Axle

CP axle rc

Ninjilla

L420: High Member
Sep 13, 2008
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At the same time, putting it below the arch could bring an incentive to make sollys and heavys go on the arch and fire from there (or drop down in heavy's case), definite pluses for the slower classes. Couldn't hurt to try it maybe?
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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At the same time, putting it below the arch could bring an incentive to make sollys and heavys go on the arch and fire from there (or drop down in heavy's case), definite pluses for the slower classes. Couldn't hurt to try it maybe?

I think i'll move it to the lower floor if it turns out that the journey between CP2 and CP3 is significantly shorter than CP1 to CP2. But i believe they're within reason. My concern for the map is merely that my approach has been the opposite of existing CP map ethics (partly to make it more publicly viable), whereby the second CP's are closer to the middle point, than the last.

I'm hoping i can get some opinions on the layout just before i release it in the coming week. I just need to copy and swap bases then seal the map up.

opinion_axle.jpg


My current concern for this release is the the outside route at CP2 is too long to traverse for defenders to bother with, whilst attackers get teh advantage at less significant travel time and can jump down and head directly for the point. I guess only a playtest will say for sure...
 
Sep 12, 2008
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Ooh that looks good! Although I think you can work with special lighting a bit more - less ambient, more spots.

Maybe your only env_cubemap entity (or the one the closest to your "purple" stuff) is outside?
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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Believe it or not, they are spots. I just havn't included many point spots for the light glow.

I'm dealing with a lot of dark textures which reduces bounce lighting effectiveness as all the lights are pretty much facing the grey walls or maroon tiled flooring... 2fort's basement is actually pretty dark for the same reason, but it's also smaller and narrower and has more texture lights...

edit:

cp_axle_a30004.jpg
 
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Sep 12, 2008
1,272
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Believe it or not, they are spots. I just havn't included many point spots for the light glow.

I'm dealing with a lot of dark textures which reduces bounce lighting effectiveness as all the lights are pretty much facing the grey walls or maroon tiled flooring... 2fort's basement is actually pretty dark for the same reason, but it's also smaller and narrower and has more texture lights...

edit:

cp_axle_a30004.jpg

Maybe try to reduce the brightness of the spots on the ceiling to a minimum - or delete a few and make the lights closer to the floor brighter.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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Here's the spawn. The lighting seems adequite although 2fort's spawn seems to be saturated with white bloom from the walls. Maybe it's just because i havn't compiled HDR... but i'm not sure i even run that setting as standard so there shouldn't be a significant difference between the two.

cp_axle_a30005.jpg
 
Feb 14, 2008
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I'm not too sure the rockwall underneath the walking area around around the point looks too good.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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cp_axle_a2a0000.jpg


This area is a tad too dark.

I havn't updated the bsp in a while, i accidently re-compiled over my last release with a test version so the current file is out dated.

So unfortunately this map can't really get any play testing until i flip RED base for the BLU side.

Thanks for taking the time to look at it though and i hope you'll stick around for its next release. Which will be more complete and to scale.

I'm not too sure the rockwall underneath the walking area around around the point looks too good.

The inspiration for that execution was based off of the underground bunker seen at the end of Terminator 3. Many of the tiles on raised areas are broken/worked into shotcrete/rocks.

Are you running cubemaps with mat_specular 0?

That's probably it actually. I didn't run the full list of commands because i was only testing the one area with a cordoned compile.
 

VIVA LA NWO

L2: Junior Member
Apr 6, 2010
74
36
Have you fixed the issues where a team could open the opposing team's doors?

Do you mind posting up a small changelog of what you've done (as it seems you've done a lot) as I remember playing this map, but it had a lot of issues
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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Hm, i can't remember there being a bug where players could get into the enemy spawn, but for my ctf contest entry i did forget to add respawn visualisers until it's 2nd alpha which meant the flag got stuck a couple times. Also, there were one way doors into the final area that got stuck or were filtered wrong, but since i've changed the final area entirely, that is no longer an issue. There was also an issue of the 1st forward spawn trapping people if the middle point got back capped. I'll have to make that spawn exit only to rememedy this or add in a teleporter. I'm not sure which yet.

But then it's been months since i tested this... so maybe that was a bug, i'll double check my spawn door settings.

change log:
  • Respawn waves no longer stuck at 20 seconds.
  • Forward respawns no longer trap players when control points get back capped.
  • Completely changed final area orientation.
  • Completely changed final area design.
  • Reduced final area size by about 25%
  • Removed 1 way entrance into final area.
  • Removed third path (caves) into the second CP area.
  • Added a flank to the 2nd CP, allowing it to be approached from behind.
  • Reduced 2nd CP's area size by about 10%.
  • Low ground at 2nd CP is now high ground.
  • 2nd CP's right flank (attackers perspective) now connects to the far buildings by the 2nd CP (replaced platform with staircase).
  • Added a third position of height to the central area.
  • Added a second ramp to the middle ground in the central area.
  • Added more ammo drops.
  • Added more details.

I think that's it... Changes are mostly to the layout and aesthetics.

Current concerns are that the far flank at CP2 is too far to bother using, despite its height advantage. Plus i've reduced 3 paths into the secondary CP's to 2. Which i'm not sure is a problem yet, but hopefully legitimises using the far flank if the main is too easily defended.
 
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grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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I see a change log but no release. I am a sad panda.

Viva asked for the change log after seeing the maps progress shots... i know i've only thrown up some SS's but release is gonna come really soon guys...

I just need to flip the final area, retexture BLU's side (from RED) and make sure the ammo drops are copied over as well.
 

VIVA LA NWO

L2: Junior Member
Apr 6, 2010
74
36
cp_axle_a2a0000.jpg


This door opens a bit slow for scouts and they hit the doors while it's opening. It also doesn't seem to close?

cp_axle_a2a0005.jpg


You can open the opposing team's spawn door.

cp_axle_a2a0001.jpg

cp_axle_a2a0002.jpg


These are two opposing views of the second point. It seems like the attackers get almost no cover, whilst a defending sniper has the cover of the rocks as he snipes off players from a very safe area. Additionally cap times are equal (maybe less?) than coldfront's final point. They should probably be lengthened a bit so the point isn't capped by a scout before your team even arrives to mid.

cp_axle_a2a0004.jpg

cp_axle_a2a0003.jpg


I don't know if this area is still here, but this should probably be fixed, heh.

Hopefully some of this may be helpful.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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Thanks for the reply and your effort in testing the map. But as i've recently mentioned the last point has totally changed, so none of these are current issues: http://forums.tf2maps.net/showpost.php?p=169917&postcount=44 http://forums.tf2maps.net/showpost.php?p=169313&postcount=41

I'll reconsider the cap times on the points. I believe i've already modified them to fit with their placement. Previously they were small because of the long rush distance for defenders but now it's the other way around and layout changes allow for better balancing.

The current map version is out of date, i should probably have released versions more frequently but i've just been hitting the map every now and then to lower fatigue from the ctf contest. Next thing i know i've nearly doubled the amount of time spent on the map since the last release.
 
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lana

Currently On: ?????
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Sep 28, 2009
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Good to see the map is currently alive.
 

VIVA LA NWO

L2: Junior Member
Apr 6, 2010
74
36
Looks good. I tried to avoid issues that had mention within the changelog, but it seems you got the ones not mentioned aswell. Can't wait to see. :)
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
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Mar 4, 2008
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cp_axle_a30016.jpg

cp_axle_a30015.jpg

cp_axle_a30020.jpg

cp_axle_a30018.jpg

cp_axle_a30010.jpg

cp_axle_a30012.jpg


OK, so now the artpass is done with i can finally release this baby.

Steam is being a bit of a bitch so i'm having difficulty opening TF2 to build cubemaps for the release; i've had this page open for an hour now so i'm just gonna impatiently throw these images up (from my last compile) and release the bsp when steam stops being a bitch.