Egan

KotH Egan72 A5_fix1

Egan

aa
Feb 14, 2010
1,375
1,721
Egan (KING OF THE HILL)
by Egan

Currently: Alpha Phase

Overview:
The map is themed as a hydroelectric dam in the badlands. It uses the badlands skybox but an average of the hydro lighting and badlands lighting so it's not so 'evening' as badlands. The inner sections of map are hydro/gorge themed, while the spawns are badlands/desert themed.

Objective:
Capture and hold the point for 2 minutes to win. Every death on the team who owns the point will add a small time penalty to their clock. The time penalty changes depending on connected players: Low player counts (<11) time added will be 6 seconds; Medium player counts (11<x<21) time added will be 4 seconds; High player counts (>21) time added will be 2 seconds.

Thanks to:
E3pO & Jerfy - Moral Support & Donations
My twitch chat - Feedback & Tips
YM - Feedback
Playtesters during imps - Feedback
Playtesters of Watergate - Helping me understand deathmatch more
 
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Egan

aa
Feb 14, 2010
1,375
1,721
So there appears to be some crashing going on for koth_egan_72_a5.bsp for people with FPS configs when they walk into (or spawn into) red spawn area. I've tested with a couple people and recompiled versions of _a5 but haven't found anything specific that helps the situation, just confirming that if you disable your (very general) FPS config that you don't crash.

Things we've tried:
August 6th, 2015:
  • Turning off lightmaps on all static props in the map. Result = still crashes.
  • Getting rid of that spy skin override. Result = still crashes.
  • Fixing those weird paint patches on red base balcony that don't show up ingame but do in hammer. Result = still crashes.
  • Testing just the gamemode prefab. Result = no crash.
  • Disabling FPS config. Result = no crash!

Testing with Hoplite Joe, Yellow, Ibex, and MsMudpie we narrowed it down to when players are using low model quality settings. Seems to occur near red base.

August 17th, 2015:
  • Removing the 0.0625 modelscale observatory prop in the skybox. Result = still crashes.
  • Removing the mindx level 95 from the red (and blue) harbor pipe props. Result = still crashes.
  • Remaking the computer terminal props (after narrowing it down to red area with those). Result = still crashes.
  • Disabling prop lightmaps on red computer terminals. Result = seems not to crash, even though we tried this before and my testers said it did - will try with them.

¯\_(@_@)_/¯
 
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Moonfixer

L5: Dapper Member
Aug 23, 2014
229
81
This looks pretty nice. I was happy to be able to catch your stream on twitch. Sorry I'm so late.
 

Egan

aa
Feb 14, 2010
1,375
1,721
Okay I finally have solved the issue of koth_egan_72_a5.bsp crashing for players with FPS configs or more specifically with their model detail setting on 'low': apparently if you compile a map with some specific props and enable lightmaps on them as well as vertex lighting (-staticproplighting in vrad compile options) and run the game with low model quality settings then viewing these specific props cause you to crash.

Some props work, some props don't, here's some that do work:
models/props_2fort/miningcrate002.mdl
models/props_mining/industrial_pipe01_128_01.mdl

And here's some that crash you:
models/props_hydro/2pipe_straight_256.mdl
models/props_mining/computer_industrial03.mdl

If you disable either prop lightmaps or vertex lighting on the prop then they will work fine, and for the time being that seems to be a good temporary mapper-fix.

I've made a test map to show off the crashes: http://i.imgur.com/ctXrj4X.png
Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bv8eal5m2z6i3sn/TF2_test_lightmapcrashes_bug.zip?dl=0
There are 5 rooms sealed off from each other and the spawn point / observer cam with closed areaportals:
Room 0 contains the miningcrate with lightmaps and vertex lighting enabled. No crash.
Room 1 contains the industrial pipe with lightmaps and vertex lighting enabled. No crash.
Room 2 contains the 2pipe with lightmaps enabled and vertex lighting disabled. No crash.
Room 3 contains the 2pipe with lightmaps and vertex lighting enabled. Crash!
Room 4 contains the computer with lightmaps and vertex lighting enabled. Crash!
(Reminder that you need low model quality settings).

I have not looked into the specifics of these prop files, whether or not it's a problem with the material or model files individually. My guess is it might be related to shared UV space, but that's just a hunch.

I've confirmed with testers that this does solve the issues koth_egan_72_a5.bsp had (and the latest version of Watergate apparently) and have sent this info to Valve by email. Ido also confirms that this version of the map (koth_egan_72_a5_fix1.bsp) can replace the one currently in the map cycle since the only change is the crash fix.
 

Zed

Certified Most Crunk™
aa
Aug 7, 2014
1,241
1,025
That also seems to be the issue plaguing Ramjam and Goldtooth. Good find.
 

worMatty

Repacking Evangelist
aa
Jul 22, 2014
1,257
999
Would a model with prop lightmaps enabled, and vertex lighting disabled, still have the same quality lighting and shading as one that has both enabled? Do prop lightmaps only allow for finer, more realistic shadows on the prop, whereas the prop's illumination is only handled by its origin or vertex lighting?
 

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
Judge feedback in an easier to read form:

koth_egan

Cool map idea and cool game mode idea. I think I would prefer vanilla KOTH more, but that might be because the implementation of the timer stuff isn't quite right yet. Detailing is simple but effective, well done on that front.

http://i.imgur.com/NtRjObt.jpg
Mid and the surrounding area is SO WIDE. These ramps (in the foreground and background) are SO LONG. This is the only area where the layout really hurts, imo. Maybe it's an intentional design goal? Maybe it would be worse shorter? I don't know.

http://i.imgur.com/BIct77S.jpg
As a result this area feels like a doom tunnel. I commit 2-3 seconds to running up one side not knowing what class is about to spam me to oblivion once I reach the junction with the ammo. Perhaps simply reworking some or all of the long ramps in the map would improve the experience of traveling on them.

http://i.imgur.com/1B2N4Cc.jpg
Here's another annoying to traverse area: this pipe, the ramps, everything. Just a hassle. I find myself having to look where I'm going a lot. It isn't even jumpable! I can see how this was probably well-intentioned, but the reality is that it gets in the way every time I go near it.

The mode itself is fun, after you get past the first game. If you can get past it. Normal rounds on this map take about 5-6 minutes, which is about as long as normal KOTH, but if a round starts before everyone is in, once they do get in, rounds can take 10+ minutes. I hope that you can think of a way to fix the time added dynamically, because that might be all you need to get people to like it more. Once that initial bad taste no longer appears, people (like me!) might be kinder in general to it. I don't know.

It's not my favorite map in the contest, and I was surprised to see it get in the top 10, honestly. But upon reflection (and having played it more) I see why people are so enthusiastic about it, and I hope you continue with it after the contest. It's a great idea at its core.

+ unique game mode makes KOTH a bit more interesting
- but it can also make KOTH way more miserable, in some cases
- long, boring, spammy tunnels that lead to high ground

6/10​