Arctic

Altaco

L420: High Member
Jul 3, 2008
484
120
RED and BLU have received a competitive contract to destroy GRAY Gravel Co's Ice-cap-melting laser in an arctic base.

.bz2 compressed for server owners: http://www.couchathletics.com/altaco/plr_arctic/plr_arctic_a5.bsp.bz2

The first stage is fairly typical, with a fairly open main area and several side routes to take to the other side.

The second stage features a track that curves around on itself, moving up to various levels of terrain.

The third stage is the one I've tried to really deviate from pipeline on. While pipeline features one big area where the goal is to have the whole area locked down to move forward, arctic's third stage tries to focus on 3 separate gameplay areas, and in each a team, to do well, has to control the upper areas. If they do, they have a huge advantage over the other team. Climbing through an ice cave and up into a giant awesome death laser facility, this promises to be pretty epic.

Also, as a bonus, rough sketch -> block out design.
arctic_finalzonesketch.jpg

plr_arctic_a1stage3end.jpg


Map overview:
plr_arctic_a10002.jpg


Time-lapse of working on stage 3:
[ame="http://vimeo.com/6042585"]plr_arctic stage 3 building time-lapse on Vimeo[/ame]
 
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Tinker

aa
Oct 30, 2008
672
334
It's not like there are much snow maps existing yet so there's no real problem.
 

Altaco

L420: High Member
Jul 3, 2008
484
120
Aurora, and my entry, (snow)drift.

But aurora isn't attack/defense ctf, how can it be a contest entry?

I didn't know we could enter symmetrical invade ctf maps.

Anyway, anyone have comments on the map?
 
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captainAngry

L420: High Member
Feb 1, 2009
434
247
Unfortuneately I wasn't on the server when this map got played but I did capture a demo. I don't think very many people were on the server when this we recorded but maybe there is something useful in there. It should get played again sometime soon.


 
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Altaco

L420: High Member
Jul 3, 2008
484
120
The map got played again last night. I didn't get a chance to play myself but I did record another demo. It is the highest rated PLR map we have on our server next to pipeline so that's gotta be worth somehting.



That's great to hear! I think you've given me inspiration to work on this harder. I'll take a look at the demo.
 

owly-oop

im birb
aa
Apr 14, 2009
819
1,215
Just played it from the minitest thing today. My thoughts



It feels stage 1 and 3 have some nasty sniper sightlines. Stage 3 is okay, because of the elevation differences, but stage 1 is kind of flat.

The upper area on stage 3 is pretty annoying in my opinion, because it is so high up and i hate looking straight up to shoot someone :eek:

And it was too easy to kill people when i was up there

Stage 2 is brilliant. I love it



As far as specific layout changes i can't think of any, since i suck at suggestions for that. :p


Great map, has alot of potential
 

Zanpa

L4: Comfortable Member
Jan 17, 2009
164
43
The upper area on stage 3 is pretty annoying in my opinion, because it is so high up and i hate looking straight up to shoot someone :eek:

Yupyop, I agree. TF2 has a very horizontal gameplay (that's why a tower wouldn't work). Vertical elements have to be put carfeully ; see the roof above CP2 in Badwater for example. Vertical, but no too much.
 

Altaco

L420: High Member
Jul 3, 2008
484
120
I'm currently reworking a lot of cover and stuff in stage 3, adding some paths that should make the upper area much better.
 

Altaco

L420: High Member
Jul 3, 2008
484
120
Alpha 4 released. Now at night, layout updates, minor texturing.