PL_Deluge

Captain Hatman

L1: Registered
Aug 5, 2010
24
6
PL_Deluge v0.5

Welcome to PL_Deluge, a single stage payload map set in an alpine environment during a storm.

Although I'm reasonably familiar with Hammer by now (I studied games design at university), this is the first level I've made completely of my own initiative, with no constraints or deadlines. I've learned a lot while making it, and some parts are definitely of higher quality than others.

At this point what I really need is playtesting feedback. I'm mostly happy with the way it looks, what I really need to know if I need to re-make any areas. Please chime in with whatever you have.
 
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tovilovan

L6: Sharp Member
Jul 23, 2008
391
104
Looks really interesting, although I feel you might've mixed a bit too many themes up. Fitting both the farm theme of doublecross and the industrial theme of gorge into a map and then throwing in the rain of Sawmill is a bit too much topping on the cake! I'd suggest you decide on ONE theme and stick to it. Otherwise I really look forward to playing this :)

EDIT: reading your post more thoroughly I realize you've already thought of this.. Hope you find a good solution!
 
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Captain Hatman

L1: Registered
Aug 5, 2010
24
6
Looks really interesting, although I feel you might've mixed a bit too many themes up. Fitting both the farm theme of doublecross and the industrial theme of gorge into a map and then throwing in the rain of Sawmill is a bit too much topping on the cake! I'd suggest you decide on ONE theme and stick to it. Otherwise I really look forward to playing this :)

yes, I don't really think the Blu buildings fit the map thematically at all either. They're already in the queue to get worked on.

I'm quite happy with the rest of it, although I guess the barn does look a bit out of place... it's a holdover from the very first versions of the map.
 

Firest0rm

L4: Comfortable Member
Sep 27, 2009
171
33
looks great, although i have 3 minor detailing concerns:
  • the windy track on the bridge looks weird
  • the spytech railings on the bridge look odd
  • the building in the 4th screenshot that has the C sign on it looks extremely boring, even ugly - maybe make it round, like the huge silos in dustbowl
 
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Captain Hatman

L1: Registered
Aug 5, 2010
24
6
[*]the building in the 4th screenshot that has the C sign on it looks extremely boring, even ugly - maybe make it round, like the huge silos in dustbowl

What you can't see from that angle is that it's hollow and that there's an alternate route to flank the red team defenders that goes through there.

The door opens after the second CP is taken, and there's a one-way door up by the building with the ventilation ducts.

It's also supposed to function as a vantage point for demomen and soldiers to explosion-jump up onto.

I'll look into some options for making it prettier though. Thanks for the feedback!
 

Captain Hatman

L1: Registered
Aug 5, 2010
24
6
08.08.2010: uploaded a new version with prettified buildings after barn and opposite the waterfall. Need to test the map now to make sure that it runs okay - although it runs fine on my PC, I want to know that it works as well on other PCs too. Also, I really need some data on what it's like to play.
 

PMAvers

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 29, 2008
389
142
Ran 05 a round tonight. Discovered that, while it might screenshot nicely... yeah, it's a bit of a mess. :O Some random thoughts...

Found a fun bug where, on the last point, if the cart rolls back all the way, it'll give you a time extension. The offensive team realized this and would just push the cart a inch and let it fall back multiple times to rack up time.

The water around the first point seems to be super-annoying to get out of. It's almost faster to just kill yourself and re-spawn instead of trying to get out of it normally.

The defensive spawn layout... Oi. It seems to be just randomly spawning you between the rear and the forward spawn near the first point. Also, there seems to be a big leak/hole in the world so you could see a trippy version of the waterfall through a wall in the spawn.
 

Captain Hatman

L1: Registered
Aug 5, 2010
24
6
Ran 05 a round tonight. Discovered that, while it might screenshot nicely... yeah, it's a bit of a mess. :O Some random thoughts...

Found a fun bug where, on the last point, if the cart rolls back all the way, it'll give you a time extension. The offensive team realized this and would just push the cart a inch and let it fall back multiple times to rack up time.

The water around the first point seems to be super-annoying to get out of. It's almost faster to just kill yourself and re-spawn instead of trying to get out of it normally.

The defensive spawn layout... Oi. It seems to be just randomly spawning you between the rear and the forward spawn near the first point. Also, there seems to be a big leak/hole in the world so you could see a trippy version of the waterfall through a wall in the spawn.

Thanks for playtesting it, and thanks for the feedback.

I wasn't really expecting Deluge to stand up to playtesting - it's been more about educating myself in mapping and having something pretty to put in a portfolio than about creating a really functional level. Still, I'll revisit it and sort out the problems you mention.

Aside from those errors, how did you find the map layout itself, and the optimisation? Did it run smoothly on everyone's machines? were there any areas that were noticeably difficult for either team?

1: That sounds like I forgot to make the trigger for the logic_relay on the penultimate CP only trigger once. Easy fix - check one box in the outputs menu for the relevant path_track node. The same error might apply on other control points.

2: shouldn't be a problem to fix. MOAR DISPLAECMENTS!!!

3: During creation, I was trying to have a forward and back spawn for the defenders and never got them working properly. I moved on to other things and forgot to come back to it. Thanks for reminding me

4: sounds like a nodraw or sky texture occupying the same co-ordinates as a BSP face to me. Again, should be an easy fix.