ctf_geo

[Paria]

This is my first map (ever), its loosely based on an old ut2003 map ctf_geothermal, but since its my first map only the very basic layout will reflect that map.

At the moment i have blocked out half a level (had a quick playtest with it mirrored, made the suggested changes), not im at the stage of texturing/lighting etc,

So far i have the red flag room close to completion (minus the intel atm ), still playing round the lighting as its a total learning experience,

Well enough chatter heres the first screeny

http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geo1pf9.jpg

comments /criticism/advice welcome

 

[DJive]

Looking good =) Few things i would put work into.

The Ceiling skylights - Texture is out of place and to far down, maybe move the glass in the middle of the brushes instead of on the grid with them. I'd like to even see a much larger skylight(s)

The floor - I love the trim but the "step-up" feels to high, Id clip *or better yet* just move the floor *red part* up a few grids so you still have depth, it just doesnt feel like a large step.

Ceiling - feels empty. If you check out your walls you have a lot going on, support beams add a nice touch. The ceiling should also have some curves to it =)

Good Job so far, =)

 

[Scoobingsthe2nd]

the room you posted looks absolutely freakin huge.

Absolutely freakin huge doesn't work that well for CTF :\

 

[Noggin]

My only issue with this is that all the maps are all going to start looking the same...

 

[Paria]

been working on your advice DJive - redone the walkways added concerete beams to the roof along with a few more props, still tinkering with the dimensions of the exits and fo course the adjacent rooms arent textured or lit yet

really enjoying it so far, just dreading when i reach the middle main room

http://img167.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geo90000xv0.jpg

 

[Logo]

Looking much nicer, keep up the good work.

My only criticism is that it's a rather large area all at one height and without cover or objects around. You don't want to clutter up the space but I find that areas like this tend to be annoying to fight in as you don't have many strategic options and it's quite a bit easier to predict where to shoot with rockets, nades and sniper rifles. If you could vary the height of the room by small amounts and/or provide some sort structures or props to break up the room a bit it'd go a long way. Another option would be to shrink the size of the room but I'm guessing you don't want to do that.

Just don't over do it or clutter the area with things that prevent people from fighting effectively.

 

[greenridge]

its fine as long as 1 sg cant lock the whole area down
maybe add a few pillars

 

[Paria]

thought i best update with a fairly current screeny

lighting is only temporary, as are the cubemap placements (floor isnt lit correctly) but i've added more to the room to flesh it out- and hopefully retained floorspace for some decent movement, have tested how it plays alot (maybe too much) along the way,

some of the other rooms/corridors are becoming more fleshed and its starting to take shape.

http://img514.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geo2cx2.jpg

 

[Scotland Tom]

That room is looking good. Very much improved from before. It now looks like there's plenty of space to move, but that island in the middle now blocks some line of sight and adds some cover, which should make the gameplay much more dynamic in that area.

Lighting may only be temporary, but it's looking very good. Not over lit, but doesn't allow for too many dark areas either. Very much in the TF2 style.

 

[Paria]

red spawn room is complete - as are numerous corrdidors and visual side rooms, been working alot today on the red spawn exit room - its supposed to reflect somewhat the workings of a geothermal base (pipe goes into the ceiling with alot of support structures to hold it in place ,

i seem to spend ages wasting time on lighting at the moment even if alot is semi-temporary i've struggled to find any tutorials that are more advanced than the place lightbulb near ceiling ones :/

anyway hes what ive done so far http://img514.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geo3ai6.jpg

(had to photoshop the brightness since its still not properly lit up)

 

[Paria]

most of the red base is completed, working my way through some optimizing atm, whilst i get some inspiration to finish the middle area of the map, anyway heres a screeny of the red base layout and half the middle of the map (top left corner)

http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geo4fw6.jpg

 

[Noggin]

Looks good from above from what u can see in the ariel view

 

[poopster101]

paria, this looks really good. looks kinda big
but still very very very good

 

[Paria]

yeah im pretty pleased with how it has turned out for my first map, made a shed load of mistakes along the way, and learnt so much which i've then gone back and redone certain parts,

still there plenty of areas im not happy with but i think i've reached the point where i need to finish this first effort , so basically its the boring trying to optmizie map stages / adding more detail to the centre area , and hoping i can understand how lighting works a bit better to make it look better,

not quite sure how long thats going to take but ive got a nice period off work atm to really get stuck into it

 

[poopster101]

so this is your first instance of mapping ever?
if so im very impressed
either way
good job

 

[Paria]

starting to work on the middle area now, the sunshine was temporary and is kinda overbright but anyway it gives you a rough idea of whats gonna be in the middle of the map

http://img89.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geo5fl2.jpg

 

[Juice]

Amazing first map.

 

[Ace]

Wow.

I will be happy if my map is half as good as that

Can't wait to play it

 

[Paria]

finally had the red base to the point where it was as complete as i think i can make it, so i've copied the bases over - recolored for blu today (fun fun fun) and started work on the middle main section, its pretty playable right now but there at least a few days left of me tinkering with stuff (particularly the middle) before im happy to even share a beta

http://img144.imageshack.us/my.php?image=geothermal7oj3.jpg

 

[Paria]

i've manged to have a few reasonable playtests on my server so far, i've fixed the amazing see through wooden beams - that some of you helped me with in tf2maps chat, it was quite funny to watch other people on the map, exploring the level like a bunch of hungry scavengers looking for problems - had to rebuild the staircase basically and make them in smaller portions.

My main concern was the travel time from the spawn rooms to where the main action areas are, so i will be re-working the spawn rooms slightly giving much faster access to the main areas, this will also interconnect the 2 "sniper" arches and hopefully give engineers more options to place teleporter entrances that are less vulnerable, the current spawn room exit will remain as it allows a decent travel time to the intelligence room for those pesky engineers that attempt to make turret farms , so in essence the new spawn room will be made into a 2 floored affair with 2 exits - 1 directly out the main middle area and the 1 that will give you a direct route to the intelligence or a slightly longer but secondary option in reaching the battlements.

if anyone wants to have a run round my original playtest it is still hosted on my server

RL Server - Say no to 2fort - hlstatsx 217.163.27.129:27015

you can

nominate geothermal_playtest01

and then

rtv (rock the vote)

if enough regulars are on they should be happily to oblige, if not it might be a problem at busy times