Map Testing - Wednesday July 29 - U.S. Server

TF2Maps.net Official US Server: 63.210.148.171:27015
Gameday Host: Shmitz

Event will begin at:
Central European Summer Time: 6:00 PM
UK (British Summer Time): 5:00 PM (GMT+1)
Eastern Daylight Time: 12:00 PM
Central Daylight Time: 11:00 AM (GMT-5)
Mountain Daylight Time: 10:00 AM
Pacific Daylight Time: 9:00 AM


Map Submission Format

• Required: Map Filename (ctf_example_a4)
• Required: TF2Maps.net file ID number, OR url to offsite download.
  .bz2 archive is preferred, but not required. May NOT be a hosting site like mega-upload (wait times, codes, excessive ads, etc).
• Required: TF2Maps.net discussion thread number.
• Optional: Available time & your time zone. Only necessary if you aren't available for the whole testing period and wish to attend your map.
• Optional: Would you like the SourceTV demos of the test? (will be uploaded to here)
• If your submission is a single stage out of a multi-stage map, please mention this.

Repeat submissions of a map:
Only post the info that has changed.
- You can keep the same TF2Maps.net file number by clicking edit on your file's page and then simply putting a new file in the upload box. This makes it easier for you (don't have to update all your links!), easier for me, and less clutter on the site.
- Discussion thread never changes so only needs to be submitted once.


Submission rules

• The map must be playable. This means fully functional objective system, proper spawns, non-fullbright, etc. The purpose of gameday is to help authors refine their designs, not catch newbie bugs.
• Filename must be all lowercase. (ctf_example_a1.bsp, NOT CTF_Example_A1.bsp)
  
• Submission deadline is 4 PM CDT, 1 day prior.
• Submissions for will be on a first come, first served basis.
• You may NOT reserve a submission without a download.
• Please limit your submission changes. Updating your submission version is allowed if an important issue is discovered, but don't submit early if you will be updating every day with a new version.
• When editing a submission for update/reservation, please make a new post to note that you have done so.
• Standard maps receive 30 minutes playtime, arena maps receive 15. An extension may be requested for more mature non-arena maps in need of fine tuning.
• Testing will be limited to ~3.5 hours each day.
• The map author may request a team scramble after at least two complete rounds have been played.

Multiple submissions per author

• A specific map version may NOT be submitted to more than one day.
  The exception is mature maps in need of fine tuning. It is preferred you request for an extension rather than a double-booking, however, you may with the following rules:
  - Make ONLY ONE submission post, in the main day you want.
  - In that post specify the other day, and your map may be slotted in, at the admin's descretion, schedule permitting.
  - Double-bookings will not receive time extensions.
• Different maps from the same author (ctf_example, ctf_eggsample) are permitted on the same day if there is space, but maps from other authors come first. If submitting more than one, please specify which should take priority, or simply submit on seperate days.
• Different game modes of the same map (ctf_example, cp_example) are only permitted on different days.

First off: Hobbes, I'm quite sorry, I mis-counted the entries and didn't post soon enough. I'll give you first priority in whichever of the other three gamedays you choose to submit to.

Second: RedShip... this map was quite a conundrum. I had trouble deciding whether to approve this or not.
- The red shield is extremely high health, I'm not sure how a team could ever break through it in a reasonable amount of time that wouldn't cause the map to degrade into a deathmatch.
- You packed in a custom version of metal\metalwall001.vmt. Packed in content that overrides a default file stays cached in the client and persists to following maps. Usually this will be an outright rejection if I see it, but this in particular isn't a highly used piece of content and the change you made (no bumpmap) is pretty negligible. None the less, in any future releases you should give it it's own name.
- The optimization is pretty poor. Running around in wireframe there were lots of things being rendered that had no business doing so (and could be made not to). A large amount of the outside area renders all at once, which can be bad for server/client performance.
- The indoor areas are very cramped and small. If and when blue does get the shield down, I can see it easily stalemating in the following choke points.

None of these things are strong enough issues for me to outright reject the map. But they pose a significant enough issue I was hesitant to accept it for risk of the map killing server population or just getting skipped to prevent such.
I also feel it is a promising idea if the issues can be solved, and you've put an enormous amount of work into the map.

Thus, I'm tacking it on as an "official after-test" map to give it a chance to be played and see if the issues are in fact a problem, while having less risk of it being skipped or the rest of the maps getting poor testing.