Payload race questions

Cerious

L420: High Member
Aug 10, 2008
455
133
Why is there no how-to-play video? This is the only Valve-made map without one, and I was seriously confused by the lack of it.
 
May 23, 2009
205
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In what order do you gain new assets for a new theme, theres the lighting textures, new props, the skybox etc, how do you decide what you need and don't need?

In the version I decompiled I see some nodraw 'fins' along the track in stage three, they didn't decompile properly, what are they?
 

Penguin

Clinically Diagnosed with Small Mapper's Syndrome
aa
May 21, 2009
2,039
1,484
Can someone prefab off the components for making a PL Race?
 

pitto

L3: Member
Feb 17, 2009
109
73
What techniques did you use to balance the payload race stages (quite different to normal payload)? The flanking routes in the first two stages in particular are interesting

Where do you draw inspiration from? and if it is the concept artists then where do they get their inspiration?
 

ratclaw

L2: Junior Member
Feb 2, 2009
70
13
Why are there holes instead of windows in the starting door, yet you can't see around the corner to shoot anyone?

When in development was it decided that the carts shouldn't move back unless on a slope when unattended?

Did you intend for people to take cover behind to carts as the only way to prevent sniper spamming or is that coincidence?
 

Mr. Happy

L6: Sharp Member
Jul 16, 2008
320
158
1: What specific design challenges do you feel were most interesting, or were most challenging? Were there any a-ha! moments when a specific problem was unraveled? Knowing the answers, what question would you ask yourself?

Not sure how to make a good question out of this next one but,

2: You said before
"I pay particular attention to flow. I like to minimize the number of turns players have to make on their path through the level. The flow through a map should be as simplified and intuitive as it can be. Paths should only be as convoluted as they need to be for vis reasons, or deliberate path elongation for balance reasons.

Pipeline has a very straightforward path if you take the main route and run along the track, but to me the rest of it feels quite convoluted, and pretty confusing at first...goldrush and badwater didn't. In particular the upper areas of the second part are really twisty and it's not obvious there's a path up there at first in the way that the sides paths in other maps are obvious at first. Do you agree or disagree? If you agree why did this come about? If you disagree, can you comment?

3. Could you possibly share some of the earliest designs/concepts/screenshots/vmf/etc. for pipeline if they still exist? For any of the maps? It would be very interesting to really SEE the progression of your maps development.
 

Lord Ned

L420: High Member
Feb 11, 2008
421
174
Why does the cart get stuck at the start of the round if everyone is on it? The cart won't start moving forwards when the setup timer ends until someone steps off/steps back onto the cart.
 
Feb 14, 2008
1,051
931
Think about it. If the stage is that large, it wouldn't work (unless done in the style of stage 3 of pipeline). Both teams would push their carts easily until it got to the middle, and then it would stalemate forever.

I suppose, but forward spawns and CPs could solve that problem.

Who made the decision to change the theme from desert, seen in the Scout update, to night/industrial? Will we be seeing more night-themed maps in the future?

What's next, mapping-wise, for you now?
 

pitto

L3: Member
Feb 17, 2009
109
73
In the previous answers you mentioned that once you get to the detailing stage you usually have more than one person working on the map. What is your method for doing this?
e.g.
- split the map up into parts over separate files
- only one person may edit it at a time
- some kind of version control system such as SVN (subversion, since the vmf file is just a text file, and could be version controlled like program source code)

NOTE
Theoretically with SVN two people could edit the same map, and then when they commit the changes onto the server, the server would be able to examine the differences between the files and merge them so that all the changes are kept - although it may do some weird stuff if you both changed the same brush (I haven't really tested it) like it does with code

Also I'm interested in how Youme and Nineaxis have been doing this
 

Ezekel

L11: Posh Member
Dec 16, 2008
818
245
how long has pipline been "in the pipes" (if you'll excuse the pun).
what's the typical turnaround time for developing a new game mode, from both a design point of view and the actual implementation.

regarding the roll back effect - definetly a good idea, as it keeps the action intense at the end parts of the 1st two rounds, however, why is it that the rollback area doesn't go all the way to the capture point? in my opinion, if a team can get their bomb/cart up the rollback hills in these stages, they should be awarded with a victory.

setup time: although unnecessary in the 3d round. after the precedence has been set in the prior 2 rounds, it catches people off guard that there isn't one. even a 5 second setup time + roundstart siren would be enough.

finally: why was bomb start position decided on as the reward for winning previous rounds?
were there other ideas on the table? such as variable spawn times, or spawn door exits that only unlock for the winner of the previous round?
 
Last edited:
May 23, 2009
205
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Why do the new props use a fade to black effect? would simply giving them a normal texture not have worked just fine?
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
Great stuff keep em coming, We'll assemble a list of the best ones in a few days and re-write them a bit before sending them off to Dario.

I'm interested in stuff like how difficult it was to get the whole map roughly evenly lit with enough light to distinguish players but still make it look like the middle of the night.
 

drp

aa
Oct 25, 2007
2,273
2,628
what is the process of taking an idea for a new gametype from concept to test.

has the mapping community matched or exceeded your expectations. <-- not sure if appropriate.
 

HeaH

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Oct 2, 2008
553
102
Oh, and also
When you start mapping, do you do any planning on paper first or start with hammer right away and come up with the layout on the spot?

He doesn't make any planning ;) Read the last interview.

What he does is that he blocks the map out in grid 64