cp_vulture

[Ida]

The theme would be a desert intruded by RED's industrial buildings. A little bit like Hydro, no dam though. Vulture fits the desert part, but perhaps not the whole theme. I admit it's not a horrible name, though, I might keep it if I have to.

I like the vulture model idea, I just can't help to think it would look a bit stiff and weird if it was just a model sitting there.

I'm fiddling a bit with the sun and lighting (changing it to Hydro's settings to see how that looks), and since stage 3 looks to be finished soon, I'll release a few new screens in some days.

The alpha is also nearing its release, maybe in a week?

 

[Nineaxis]

I just can't help to think it would look a bit stiff and weird if it was just a model sitting there.

Have you noticed the mine carts on an incline just sitting there in goldrush? Most would say they'd roll downhill... but nothing in TF2 moves except players and stuff players effect. And the occasional particle effect.

In summary, it might be cheesy, but don't discredit things because they should move, but won't.

 

[YM]

Have you noticed the mine carts on an incline just sitting there in goldrush? Most would say they'd roll downhill...

But most haven't realised that minecarts have brakes.....

 

[Ida]

Vultures are alive, though. They get itchy once in a while, mine carts don't.

 

[grazr]

If not an actual vulture, why not a wooden prop like the cow prop?

Just use your imagination There's always a work around for something

 

[Ida]

grazr: ...Maybe.

Anyway, stage 3 is now done. That means only entities and clipping remain before alpha release. Yay! Well, I might have to do some tiny changes to stage 1 too...

I also changed the lighting to Hydro's and pitched the sun really high up (at -60). Here are some screens of that:

So, here are some new screens of stage 3:

BLU's start to the right, cap A to the left.

Close-up of cap A. It's supposed to look like it's under construction.

Walk a little further from cap A and you'll get to this place.

The final area. Cap B is by the train engine car.

Cap B.

And finally, here's an overview of stage 3. Sorry, I know it's a bit crappy.

 

[Randdalf]

I'd say that roof on the top of the first screenshot is overlapping waaaay too far.

 

[Ida]

Yup. The whole thing is gone anyway, replaced by a flat roof until I know what to do with it.

I really tried to work a lot this week so that I could get alpha 1 up for Saturday's gameday, but sadly I couldn't. Here's a little progress report.

- Added proper 2D skybox brushes, as well as clipping in all areas where it's necessary
- Removed extreme ugliness from most places
- Copied most of the Control Point entities from Dustbowl and worked from there, but they're not ready yet
- More signs
- Some health and ammo distribution done
- Added fog

What needs to be done:
- Still some minor optimisation
- Cubemaps
- Functioning doors
- Finish up the spawns

Yeah, that's it for now.

 

[GrimGriz]

Have red assembling a giant evil mechanical vulture (or army of them)...that's probably why blu was attacking

 

[Ida]

All right, I've decided to be a bit more self critical and fix up anything I think is a bit wrong, so I'll follow the tips in the reply from Mr. Valve Employee and make the important design choices while I'm so early in development. For example, I really don't like stage 3-1 right now, so that'll see some big changes.

That means some delays, of course, even though I was aiming for a release this week. I should probably stop "aiming for releases", to be honest.

 

[Walliard]

Hey, it can't be worse than Valve Time. Looks interesting, though. I'll be sure to keep an eye on it.

 

[Ida]

Okay, so I didn't make the deadline for Gameday. As half expected. Today I managed to do all this:

- Changed around some areas to look better and play better (well, whether they play better is half guesswork)
- Signs
- Make func_details out of whatever I can
- Clean up leaks
- Finish up health and ammo distribuion
- Make cubemaps

That leaves this to be finished:

- Doors
- Make setup work properly
- Fix some minor brush/prop issues I discovered

And here are some all-new screens for you.

The area by 3-1 has been expanded quite a bit.

Start of 3-1 should be more BLU-friendly, with 3 exits.

New buidling by 2-2.

The same building seen from the other side.

 

[Ida]

http://forums.tf2maps.net/downloads.php?do=file&id=912

Vulture Alpha 1 is out.

 

[Randdalf]

I'm checking the alpha out now

 

[Ida]

Okay, I'm such an idiot.

Grimgriz just notified me that I had uploaded the wrong version of the map, which is slightly behind in development and has no textures packed correctly.

The map you have downloaded is old by a few hours, and its name (cp_vulture.bsp) will create problems when the final version is released. Please delete the map file and download the correct file, which I will upload in a moment.

EDIT: The correct file (cp_vulture_a1.bsp) has now been uploaded. The download link remains the same.

 

[Randdalf]

I think some areas (especially the first) are a bit too open, and also, finding the first CP could prove a problem, and I ran past it the first time.

 

[Ida]

Thanks. I personally don't think the areas are too open at all, but we'll see what happens. I might come up with some solutions here and there.

You may be right about the first CP. I see why it's confusing, since there's a sign pointing to CP2 just nearby. I'll probably put up a big A sign.

 

[Ida]

Released version a1a.
- Collisions for a door in RED's second spawn are corrected (Previously, collisions were on even when the door was disabled)
- Outputs from a tonemap_global entity were accidentally added, now removed

 

[Randdalf]

Sorry, I meant the first CP in stage three.

 

[Ida]

http://forums.tf2maps.net/downloads.php?do=file&id=932

Yet another fix for cp_vulture_a1c.

- Added a sign to make it easier to see Control Point 3-1.
- Fixed a problem where setup gates for stages 1 and 2 did not open at all.
- Changed ground texture to make it easier on the eyes.

I've said it before, but I'm saying it again...I'm pretty sure everything should be ok now. I really want to take a break from this map right now and collect feedback, but the constant fatal errors won't let me.