London/UK asset pack?

[Mattie]

Despite how much I really wanna make maps set in the UK, the one thing that holds me back is the lack of custom assets availabe. The accumulation of more and more asset packs over the years - including the very north European Frontline pack - has been a definite boon, but even so I've found myself either forced to use Propper (shudder) or throw out open requests, with little success.

However, I was thinking it could be quite neat for this community to come together and create a consistent bunch of models/textures - even if it's just a mini pack - to help pave the way for a brand new theme. They'd gel well with assets from other existing themes (Soho, Medieval and Mannhattan in particular), and it'd be fitting with the game's style too - swinging 60s London is right up that kind of street, and in the case of the Spy, it's a canonical old haunt.

A few ideas for different assets:

• Routemaster bus (team-coloured, like the Soho bus)
• Austin FX4 taxi (with skins for sign on/off)
• Other British cars of the period (Aston Martin? Mini Cooper? original Ford Transit? etc)
  
• Tube train (team-coloured)
• Various British locomotives/rolling stock
  
• Phone booth (team-coloured - could work as resupply cabinet with animated opening door?)
• Pillarbox (team-coloured)
  
• Traffic signs/other street furniture
• British road marking decals
  
• Modular kits for various generic facades (Georgian, neoclassical, brutalist etc)
  
• Dolphin lamp
• Modular wrought iron railings
  
• Famous London landmarks (for skybox usage) - Parliament, Tower Bridge, St Pauls, Battersea/Bankside Power Station, etc
• Red-white-blue bunting (would have the bonus of working for American/French/Dutch/Thai/etc maps as well)
• Various kinds of terraced house (skybox versions too)
• Skybox horizon cards (urban fading into countryside and vice versa)

What do you folks think - does this idea have promise?

 

[Mattie]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SIGWKW5GjqhBqcMaXNkN-mCYmgstem0VDvi_In3KA_Q/edit?usp=sharing

Update: my passion/weird special interest for this idea has prompted me to make a whole idea document for it. Check it out (and marvel at my obsession)!

 

[Mattie]

Already started planning out a potential model sheet thing for modular buildings:

I still got the passion and the drive (if not the modelling skills) to make this pack project a full thing, so if anybody's at all interested in coming together and contributing then gimme a shout.

 

[Scampi]

The props that would result from a pack like this would be very useful, even outside a London setting. Those fences... those stone trims... I though the medieval and manor themes had me covered for Gothic architecture, but this makes me realize just how much we lack!

 

[Mattie]

The props that would result from a pack like this would be very useful, even outside a London setting. Those fences... those stone trims... I though the medieval and manor themes had me covered for Gothic architecture, but this makes me realize just how much we lack!

I'm glad you agree with me here - the modularity and intuitive intention for such a pack extends to having the assets be useful for other themes, whether that's cities outside the UK, other places within the British Isles, or much more. And that's without getting into the potential for SFM........

 

[Asd417]

I think there are edge trim props used for cp_sunshine which is part of the bulletcrop pack https://tf2maps.net/downloads/bulletcrops-content-pack.6212/
For doors, we already have urban door pack. https://tf2maps.net/downloads/urban_door001.3825/
But the rest of the pack seems like it can be useful

 

[iiboharz]

I think there are edge trim props used for cp_sunshine which is part of the bulletcrop pack

Sunshine doesn't use any Bulletcrop assets. It used to, but it hasn't for a long while.

 

[Mattie]

I think there are edge trim props used for cp_sunshine which is part of the bulletcrop pack https://tf2maps.net/downloads/bulletcrops-content-pack.6212/
For doors, we already have urban door pack. https://tf2maps.net/downloads/urban_door001.3825/

Those are certainly useful existing assets, but honestly I feel it would be best to have a whole new set that are all consistent to each other, rather than trying to mash up as many compatible models even if they don't fit well; the trims aren't really of the precisely angled cut type seen in London, for example, and the doors seem more tailored to fit the American look of Mannhattan rather than Georgian London houses. Good suggestions, though.

 

[Mattie]

Progress!

Also, idea for an animated model: a scissor gate that could function as a spawnroom door, as a setup gate, or as general area control:

I've started a Discord for the project, too, in case anyone wants to discuss contributing or bounce off ideas or whatnot; hit me up on the TF2Maps server if you're interested.

 

[FGD5]

I've got an old routemaster model that was nearly finished on my busted laptop, if I can get it could be of use.

 

[Mattie]

Been a while since I posted in this thread, so I thought I'd give an update on the current status of the pack [all assets WIP and subject to change]:

Most importantly, thanks to the skills and hard work of several talented modellers and material artists, we're starting to see the vehicles, architectural elements, street furniture and signage of Britain's landscape take shape. We're slowly building a picture of what specific models are needed and their overall priority/importance, and developing concept art for those models that need them as well; lots of new world materials are being experimented with as well, from tiles to bricks to signs (the latter in particular will hopefully see many new additions).

There's still a lot that needs to be done though, so again if anybody's interested in helping out (ideally with models) then hit me up on Discord or with a private message here.

 

[Aquadango]

This looks good.

 

[Werewolf]

I'm seeing those Police boxes, and I imagine quite a few of the blue ones might be added as easter eggs

 

[Mattie]

I'm seeing those Police boxes, and I imagine quite a few of the blue ones might be added as easter eggs

Undoubtedly - you're definitely not the first person who's predicted that usage for them (although personally I hope they'll see a bit of normalisation, recontextualised as a common part of the urban landscape of 60s Britain rather than exclusively as Doctor Who references).

 

[Infomaniac]

Now I'm really excited.

 

[Mattie]

If anyone here's interested in helping out with the pack, I've made a survey to try and collect a bit of information about what the mapping community would want out of it - give it a go: https://goo.gl/forms/nAGkMNFT4kMHeuMI3

 

[Infomaniac]

I forgot to mention in the survey that I wanted to see some references to other cities, like Nottingham, Norwich, or Greenwich.

 

[Mattie]

I forgot to mention in the survey that I wanted to see some references to other cities, like Nottingham, Norwich, or Greenwich.

I've set responses to be editable even when submitted, so you can go back and add those to the question about pre-existing locations if you wish. (Though technically Greenwich is a part of London, not its own city )

 

[Cynder loves Portal]

looking good

 

[Pocket]

I hella appreciate that you're doing this. Not nearly enough urban environments in the asset drawer yet, and judging by the WIP posts you're quite the talented modeler. Given the amount of progress you've made already, I might recommend just posting a pack of what you have so far with the plan to update it down the line, rather than hold out until you have absolutely everything. Just in case you got tied up in other obligations and never came back to it. That happens surprisingly often.