Ziggurat: I'm curious, why did you decide to go with a flipped copy of the bases instead of rotated?
I didn't actually copy the red base at all. I built a blue version from the ground up like the red version, but I didn't want it to be identical, so I didn't build it exactly the same. Some things are off center, or positioned differently. But it's not final, in fact, it's not even really a rough draft. I just started it to get an idea of what I wanted.
Octopus: Looks really cool, I was thinking about making a map like that, are you going to be able to just cut right across the channel? Because that makes the bridge kind of useless.
No. There will be entrances/exits to and from the channel. The channel is not connected to the main bases in any way except through these special entrances and exits. You will not be able to see the channel from either base, nor either base from the channel. This is for two reasons. Firstly, it's for balancing issues, because one big room maps suck, and secondly, for technical reasons, that it would horribly bog down the VIS engine and 95% of players would probably have major FPS issues.
MrTwitch: I think you should consider adding a second spawn zone to each base, maybe even a third if there's room. This map looks big and the more exits the better.
I definately agree. I only labeled the spawns on my overview to give a general idea of where the teams will spawn from. There aren't any actual rooms built yet, but I will most certainly use Valve's method (which is basically what you summed up) by having spawning "rooms" that have multiple exits out into each "base" area.
Ryodoan: My only thought (and I have not looked at the map more, I will in a bit) is that if the map is made up mostly of large open areas then snipers get to have a field day and then you have half your team convert to snipers and gameplay just sorta bogs down...
Very true. However, the map is only open right now because the channel and blue base are in very rough draft versions. It's the basic framework, soon to be filled with junk, tunnels, dams, pillars, etc. I really want snipers to have a few great spots to work from in this map, as I feel Valve's maps cater very poorly to snipers, but obviously like you said, you don't want both teams having 5+ snipers. Balancing will be tricky here, but as long as much of the cover is in the middle of the open areas, and not on the edges, it should be feasible.
Killanator: well, i havent looked much yet, but if you havent already and it is big and open, then put cover for snipers. also try to make a good route for spys to go, most custom ctf maps make it hard for spies
There are definately plans for snipers to have access to some good corner spots or overlooks, as well as a small tower or two, allowing them to feel moderately safe and fire off some shots without dying every 2 seconds. As far as spies go, I'm trying to keep some of the hallways and routes a little more open so there's less "running into" other team players, breaking cloak (which I hate!). I also plan on putting in a lot of little "dead end" offshoots in the map, where a spy could duck in behind a crate and let cloak refresh, or watch for a passerby to hop out, trail them, and deliver a backstab!
Ryodoan Post #2: Someone else mentioned it, but since I am on my lunch break I whipped up an amazingly accurate MSPaint diagram:
Your picture is pretty close to the current layout, except that the bridge does not connect both bases, just one. It's simply a traveling path from the red base to the channel. The Blue base will have an equal traveling path, except that instead of a bridge it may be an underground tunnel (like on 2fort). Then both bases will probably have 2 or 3 seperate paths to the channel, in the form of doors, small computer rooms, tunnels, etc. Originally, I had the layout in the method you suggested, with a base above the bridge on the right side, but this was drawing me back too close to the symmetrical design I am wanting to avoid. I would rather only have one team view the bridge as their "big" entrance to the channel, and have the other team look at another area as their "big" entrance, if that makes sense.
MrTwitch Post #2: Here dude, I don't think you should change it from flipped to rotated but I have some simple suggestions. First, like I said, a second respawn so there aren't shitty spawn massacres. Also the humongous channel could be divided up with a dam/gate thing and a broken highway/causeway could be collapsed on top of everything to add cover.
You add a simple underground passage to the main channel, that comes out on the other side of the gate to provide an alternate route.
Agreed on the second respawn. As I was talking about a little earlier, respawns aren't even built, but they certainly won't be campable in any shape or form, and the channel is going to be broken up by quite a few large objects, pillars, tunnels, etc. And you directly hit my plans with your underground passage idea! This is exactly what I was thinking for another "connection" between the bases and the channel somewhere. In your pic you've got channel obstacles right where I planned on placing many of them, and you're connection suggestions from each base are very balancing, which I like. I definately do not plan on having the blue-base side have a road up to the bridge like the red side through, again, for the symmetry issues. Blue will most likely have a large underground tunnel go from somewhere in their base, to the channel, with the exit being in the south end of the channel (like red has from the bridge on the north end).
So far, I'm really excited with all the suggestions you guys have given me. I'm glad you are looking forward to this map, I can't wait to finish it for you and use some of your ideas. If you still have concepts you think would be neat in a map (nothing outrageous of course, hah), fire away!