CP Muschio a8

[Micnax]

MAP HAS BEEN UPDATED AGAIN!

Alpha Cinque:
- Added two buildings to the second-to-last control point for each team.
- Forward spawns will now only activate once the second-to-last control point for the opposing team has been captured.
- Removed a number of back routes that weren't necessary, turning one into a route up to the secondary level around the second-to-last control point for each team.
- Removed railings from around second-to-last control point for each team.
- Turned railings into props, providing better optimization.
- Added skybox items, they're not hard to miss.
- Adjusted size of health packs from feedback in certain areas.
- Given forward spawns some decoration.
- Actually remember Pakrat this time and included an easter egg.

 

[Micnax]

MAP HAS BEEN UPDATED YET AGAIN! (Man, I need to slow down with these updates)

Alpha Sei:
- Added a new area to each side near the bridge for Snipers to have a nicer view of the bridge, and to allow Demomen/Soldiers/Scouts easier access onto the bridge roof, much like 2fort. Both areas come with an added health pack and ammo kit.
- Added a bridge inside the museum so you can walk around the upper floor without coming to a dead end.
- Added a nice little alcove for Medics to take cover down the main route, just to take some stress off their back.
- Lots more signs to help players around, especially pointing out secondary routes. Also changed the colours of them for each team so navigation to the next control point is easier.
- Added a grill down one of the waterways to block a sightline. Thanks Fubar.
- With the above change, I added another route out of the water on the left canal so players don't come to a dead end.
- Clipped the doors out of the museum, since people were catching on them.
- Adjusted skybox canals so they don't cross over the spawn rooms, creating a crazy effect when you stand at the back.
- Adjusted the lighting to a more angled setting.
- Made the museum's roof curved for a nicer look, and also added dust motes round the last cap point for a nice feel.
- RED has a bread shop open now, you should go see it sometime.
- I actually double checked over my Pakrat this time and actually packed everything, and I mean EVERYTHING

 

[Loc_n_lol]

Ok, so I like the added detail, and I like that theres more space to move around and less long corridors of doom. I like the huge towers in the skybox that tell you where the enemy base is.

I don't like:
-optimization issues. In some places (dogbread) it gets really bad, and it's not even mostly detailed yet.
-layout/flow is unintuitive. If it wasn't for the towers I'd have no idea where to go. I played previous ersions and still got lost. At some point it seemed that no matter where I went, I ended up back at my team's 2nd point. There needs to be clear huge 'signs' that point towards mid. In fact, every path should lead towards mid, no confusion this way.
-Signs are mostly confusing, 'control point this way', yeah I'm sure every path leads to a control point, but which one ?
-No forward spawn for capping mid (at least I don't think), this is a problem because the game tends to stalemate between the second caps. If capping mid opens a shortcut, it needs to be made clear, and the longer path should be blocked off or at least discouraged.
-forward spawn for 2nd cap could use a sign right out the door telling me which way to go. The towers help but I shouldn't have to look up in the sky to know where I'm going.

 

[Micnax]

Ok, so I like the added detail, and I like that theres more space to move around and less long corridors of doom. I like the huge towers in the skybox that tell you where the enemy base is.

I don't like:
-optimization issues. In some places (dogbread) it gets really bad, and it's not even mostly detailed yet.
-layout/flow is unintuitive. If it wasn't for the towers I'd have no idea where to go. I played previous ersions and still got lost. At some point it seemed that no matter where I went, I ended up back at my team's 2nd point. There needs to be clear huge 'signs' that point towards mid. In fact, every path should lead towards mid, no confusion this way.
-Signs are mostly confusing, 'control point this way', yeah I'm sure every path leads to a control point, but which one ?
-No forward spawn for capping mid (at least I don't think), this is a problem because the game tends to stalemate between the second caps. If capping mid opens a shortcut, it needs to be made clear, and the longer path should be blocked off or at least discouraged.
-forward spawn for 2nd cap could use a sign right out the door telling me which way to go. The towers help but I shouldn't have to look up in the sky to know where I'm going.

Fixed all of these for this release, thanks for the feedback!

Alpha Sette
- Redesigned the back areas of the level to be much more open rather than long corridors.
- Added another forward spawn after the Bridge has been captured in said back area for both teams.
- Added a radar dish as a landmark for each team's museum.
- Added custom HUD icons for each control point with their representing landmarks and text.
- Added a number of custom signs directing players towards these landmarks, which include both RED and BLU signs for the Tower and Museum, and also a neutral sign for the central Bridge.
- Did heavy optimization EVERYWHERE, including converting the main bridge and all the smaller bridges into models, plus fade distances on everything else.
- Added some more detail to some details, such as the Tower capture point with a new shop for each side, and also an area in the Museum below the capture point.

 

[Prop]

Very nice! Very nice, such a new style!

 

[Micnax]

MAP HAS BEEN UPDATED!

Alpha Otto
- Expanded a few areas and turned them into yards to get rid of corridor-like passages. One is a small market with health and ammo packs, while another has a fountain.
- Added another entrance/exit to the museum for each team on the upper level, hopefully to give teams a better variety of routes onto the point.

 

[English Mobster]

I ran around this map a bit in preparation for gameday.
It's great brushwork, really well-done in that regard, but Pyros will be saddened, methinks, by all the water routes. I understand it's supposed to be Italy, but if that water's low enough to put you out upon crouching (and it's EVERYWHERE), Pyro won't be able to net any kills from afterburn whatsoever. Not to mention any disguised Spies will just use the water route in case they get set on fire.
Perhaps the best solution would be to lower the water level some, enough to signal to players, "This will not put you out", with some deeper parts as well that will put you out. That way, Pyros can remain happy campers. No pun intended.

Also, there was a bit of water under the main cap that glitched and gave me a similar effect to looking at an unsealed bit of map (e.g. my HUD and viewmodel duplicated itself and painted my screen until I stopped looking at it). You might want to take a look at that.

 

[English Mobster]

One thing I noticed in my short time playing this on gameday was that the control points weren't always laid out in the most logical of ways.
Perhaps that's the wrong way of putting it, but I couldn't differentiate between the main route and the side routes. If you look at the Valve maps, you're always sure you were on the right route. But I'm wandering around your courtyards, not always sure where I was, trying to follow your signs the best I could.
Essentially, I think the issue is that it isn't always clear which would be the main path to eaach point. For example, trying to get to the middle point would instead get me to the point prior to last, while sometimes I manage to find a path that takes me to mid in no time flaat.
Perhaps I'm just crazy, but the map felt a bit twisty and, while your signs help, the layout still feels off.
I had an appointment to run off to, so I only got to play about 10 minutes, but that was my inital impression. My apologies for any spelling mistakes; I'm typing this from my phone.

 

[Omnomnick]

I like how you've gone the custom route with the control point icons and the text, but personally I think it's more confusing and difficult to find the correct control point in a hurry, especially for map newcomers. Yeah it worked for Day of Defeat, but this isn't DoD.

Usually with a number or letter you can instantly associate it with it's position in the map. My suggestion would be to scrap the text, then edit your signs and custom HUD to use the visual key (the image of the bridge for example) and a letter (A, B or C). This means you can show off your neat custom work while keeping players focused on the gameplay.

That's just my personal view from the play I had a few days back. Don't take it as red however.