PL Woodbridge

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
Hello everyone! This is a Payload map that I'm currently working on. I'm hoping to get more (and possibly better) feedback by posting it around. My endgame is to make this map balanced for competitive Highlander play - I don't know if you're looking at the next Swiftwater or Borneo, but I'd certainly love to one day see Woodbridge in a regular Highlander map rotation.

Any suggestions, compliments, or criticisms are more than welcome. If you'd like to playtest the map, feel free to let me know so that I can poke you for an STV later (or play on it, if you're pugging).

You can add me at https://steamcommunity.com/id/DemoAero.

Cheers, and thank you for your time!
 
Last edited:

Shogun

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 31, 2014
260
220
This looks like it could be a really fun map, I look forward to testing it. I know it's only in alpha, but disabling shadow on the track props will get rid of those hideous black shadows.
 

killohurtz

Distinction in Applied Carving
aa
Feb 22, 2014
1,016
1,277
It looks great so far, but there are a couple of things I noticed from the screenshots:

Those little walls on the edges of elevated areas look like they're low enough to walk over, so they wouldn't stop players and would probably be more of an annoyance than anything. I would suggest removing them, and then using high fences or walls in a few places instead.

Also, I don't see much height variation directly around the track, save for a bridge or two going over it. Engineers and defenders in general need places to set up that take some effort for attackers to push through. Something like this set in walls around corners would be a good place to start:

bqGjJQm.png


It's a rough idea, so I don't mean for you to take it exactly as it is, but hopefully it gets you started!
 

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
It looks great so far, but there are a couple of things I noticed from the screenshots:

Those little walls on the edges of elevated areas look like they're low enough to walk over, so they wouldn't stop players and would probably be more of an annoyance than anything. I would suggest removing them, and then using high fences or walls in a few places instead.

Also, I don't see much height variation directly around the track, save for a bridge or two going over it. Engineers and defenders in general need places to set up that take some effort for attackers to push through. Something like this set in walls around corners would be a good place to start:

bqGjJQm.png


It's a rough idea, so I don't mean for you to take it exactly as it is, but hopefully it gets you started!

That's actually a really nice idea - thanks for pointing that out! I'll look into implementing that (or something like it) at that point, if not around others as well. Thank you for the feedback!
 

Zed

Certified Most Crunk™
aa
Aug 7, 2014
1,241
1,025
Most of what I can say right now is that this map feels more like Frontier than any of the Highlander payload maps. The most immediate reason as to why is the track length. A and B, as well as C and Last, are a bit far apart. The distance between A and B could probably be resolved by modifying the course of the cart a bit. Last might need to be slightly restructured.

Also, I feel like the forward spawn BLU gains upon capping B is a little bit too far forward. I'd personally recommend placing it somewhere around here instead:
0bw38bB.jpg


That being said, nice work so far.
 

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
Most of what I can say right now is that this map feels more like Frontier than any of the Highlander payload maps. The most immediate reason as to why is the track length. A and B, as well as C and Last, are a bit far apart. The distance between A and B could probably be resolved by modifying the course of the cart a bit. Last might need to be slightly restructured.

Also, I feel like the forward spawn BLU gains upon capping B is a little bit too far forward. I'd personally recommend placing it somewhere around here instead:
0bw38bB.jpg


That being said, nice work so far.

I'm glad you like it so far! And I like your idea for BLU's second spawn - I definitely prefer it to what I've got now.
 

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
pl_woodbridge_a4 is here! I was up until 3 AM last night making all of these changes. I hope this version's up to par! Special thanks to the folks at TF2Maps, TFTV, and the UGC Platinum maptesting group for giving me extremely valuable feedback. As always, suggestions, compliments, and criticisms are always welcome, and feel free to let me know if you'd like to give the map a go for a test :)

In other news, I've now got a Steam group! If you're interested in this or any future maps I might make, feel free to join up for announcements, downloads, and discussions! http://steamcommunity.com/groups/aeromapplaytesters

Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0mxt0q6226l5vvf/pl_woodbridge_a4.bsp?dl=0
Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/wUGQS

Changelog:
A Added patches under item pickups
A Disabled shadows on track props
A Added nodraw textures
A Added directional arrows

B Added patches under item pickups
B Disabled shadows on track props
B Added directional arrows
B Fixed RED players getting stuck in spawn after 2nd is capped
B Added nodraw textures

C Added patches under item pickups
C Blocked sightline from office fence to bridge exit
C Disabled shadows on track props
C Added nodraw textures
C Added new alcove above deck
C Added directional arrows
C Downgraded health pack in shed
C Added sheet metal on deck
C Moved BLU's forward spawn forward

D Added patches under item pickups
D Reduced BLU forward spawn timer from 10 to 6 seconds max
D Made choke into last thinner
D Removed odd ledge above pool
D Added nodraw textures
D Added new flank into bridge-side shack
D Widened bridge
D Added new flank around bridge toward pickups
D Added log across water
D Moved higher resupply in RED spawn to lower level
D Disabled shadows on track props
D Added directional arrows
D Added window from new flank into C yard
D Added pickups on and below batts
D Nerfed sniper sightline from batts
 

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
Woodbridge ver. a5 is here! I spent a lot of time fixing up A and redoing the right-side flanks into last. Here's hoping that the map is a little smaller, and that the flow is a little more sensible.

Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/esvnvyljb4viqf6/pl_woodbridge_a5.bsp?dl=0
Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/1Mge3

Changelog:
A Narrowed transition between A and B
A Raised elevation of area of side flank
A Moved right-side wall out to match wall by boardwalk flank
A Added sheet metal to sides of bridge
A Opened up route between yard and sub-bridge behind rock
A Shrunk area from BLU spawn to 2nd Jungle Gym
A Added house in yard
A Removed large rock from yard
A Adjusted placement of tracks
A Added pickups beneath bridge
A Added pickups behind and in house
A Walled off back corner of barn
A Moved medium health in barn toward entrance

B Upgraded small ammo pack on cliff to large
B Upgraded small health and ammo on boardwalk to medium
B Added medium ammo pack on RED patio
B Extended RED directional sign into track
B Added props to storage
B Fixed floating cart going up and down slopes
B Shrunk chickenwire flank
B Shrunk BLU door into chickenwire flank
B Enlarged fence in chickenwire flank
B Added raised deck in A-B choke
B Fixed protruding arrow from spawn
B Added areaportals into storage
B Added areaportals into barn

C Added env_cubemap for water textures
C Fixed RED players getting stuck in first spawn after 2nd is capped
C Widened hallway from garage to water
C Added props to barn
C Changed door into barn to shutter
C Added pickups to yard
C Added pickups outside of barn
C Added fences in barn to block easy B to C jumps
C Slanted top of shed and added nobuild zone
C Slanted top of bridge to remove buildability
C Blocked out area below arch

D Removed shed and simplified associated flank
D Removed ability to jump onto big rock from bunker roof
D Lowered window flank height
D Removed tunnel exit into last
D Added dropdown from shed flank into tunnel
D Added trigger_hurt after cap
D Added props to kitchen
D Raised walls by lower RED spawn door
D Blocked sightline across log from D
D Added props outside of garage
D Added areaportals into dropdown tunnel
D Added areaportals into kitchen
D Fixed water beneath bridge rendering as opaque
 

Crash

func_nerd
aa
Mar 1, 2010
3,315
5,499
I like where this is headed. I'll see about getting it added to my home server to give it a shot.

One note though, based on your last screenshot it looks like you put a big box around the whole map to seal it. This is a really bad idea and will cause you a ton of headaches later on. It's better to seal it properly early to find any problem spots right away.
 

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
I like where this is headed. I'll see about getting it added to my home server to give it a shot.

One note though, based on your last screenshot it looks like you put a big box around the whole map to seal it. This is a really bad idea and will cause you a ton of headaches later on. It's better to seal it properly early to find any problem spots right away.

I'm glad you like it, and thanks! Do you have a steam group/connect IP for the server that I could use?

Insofar as the skybox, I'll fix that in the next update (presuming no major gameplay changes, that's been intended to be an optimization-focused update anyway). Thanks for pointing that out!
 

Crash

func_nerd
aa
Mar 1, 2010
3,315
5,499
On mobile at the moment, but if you search the steam groups for "PAHONC" it should come up. We typically play every Friday, but I won't be around this week due to the 72hr contest, so I'll wait to snag the latest just before we are ready to try it out.
 

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
Oct 6, 2008
1,947
445
Hi - like what I see so far

For your change log can you maybe do the date then list the items instead of all the A, B C thing you have going on? just makes it a simpiler read :)
 

Aero

L1: Registered
Dec 14, 2014
13
3
Hi - like what I see so far

For your change log can you maybe do the date then list the items instead of all the A, B C thing you have going on? just makes it a simpiler read :)

Glad you like it! And the A/B/C/D things are just to mark which point I made the change on, to make sure that people don't confuse locations (and it helps me keep my changes in order).