CP caldera test1a

[Hellfire]

UPDATE(b4_r)
thx for testing and feedbacks, that rly helped us a lot
thats what fixed:
>stuck in barrels
>bad clipping
>capture time and respawnwaves
>ability to jump into some restricted areas
>some bad displacementwork
>some props made not solid
>fixed building inside bluspawn
>some light\shadow fix
optimisation: (sp. thx to Nosher for that)
>loadtime reduced
>better VVIS work
some improvements: (round1)
>cubemaping
>particle lights, and some dustmotes (again,thx Nosher ^^)
>more balanced and intuitial gameplay
>1000 playerclips added

 

[Shaar]

New release:

cp_caldera_alpha4

this update brings fully playable stage one and two. the latter part of stage two requires work.

a few bugs have already been recorded by a small playtest.

photos of stage 2:

 

[Hellfire]

cp_caldera_alpha4 submitted for gameday april,18

some new shots
#1-cavern passage between stage1_cpA and stage1_cpB
#2-overview of stage1-cpB
#3-new silo (opened) neaar stage2-cpA
#4-overview of building with stage2-cpA
#5-overview of RED spawn for stage1

 

[HeaH]

The map felt really oversized

 

[uma plata]

Yes, felt very big

 

[Tinker]

I said it at the gameday, and I'll say it again: I really like the big, open feeling this map gives. It's unique, and I don't think it's a bad thing. Hills where you can see your opponents a long way ahead but are not too sniper-friendly are absolutely great. If you detail these environments, I think it'd look stunning.
We encountered a crash though everytime we entered stage 2, I'm not sure if it has to do with the map, but it probably has.

 

[Hellfire]

Tinker
,thx) about the crash we dont know..we had 3-4 gametest of this version before gameday with 6-16 phayers and there was no crash...

HeaH, ABBAttoir
thx for opinions but we rly tried to make it balanced and well-played. m.b. lack of engies made u feel it?
anyway, all 3 stages will have completely different gameplay. if 1st is open,2nd is more about closed space..and 3rd..well..you'll see when its done)


fisrst shots of upcoming alpha6
whats new:
#1 added new room to stage1_cpA with some metall in it
#2 fixed annoying ramp and added some space for edge-sg-spot
#3 stairs added outside stage1_cpA
#4 stairs and small ramp added outside stage1_cpB
#5 some visual enchacements,esp in stage2

+detalising stage2
+extended playercliping
+spawntime\captime balancing
+perfomance optimisations

 

[Hellfire]

we are testing pre-alpha7 versions now,that will feature lots of new stuff as well as a fix for the server-crasing bug that appeard in alpha5 and 6.

looking forward to finish it till EU gameday friday

 

[Shaar]

Stage 3 work will be starting soon:

 

[Hellfire]

first screen of new in-silo interior
this will make gameplay less confusing

 

[Shaar]

hey hey. that design looks nice. definatly solves the problems we had with the old design. the only thing I suggest is that you make the steps less steap.

Perhaps also add some more sky walkways which are accessable - to try and make this area more defendable.

anyway, hellfire. I'm in college now on a laptop, so I won't be able to contact you unless it's through this topic or via email.

if needs be, I can try and get some stage 3 ideas done.

EDIT:

The textures for the lights also still require fixing to ):

 

[Hellfire]

toboruin, updated.

added som high ways, more steep stairs and some other stuff.

also removed brush lamps and replaced them with props
and made it overall brighter

This one (pre3-alpha7based on a7b4) goes for testing today with my ppl,after it if no major bugs are found we can release alpha7, ass a link here and in my gameday post

 

[Shaar]

Alpha 7 release

from alpha5 to alpha7

GAMEDESIGN
Major:
>tuned respawntimes due to high travel distance for BLU
>added new routes thriug all stage1
>improved gameplay on stage2, esp. underground part

Minor:
>removed room acces near stage1_pointA
>added new room to improve ability to defend stage1_pointA
>lots of small changes in stage1_pointA to help defenders
>added a new route for blu to attack stage2_pointA
>added a one-way door inside silo to prevent entring rocket area from the underground
>redisined stage2_pointB for better gameplay and to provide basis for stage3

LEVELDESIGN:
Major:
>redesigned stage2 underground part (stage2_pointB)
>redesigned cliffway at bluspawn_stage2
>overall detalisation

Minor:
>rockets on bluspawn_stage1 replaced with pump to keed the dam theme
>detailing outdoor enviroment
>dustmotes
>redisigned interiour of stage2_pointA
>silo to stage2_pointB now opens faster
>detalised underground part
>improved orientation for those who didnt get used to map design

FIXES
Major
>fixed physics-related error that caused server crash on stage2
>fixed brocken shadows
>fixed some props being solid where its unnecesery
>fixed some doors behaviour
>fixed some broken overlays

IMPROVEMENTS
>MUCH improved perfomance
>Overall brightness and Ambient light level tuning
>Lightmap Scale changes on some textures
>more playercliping

Link:
http://forums.tf2maps.net/downloads.php?do=file&id=1300

 

[captainAngry]

I will be running this map during my play test on Monday/Tuesday.

http://gaming.calculatedchaos.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1300

 

[Hellfire]

based on some opinions from gameday may,1 we are going this directions:
>make stage_1 CP_A and CP_B easier for blu to cap
>make less good SG spots on stage_1 CP_B
>make window on stage_1 CP_A for blu_only so red cant enter roof from the inside
>make gameplay on stage_2 more intuitive,so its easier to find CPs
>make it clear where to go for blu after capping of stage_2 CP_A

also some fixes.

thx for the teting

also,here are first shots of upcoming alpha8

 

[Hellfire]

Shaar,no other way to contact you now,how's it? It's time to submit alpha8 for gameday

 

[Shaar]

it's going well. I'm doing a heavy bit of re-working on an inspirational idea I had. hopefully this should balance things out, meaning that I'll be able to compile it tomorrow. unfortunately that means I miss Fridays gamer day, and Saturday is out of the question due to a clan match, so I'll try and get it done for Sunday's G/d; provided all is clear on it.

 

[Hellfire]

pls when it's done upload some screens here,I wanna see it))

 

[Shaar]

cp_caldera_a8 is now ready for download:
Click here to download

Images:
Grass:

Doors:

New 2-1 design:

New location of red spawn 1:

New graphical input:

Entrance to the new route:

Minor changes to 2-2

New red spawn 2 location, this time lying to the right, next to the lower ventilation shaft:

 

[Hellfire]

after last GD we got some feeds
most of them were about capB on both points being to hard,and capA to easy,esp. in stage2
well,i can agree that capA in stage2 usually just a pass-through point,but we gonna change it

another big problem was that though blu had lots of routes to attacks cpA and cpB ons stage2 they usually used one,as other were not noticeable. so we changed some routes direction, added new exit from bluspawn, and made some routes more noticeable to players. hope that will help.

btw here is first comparison shot,featuring cpA stage2 as it was on GD and new one