Distillery

CP Distillery A13 (BSP only)

Gadget

aa
Mar 10, 2008
531
527
Distillery - Symmetrical 5-CP map, inspired by Powerhouse layout

Please provide feedback on:

  • Map layout, paths, areas, gameplay
  • Item pickups, ammo and health locations

Don't bother commenting on the visuals, lighting, clipping or other optimization. This version is for testing of the layout, the art pass will be done later.
 
Last edited:

Moonrat

nothing left
aa
Jul 30, 2014
932
585
Yo, as one of the few remaining people on this site willing to play 3-CP maps, I got some feedback for this map, mostly pertaining to its overabundance of routes and width.

U1bcEne.jpg


This screenshot is at mid, and suggest a lot of changes to streamline the traversal and defense of the point.

Starting with the staircase that connects the balcony and the area by the health and ammo kit. I recommend removing the doorway to the right on the screenshot, and flip the staircase to the door on the left, the one hidden by the wall in that screenshot.

In doing that is the second part of my recommendations, removing the outside area that serves to connect the balcony and the lower area together. It's big, fairly empty, and only really serves a purpose of attacking engineers building annoying nests that defenders have to clear out before they push to Last. Reduce the size of the room that the flipped staircase goes to so it only serves to connect to the staircase to compensate.

Finally, for the big ramp room, reduce it's width. Reducing it's width can help in reducing the space of the outside area between mid and last, which is my next point.

IClMyoY.jpg


This area is HUGE width wise, and not very interesting to travel in. I'd say increase it's length, and decrease it's width. Now how you do this is up to you, as I don't have any concrete ideas on how to do this with your current layout, other than squishing the distance between mid entrances.
 

EArkham

Necromancer
aa
Aug 14, 2009
1,625
2,773
Any more details on the change to CTF and then back to 3-CP?

CTF has always been a little bit reviled here due to the common design issues (like having to go past spawns to grab the intel, etc) and I'm curious if your experiment with the mode change resulted in some good insights.
 

Gadget

aa
Mar 10, 2008
531
527
I wasn't really able to gather very much test data but the general feedback was that players preferred the control point version. Personally, I like both and could go either way but there's not much reason to stick with CTF if people don't want to play it.

Pushing back and forth between control points seems to give players a slightly better way of knowing which area of the map to focus on for attacking and defending.

To me CTF is actually a little more thrilling - defending an area, building up for the push towards the flag and then escaping with it is more fun then capturing the final point once and then restarting the round.

One key difference is that for CTF the Medic is essential because of the need to get into the final area AND out again, whereas CP maps can work fine without him. That's just my assumption, though.
 

Gadget

aa
Mar 10, 2008
531
527
Detailing progress...
 

Attachments

  • cp_distillery_a60000.jpg
    cp_distillery_a60000.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 397
  • cp_distillery_a60001.jpg
    cp_distillery_a60001.jpg
    884.7 KB · Views: 353
  • cp_distillery_a60002.jpg
    cp_distillery_a60002.jpg
    902.2 KB · Views: 333
  • cp_distillery_a60003.jpg
    cp_distillery_a60003.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 345
  • cp_distillery_a60004.jpg
    cp_distillery_a60004.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 341
  • cp_distillery_a60005.jpg
    cp_distillery_a60005.jpg
    795.9 KB · Views: 335

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
I really like the geometry on this map for the most part, even though there's a few routes, such as near 2nd and the forward spawn, that I keep finding confusing. But I think it doesn't work very well for as a 5CP because everything is far too close together. The spawns are too close to the points, and the points are too close to the other points.

Personally, as someone who doesn't like 5CP, I thought this was super fun, because I was basically always in combat and doing something (a plus as someone that loves Heavy). For once, a 5CP has the kind of sustained engagements that A/D maps have! ( My personal favorite gamemode.) But I don't think anyone who actually likes playing 5CP is going to enjoy it that much. I can almost certainly say that comp players will not like the point layouts (lots of health very close at mid/2nd for example, spawns very close at last) and won't like how easy it is to backcap. I'm not saying you necessarily need to change it for that reason, but it's my prediction.

It might be more interesting to market the map as a "quick" 5CP if you can. It'd definitely mean less work in Hammer. And you might get some people (like me) interested in the game mode. I dunno!

Good luck with it though, I think it's a really interesting map.
 

Gadget

aa
Mar 10, 2008
531
527
Thanks for taking the time to express your thoughts on the map! I'm going to take some time to review the playback demo and the rest of the feedback now and then decide how to address what you experienced.

Most likely the outcome will be:

  • using forward spawn only after capping middle, not 2nd
  • moving final CP and/or spawns back a bit
  • reducing/removing setup time
 

Gadget

aa
Mar 10, 2008
531
527
  • Added pathways leading to upper level at the middle CP
  • Added raised pathway to flanking route at second CP
  • Added platform for sentry nests at second CP
  • Blocked long sightline at second CP
  • Changed spawn logic to regular 5 CP
  • Removed setup timer
  • Removed some props to improve flow

Read the rest of this update entry...
 

DrSquishy

we've all had better times to die
aa
Feb 10, 2017
1,297
974
You appear to have forgotten to pack your ground
20190201212753_1.jpg
20190201212744_1.jpg
 

Gadget

aa
Mar 10, 2008
531
527
  • Added stairs at middle CP to connect the lower areas
  • Added doorway as new main route to middle CP
  • Added small fence for cover at second CP
  • Made the tall fence at second CP shorter
  • Changed some of the ammo and health pickups across the map
  • Changed cargo containers to be walk-through
  • Minor changes in the final CP area
  • Added some custom props (work in progress)
  • More detailing work
Many thanks to all the playtesters and @lucrative for hosting a competitive test!

Read the rest of this update entry...
 
Last edited: