New Map Concept

[ShadowMage]

I've decided instead of planning these epic, amazing, and completely different maps that I can't possibly hope to accomplish with any reasonable amount of time due to my unfamiliarity with Hammer, I've decided to work on smaller, simpler and generally easier to make CTF maps.
I had attempted to make one before, but everything was far too compact so I couldn't add the appropriate entities and spawn doors clipped into places they shouldn't have.
This is my second concept for a beginner map drawn in MS Paint.

I plan to call the map ctf_Silo due to the 3 Silos that will dominate the neutral area in the middle, and possible missile silos hidden within the base. The silos will prove cover and a upper means of travel for the scout.
A water-filled area will be below the main area and have a decent amount of walkable land down there too.
Any and all comments are welcome as I really haven't got much experience at this.

Here's a newer design for the area between the bases.

This should be easier to read than the paint-sketches I made. If you guys would like a different angle, I can do that. Tell me what you think.

 

[Ida]

That's all well and good, I'm just wondering exactly how this is a new concept.

As for your overviews...I think the area with the silos looks very open.

 

[Sgt Frag]

You're on the right track.

Alot of people get carried away with huge epic ideas, they are ususally the ones that dont ever finish anything.

The layout looks alright.

I think the biggest thing is to keep the map simple in layout and yours looks to fit the bill. Its all the details that make it seem more complex in game.

I probably wouldn't make the top of the silos accessable to scouts. You've gotta optimize. The higher you go with pathways the harder it's gonna be to do that. And since your middle area looks pretty wide open access to the tops of them would make it hard to optimize. Of course you can always add more little buildings around their bases to help down there.
I'd probably have small roof tops about 1/2 way up the silos be the max top area for players and use the silos to block views.

I usually start by throwing blocks/cylinders in hammer. Some floors/stairs or ramps so I can get everywhere. No details. No doorways...
Just big block shapes and go ingame and run around. (is the silo big enough, how long does it take to run from hewre to there...)
Get a good idea of the play space before ANY details. Move that stuff around, add/subtract blocks until you are at least 75% satisfied.

Then start making those blocks into buildings and stuff. But place the doorway objects and doors where needed before any detail so you don't paint yourself into a corner.

 

[Invictus]

It's kinda hard to read your layout. You might want to look at Inkscape or SketchUp, they're both free and they're both very good for drawing things.

ETA: You're planning on doing an asymmetrical map, right? That'll be tough to balance, but it'll be a lot of fun if you can work it out.

 

[ShadowMage]

It's kinda hard to read your layout. You might want to look at Inkscape or SketchUp, they're both free and they're both very good for drawing things.

ETA: You're planning on doing an asymmetrical map, right? That'll be tough to balance, but it'll be a lot of fun if you can work it out.

Yeah, I know it's kinda hard to read. I'm planning to do a more detailed sketch, probably with pencil and paper and then posting that up.
I'm not terribly fond of SktchUp. It's a nice program, but I wasn't to pleased when I tried to use it. It probably is a practice issue though. I'll check out Inkscape and see what I think of it.

It's not asymmetrical. The top is the middle area of the map, where you're not actually in the base. The bottom picture is the interior of the base from one side.

I did want to go with something semi-open though. One of the things I somewhat dislike about 2Fort is how little you have to move around in the middle, just either side of the bridge and the bridge itself. As opposed to that, I love Granary and how you can quickly move around, in the open area and flank around objects. I'd also like the map to me more focused on the middle area, which would hopefully prevent the constant stalemates of 2Fort, which is part of the reason I made it so large.

Finally, I've thought about putting a sort of circular rim around the center silo. This would allow Demos, soldiers, and scouts to get up there and fire down but without putting them TOO high.

 

[TriadAlfa]

I agree cause that is excatly what i am doing right now. It is fun to have huge plans but making them work need tons of work and balancing it might acquire massive changes later.

So instead if doing that now i also started working on a small scale map and trying to get some good flow on that.

First i was also on ctf but i think it is going to be a three point linear cp. Or then i make both using the same structure.

 

[ShadowMage]

What would be a good way to make the silos for the map? Is there one already in the game that I could use? Or would I have to create one from scratch?

 

[Pink_Panther]

What would be a good way to make the silos for the map? Is there one already in the game that I could use? Or would I have to create one from scratch?

easy enough to make one. its just a cylinder with a cone on top and some brush legs.

theres no real need to use a premade on simple objects. many will disagree with me on that point. But, as a mapper its much more rewarding to see the work you created (even if its not perfect) then just carbon copying someone elses. And, if you do it well, nobody will ever know the difference, which is even more rewarding.

 

[ShadowMage]

Yeah, I was thinking about that. But I don't really know how make a cylinder. I believe I tried once before but it messed up somehow. I always have quite the problem of with textures lining up properly, but yeah, it would be far more rewarding to make my own. That would even allow me a great deal of flexibility by allowing me to add stuff to the silo, such as an interior

 

[ShadowMage]

Is there some way I can start a mapping blog on this site, where I just track the progress of my map and people give feedback to me and such?

 

[ClydeJr]

While there are some of the more established mappers have blogs, I think your best bet would be to start a thread in the Work in Progress forum.

 

[ShadowMage]

Okay, yeah, That's something along the lines of what I was looking for. Thanks!