Hello, tf2mappers!
I've been toying with the idea of making a control point map which adheres to the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure philosophy.
The basic idea is that red has to defend four control points, laid out in a square pattern. Blu is tasked with capturing all four points; however, capturing the first point locks the adjacent points, forcing blu to capture the "diagonal" on the square before they can assault the remaining points.
Red would initially spawn in the center of the map and have access to all four points relatively easy from spawn. Blu, on the other hand, would spawn at the perimeter and be able to access any side of the map easily (though teleports). After the first capture is made, Blu's spawn is locked into that particular side, and red's spawn is moved to the opposite side.
I've already figured out what needs to be triggered in order to get the right points to lock; my concern now is how to possibly balance this map. Paths between the different quadrants of the map need to work when blu is assaulting from either end (imagine playing gravelpit backwards!). A big problem is that after Blu takes the second point, they have a significant geographical advantage over red in taking the third and fourth points, which are now more or less behind the battlefront.
I've toyed with a 5-CP version, which would play out like this:
the same problem with the final point ending up in Blu territory is present, but swapping the spawns might fix it. Setting up the triggers becomes much more complicated (a six-point version is unthinkable!)
So... do either of these ideas sound fun? Is the constant switching of spawnpoints going to be too confusing for players? Should I close certain paths at each stage, or let players move freely throughout the map at all times?
I've been toying with the idea of making a control point map which adheres to the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure philosophy.
The basic idea is that red has to defend four control points, laid out in a square pattern. Blu is tasked with capturing all four points; however, capturing the first point locks the adjacent points, forcing blu to capture the "diagonal" on the square before they can assault the remaining points.
Red would initially spawn in the center of the map and have access to all four points relatively easy from spawn. Blu, on the other hand, would spawn at the perimeter and be able to access any side of the map easily (though teleports). After the first capture is made, Blu's spawn is locked into that particular side, and red's spawn is moved to the opposite side.
I've already figured out what needs to be triggered in order to get the right points to lock; my concern now is how to possibly balance this map. Paths between the different quadrants of the map need to work when blu is assaulting from either end (imagine playing gravelpit backwards!). A big problem is that after Blu takes the second point, they have a significant geographical advantage over red in taking the third and fourth points, which are now more or less behind the battlefront.
I've toyed with a 5-CP version, which would play out like this:
the same problem with the final point ending up in Blu territory is present, but swapping the spawns might fix it. Setting up the triggers becomes much more complicated (a six-point version is unthinkable!)
So... do either of these ideas sound fun? Is the constant switching of spawnpoints going to be too confusing for players? Should I close certain paths at each stage, or let players move freely throughout the map at all times?