ARENA vsh_Hakurei_Shrine

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L1: Registered
Jun 8, 2010
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This map was designed for the Versus Saxton Hale mod.
Pine trees, small hills, tall grass, zen chimes, and a few more easter eggs make this map one of the most enjoyable I ever made. Those who played on it loved it.

Some people even qualified it as their favourite vsh map.

A secret music can be played in the map. Will you find the trigger? (tip: look up in the sky)

I really spent a long time working on the balance between the mercenaries and Saxton Hale, you can watch me playing as Hale in this video: Youtube Link (version v2a)

This map has become popular on most Versus Saxton Hale servers. You can check the server list on TF2stats.net: (map statistics)
 
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L1: Registered
Jun 8, 2010
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I made an exception this time because the map is really different, but I couldn't find how modifying the thread's name, nor how to have a thread without any prefix. I'd be grateful if you told me how...
 

Seba

DR. BIG FUCKER, PHD
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Jun 9, 2009
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Floating haybales in the second pic.
 

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Jun 8, 2010
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Floating haybales in the second pic.

was fixed before the release :)

Fr0Z3n said:
it doesn't look much different rather than some detailing and some tree's moved.

Okay, I won't ever make another thread for a map's new version. But I can assure you that it is much more than what you said. I spent one week almost non-stop working on this. It is much more playable and enjoyable. Give it a try if you doubt it :)
 

Wilson

Boomer by Sleep
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May 4, 2010
1,385
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This looks way too open in almost every picture and open versus Saxton Hale maps suck, you can't do surprise attacks or do much to avoid people shooting you, might want to add few more buildings and cover around the map.
 

Omena

L2: Junior Member
Feb 26, 2011
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I'd like the japanese gate thingie to be model instead, for moar detail. But other than that, I like it. The ground could also have some more variation to it. Maybe some ponds and little rocks. And tall grass.
 

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Jun 8, 2010
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The ground could also have some more variation to it. Maybe some ponds and little rocks. And tall grass.

I added a pond that you can see on one of the screenshots (there are reflects on it) but apparently, engineer buildings underwater cannot be damaged by Saxton Hale due to a bug :/
Even pond as deep as this one protect teleporters.
Also there is tall grass in some places, you can see it well at 0:33 of the video linked in the description.

Also, how would the shrine gate be better if it was a model? (currently it's a func_detail, so no vis leaves splits)


Ironically, the previous' version's most pointed flaws was that there where too much trees and hiding spots causing the map to be unpredictable :/
Merging artsy maps with good gameplay isn't easy, but I'm learning and doing better at each try.
 

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L1: Registered
Jun 8, 2010
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Before I knew it, the v2a version became very popular. Some people on various and unrelated started to come at me saying "Oh, you're the guy who made that hakurei shrine map". And looking at the server list on TF2stats.net, my guess was right.

I noticed when playing on these servers a few flaws that I am fixing with the v3 version. Like a spot where engis who build a sentry are certified to win. The rest is essentially game balance, the roof is easier to access, and from two different paths.
Oh, and I also fixed engis being able to build teleports in the pond.

I really suggest you come play with us. This map as an ambience that you cannot grasp with mere screenshots or even videos. That's what video games are made for.
 

MangyCarface

Mapper
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Feb 26, 2008
1,626
1,325
Good news, according to TF2stats this is now the 69th most played map in TF2, and the 3rd most played VSH map.

Bas news: THIS

Have you dealt with that kind of people before?
You can see the map he made in that profile's oldest screenshots.

Yeah, it sucks, but it's not worth losing sleep over. Just make sure your stuff's always better than whatever people can make with what they steal from you, and there'll never be an issue