Competitive Koth Design guidelines?

Lain

lobotomy success story
aa
Jan 8, 2015
724
757
I'm looking for some guidelines about making a koth_ map that is at least a little competitive.
Some things I have assumed for myself are;
1. Three paths from spawn,
A slow, easy to push one that gives an okay sniper / amazing hold position.
A medium, hard to push one that gives an amazing sniper / okay hold position.
A very fast one that gives no sniper or hold positions, but allows classes to get to the point / battle quickly or to circumvent the chokeholds
2. Standing on the hill should be dangerous, standing close to the hill should be safer.

I am have been looking at the maps Ramjam, Asheville/Coalplant, Viaduct, Sandstone, Trainsawlaserpro for these layout assumptions, so commentary from those mappers would be amazing.
 

Lain

lobotomy success story
aa
Jan 8, 2015
724
757
It seemed pretty good when I looked at it,maybe that's just me. That's to say that if the traps weren't there, it would be a decent as hell Koth_ map
 

chemelia

yndersn't
aa
May 11, 2014
406
619
Well, usually in comp, at least in 5cp maps, there are 3 types of routes. I'm also assuming you mean this map is designed for Highlander, because 6v6 doesn't really play koth.

Main is usually the widest and most natural place to enter, by which I mean the flow directs you there. Main in Viaduct would be the route out to Concrete(the raised platform part.)

Flank is usually the narrowest and least natural way to go, but it allows for sneaky, unexpected strategies or, well, flanking the enemy team. Viaduct's flank route would be the center pathway.

Height is the final type of route. This gives the team who takes it the ever-important height advantage, as well as some at least decent sniper positions. However, the height route usually has little or no health, and takes the longest to get to.

The middle of a koth map should have 3 areas, the point/hill, Red's "combat zone" and Blue's "combat zone."

The hill is usually raised up above the combat zone, needless to say. The combat zone is usually where the team owning the point will push forward. The combat zone in Viaduct is the area around House(or whatever it's called), and the flat area in Lakeside.

As for the design of the point, it should always have at least a bit of cover, probably 15-25% (statistic pulled out of my ass) of the perimeter should be blocked. The point should have at least a decent height advantage, but be vulnerable to snipers when you're not behind the cover.
 
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S

saph

There is no official layout for KotH, but normally, I think of it as three lanes. Naturally, players will go for the widest and most open path because of the flow of the section. I usually have flank routes (for most gamemodes) as tight or unnatural, such as a building. I usually have the point as a centralized focus, so that the last lane can get height on it. The only con of this is that it take the longest route. Snipers play this position the most, but soldiers and demomen can be good in this area, too. All of the routes can be boosts or deathtraps for specific classes. Try to avoid overthinking it.

For more ideas for the lanes, read http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=22442 for class-specific information.