular class overpowered (the equalizer was not supposed to be that tough and it has psychological downsides.) Often, this won't break a custom map, and might make it better.

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Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
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Nov 14, 2009
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I spent the better part of a year playing the game before I even found this place, so that probably helps. While I wouldn't say I've "tired" of the game, I'm not so obsessed with it that I have to pick it up every day anymore. As far as items go, I've never really cared about hats, and the others drop often enough that I can usually just wait it out.

If it helps, you can get drops while you're playtesting your own map locally, now; I discovered this when after a day of testing I got a notice that I had found four items. Having sv_cheats on or being in spectate mode doesn't seem to affect it.
 

ParanoidDrone

L3: Member
Feb 19, 2009
147
11
If it helps, you can get drops while you're playtesting your own map locally, now; I discovered this when after a day of testing I got a notice that I had found four items. Having sv_cheats on or being in spectate mode doesn't seem to affect it.

This is true. And if you turn off sv_cheats when you compile, you can even get achievements. I found this out when I got "Where Eagles Dare" while trying out various rocket jumps in one of my maps.
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
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Nov 14, 2009
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This is true. And if you turn off sv_cheats when you compile, you can even get achievements. I found this out when I got "Where Eagles Dare" while trying out various rocket jumps in one of my maps.

This has always amused me. That's how I wound up with No-Hitter, I think; either that or I was on an empty server. I always wondered why they didn't impose minimum team sizes on those like they do with ones like First Do No Harm.
 

YM

LVL100 YM
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Dec 5, 2007
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When the first new update came out with game changing content (ie the medic weapons) I can remember feeling scared witless at the idea of custom maps being broken by places where these new weapons would become hideously overpowered.

It never happened.

Everything continues as it was before, the new weapons change absolutely zippo. The one that probably had the biggest impact was the FaN as scouts could then jump further than before and reach new places. Hardly an amazing change since soldiers and demos can jump to or blast others to these places anyhow.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
5,441
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When the first new update came out with game changing content (ie the medic weapons) I can remember feeling scared witless at the idea of custom maps being broken by places where these new weapons would become hideously overpowered.

It never happened.

Everything continues as it was before, the new weapons change absolutely zippo. The one that probably had the biggest impact was the FaN as scouts could then jump further than before and reach new places. Hardly an amazing change since soldiers and demos can jump to or blast others to these places anyhow.

What i find interesting is how the added weapons actually de-stalemate a lot of map areas that were particularly problematic in the past. But not through the perks of weapons being used providing the tactical opportunities they were designed to open up, by players using them horribly. With things like the targe, stubborn players still use it even in A/D maps for defence, which reduces overall sticky spam, which with say some particularly apt and some not so particularly apt demomen, could easily lock down the chokepoints in dustbowl. The added weapons have added new tactical options that players use and allow holes to open in an otherwise solid bulwark defence/assault.

Even a single kritz medic can reduce a defences effectiveness by providing more opportunities for spies and a less stable defence through reduced invulns.
 
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Geal

L4: Comfortable Member
Aug 16, 2009
162
56
As stated before, Valve takes great care with their updates - if a change would unbalance a custom map, chances are it would unbalance some official maps too, and probably most maps for that matter.

As for finding the time to map, I think most of us here have just as much fun (if not more so) mapping for the game as actually playing it. And besides, it's not like you never play at all while making a map - testing is of course playing, and many times mappers will play other maps if they're having mapper's block.

Also as you stated, many people here have been playing since release (about two and a half years), so some may be getting tired of the game, and thus started mapping to add something new - they feel they've more or less mastered most of what the game has to offer (new content excluded) and thus want to create their own worlds to try and fix some problems they may have had with the current ones. Maybe you really like the second point of badlands and wonder what it would be like in a pl map. Maybe you want to create a dustbowl that isn't as easily spammed. Heck, the current ctf contest is there because people tired of 2Fort and Turbine, and wanted to improve them.
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
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Nov 14, 2009
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What i find interesting is how the added weapons actually de-stalemate a lot of map areas that were particularly problematic in the past. But not through the perks of weapons being used providing the tactical opportunities they were designed to open up, by players using them horribly. With things like the targe, stubborn players still use it even in A/D maps for defence, which reduces overall sticky spam, which with say some particularly apt and some not so particularly apt demomen, could easily lock down the chokepoints in dustbowl. The added weapons have added new tactical options that players use and allow holes to open in an otherwise solid bulwark defence/assault.

Even a single kritz medic can reduce a defences effectiveness by providing more opportunities for spies and a less stable defence through reduced invulns.

I believe this is on purpose. They said in their commentary on the Huntsman that it was created to reduce actual sniping, which was frustrating their victims because they were getting instakilled by unseen enemies. I imagine a lot of the unlockables were created with this sort of thing in mind.