Easy TF2 Mapmaker

[toads]

copied from my tftv thread:

Easy TF2 Mapper is a program designed for making TF2 maps with ease. The aim of this program is exactly what it sounds like: to allow anyone to quickly and easily make maps. Think the Timesplitters Map Editor but for TF2.

Essentially, place many different kinds of pre-made blocks of props, geometry, and other things (prefabs) on a grid and press some buttons and get a map into TF2. You can export the product as a .vmf and edit in hammer, or directly export it as a .bsp and open it in TF2. Some other functionalities include saving and loading projects, creating your own prefabs, and a wide selection of customization. Of course these maps aren't very serious (especially not for competitive), but from what I've heard it's fun to screw around in The project is completely open source, and can be added to and viewed on GitHub. It's taken 5 months of on and off development to get to this stage, but we will continue updating until it's at a place that satisfies the masses.

screenshots

large, unfilled grid for reference:

latest list of prefabs:

Installation and tutorial stuff:
Here's a video tutorial showing how to use it (sorry about the noise in the background), and here's a text tutorial. Here's a little quick-reference guide.

Links:
http://tf2mapper.com

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUSwz-WLFg

https://github.com/baldengineers/easytf2_mapper/wiki/Tutorial


I haven't really gotten a whole lot of testing in, so this latest release may be (and to be honest probably is) buggy. I'll be vigilant with bug reports which you can send on the website at the form or directly to toadsrc@gmail.com. Suggestions (especially prefabs at this point) below in the thread are welcome too.

-toads

 

[Flower_Shop_Guy]

That is interesting. Good job.

 

[Yrr]

looks interesting for new mappers blocking out their layout, will def help them get an a1 out that isnt a box map

would recommend making the textures into reflectivity 50%, red dev and blu dev, as well as making some 45 degree walls

 

[toads]

There are diagonal walls, and I'll look into improving the textures.

Thank you

 

[UKCS-Alias]

will def help them get an a1 out that isnt a box map

PETI proved diffirent. Even when having the tools many start with a box and keep it that way. They add elevated areas, walls etc. but many times its still a big square map.The moment you can promote them to make non square maps you have a tool that can realy help them. And for that i already got an idea based on instancing. And even though not ideal, this idea might still help you getting an idea that works:

Rather than making 1 square room for the whole map, you let them build seperate smaller rooms first. These smaller rooms can be square, and not even feature a doorway. These templates can just be used similar to how you now place a block. Except it could be 5-3 in size. You can freely rotate the rooms.

Now once you did put 2 into them you can then still put blocks on top of them overriding the basic room, creating a doorway.

By allowing them to rotate you also allow the option to mirror the map fast, and move entire sections.

For multiple heights i would recommend steps of only 64HU high and name them somewhat similar to (0.25x where 1.00x would match the width of the grid). And to display multiple levels that overlap simply showing the block below it as long as its still within the 256HU reach, marked in a way that shows that its placed lower.

Otherwise you will still only end up with cp_orange styled maps. Some allways will build those (because even when having the tools and being guided and promoted to do so, some just are lazy), but the ease of stepping away from it should be there. And moving entire map sections is a good start.

I remember a similar way of working in the tomb raider level editor, where even as beginner your map was very unlikely to be fully squared (and if it was, it would have been a tiny, flat and often a map you couldnt even navigate to begin with - not only that, but starting the compile was harder than it was to connect 2 rooms).

 

[Yrr]

There are diagonal walls, and I'll look into improving the textures.

Thank you

Using the textures I mentioned wont look great but its the standard "this will be textured later" textures, complete with team colouring to help players orient themselves.

 

[seth]

I hope this doesn't cause an influx in hastily designed, cookie-cutter maps. This type of thing happened in the HUD community when hudcreator.co.uk came out. It caused a cascade of HUDs that looked nearly identical, mostly besides some color and font differences.

It's a cool idea and I'm sure it was good practice for the creator, but it's not powerful enough to create anything that would actually make a well-playing map. Kinda like Portal's in-game level builder.

 

[toads]

I hope this doesn't cause an influx in hastily designed, cookie-cutter maps. This type of thing happened in the HUD community when hudcreator.co.uk came out. It caused a cascade of HUDs that looked nearly identical, mostly besides some color and font differences.

It's a cool idea and I'm sure it was good practice for the creator, but it's not powerful enough to create anything that would actually make a well-playing map. Kinda like Portal's in-game level builder.

definitely, i would certainly hope there isn't an influx of maps solely built of this program.

 

[SnickerPuffs]

Bumping this thread because someone mentioned it in the discord and it looks... interesting.

I'm not a fan of how the levels are locked at a certain height, or how each level is completely flat without ramps. Could you add two "levels" of height variation? 64hu and 96hu would be perfect, with a ramp up to each and one that could connect them. Maybe something like this?



My complaints are probably falling on deaf ears, since you haven't updated this program since 2016, but I still feel like I should leave them here if you ever decide to pick this up again.

 

[MegapiemanPHD]

It's a neat idea for sure

 

[rferffre]

That domain has expired, which is dissapointing.