Tfbridge

SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
tfbridge_b38

Title: TFBRIDGE

Version:
Currently TFBRIDGE_RC


-Non symmetrical map. It may be a bridge but, everything on it is scattered.
TFbridge is a 3CP map. My goal is to get balanced gameplay between two different sides. Neither side is symmetrical and because of it, there has been alot of care in placement of objects and health packs. Changes will be made after playtests and I can get a feel for how the map handles with more people.

THINGS THAT MAKE THIS MAP INTERESTING?
-3CP points means faster gameplay

-BUNGEE JUMPING IS BAD!Falling/being blown off the bridge means instant death, adding a new variety of strategy to gameplay.

-Non symmetrical map. It may be a bridge but, everything on it is scattered.

--version 34 --

whats new since version 20?
-fog
-further optimization
-new 3D skybox objects
-train texture
-bridge texture
-displacement textures
-tree placement (wip)
-added BLU base
-added RED base
-added wires
-added props
-changed props
-new lighting
-better cubemaps
-fish!?
-optimized skybox
-new playerclips
-allow container to be jumped on from opened end
-health packs
-nobuilds added
-rocket smoke (wip)
-------------------------------------------
b35 update:
-added COWS!!!
-added more spawn points to reach maximum number.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
b36 update:
-fixed spy and demoman exploits
-added poster by zpqrei
-added skybox dish
-change size of red spawn switch team brush
-change size of middle capture point brush
-added extra log on other side of train car
-added boxes to help red climb
-added playerclips for smoother walking over the carts on Red size.
-fixed bridge texture issue.
-further optimization
---------------------------------
b38 update:
thats right, I skipped version 37 because im a rebel.
Whats new in this version?
-made reds area smaller
-made it not possible to jump on the blu roof
-fixed jump exploits (aka secret spots)
-fine tuned majority of mountain textures
-made larger player clips on red base
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
b39 update:

-changes to redspawn
-change team blockers for next test
-fixed some trees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RC UPDATE-Getting closer!!!!
-added a few occulars and hint/skip brushes for performance
-removed some skybox trees
-added treecards for look and optimizaiton
-moved noentrys to original positions
-optimized blue spawn house
-increased nodraws
-------------------------------------------------
further plans?
-playtest
-trees
-any problems mentioned by people
-hd
 
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SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
suprisingly most of it already optimized, you should have seen it in its early stages, never again will i go through that hell. Ive learned alot :D
 

Psyphil

L3: Member
Nov 6, 2007
125
60
awesome looking bridge u've got there!

but as a map it looks too linear, sniperfriendly and not to mention small. The points are pretty much in one straight line and there's barely no heightdifferences and no alternative paths to use. I haven't played the map so all feedback comes from what I see in the screenshots but perhaps you should add a lower store on the bridge to create some alternative paths to use.
 

SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
i hear where you are coming from, since i did a 1on1 with a friend of mine and he addressed most of the same problem. im waiting for a game test day to see what needs to be changed, because im trying to steer away from design and more on gameplay aspect which ive been trying to balance by myself so far.
 

brick

L3: Member
Apr 12, 2008
103
13
Well you have your design already, you just need to tweak it. It is very hard to say how the game play will be. It is a narrow bridge with many obstacles. Which is good for some classes, but bad for others. Like psyphil said it would be interesting to have a way underneath the bridge, but with how you built it that will be hard. It can work how ever in the gap you have provided. Just implementing it is a challenge. So what you can do is create something on top which would change things up. You can also make the bridge wider if needed. Since you are using props as a barrier, you can have some side ways so it blocks los at some spots. This will reduce sniper spam.

For optimization, use heavy fog. I think you are using it, but make it heavier. It will add to the ambiance of the map also. It seems like the func_fish_pool has problems and causes some lag.

Overall good concept. I dont know how it plays, but it should be interesting map. Dont know what else to say.
 

SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
i really appreciate your input. I was worried about a bridge an area below, but this idea of an area that goes above just sounds like a great idea, thank you for the input.!!
 

SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
yay i had my first test day! It was alot of fun despite having to wait over 3 hours : \

Anyways I got some positive and negative feedback which makes me really happy and I want to thank everyone attended.

If you did join me on this map, please write down what your opinion is on it!
Thanks!
 
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MrAlBobo

L13: Stunning Member
Feb 20, 2008
1,059
219
may or may not have noticed but one team (blue i think) had an advantage, they were able to climb up on the trains and other objects on just about every part of the map, the red team on the other hand had a few situations where for them to climb up too far more effort, and there were areas that couldn't be climbed from their side at all.

another thing I didn't like was that near the blue teams spawn you could choose to go on either side of the trains, one side enabled you to reach the control point, and the other led you right to the giant visualizer with no path to follow except to go back the way you came...
 

drp

aa
Oct 25, 2007
2,273
2,628
played this yesterday. ill admit i had some preconceptions about this map. i thought it would be too open and a sniper fest. surprisingly, it was neither. it only having 3 cps compliments the small size of the map, and the spawns being off to the side instead of just straight in to the action makes is possible for us to get out without being head shotted right out of the gate.

there were some instances of demos/soldiers being able to jump over the 'wall' that protects the spawns, might want to stretch that all the way to the skybox.

also, like it was mentioned, the amount of opportunities to get on top of objects needs to be the same for both teams. other than that, its definitely a fun map.
 

SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
yes, flying demomen were never part of the initial plan and will be fixed in the next version, along with easier climbing. playerclips here i come!
 

captainAngry

L420: High Member
Feb 1, 2009
434
247
This map was fun and tested well on my server. We did find a few bugs however. I took some pics but I don't have them with me right now so I will do my best to explain.

The major problem we had is that at some point, someone realized that you could jump off the bridge. I saw someone demo jump to one of the rocks below the bridge and survive. Also, spies with the Dead Ringer were also able to bungee jump down, their dead ringer taking the damage, and then swim around the river. The match quickly digressed into spies jumping off the bridge and backstabbing each other which, while fun, probably wasn't intended on your part :D

The other thing that I found, which isn't really a bug but is a big advantage for red, is that a scout can stand on the top front of the train on the middle point and cap it. While ducking, the scout is very difficult to see and could cap half the point before blue figured out what was going on.

Other than that, we all had a great time until the while bungie jumping thing. The map got rated into our regular rotation but I am probably going to hold off adding it until jumping off the bridge kills you 100% of the time.

 

SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
alright thanks for the info Captain. I was looking for a reason to change the capture size of the middle point and now I have that reason. I'm aware of those dastardly demomen and spies going where they are not suppose to go and Ive fixed those problems. A new version will be out soon. Im not sure but I might change the name of this map to something more appropriate but once again im unsure.
 

Krall

L1: Registered
Jun 9, 2009
9
0
I only was able to play it on my server with 2 other people for about an hour but I liked it a lot, nice work :) It's definitely deceiving to look at the screen shots and then play it in game. It's much nicer in-game.

If I could change anything with the map I would make it so that the players can access more of the enemy territory once you get off the bridge. It seems to unnaturally terminate how far in you can go. It'd be nice to be able to use part of the canyon wall where the fencing is.

Also, I'm not a mapper, but ascetically the canyon walls around the river would look nicer if they had a little more detail and where the canyon opens up (or ends) out in the distance I would give it more curvature because the eye just follows a straight line over and then straight down which makes it look a little abnormal.
 
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SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
bump

version 36 released. forgot to cubemaps though... so 37 will be out with additional changes. Check the front page for changes.