TF2Maps and Potato’s MvM Servers Present: Mappers vs Machines

killohurtz

Distinction in Applied Carving
aa
Feb 22, 2014
1,016
1,277
How do i become a judge as i would enjoy playtesting some of the entrants?
Since judging is a position of high responsibility, judges are chosen by the staff, but you can request the position if you feel qualified. We generally want experienced members of the community that we can trust to provide objective and thorough reviews of the maps. Also, remember that anyone can participate in the public voting, judge or not.
 

LeSwordfish

semi-trained quasi-professional
aa
Aug 8, 2010
4,102
6,597
How do i become a judge as i would enjoy playtesting some of the entrants?

If you want to playtest the entries, you don't need to be an official judge - just join the Potato's MVM Servers steam group, and join the events they run.

We'll have some public judging compnent too, so you can still help choose the winner.
 

Yabayabayaba

L5: Dapper Member
Jun 2, 2016
243
77
Although I have several spawnbot_mission_sniper on my map, my snipers still spawn on the sniper hints, any reason why this would happen? Also while I am at it, what entity can I use to push rag dolls? I have tried a trigger_push but I can't make it work

Thanks

Yaba
 

Hyperion

L16: Grid Member
aa
Jun 8, 2015
840
659
Although I have several spawnbot_mission_sniper on my map, my snipers still spawn on the sniper hints, any reason why this would happen? Also while I am at it, what entity can I use to push rag dolls? I have tried a trigger_push but I can't make it work

Thanks

Yaba
Make sure you have generated nav under the spawnbots. Use nav_edit 1 to see if there is nav
 

Yabayabayaba

L5: Dapper Member
Jun 2, 2016
243
77
Well apparently I don't learn. I spent a day and a thread trying to solve another problem caused by me not regening the nav. I will fix when I return to my computer,
Thanks!
 

Yabayabayaba

L5: Dapper Member
Jun 2, 2016
243
77
Unfortunately the phys_ragdollmagnet affects a radius, and I want to only affect ragdoll that fall off the map, like on convoy
 

ℜℂ+

L1: Registered
May 9, 2017
9
2
I'm not quite sure where to go to apply but i'd like to get in on this since we have a little over 2 Months left.
I'm really good at writing .pop files for maps with incredible detail, While i don't have anything uploaded on TF2Maps i do have some really old examples over on my GameBanana Profile. (Not sure if linking to that site is allowed or not)
I don't upload Pop files anymore but i do requests for Steam Friends and those that ask nicely mainly for Official MvM Maps but i have had rather good experience with making Pop files for Maps i'm not familiar with. If anyone would like me to help them then comment on my Steam Profile so i can add you and discuss it.
 

Yabayabayaba

L5: Dapper Member
Jun 2, 2016
243
77
Is there anything special I must do when making a mvm download? Because I am collaborating with RC+ and the robots will not spawn for him even with my nav file and a correctly installed pop file, yet it works fine on my end

thanks
-yaba
 

ℜℂ+

L1: Registered
May 9, 2017
9
2
Just the bsp, nav, and pop files in a zip download should be fine.
It still doesn't work, It displays as "Wave 0" even when i load different Popfiles from both the Collabaration map and Official MvM Maps. I can ready up but the announcer will mention it being the Last Wave despite most of the popfiles i load having multiple. The bots just don't appear
 

Turbo Lover

Fight me under Glasgow Central Station
aa
Feb 15, 2011
333
344
It still doesn't work, It displays as "Wave 0" even when i load different Popfiles from both the Collabaration map and Official MvM Maps. I can ready up but the announcer will mention it being the Last Wave despite most of the popfiles i load having multiple. The bots just don't appear
Instead of trying to load an official mission with tf_mvm_popfile, try copying that mission's popfile and renaming it to whatever your map's filename is.

I don't know why this works, but someone in chat was having the same issue, sent me their map, and doing that fixed it.
 

Benoist3012

L3: Member
Dec 25, 2015
148
207
Instead of trying to load an official mission with tf_mvm_popfile, try copying that mission's popfile and renaming it to whatever your map's filename is.

I don't know why this works, but someone in chat was having the same issue, sent me their map, and doing that fixed it.
The reason is:

When an mvm map is loaded, the game logic will go through some checks:
-Does the nav mesh file exist? If yes load file named mapname.pop (if your map is named pl_test, the population manager will load pl_test.pop)

But if the mapname.pop is missing, some functions inside population manager will be "disabled". So even if you attempt at using tf_mvm_popfile popfilename, it won't reset the map. In order to load a mission from another map if you have the Wave 0 bug, do the following steps:

-Type tf_mvm_popfile mvm_coaltown, in console.
-Open in game vote menu, and call a restart mission vote.
-After that vote, the game should reset your map, and load mvm_coaltown.pop, if it didn't, then you need to do those extra steps:
-Type mp_restartgame_immediate 1 in console, wait ~5 secs, type mp_restartgame_immediate 1, the map should be now reseted and mvm_coaltown popfile loaded.

If the mission is still not changed after this, then you are probably missing some of this:
-Navmesh file.
-Blue robot spawn point entity.
-item_teamflag entity.
-func_capturezone brush entity.
-tf_logic_mann_vs_machine entity.
 

Egan

aa
Feb 14, 2010
1,375
1,721
Some words of motivation and wisdom from @Cayle who worked on MvM, when I asked about player testing numbers and difficulty knowing where to go design-wise:

Making the maps for MvM was challenging for a number of reasons, namely as we were developing the maps in tandem to the mode and changing one thing often required changes in the other. Also, getting the gameplay and feel of MvM to a place we were happy of course took quite a bit of trial, error, testing and so fourth.

The best path to success is to spend the majority of early development identifying the different front lines, fallback points, positional counters and "bomb reset" areas (for example, places a pyro can blast a bomb carrier into a pit that takes a while for the bomb carrier to walk out of).

Equally important is creating areas that play to the fantasy of each of the classes - i.e. Sentry nests with good counters for engy, drops loops and closets for spies etc...

Iteration on the above features will forge the fastest path to a balanced experience where the players neither stalemate up front or get steamrolled.

A note on testing and balancing for difficulty modes - Generally we used a reduced player count to balance for different difficulties

Normal (should be able to complete with 2 skilled players)
Intermediate (should be able to complete with 3 skilled players)
Advanced (should be able to complete with 4 skilled players)
Expert (should be able to complete with 5 skilled players tryhard)
Nightmare (should require 6 skilled players ultra tryhard)

Lastly of course, it is all dependent on what is in each wave. Be sure to consider the counters to each class and how support bots might help counter those counters.
 

Star Bright

L2: Junior Member
Jan 4, 2016
75
65
Nightmare (should require 6 skilled players ultra tryhard)

Does that mean Nightmare difficulty was actually intended to be its own full thing and not just some sort of flavor text for a halloween update? Imagine a campaign like that in today's MvM...
Gives you ideas doesn't it...
 

Benoist3012

L3: Member
Dec 25, 2015
148
207
Does that mean Nightmare difficulty was actually intended to be its own full thing and not just some sort of flavor text for a halloween update? Imagine a campaign like that in today's MvM...
Gives you ideas doesn't it...
It's a thing, in mvm boot camp menu, you can select nightmare difficulty, although it only has one mission, and it's on ghost town.
 

Dayal

L3: Member
Feb 8, 2017
123
293
Nightmare (should require 6 skilled players ultra tryhard)

That seems rather questionable since Nightmare is easier than advanced in my book. The real struggle with Nightmare difficulty most of the time is to find teammates who know what they're doing.