peak (working title)

[Loc_n_lol]

I think the (dev-textured) bases could be shorter. There wasn't really any fighting going on in there, since the winning team was all too happy to keep their advantageous position on the point and surrounding area (except for the occasional spy or scout), and basically, it just makes it longer for people to get into the action.

The point is very open, which is both good and bad depending what classes you favor. Not a pyro friendly map. Heavies are also very easy to kill. More cover around the point, and especially around the exits of the base would help, I think.

 

[Languid]

thanks to oakrag for uploading the demo, I had to drop out of the gameday suddenly.

I think its playing okay at the moment, so I'll try texturing it and getting some fine tuning with a few concepts on some servers I frequent. I think I might cut out the ramps directly onto the bridge, but I'll play with some ideas to help players spot sentries on the point before throwing themselves in.

 

[Prestige]

the point is too high and it basically has viaducts problems but amplified (due to it being higher). basically, it's too easy to sit on the point and spam. i also think there should be some more cover for those going up the huge ramps.

 

[Languid]

thanks for bumping it up prestige, I was just going to!

b2 will have:
+lightning strike in place (kill players/generally wrecking shit)
+left hand route broken up to block sightlines
+right hand route given more protection from spam
+roof and bridge level tweaked for balancing purposes
+warehouse detailing redone (dont like it at the moment)

post what you think should be added to this list.

also picture look at that:

 

[Peligrino]

Wow that last screen looks amazing.

 

[Languid]

lightning strikes are a lot of hassle, I'm not sure if I'll get them or not. Ending is more interesting now, and I'll probably take out the fade to black

warehouse redetailed quickly, spawns rejigged (we'll miss you spytech bit ), various gameplay changes like that big change on the side flank. I think I'll try and get some 6v6 testing organized since I did kinda say stuff about that when I first made the map.

I'm thinking of changing the name to lightning peak or something more to do with the theme

 

[tyler]

We've been playing this pretty consistently at The Lion's Den in its current form for a few days now. We all really like it, especially the fade to black. My original impression was that you were going to add lightning during the black to light it up, which would be neat, but I guess not? Anyway, I feel confident in saying there are about 40 players that want you to keep it. A few who didn't remember the name identified it as "the map that goes black at the end".

 

[Languid]

hey I updated my map maybe I should put it in a gameday some day. Optimization worries me at the moment but I'm way happier with how its playing:

 

[tyler]

whoa

what

but it was so good before!

 

[Languid]

it really wasnt!

At least I thought it wasn't, I do need to test these changes a bit more but I like them so far!

 

[waxpax]

Here are the demo and the mumble recording I mentioned earlier:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21561105/New Map PUGS/20110305-2303-koth_peaks_b3e.7z

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21561105/New Map PUGS/peaks discussion.ogg.7z

Got some screens of those spots where props aren't solid and the sticks bounce of that I mentioned to you as well:





You can hide stuff in this buried pipe, too:


This hides a mini sentry really well:


Stickies bounce of the logs at mid:



Edit: Fixed stv download link.

 

[Seba]

That first link is of mainline :v

 

[shdw.puppet]

I just played a lobby on this map and I have to say I like it far better than any of the other competitive koth maps out there (I am a viaduct hater)

First off, it is nice and big, plenty of room to move around, try new things, back up if you have to. Second, I like the variety of paths to mid. Something that does irk me is how bloody fast demomen can get to mid, but it isnt that big of a deal.

a couple major problems I had. One, the spawns (I was on blu team). I was playing demo and the /only/ member of my team to spawn on the left room. My medic was unable to buff me, causing me to get to mid either super late or super lit. It would be better if the medic could heal anyone from any position they would spawn in. I would recommend simplifying the spawn area to allow for this sort of thing to happen.

Second, the map is a huge scout power map, there are so many ways behind the enemy and picking a demoman before the rest of the team gets to mid is too easy. I dont really know how to fix that, not being a map maker myself, but it is something to think about.

Third, demoman cant sticky up logs. Huge problem.

Other than that, I hope to see this considered next seasons for competitive TF2, it is quite fun. I am going to play another as medic (my main) to see how it goes. More feedback incoming!

*edit*
the gimmicky stuff can go, the shaking and crap at the end of the rounds I can see making people crash/lag/stutter and the fade to black is irritating to say the least (I thought my computer had broken on me or something). Gimmicks are fine for pub play, but if you want it to be competition worthy, they should probably go.

 

[Languid]

Spawn problem should be fairly easy to fix just by moving the two blocks of spawns closer. I might try and jink it so in a 6v6 game players will always spawn in the left hand side of the spawn. As for the scout problem, I'm trying to fix that in the latest version at least when it comes to medic problems. I feel that the fact that demos can get to mid extremely fast is sort of counteracted by the fact that they'll be around 120~ health directly fighting the scouts with the fastest jumps.

As for the end round stuff, especially with the ESEA pug mod it just fucks up. It'll probably remain, but just as a nice atmospheric sound and effect in the sky. Fades to black just mess with spectators and STVs.

b4 out tomorrow hopefully with the above stuff and a few sightline and healthpack adjustments.

 

[shdw.puppet]

mmmkaay after two games, I still love this map, there are, however, in my opinion as a medic, a few problems that need to be sorted out for this map to be truly great.

First off, here is a pov demo of me playing medic on this map. I am not being entirely serious, so it may be hard to tell what are map flaws and me being stupid, but hopefully it should give you an idea. (sorry it starts halfway through, I forgot to record.) http://www.mediafire.com/?h9t0ir9zroqp5hf

http://i.imgur.com/UOotz.jpg

That is /way/ too dark, a scout hid in there and took a couple of us out before we could see him.

http://i.imgur.com/e5H03.jpg
This hallway is too narrow and spammy to make use of if you are attacking the point with enemies on it. Expanding it would help make it more useful, as would making the exit less easy to camp out from point.

http://i.imgur.com/tvstE.jpg
If the aforementioned hallway gets easier to use, then I, as a medic, would want a way into it. There is no better way to piss off one class than make it unable to get somewhere the rest of his team can.

http://imgur.com/9tsW9.jpg
This might just be a personal thing, but I thought that the 90 degree turn at the end of the long ramp to point is a little tight and prone to being spammed out. When first arriving to mid, it is fine, but after that, it is very difficult to take.

http://imgur.com/OQnr0.jpg
This particular spot is easy to camp if you are on the opposite team. In the demo, my team stuck a soldier and a demoman with caber there, to many luls and great effect. While funny in a semi casual setting, if I were picked there repeatedly in a real match, I would be reasonably upset. Seeing as that is also the easiest and otherwise safest path to point from spawn, that can be a problem.

http://imgur.com/0WpN6
Just a pic of the spawn, though in my match, I could heal the demoman, it was difficult and at the very edge of my heal range. Move the spawn points closer to each other and get rid of the half wall barrier. Spawn room does not need to be that big imo.

Great job mate, I loved how there were a lot of paths to take and how I, as medic and main caller, had room to improvise and strategize. Some problems include lack of ability to get away from kamikaze soldiers on point, but that is a relatively minor complaint that many other maps have as well. Probably one of my favorite newer maps to play on.

 

[Languid]

Thanks again, your suggest for the side tunnel is a very good one and barring any unforeseen problems I'll definitely implement. The only problem I can see is it being an advantageous point to shoot down onto the spawn exit, but I'm sure that can be balanced by making the ledge narrow.


The camp spot is a problem that I saw happening in the future, I'll need to be careful in any changes as I really need to avoid having spawn rendered from the main battlefield in any way.

Also very big thanks for the pov demo, they are without a doubt the best feedback a map hoping to be competitive can get.

Edit: the stickies bouncing off logs is a bug that will be fixed next version, I thought I dealt with the dark spot but I can see its still a little too dark.

 

[Walka!]

http://i.imgur.com/e5H03.jpg
From my experience playing it in the new map weekends pug group, it felt as though this hallway was fine as is because it offered a risk/reward by using it since most of the time a sniper would attempt to come out there and it offers a way to shut him down if he becomes a problem.
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http://i.imgur.com/tvstE.jpg
This also seems fine just based off of how it felt during gameplay, if you were able to access it via extending a platform over then it would allow a sniper far greater control over that side of the map since he would be able to go from sniping out of 1 doorway to the next without leaving the house.
-----
http://imgur.com/9tsW9.jpg
In my opinion this shouldn't be changed other then maybe a bit more cover because it offers a solid holding spot and a way to break line of sight from the point if needed. Because of the way mid is set up holding there offers benefit of cover and it allows the medic to heal his team from a somewhat safe place while still allowing the other team to put out enough spam to that area for a push onto the point.
----
*edit*
http://imgur.com/OQnr0.jpg
Pushing out from here wasn't a problem for either team, since if your stuck there its really not the maps fault.
----
http://i.imgur.com/UOotz.jpg
Not a huge deal either, leaving it dark or even slightly lighter would keep things interesting and its not hard to check by shooting the specified area.

 

[Walka!]

Also demoman getting to mid fast was also not a problem since both demomen have the same chance to make it to mid "early" and soldiers can also arrive at mid fast as well. It caused the midfights to not be really slow or really fast.

 

[waxpax]

Stv and mumble recordings from tonight:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21561105/New Map PUGS/peaks.7z

This door catches players:


You catch on the edges of this diagonal plank:


People want to get up on these logs:


There's a hole in the map here:


You get stuck on part of this, I think it's on both sides, by the logs on mid, attacker's side:


This slope catches/slows you, it's only on one side:

 

[ClandestinePz]

d

this door is too short. Just raise the section of wall above it so that the door fits the frame properly

If you are going to keep the top area on the other side as detail close it off with some chicken wire or something so people know not to jump there.

This hallway is a bit too narrow. Widen it a bit.

Get rid of this or make it way smaller if you want to keep it as a hiding spot

I like the way this map plays, but you need to make the flanking routes to the point more viable. The planks up the side and the shack roof are far to easy to lock down. It would also be nice if you could extend the log room building so that the balcony is a little bit closer to point. It seems like there is a bit too much useless space there. This map also needs more health in general and the small pack under the bridge should be replaced with a medium given the time/risk required to obtain it. Also you may want to lower the ceiling a bit, because you can jump ridiculously high .