Maps used in TF2 Videos

[Lacry]

Introduction​

Today I felt like reviewing the maps that appear in TF2 official videos, cause why not. Now I’m not gonna talk about every single one of them, cause we would be here all day and most of them are not that interesting to talk about, to sum up I’ll just talk quickly about the “Meet the” videos and some other videos I find interesting. So let’s get started!

Meet the Scout
Map: Well + Granary (Edited)
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This one is a bit interesting, because it’s a mix of 2 maps; Well, and Granary. They even changed Well sky and lightning to fit Granary’s. Honestly this is one of the first videos I watched before playing the game so I was expecting that map to look like in the trailer. I think mixing both maps could work for an April Fools map.

Meet the Soldier
Map: Granary (Edited)​

There is not a lot to say about this one, probably the most interesting thing is that players are fighting in areas that are out of bounds, making the map look bigger than it is, probably for dramatic effect, I doubt they thought of making the map this open and big, although I’m pretty sure someone has edited the map to do this.

Meet the Pyro
Map: Custom​

The real world area seems to take some cues from Coal Town, as for the pyroland area, well is custom made for the video, although some of the shots are just 2D drawings with the characters in front of them. I like how the pyroland area looks and I’m glad that someone is making a map based on it.

Meet the Demoman
Map: Gravel Pit (Edited)​

This is easily the least interesting one of the bunch (aside from Meet the Sandvich, which I’m not covering here, sorry). There is not much to say except that for some reason RED is attacking and BLU is defending, not sure why they switched the roles, especially when the Demoman is a class better suited for defending.

Meet the Heavy
Map: Dustbowl (Edited)​

This one is included in the SFM files, so we can see that the whole video takes place in a modified version of Dustbowl. They did an entire warehouse out of bounds for the Heavy interview, which is more detailed than it looks in the video. Also they (probably) reuse this same map for the Meet the Sandvich (at the very least for the last scene).

Meet the Engineer
Map: Custom​

This one is very interesting, because it’s a custom map made for the video (even if it’s not much), but also because they made a custom skybox just for it, and a very cool one I must say. I also like how there is a bunch of intels on top of the vehicle, I kinda wish someone did a CTF with this setting and skybox.

Meet the Medic
Map: Badwater (Edited)​

The hospital area is completely new obviously, but the outside area is heavily edited Badwater, with a different skybox, and doesn’t seem to be a PL anymore, honestly looks more like a KOTH, which is funny cause in the leak there was a koth_badwater, and now I kinda wanna see that with the skybox used in the video.

Meet the Sniper
Map: Gold Rush (Edited)​

Just a simple Gold Rush edit, I find it funny, considering that Gold Rush is basically an edit of Dustbowl, so it’s like the edit of the edit. The most interesting part about the video is that desert road at the start of the video, which was custom made for the map, and you can find a pretty nice recreation of it in the SFM Workshop.

Meet the Spy
Map: 2Fort (Edited)​

It’s pretty much the same as 2Fort but more detailed, and I like how it looks, I wish they ported some of these custom assets to TF2 (at least we got the giant sign board in Doublecross). An interesting thing about the video is how they edited the area right before the intel room, with the spawn being an outside door, not sure why but looks cool.

Mac Update Trailer
Map: ???​

The map in this video is barely visible, which makes it very intriguing. It’s probably custom made for the video, but in case that it wasn’t I wonder which map it is. The only clue we have is the doorway where BLU stands, that doorway with those textures reminds me of Hydro. I would like to hear what people think about this one.

Mann vs. Machine
Map: Viaduct (Edited)​

This one has always bothered me, cause officially there are no snowy MvM maps, and yet the trailer is set in one. The map is a heavily edited version of Viaduct, and honestly looks kinda cool, I can’t think of many snowy maps with a blizzard. At one point I wanted to do a recreation of this map, but it seems like someone already took my idea.

Adult Swim Commercial
Map: ???​

This one is pretty much like the Mac Update Trailer, we barely see anything about the map, and I always wondered where it takes place. Again it could be a custom map made for the video, but actually this time feels more like an edited spawn, funny enough it reminds me again of Hydro. If someone has any clue please let me know.

Expiration Date
Map: Hydro (Edited)​

This is a bit unrelated but this is my favorite TF2 video, and takes place in Hydro, although most of the video takes place in custom areas. I’m happy that they found some use for the map, considering that it’s not very liked in game. Fun fact, this was the only remaining map from the game’s launch to appear in a video, glad it was in this one.

Steam Link
Map: Custom (same as the Meet the Engineer)​

This is a very weird one, mainly because the house layout doesn’t make any sense, the stairs don’t go anywhere but at least it looks cool, and seems like they did some custom assets for it (I like to think it’s RED’s vacation house). The map is actually reused from Meet the Engineer, which I think is neat, we get to see that skybox again.

Jungle Inferno
Map: Mercenary Park (Edited)​

The last TF2 video, very poetic considering it takes place in the last map by Valve, Mercenary Park. Of course because it’s a video there is more detail here and there, but there is not much to say overall. Although I’m still not sure how Saxton and Scout appeared from behind the giant letters, when the base is at the end of the map... strange.

Final Thoughts​

This is something I had in my mind for a while and I wanted to write my thoughts on it. I find interesting that for the most part they never reused the same map, in fact they did a good job at showing as many different maps and modes as possible.

A bit sad that they have stopped doing these videos, hopefully they make a new one someday...

Anyways, thanks for reading all this bunch of words together!

 

[Seacat08]

Nice post!

 

[Plainz]

i was expecting half life 2 crate to be mentioned...