CP Facilityhike

[Garuda112]

Greetings!

Garuda112 here, posting the second (well, technically the first map) of the University of Baltimore map pack - called Mann to the Moon. This is a Dustbowl-style 3-stage Attack and Defense map where the BLU team advances capture point my capture point to the missile launch facility owned by RED.

Credits:
Garuda112 - Concept, initial layout, detailing
P1xel8ed - Texturing
Jackelboy - Texturing, detailing
Djyindustries - Texturing, detailing

Notes:
-Stages were detailed by separate people hence the level of detail shifting. That was based on time available.

 

[Garuda112]

This map should have been sent here earlier, but more cubemap issues (that seems to be a common problem with me) has required it be sent later than sooner.

At any rate, I hope we can have this map tested soon so it can be shaped into a fun experience.

*edit* annnd still more reported cubemap issues here. Will try to find out a proper fix. Is there anyone that can refer me to a surefire cubemap fix link? I remember one (that was dubbed a guaranteed fix) but can't find it at the moment. Thanks in advance.

 

[Sergis]

looks somewhat cramped

 

[takabuschik]

The floor texture in pics 1 and 2 is the same texture as the walls, which makes the buildings look a bit weird (the walls also seem a bit too thick IMO)

Cubemaps

 

[Egan]

We played your map last night in the impromptu. Here's the feedback from the event, and here's the recorded gameplay demo if you want that.

Some areas felt pretty maze-like. As in there wasn't a clear path to follow to get to where I wanted to go, and a lot of rooms / corridors looked nearly the same which is kinda confusing. We also found that pushing onto 2-2 was pretty tough, since both routes were essentially chokes. If there was a third route (cause there looks to be one on top somewhere) I didn't notice it.

Edit: your bloom scale was also kinda off. If you don't know how to set that, you'll need 2 entities: 1 env_tonemap_controller (named tonemap_global), and 1 logic_auto with these outputs:

I just took the outputs from cp_manor_event since it also has a night environment. You can play with them using sv_cheats 1 and ent_fire tonemap_global setbloomscale/autoexposuremin/max while in-game to get the effect you want, and then just copy the settings you're happy with into hammer.

 

[Garuda112]

Ah, wow, thank you for testing the map. I had it planned for this coming weekend. Really appreciate it.

We will have to reconsider some of the pathing for some of the areas, as yes, it isn't too entirely straightforward. I'd venture to guess it would be the route to 1-2, the transition from 2-1 to 2-2, and the area immediately before 3-2. I'm glad you pointed out some of the other trouble areas, because that confirmed some suspicions that I didn't have the time to change extensively (being that this was formerly classwork).

I want to cut the bloom immediately. It doesn't help gameplay at all and was only used alongside a potential cubemap fix. Basically, I tried to follow the fix to the letter just too "make sure" I was doing it right. At any rate, the cubemaps are still showing up on other player's computers, or at least not "saving" once I make them. I have tried the cubemap fix offered on the Wiki (thanks takabuschik for referring me to that - don't know why I didn't try that one before) but it gave the same results, unfortunately. I almost wonder if its about where I'm compiling/saving the maps that could be the issue.

I have, since the beginning of the semester, compiling the map on a flash drive. However, the .bsp goes to the Maps folder and is then accessible like normal. Should I be compiling maps in the Maps folder in the first place?

At any rate I can find no set of cubemap commands that makes the reflections permanent, but again Im getting rid of the bloom because it doesn't look great at all.

Thanks for the impromptu!
~G

 

[Garuda112]

I played the demo and noticed some of the feedback. A lot of it makes sense, and it looks like there's going to be a lot of work ahead to fix the map. I know its the first ever test and they're the harshest, but it makes fixing it easily recognizable and possible.

I suppose it was not bad for the first map I created the layout for (more appropriately, the first official Tf2 map I've worked on ever), and "learning the hard way" is really good.

 

[Sergis]

could it be that you only built hdr cubemaps

 

[Garuda112]

This was the first time I even used HDR, so that isn't the problem. The main issue is with the cubemaps not registering to all others that play the map, seemingly regardless of what method I try to fix it.

 

[nightwatch]

One mistake I made frequently with cubemaps is releasing the wrong version of the map. Make sure that the version you release comes from your playable folder rather than the one the vmf is in. Perhaps also check that you don't have maps in two diffrent locations: for example, tf/maps and tf/download/maps and tf/custom/anything/maps.

 

[Garuda112]

One mistake I made frequently with cubemaps is releasing the wrong version of the map. Make sure that the version you release comes from your playable folder rather than the one the vmf is in. Perhaps also check that you don't have maps in two diffrent locations: for example, tf/maps and tf/download/maps and tf/custom/anything/maps.

That turned out to be the case. Thanks, night!

I basically deleted all the .bsps from my flashdrive and then saved a new version of the map into the /maps folder. So yes, technically I have all five files in that spot but P1xel8ed said it was fixed on his end. So, it looks like the issue was resolved.

So, to update the map:
a48c (yes, its a large number, I save extremely frequently.)
-HDR removed. It was hideous.
-Implemented cubemaps as per the recommendations.