Barnblitz Discussion

[tyler]

If anything it's too small. The amount of fighting that takes place outside blue spawn isn't that great and it takes up way too much time. The fights around the other points are a lot more interesting, but are all shorter.

I dunno. Maybe as time goes on and people get used to it it'll be better. Right now it's just kinda mediocre, though I'd still play it over Badwater or Gold Rush.

 

[C00Kies]

Ya I feel the same way about it being small. Its different than the big open areas of Badwater and Upward.
We'll see how it goes, the little I've played of it it seems that Blu can just steamroll all the way through it if they get a good start.

I love the drop off slide of Red's upper some in the last point for some reason...

 

[Void]

They used one of my textures, no matter how shitty and old said texture is, so I like the map.

 

[grazr]

The roofs look terrible, i don't like how over bent and distorted they are.

Also much of the detail looks nonsensical, the ladders supporting other ladders... it just looks like the author didn't bother to look through the entire prop library or even try to create some brush-plank-detail to create something interesting and unique.

The level of detail is really nice, but some of it makes me cringe.

EDIT: Also i don't see why a game mode automatically makes a map bad, the exception being arena because "nobody" plays it. PL is one of the most played modes out there.

 

[Ida]

I think the issue with it being Payload is simply that we have a billion Payload maps already, so it's not beyond reason to hope that Valve would make some more CP maps, or maybe a new original KOTH.

 

[Godslayer57]

I like the ladder supporting ladders, just that they could of pulled it off smoother by making it one model.

 

[littleedge]

Void, did you make the swampmetal texture?

 

[MangyCarface]

I think I've written about the faults of PL elsewhere, but the main one being the battles usually have nothing to do with the cart til the last few feet of each point. Everyone just pushes up to there and then expects someone to drag the cart up while they have it held. At the final point PL maps make a bit more sense, as everyone dogpiles on the cart and uses it as cover frantically, but up until then I don't get the point of the cart at all

 

[tyler]

There's some interesting prop usage actually, like the wooden barrier model (the thing in caves in Gold Rush and Dust Bowl) used in high up windows and stuff.

Plus the upside down grain elevator. I mean, come on.

 

[grazr]

I think the issue with it being Payload is simply that we have a billion Payload maps already, so it's not beyond reason to hope that Valve would make some more CP maps, or maybe a new original KOTH.

• Badlands
• Coldfront
• Fastlane
• Freight
• 5Gorge
• Granary
• Well
• Yukon

vs

• Badwater Basin
• Gold Rush
• Hoodoo
• Thunder Mountain
• Upward

By a billion presumably you mean 5. Did we really need another 5cp map over barnblitz? Especially when the competitive scene has been the catalyst for so many custom 5cp maps whilst the pl count is pretty small considering how popular it is with public players. Most custom pl maps don't make past alpha. Boundary was pretty much the most successful pl map out there atm, even if the aesthetic leaves a little to be desired.

 

[MangyCarface]

you missed frontier J:
edit: also there are only 2 multistage a/d maps in the game : /

 

[grazr]

you missed frontier J:
edit: also there are only 2 multistage a/d maps in the game : /

Ha ha, woops, sorry i grabbed them from a maps list on the web to try and be sure i didn't miss anything, apparently it wasn't up to date.

I can understand how you feel about the dynamics of PL though. That was your whole motivation for frontier and the train + flat bed. It's always bothered me that in existing pl maps people tend to forget the cart and focus on the combat instead; but it's always been my personal opinion that you can solve this with more methodical map designs that emphasise the carts presence. With the tracks so narrow and the corners so acute i always thought that creating a train for payload or a payload that was generally larger was like trying to cut wood against the grain, too direct of an approach unless you changed the track designs too to hold the new, larger payload. Unfortunately I still get stuck between chewchew and geometry or fall through the flat bed at times.

There are obviously multiple solutions to the problem but it's as much the players fault as the game mode. Someones gotta push the cart in order to help the team and heavies are great for it as they walk the same speed; so for the sake of team work thats a good role choice and payload maps still have reasonable win ratios.

 

[Trotim]

EDIT: Also i don't see why a game mode automatically makes a map bad, the exception being arena because "nobody" plays it.

I loved Arena when it was released and still play it from time to time, it is a niche mode though and a lot of new unlocks ruined it more and more as they just weren't designed with Arena in mind

 

[honeymustard]

Payload owns, Barnblitz owns.

 

[McNuggetFiend]

The first Blu spawn is awful, but over all, I enjoy Barnblitz, though I for one, am certainly rather sick of PL maps.

 

[The Political Gamer]

edit: also there are only 2 multistage a/d maps in the game : /

This is a problem that honestly should be fixed.

 

[zpqrei]

Was playing on Studio Rumble and I heard that Barnblitz was made by someone outside of Valve with the alias Kamikazee, but developed it with them and using their servers. So it's a pseudo-community map.

He was a community developer, but when he was hired, he brought his map with him and finished it at Valve.

Me: Dario, just wondering if you know who made Barn Blitz?
Dario: yep, Scott Jordan
Me: Is he an internal dev, as I've heard rumours it was a collaboration with a community level designer?
Dario: yes, but he works at Valve now

 

[Prestige]

Scott Jordan Day: June 23rd, 2012

 

[Leminnes]

He was a community developer, but when he was hired, he brought his map with him and finished it at Valve.

Did he make any maps before Barnblitz?

 

[Omnomnick]

Did he make any maps before Barnblitz?

I should hope so.

I haven't played it loads so I can't comment too much on gameplay, what I have noticed is that there are a few unused areas, I don't think I've seen more than 3 people use that upstairs area with the funky slanted red roof (near the turntable, which itself is a good idea to easily lengthen the map by half a minute or so).

However I do like the new props/textures we get, and the level of detailing is great. My only real niggle is that the level of detail in some places is borderline overcrowded, it seems that compared with maps such as 2fort or Dustbowl, there is far too much going on in a single room -- simplistic detailing is just as effective if not more so than complex detailing. It just seems like in some areas he's attempted to cram as much as possible into a single space, when it isn't necessary.

And according to Google Chrome, 2fort is in the English dictionary but Dustbowl isn't? I would've thought IF ANYTHING it would be the other way around?