Activate

BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
This is cp_activate_a3a, it's an experiment in things. There's going to eventually be models of pretty stuff anywhere that dev textures exist and other stuff.
It's all very alpha phase.

Lots of the textures are terrible and misaligned because I can't make up my mind on textures. I personally think the layout is good? Yes? Please?

It's part 1 of a 3 part A/D map.

The 4th picture is an old one and I can't figure out how to delete it.

Everything past here was before 12-15-2010.
I'll just leave this here.

CP_Activate is currently a gorge-style map, unless I can convince myself to work on the rest of it. Layout of the first two stages has been completed in the past couple of years.

What exists as of 9/16/10 is a semi-detailed A2 of the first part of it.

Also, I realize that the screenshots above are not high quality ones.

Credits:
Yarr! Phill (AKA PC?) for help destroying sentries on top of the train.
ABS: Ultimate Mapper's Resource.
Zetx: Private test server!

CTF_Activate, for the contest. Should I include [Contest Entry] to the title?

Anyway, this is completely WIP, but I thought I should try making a thread for it and hopefully that would encourage me to finish more work on it. Also, two people joined while I was testing and I really don't want someone to steal my layout =(

Will include more information as I figure these things out. Hoping to have A1 ready by next week's gameday.

Updates:
-July 14, 2009: Finally completed blocking out and making sure stage 1 functions properly. Hoping to submit to Friday's gameday, or any of them, really.
-July 14, 2009: Fixed a lot of things we noticed the other day, including too much health and ammo. Added additional signs and expanded to add an extra set of stairs that should get used a lot..?

This is still only stage 1.

Todo list:
-Fix the sun and the skybox, align these.
-More, better, lit screenshots.
-Fix that prop light that collides with the wall of film reels.
-Fix train to show train death and destroy buildings.
-Figure out how to make CP2 more interesting.
-Make brush doors into prop doors/detail areas.
-Generally make doors have DO NOT ENTER signs.
-Change respawn times for teams so it makes a lot more sense.
-Move a set of stairs into the room between CP1 and outside.
-Additional signs so people know ALL of the possible routes they can take!
-Add a sign for CP1 and generally make it more visible.
-CP 1 needs a better window and not a skybox directly outside it.
-CP 2, experiment with putting it directly where the canyons are. (-Make the room that Icarus was building in smaller. Right now it's huge.) <- Only if this doesn't work.
-Retime stage 1 and make sure that Red's walk time isn't much longer/shorter than it is now.
-Stages 2 and 3.
-Detail! Perhaps a Well theme?

Thank you list:
Oh so many?
A Boojum Snark for the prop library, the prefab and soundscape pack, and organizing gamedays.
Youme for the A/D CTF prefab.
Ravidge for Lighting Library Lite for supplying alpha version's lighting.
Icarus for randomly running through A2 and giving some helpful thoughts and generally fooling around.
Acegikmo for the Environment Gallery, even though I've basically failed at implementing it thus far. (My sun is in the wrong spot)

Neat.

Please note this is still being worked on.
 
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Seba

DR. BIG FUCKER, PHD
aa
Jun 9, 2009
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2,728
Looks cool; is the entire map located indoors?

And just BTW, one of the trains is clipping into the bridge.
 

BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
Nope, I'm really hoping the last map will be quite outdoors, with the sun shining brightly and beautifully in the sky.

My last map was almost entirely indoors, so I completely scrapped that because that map would have been perfect for...say...TFC or HL1. Not TF2, where beauty comes from the skybox and all that jazz.

Also, I've yet to lower the trains, and the trains are going to be something else entirely when I'm done with the map (Hahaha, that'll be forever), so right now they're placeholders.
 

BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
Mandatory gameday bump?

Problems I know about:
-Doors should be retextured so you know now to take them
-Light model and film reel model at CP2 intersect
-Red spawn should be longer.

Want your opinion on:
-Red should have a more direct route to cp1?
-Red should have to physically run over cp2 to get to cp1, so they know where it is, since right now you might not notice it?
-How to make CP1 more visible, as well as CP2?
-Changing the cliff area: A) 1 more path about the same size as the ones right now, B) 1 more path BIGGER than the ones now, but make the others smaller, C) Just expand the two paths right now, D) Expand one right now and make the other smaller?

And of course anything else you feel like commenting on. Thanks!
 

Nineaxis

Quack Doctor
aa
May 19, 2008
1,767
2,820
Thoughts from gameday:
1. First point played quite well. Enjoyable.
2. Moving trains seem gimmicky.
3. Paths to second point are narrow, spammy chokepoints RED can easily lock down

To answer your questions:
- I don't see the need
- I think that would help, but not if it extends the time RED has to travel
- Remove the glass the control point is hidden behind at make it more of a central focus in the room, right now it is easy to ignore as it is out of the way
- Redo the entire area. Don't be afraid to move/rotate RED base. Make one path big and the "main" path that flows with the rest of the area. Make 2 other smaller paths that are more advantageous to BLU for attacking, but longer and not-as-good for intel capping.
 

BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
Thanks for the feedback Nineaxis.

Nice to know the first point was enjoyable. It looked like Blue was having a bit of a hard time figuring out where exactly the point was, though. I'll be sure to fix that. Also, the trains have a purpose toward the theme and name of the map, and they're currently just placeholders. I'm considering changing it up so they don't accidentally decimate Blue after capping, but I still need them to move to open up all the other routes to CP2.

I think I'm going to have to frame CP1 with some props and adjust how Red gets to the place so people don't accidentally turn right instead of going up the stairs to the CP. I'm going to look at the demo later and see where individual classes went and if anyone took certain paths, just to figure out where everyone ended up going and what they looked at.

I was REALLY iffy about how CP2 would play, and the number of sentries that were there made it obvious how much that point kind of sucks. I'll be sure to rotate/rearrange and redo the cliff area.

If anyone else has comments please post =D I'll be working on Stage 2 soon and fixing up Stage 1 as soon as I'm done analyzing the demo.
 

Trotim

aa
Jul 14, 2009
1,195
1,045
I don't have much to add, but that one wagon in the second stage (?) really promoted rocketspam into the doorway Blu kept coming from.
They couldn't retaliate either as far as I know? Sorry, haven't taken any screenshot of it.
 

BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
I'll be honest, it sucks when you spend a really, REALLY long time on something and you're not really too pleased with the outcome.

bt_detailref0004.jpg

bt_detailref0005.jpg

bt_detailref0006.jpg

bt_detailref0007.jpg


I realize that I should take super high-res screenshots for my map, but it's A2, and honestly not that pretty anyway. If you comment about anything, don't be useless like Eyce and say dx8. That's not helpful at all.

May be submitting for the Friday gameday if I can verify that all the entities are working properly.

EDIT: LOLOL and if there's space. fml.
 
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BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
I'll be honest, I've never figured out how one was supposed to take an overlook picture if portions of the map take place in buildings or areas with overhangs.

Do we just remove the roofs?
 

tovilovan

L6: Sharp Member
Jul 23, 2008
391
104
The roofs disappear automatically if you zoom out enough in spec or noclip! You'll also have to use some cheat commands to disable fog, I think it's fog_enable 0 or fog_override 1 or something similar. I've heard of a command called something like cl_leveloverview 1, but I dont know if it's exists.
 

Seba

DR. BIG FUCKER, PHD
aa
Jun 9, 2009
2,364
2,728
Add an exit where that middle window is.

Really fun map. I want to see you make two other stages for this, because Gorge style blows. Oh, and the big orange bomb defusal train is awesome :D
 

BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
So I had an actual cp_activate_a3 ready for release and then explosion happened and so did school and all this other stuff. I rebuilt it better than ever over the past 3 days or so and all I've got left is lighting for this next build.
Yaaay.
Here's a screenshot since no one cares about text:
arcti.PNG


Obviously needs more lighting. Probably going to change the sun, too.

EDIT: Before people say I should've done X to take a good screenshot, this is not a final compile. I just wanted to post something so you know that this is still alive (WHAT!?)
EDITEDIT: Alive and possibly going to see an alpha release this week?
 

lana

Currently On: ?????
aa
Sep 28, 2009
3,075
2,778
Wow. Some really nice architecture on that last screenshot.