Exploration based TF2 mapping?

ProselyteCanti

L2: Junior Member
Mar 27, 2014
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10
So, I know the majority of you guys aren't fond of trade maps. And to be honest, I'd have to agree. Most of them lack creativity, and are pretty badly made. But what about maps that don't have a specific objective, but also aren't trade maps? Where the entire point of the map is to explore. I've found that I personally prefer making them over objective maps, because it's easier for me to be creative with them. The infamous harbl hotel (though that isn't the best example), while having control points, had more of a focus on finding secret rooms and such. gm_bigcity, though technically a Garry's Mod map, is another good example.

So, any opinions on exploration based mapping?
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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In last years detailing contest, I did an entry that was a really rudimentary exploration type set of scenes. Nothing great or worth writing home about, but that genre is definitely fun for some people.

That being said, it's really weird to see in tf2 because it's an objective based game and an FPS, so exploration stuff really is out of place in that regards.
 

Egan

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Feb 14, 2010
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Yeah, like Fr0z3n has mentioned, TF2 is not the best place to build these types of things. While it's fun to make things for the game, most things related to single player exploration adventure (source engine made for hl2) were stripped out of TF2's engine (to save on disk space in the orange box, and to simplify code - I assume). You would have an easier time making a hl2 custom map, since you get more entities to play with.

I should maybe mention too that surf maps have some reputation of having interesting secrets that the regulars of the servers all know and exploit to get the most kills in the rounds. It is really fun, but it has to be built with the objective of the map in mind I guess.

So you could build like CLUE-themed TF2 arena map where you can go through secret passages and shit if you know the secrets, but that might not be what you had in mind.

But if you meant exploration like in Dear Esther or Gone Home, then I find those to be really boring games, but pretty picture books.
 
Mar 23, 2013
1,013
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Some trade maps offer a bit of nice exploration. If the map is really big, then there will be players walking around looking for places where they didn't were before.
Did you play this trade maps where some people riped some places from Zelda:eek:carina of Time/majora's Mask? While I hate this maps for the lack of creativity and original creation I did walk around on this two pretty large maps, to see what they have put in from the game. For the Majora's mask map it was even a bit more fun since I hadn't played the game yet.

In the end I think trade maps are still most fitting for exploration, but if you don't want it to be a trade map, then I think it only works as a deathmatch server where you explore and sometimes shoot someone if you encounter an enemy
 

henke37

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Sep 23, 2011
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I think that you should try portal instead, it's a game where exploration is expected and welcome.
 

ProselyteCanti

L2: Junior Member
Mar 27, 2014
91
10
Some trade maps offer a bit of nice exploration. If the map is really big, then there will be players walking around looking for places where they didn't were before.
Did you play this trade maps where some people riped some places from Zelda:eek:carina of Time/majora's Mask? While I hate this maps for the lack of creativity and original creation I did walk around on this two pretty large maps, to see what they have put in from the game. For the Majora's mask map it was even a bit more fun since I hadn't played the game yet.

In the end I think trade maps are still most fitting for exploration, but if you don't want it to be a trade map, then I think it only works as a deathmatch server where you explore and sometimes shoot someone if you encounter an enemy
While the Zelda maps may not be the most creative, you do have to admire the amount of work thats been put into them. Getting the textures from the original game is hard enough, but the amount of detail that's put into them is amazing.
 

DonutVikingChap

L5: Dapper Member
Mar 15, 2013
233
139
I personally love this genre of maps, especially when they do cool and unexpected things you don't see in normal maps and that you didn't even know were possible in the TF2 engine. I have some great memories from all the fun times I've had with people on maps with secrets like achievement_turbov14 and the like, I've even been thinking about making my own at some point.
 

Idolon

they/them
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Feb 7, 2008
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I would recommend Garrysmod if you want an audience for exploration maps. Otherwise, people are generally going to expect some sort of objective (which is, generally, better fit to a more linear map format).
 

Codybean1

L1: Registered
Apr 6, 2012
26
3
In my upcoming racing map I built a rather complex, game-changing secret into it. I've always loved finding secrets in TF2 maps, and I wanted to build a secret so big it would go down in history as one of the best secrets in TF2 map history. It's so secret that only one player and one class in the whole server can access it, and the effects of the secret are map-wide.

Look forward to hunting it down!