KotH LittleMaker A2

Took a run around your map and have some feedback for ya

-The map is very dark overall. Could be sun angle or light_env settings but could also be the textures you use for walls. Textures in Source have different reflectivities to them that effect how they bounce light around. Darker textures bounce less light than brighter ones and a lot of the walls use dark textures.

-There's no where to attack the point from. The point is the highest area in the map without anything around it at a similar height. Think about a map like highpass, viaduct, and Lakeside. They all have areas both near and far from the point that are higher or similar in height for classes to attack from. Far away areas for snipers and closer areas for everyone else. The purpose of this is so that whomever holds the point, doesn't hold ALL the advantage.

-The map is kinda thin and short. Just about as soon as you get out of the spawn area you're right at the point, which could lead to spawn camping and lots of dying, respawning, and dying again before getting to do anything.


-This odd step around the spawnroom makes it so that you have to jump to get up there, which doesn't make sense. There should at least be a ramp or stairs that players can just walk up to get into their spawn


-Dark. Could use some lights down here


-The void calls to me


-seam in you're displacement. If the starting brush of a displacement is the same height as surrounding non displacement brushes and the verts line up, then you can sew them together to get the displacement to connect to the brush


-Z fighting where the 2 brushes meet. Also that ramp is too steep to walk up


-more z fighting between brushes. For the most part, you're displacement work could really use some work. Use the smoothing option to smooth them out and make them less weird.


-Put some lights here. It's so dark I can't find my car keys.

Lastly, the map uses mirrored symmetry instead of rotational symmetry. This is a point of contention for mappers but it's generally thought that rotational is better due to weapons being on the right side of the screen by default. This means that for mirrored maps, stuff for one team is covered up by their gun that isn't for the other. Also mirrored can mess with rocket jumping. It's not a bad thing to have mirrored symmetry so it may not be work doing anything about, just something to keep in mind.

I'd figure i'd give some input on some of the gameplay issues. So, I like the height variation in some areas, but the point was really difficult to fight against, as there was no real height variation higher than the point. To elaborate, look at koth_highpass:
As you can see, there is height variation that oversees the point, which makes is MUCH easier(and fun) to push. Keep in mind, that the point is still raised, so the team capturing the point still has some advantage.
Other than that, i'd get rid of that super mangled displacement that megapieman was talking about, there's no saving that thing, lol. But in all seriousness, this is a good start, TwinMill, keep working!

(Side note: I love your videos, man! You're like the sole reason I even considered picking up medic. Keep doing what you do! )

No worries! It takes everyone a little while before they can nail a map. I'm not sure if you're planning on staying after the video is made, but I'd love to see your progress as a mapper!

I'd be happy to run around it when I get home!

Hey there TwinMill, It seems that the bsp you provided is just a copy of your a1. I made sure that the map I was playing was labeled with the a1b tag, but it seems that the file is the exact same as your a1. Just thought you should know.

Oh snap I think it is, the map I was remembering was shrink ray rip. I guess you forgot to update the file. ;w;

I actually thought shrinkray wasn't as objectively bad as you're making it out to be if that makes you feel any better. Sure it was flawed but it was still one of my favorite maps to play on TF2maps (sorry to be blunt but many maps here aren't good, but that's what testing is for isn't it?). And that was the first time I did a map feedback video (albeit a long drawn out one) which was fun.

I'm at least glad that you're sticking with the original concept as I thought that was a great way of implementing your map into TF2's style of humor/art direction.

I'm not sure when I'll hop on for a run around since I've been burnt out of TF2 and I'm taking a break as of now (if I even decide to be fully dedicated to the game again), so at the very least all I can really do is to wish you luck and keep an eye on the mapping community!