***Mapping contest 05 - Payload map***

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,158
6,079
It's sad, but I already own both of those. >_>
It was a choice of TF2 themed tee, surely you don't own ALL of them do you??

So are we allowed to submit the WIP of the map to the WIP part of the forums for advice before the due date? Or is this suppose to be more of an all-of-it-on-your-own kinda thing?
Already answered this, look here:

Are contest entries going to be able to request time on the playtest server before the deadline and before submitting?
Of course, kind of a no brainer. As far as I'm aware any map under testing can have air time on that server requested. And I'd certainly not want to accept any maps that haven't been play tested. Testing can be done anywhere, any time on any server so you can put it on FPSB for testing if you so wish.
Am I allowed to make a WIP thread for feedback?
of course

Since this contest has no subforum yet (I had nothing to do with those) I'm going to say keep WIP threads in the WIP section to keep everything neat and tidy.
 

MrAlBobo

L13: Stunning Member
Feb 20, 2008
1,059
219
and...if you add contest to the title of your wip thread people might actually take notice if you have yet to make a name for yourself ;)
 

Ida

deer
aa
Jan 6, 2008
2,289
1,372
Ohh, another contest! Of course I'll join this one too. I've been having lots of ideas in my head about single-stage PL map, so this will be great.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
Mort said:
I noticed the subforums have been added for each contest. Are we suppose to post WIP entry threads for the payload maps in this forum?

beetle said:
So are we allowed to submit the WIP of the map to the WIP part of the forums for advice before the due date? Or is this suppose to be more of an all-of-it-on-your-own kinda thing?

If you payed attention, Youme has already said that you can post your wip thread in the wip forums.

Edit: Woops.. didn't notice the seventh page >.> Now i'm not paying attention >.<
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,158
6,079
:laugh: two steps ahead of you grazr

Anyhoo, I'd just like to reiterate this since I've heard a lot of people say (perhaps jokingly) that they should give up already - Don't be a quitter
 

MrAlBobo

L13: Stunning Member
Feb 20, 2008
1,059
219
can't quit if you never try :p
But yeah...im not even going to bother with this, not only is it incredibly boring to map a gametype you hate...but the 2 maps I am working on have had no work on them for something like a month.
 

nossie

L3: Member
May 9, 2008
107
4
lolz bobo

ill try this as without the other 2 stages of the dustbowl type map i cant really finish mine... lol anyway i think ive got the layout done for the first point. mine is alpine then it will goin into a industrial base then maybe outside again im not sure but ill probably 3 points
 

Reeftrigger

L1: Registered
Aug 28, 2008
11
0
Ok bigger contest this time, a full map.

Rules:
  • Map must follow conventions laid out by valve (blue attacking red, safe respawn rooms, no ladders or other gimmicks)


  • So this is a general ban on ladders?
    My layout kinda needs ladders, but they aren't really a part of the gameplay at all, they're just to prevent idiots getting stuck somewhere...
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
Reeftrigger said:
My layout kinda needs ladders, but they aren't really a part of the gameplay at all, they're just to prevent idiots getting stuck somewhere...

That's what the clip brush's are for. Learn to use them and you'll go far.
 

Reeftrigger

L1: Registered
Aug 28, 2008
11
0
well its not really stuck... without revealing too much of my layout heres what it is theres sort of a pit thing in my map, thats not too deep, scouts should be able to double crouch jump out... but I need to put sort of an out of the way place to get back up, and a ramp or stairs would look wrong...
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,158
6,079
yeah, no ladders allowed, rework the area so that you can use something else instead.
 

MrAlBobo

L13: Stunning Member
Feb 20, 2008
1,059
219
well its not really stuck... without revealing too much of my layout heres what it is theres sort of a pit thing in my map, thats not too deep, scouts should be able to double crouch jump out... but I need to put sort of an out of the way place to get back up, and a ramp or stairs would look wrong...

a bunch of boxes stacked up should work

though...there is no reason why ladders should be restricted...sure they don't work well for gameplay, but thats just a reason people will not like the map, just let the results define the rules for the most part
never hurts to advise people what not to use...but limiting them seems redundant to customization
 

Dox

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Oct 26, 2007
588
62
I would pay 50 bucks to see the look on Youme's face if valve released a map with a ladder.
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,158
6,079
Why pay 50 bucks when you see it every day:
image.php

(my expression never changes) but if that 50 bucks is coming my way, :p

Since valve actually took out the ladder stuff from their TF2 mod I think its safe to say they didn't intend ladders to be used, which means its not a convetion valve use, which means its not something we want in this competition.

On a slightly related note, I've always found in situations like this that you do it then tell someone afterwards, rather than ask permission before doing it.
"Hey boss can I have some leave next week"...."no"
how it should be:
"Hey boss I've booked X appointment for next week, I'll be taking some leave so I can attend"....."oh.. uhhh, ok"
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
well its not really stuck... without revealing too much of my layout heres what it is theres sort of a pit thing in my map, thats not too deep, scouts should be able to double crouch jump out... but I need to put sort of an out of the way place to get back up, and a ramp or stairs would look wrong...

It's often been the case that the ultimate solution to such a situation is to simply redesign what you have. In the midpoint of Avanti for TFC the 2 entrances to the second area of the map, home to CP's 3 and 4, involved a ladder. I couldn't just "kill" an important section of the map by removing it all together (for the most part because this was a port, so i had to adapt), but a ramp would look wrong, so i tried to incorporate the soldier's and demoman's advantages in explosion jumping, into this part of the map. Such as on 2fort's battlements (basically removing the ladder altogether but adding arrows to allow players to realise this is still an important route to be taken advantage of). I would have to make do with this.

Eventually the spawn setup i had intended didn't work so for the most part there's no reason for anyone to enter this part of the map any more (other than to spawn camp, so i removed the arrows and left it). This section became a round spawn. Pretty much removing the need to accomodate it's significance at all (and not in a bad way). So really it became a redesign of the levels dynamics to increase gameplayability for TF2 from TFC.

If it wasn't a port and my own design, the easiest thing would have been to remove it all together when i first realised it was causing issues and remake that part of the map.

If the pit is that big a simple plank of wood would probably do for an escape route. If you can't adapt, redesign. It's never a bad thing to revise what you have.

In my contest map i have a cave with a pit in it and a catwalk in a horse shoe shape around the egde of the cave. But the rooms design was flawed. More than one sentry would likely lock it down completely. So i lengthened the room. This extended the other 2 portions of my map (which i havn't created yet, and i will have to accomodate this change in. Though it shouldn't be problematic). But it was an important revision to a room i thought would have been cool. It will play completely differently, but hopefully better. I didn't remove it in my case, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider that alternative yourself, especially if it poses that much of a problem.

Sorry it was long winded. I also probably basically reiterated what Youme said, but i tried to be more informative about your idea's being flexible. Don't try to force what you came up with from the drawing board.
 
Last edited:

Reeftrigger

L1: Registered
Aug 28, 2008
11
0
thanks for the advice, I redid my idea and now the area uses ramps, achived by grouping together the area into a larger depression removing the need for a vertical solution.(before there was not enough space...)
 

Snipergen

L13: Stunning Member
Nov 16, 2007
1,051
150
There won't be ladders in TF2, there simply aren't animations for it, and since TF2 is very animation intensive it would be stupid to see them slide up ladders as in counterstrike.
 

laghlagh

L6: Sharp Member
Jul 15, 2008
389
53
well its not really stuck... without revealing too much of my layout heres what it is theres sort of a pit thing in my map, thats not too deep, scouts should be able to double crouch jump out... but I need to put sort of an out of the way place to get back up, and a ramp or stairs would look wrong...

Do you catch my drift?
 

Inqwel

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 2, 2008
308
59
I'm already having complications in the map. Since the final point is usually the cherry on top when it comes to these maps, I decided to work with the explosion first. Following Valve's guides on payload maps, I can't even move the cart without the map constantly crashing.