koth_corporate

[Pseudo]

Edit: New thread for beta 4: [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?p=109460"]KotH Corporate - TF2Maps.net[/ame]

I'm working on a "king of the hill" map set in an office building. Teams spawn on the top floor. The control point is in the basement. Capturing this control point starts a five minute timer. When the enemy team takes control of the point, your timer is paused and their timer resumes. The first team to get their timer to zero wins.

Most of the lighting for the ground floor and basement is temporary. I haven't done cubemaps yet.

 

[Pseudo]

 

[Voztron]

Looks like a great idea. I think if you touch up your brush work and redo some of the textures you will have something special.

 

[Wiebbe]

Just to help you a bit with the gameplay. I have found from beta testing my map that teams have no idea which timer is currently running. They get confused because the timer is RED and its the BLUE timer.

It takes a long time for them to understand they have to look at the Control point to see who has the timer

I fixed this by adding a game_text with the text BLUE TIMER or RED TIMER below the timer itself and refreshing it every second. Then just switch the text when the different team captures it.

 

[Haas]

you shold make a big bulletproofwindow between red en blu spawn room thats funny!

 

[Pseudo]

Here is the first beta: koth_corporate_b1.bsp.

The game_text to tell who the timer belongs to is a good idea, thanks. I will probably use that in the next version. A window between the spawn rooms as well.

 

[Pseudo]

Would refreshing the game_text every second create unnecessary server load? I implemented the timer label a different way, by giving the game_text a long hold time (300 sec) and then only refreshing it when someone respawns (since the text clears from that person's screen when they respawn).


If someone could take a look at and maybe playtest the beta that I posted, it would be much appreciated.


Here's another pic:

 

[Wiebbe]

Honestly, i havent done any measuring. But i think this is run client side anyway and it only displays 1 text. How can that be more load on a server then people shooting?

For the the 1 second refreshing also showed a "pulsing" glow making it a bit more noticable. But if your method works, why change it?

 

[Pseudo]

The first beta map is currently on the server 69.12.92.149:27015, you can use the chat command "votemap koth_corporate_b1" to switch to it.

 

[Pseudo]

Second beta! koth_corporate_b2.bsp, bz2.
I think it's getting pretty close to being complete, just needs some more playtesting. If any of you could help with that it'd be great.

One new feature that I think is pretty nifty is two physical clocks on the wall that are sync'd with the game timers.

The way I implemented this isn't really the most elegant; each digit is a separate func_brush that gets enabled and disabled based on a logic_timer connected to a math_counter that goes to a logic_case. I think a more practical solution would involve a vgui_screen but I'm not really sure how to implement that. Regardless, this method works and I think the end result really improves the map.

 

[fartron]

I like those timers a lot. Did you cut the number shapes out of the brushes, or are they textured? Also, is that dome over the CP just for identification? I would put them in the spawns too, just because you can't ever make it too clear what's going on.

I'm curious how those vents work out in playtesting, I haven't seen them used as a route in a TF2 map. I like them.

Your avatar makes me sad.

 

[Wiebbe]

awesome timers! I guess you made custom textures for them as well?

 

[Pseudo]

The numbers are each a texture I made, using a font called "Transistor". The dome over the CP is just a non-solid glow used as decoration. It was inspired by the only other koth map I could find, koth_twisted. When you say I should put them in the spawns too, do you mean the glowy dome or the clocks? The clocks in spawns would make sense. There is a window between the spawn rooms, so maybe I could put the blue clock in the blue spawn and red clock in the red spawn, and players could look through the window and see the enemy's time. I'll try it and see how it looks.

The vents are fun. Soldiers and snipers could really benefit from the slotted opening in the vent right above the CP. But a demoman on the ground can fairly easily launch bombs into the vents so watch out. The slotted opening can also be used to take out sentries because if you're at a good angle in the vent a sentry can see you and fire but the vent may block the bullets.

 

[Pseudo]

Spawn rooms: now with more nifty clocks!

 

[dirtyminuth]

Just finished a small playtest. You've got a very fun concept on your hands. I'll post my suggestions here for completeness. Assume the CP floor is floor 1 and the spawn room floor is floor 4.

In general, the map is too large. No problem, though. Nearly every mapper makes a map too large from the start.

Floor 1 is too large. There isn't much reason to travel to the edges, minus the small healthpacks. Make it smaller.

Floor 2 is too large. The large "utility room" is not required to get from floor 3 to floor 1, so there isn't much motivation to go there. The only real reason, vent access, should be moved out of that room. The utility room should be removed too.

You're going to have trouble balancing gameplay, as floors 1-3 are asymmetric.

The bathrooms on floor 2 should be removed or made smaller. You don't want people screwing around in them too much, as it will take undue focus from the CP.

 

[TheBladeRoden]

The bathrooms on floor 2 should be removed or made smaller. You don't want people screwing around in them too much, as it will take undue focus from the CP.

Though I did have fun sitting on the toilets for 2 minutes making screams of pain.

"Yaaaaaaa!"

*flush*

"OH NO!"

*flush*

"Help me, doctor!" D:

 

[Vander]

Those timers on the wall are just freaking awesome. It makes the map for me. I think you have a good idea going here, nice gameplay variation.

 

[Pseudo]

Thanks for the feedback.

In general, the map is too large. No problem, though. Nearly every mapper makes a map too large from the start.
Floor 1 is too large. There isn't much reason to travel to the edges, minus the small healthpacks. Make it smaller.
Floor 2 is too large. The large "utility room" is not required to get from floor 3 to floor 1, so there isn't much motivation to go there. The only real reason, vent access, should be moved out of that room. The utility room should be removed too.

I was actually worried that the map might be a bit too small. I guess it's hard to compare the size to the default maps since my map uses vertical space more. So what you're suggesting is to basically cut out the areas marked in red:

That would make floors 1 and 2 the same size as floors 3 and 4. Or maybe take out only one of the marked areas from the basement, I'll see how it feels. I think that layout change could work well. I like having a third stair entrance to floor 1 so maybe I'll keep a drastically reduced utility area or incorporate it into the cafeteria area.

You're going to have trouble balancing gameplay, as floors 1-3 are asymmetric.

Floor 3 is mostly symmetrical; the sides differ in that some desks are rotated differently and some props are different. I should probably make them identical though. My aim was to make it so that both of the ramps from floor 3 to floor 2 were equally accessible by either team. Currently I don't think that is true, but if it were it wouldn't matter that the lower floors are asymmetric. I'll play around with the ramp placement and railings to try and get more balanced ramp access.

 

[dirtyminuth]

I agree that your areas highlighted in red should be removed. The basement can still be a bit larger than the floors above it, though.

I spoke incorrectly about symmetry earlier. Floor 3 is just fine - it's floor 1 and 2 that are not symmetric.

You have a point about the floor 3 <--> 2 ramps - if they are equally accessible by both teams, that can make asymmetry less of an issue in the lower floors. The ramps are not at this state primarily because of the railings (and to a lesser extent, the ramp directions).

After having played your map with a larger group earlier today, this map and gameplay style have some serious potential. Once I upload my demo (and you can check out Pkunk's demos here: http://tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=1088 ), you'll get the chance to see some great coordination by the blue team during the game. They literally came out of every possible entrance to the basement at the same time. It was pure chaos and the best moment of the match.

Edit: 100 posts, huzzah!

 

[Shmitz]

I recall spawn camping becoming an issue during one round, though it was occurring at the bottom of the stairs rather than right outside the doors.

One possible solution is to open up the floor a bit so that you can shoot from floor 4 down into floor 3 at potential campers. The trick would be to open it just enough to fire upon close range campers, but not enough to let people cover those lower level ramps from the relative safety of the top floor.

Otherwise I think you really did a great job pulling off the mechanics of your concept. Good work. =)