TheDarkerSideofYourShadow
L10: Glamorous Member
- Apr 12, 2008
- 792
- 286
Just looked the the new props_forest stuff, and I've got to go clean my pants. So much of that stuff would be perfect for the way I envision detailing my map :-D
pipeline, sawmill and nucleus discussion
- Thread starter laghlagh
- Start date
- Apr 19, 2009
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:facepalm
Waif
L7: Fancy Member
- Mar 22, 2009
- 412
- 125
Pipeline:
fairly fun, average looks (part from the uphill section, that looks pretty nice), much to open however.
Nucleus
Looks really nice, however its arena and I hate arena
. don't really like the gameplay IMO.
Sawmill
Havent played it yet, however it sounds pretty good.
Hoodoo
Good gameplay, however feels a bit unpolished IMO (being to linear and not visually stunning). Valve shoulds gone with halfacre out of Youmes options.
fairly fun, average looks (part from the uphill section, that looks pretty nice), much to open however.
Nucleus
Looks really nice, however its arena and I hate arena
. don't really like the gameplay IMO.Sawmill
Havent played it yet, however it sounds pretty good.
Hoodoo
Good gameplay, however feels a bit unpolished IMO (being to linear and not visually stunning). Valve shoulds gone with halfacre out of Youmes options.
argh... pipeline is a nightmare... Its pretty much a battle of who has the better snipers (all 7 of them in my case) and the stages are all tiny, but that seems necessary (if you think about it moving spawns wouldn't work... )
- Apr 19, 2009
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The saw is already in my map and is working like a charm.
no means nomad
L1: Registered
- Dec 23, 2008
- 33
- 11
Nucleus feels kind of boring to me. Mostly because it's an arena map but the structure feels like it never pans out. Snipers can pick people off because there's a lot of exposed space, but almost all combat is very close quarters, catering heavily to pyros and soldiers.
Oddly enough, sniper sight lines are also a big issue for me in Pipeline. Which has an absurd amount of nooks and crannies that serve primarily for snipers to set up shop in. It feels more like a disjointed Day of Defeat map than a TF2 map. The map is fun though, for now at least.
I don't really understand Pipelines progressive stages though. It'd be like winning 2fort and moving to a completely unrelated section but Red team's intel is five yards further back than Blu's. It seems silly, and with static teams for such a long period of time it can be a really unenjoyable experience if one of the teams is getting rolled over stage after stage.
Sawmill is amazing though. There's loads of environmental variety, from the rooftop scaling to the lakes to the mill itself, and the size feels just right. Centerpiece is dynamic, funny, and memorable. You can't ask for much more from an arena map.
Oddly enough, sniper sight lines are also a big issue for me in Pipeline. Which has an absurd amount of nooks and crannies that serve primarily for snipers to set up shop in. It feels more like a disjointed Day of Defeat map than a TF2 map. The map is fun though, for now at least.
I don't really understand Pipelines progressive stages though. It'd be like winning 2fort and moving to a completely unrelated section but Red team's intel is five yards further back than Blu's. It seems silly, and with static teams for such a long period of time it can be a really unenjoyable experience if one of the teams is getting rolled over stage after stage.
Sawmill is amazing though. There's loads of environmental variety, from the rooftop scaling to the lakes to the mill itself, and the size feels just right. Centerpiece is dynamic, funny, and memorable. You can't ask for much more from an arena map.
piginawig
L1: Registered
- Apr 13, 2009
- 7
- 2
Pipeline:
Pipeline is a interesting map. It is fun, but some areas are way to open, and are a snipers paradise. Maybe that's just because of all the snipers from the update. There are some problems with it, such as one of the spawn room doors has the motor hanging from air, and some areas are not player clipped. The game type has a lot of potential. People that want to attack can attack, and engineers can sit back and defend.
Nucleus:
I only played this map once but it has a good central point.
Sawmill:
This map is visually stunning. It introduced a lot of new things to TF2 such as rain, water effects and waterfalls. I played it for a while, and it has a fairly good layout. However, the spawns are visually boring, and are spawn protected from the enemy team.
The new maps bring a lot of new things to TF2. Pipeline brings a new game mode and play style, while Sawmill brings new visuals.
Pipeline is a interesting map. It is fun, but some areas are way to open, and are a snipers paradise. Maybe that's just because of all the snipers from the update. There are some problems with it, such as one of the spawn room doors has the motor hanging from air, and some areas are not player clipped. The game type has a lot of potential. People that want to attack can attack, and engineers can sit back and defend.
Nucleus:
I only played this map once but it has a good central point.
Sawmill:
This map is visually stunning. It introduced a lot of new things to TF2 such as rain, water effects and waterfalls. I played it for a while, and it has a fairly good layout. However, the spawns are visually boring, and are spawn protected from the enemy team.
The new maps bring a lot of new things to TF2. Pipeline brings a new game mode and play style, while Sawmill brings new visuals.
StoneFrog
L6: Sharp Member
- May 28, 2008
- 395
- 81
I'm in love with the new Valve maps more for the new aesthetic opportunities for fanmade maps, and less for the maps themselves.
I don't care much for nucleus. It's a fun little romp, but it's a bit sparsely decorated, even for a secret spy base. Pipeline is fun, but it can be a bit disorienting at first. Again, sparsely decorated. I'm happy that we have an official night map in TF2 now, though. I have a fetish for night maps in FPS games.
Sawmill is simply breathtaking. Period. Interestingly enough, the ends of the map (where the teams spawn) remind me of the concept art they posted up on the blog for the alpine environment shortly before/after the Heavy update. Coincidence?
Either way, here's to waterfalls, sawblades, cloudy skies, rain, and a night skybox whose moon isn't blockier than a Commodore 64 game.
I don't care much for nucleus. It's a fun little romp, but it's a bit sparsely decorated, even for a secret spy base. Pipeline is fun, but it can be a bit disorienting at first. Again, sparsely decorated. I'm happy that we have an official night map in TF2 now, though. I have a fetish for night maps in FPS games.
Sawmill is simply breathtaking. Period. Interestingly enough, the ends of the map (where the teams spawn) remind me of the concept art they posted up on the blog for the alpine environment shortly before/after the Heavy update. Coincidence?
Either way, here's to waterfalls, sawblades, cloudy skies, rain, and a night skybox whose moon isn't blockier than a Commodore 64 game.
BagOfChips
L5: Dapper Member
- Feb 7, 2009
- 227
- 17
nucleous and sawmill look and play awesome.
pipeline is fun but sloppy
pipeline is fun but sloppy
cornontheCoD
L420: High Member
- Mar 25, 2008
- 437
- 70
All 3 of the maps look awesome, with Pipeline being the least amazing out of the 3.
Pipeline: I don't have the sniper problem that other people do. I don't see it as a sniper-fest, I like this map, and it is fun. The stages are all a lot smaller than I expected, almost like an arena version of payload. I guess the stages have to be small, though, or else the game mode wouldn't work. Biggest problems: Round 2 can stalemate easily, and no timer means stalemates last a Looooong time. Also, lame explosion.
Edit: some things I forgot to mention:
The map is not only small gameplay-wise, but it feels small, too. There is not much of a "sprawling" 3D skybox to make the level feel bigger than it actually is. Also, what is with the map being named pipeline? It has nothing to do with a pipeline, as far as I can tell.
Sawmill: I hate arena, so I only played it to look at it. Looks amazing, never expected water ripples from the rain.
Nucleus: Looks awesome, nice use of the old art assets. I love how the cap opens up, but again: arena map.
Hoodoo. Fun map, but for some reason I was thinking it was halfacre. Congrats anyway, Youme
One last thing. Anyone have any idea what the deal was with Pipeline? Was the whole delay thing just for balancing? Was it only to change it to night? The stages are small, why did it take so long? I wanna know.
Pipeline: I don't have the sniper problem that other people do. I don't see it as a sniper-fest, I like this map, and it is fun. The stages are all a lot smaller than I expected, almost like an arena version of payload. I guess the stages have to be small, though, or else the game mode wouldn't work. Biggest problems: Round 2 can stalemate easily, and no timer means stalemates last a Looooong time. Also, lame explosion.
Edit: some things I forgot to mention:
The map is not only small gameplay-wise, but it feels small, too. There is not much of a "sprawling" 3D skybox to make the level feel bigger than it actually is. Also, what is with the map being named pipeline? It has nothing to do with a pipeline, as far as I can tell.
Sawmill: I hate arena, so I only played it to look at it. Looks amazing, never expected water ripples from the rain.
Nucleus: Looks awesome, nice use of the old art assets. I love how the cap opens up, but again: arena map.
Hoodoo. Fun map, but for some reason I was thinking it was halfacre. Congrats anyway, Youme
One last thing. Anyone have any idea what the deal was with Pipeline? Was the whole delay thing just for balancing? Was it only to change it to night? The stages are small, why did it take so long? I wanna know.
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Ezekel
L11: Posh Member
- Dec 16, 2008
- 818
- 245
general:
is it me, or has the old night sky dissappeared since the update?
oddly, it seems that the default noise for func_doors opening/closing has been changed... although this hasn't effected any previously compiled maps, i've found my arena map's doors now all sound like the sawmill saw.
pipeline:
pipeline looks like a sniper vs spy map, with every other class just present to serve as targets for the two.
there seems little point to the 1st 2 stages, as either way you end up at the end.
it feels like valve made this map to say "mappers look at this shiny new toy you can make stuff out of". however the entity setup is too convoluted if you ask me.
the bombs don't explode anything. and for that matter, the particle fire doesn't even line up with where the bombs end up. (i'm guessing they just got the names switched around accidently). very dissappointed with this, i mean after the explosions we've seen on gold/badwater, and since then explosions like on borax and vipersden. i just expected something more.
the name... yet again valve's releaseda map whose name barely fits at all. i expected something like the cart tracks in the last stage to both have big pipelines underneath them on the way up, or something else iconic enough to earn the name. the only thing i can really identify that might fit the name is the new gate model in the 1st stage.
sawmill:
what can i say that hasn't when it comes to how this map looks. it's an asthetical dream.
the biggest downside for me though was that the saws were spinning models, rather than the old sawblade, parented to a (fixed) func_rotate. - that was my biggest desire about this update.
the soundscapes are brill too, although, it wouldn't have been too hard to add some triggered env_sprites so that there was lightning effects in the skybox to accompany the thunder.
particularly like the particle effects added on this map, like the water dripping off the corners of the buildings, and of course the waterfall spray.
the rain is great, but if you look straight up, sometimes the sheets dissappear, or go flat/2d.
other than the func_rotate thing, the biggest thing about this map for me is that as it's an arena it's small, and you also have little time to admire the details. would like to have seen a new multistage cp from valve, in the same style. (cos frankly i'm sick of dustbowl)
nucleus:
rather dissappointed at the lack of new models for the spy tech theme. the pipes aroun the pit looked promising, but they're all one large model rotated around 6 times.
the new textures however are pretty cool (particularly the metal one with the lighting along the middle).
the doomsday device still looks like a giant yoyo to me, but i'm not putting it down, cos i like it.
is it me, or has the old night sky dissappeared since the update?
oddly, it seems that the default noise for func_doors opening/closing has been changed... although this hasn't effected any previously compiled maps, i've found my arena map's doors now all sound like the sawmill saw.
pipeline:
pipeline looks like a sniper vs spy map, with every other class just present to serve as targets for the two.
there seems little point to the 1st 2 stages, as either way you end up at the end.
it feels like valve made this map to say "mappers look at this shiny new toy you can make stuff out of". however the entity setup is too convoluted if you ask me.
the bombs don't explode anything. and for that matter, the particle fire doesn't even line up with where the bombs end up. (i'm guessing they just got the names switched around accidently). very dissappointed with this, i mean after the explosions we've seen on gold/badwater, and since then explosions like on borax and vipersden. i just expected something more.
the name... yet again valve's releaseda map whose name barely fits at all. i expected something like the cart tracks in the last stage to both have big pipelines underneath them on the way up, or something else iconic enough to earn the name. the only thing i can really identify that might fit the name is the new gate model in the 1st stage.
sawmill:
what can i say that hasn't when it comes to how this map looks. it's an asthetical dream.
the biggest downside for me though was that the saws were spinning models, rather than the old sawblade, parented to a (fixed) func_rotate. - that was my biggest desire about this update.
the soundscapes are brill too, although, it wouldn't have been too hard to add some triggered env_sprites so that there was lightning effects in the skybox to accompany the thunder.
particularly like the particle effects added on this map, like the water dripping off the corners of the buildings, and of course the waterfall spray.
the rain is great, but if you look straight up, sometimes the sheets dissappear, or go flat/2d.
other than the func_rotate thing, the biggest thing about this map for me is that as it's an arena it's small, and you also have little time to admire the details. would like to have seen a new multistage cp from valve, in the same style. (cos frankly i'm sick of dustbowl)
nucleus:
rather dissappointed at the lack of new models for the spy tech theme. the pipes aroun the pit looked promising, but they're all one large model rotated around 6 times.
the new textures however are pretty cool (particularly the metal one with the lighting along the middle).
the doomsday device still looks like a giant yoyo to me, but i'm not putting it down, cos i like it.
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- Sep 12, 2008
- 1,272
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- Oct 19, 2008
- 1,067
- 1,150
They all look good.. but...
Part 1.: Nucleus!
:O
MungoKing
L3: Member
- Jul 12, 2008
- 148
- 47
I must have been playing on all the right servers for pipeline . Snipers and spies were never a problem for me while playing pyro, heavy, and demoman. It's really quite a fun map besides the painfully long choke point (with no flanks!!) at the 2nd (?) stage. Other than that I've had tons of fun. Sawmill has completely gotten me back into arena mode, which has seemed a little stale for the... well... last 6 months. I don't think I need to mention how fantastic the visuals are after everyone else Oh, and the complete awesomeness of rooftop combat wins me over. Nucleus is great for just about every class, but not quite as fun as Sawmill. I'm not sure why so many people have been having such sniper troubles on all the maps, but personally, I think all the maps are great, and this update would be the best yet if I could actually use the new weapons!
. Snipers and spies were never a problem for me while playing pyro, heavy, and demoman. It's really quite a fun map besides the painfully long choke point (with no flanks!!) at the 2nd (?) stage. Other than that I've had tons of fun. Sawmill has completely gotten me back into arena mode, which has seemed a little stale for the... well... last 6 months. I don't think I need to mention how fantastic the visuals are after everyone else Oh, and the complete awesomeness of rooftop combat wins me over. Nucleus is great for just about every class, but not quite as fun as Sawmill. I'm not sure why so many people have been having such sniper troubles on all the maps, but personally, I think all the maps are great, and this update would be the best yet if I could actually use the new weapons! 
Whats the problem in this image? I can't see anything wrong at all - http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/642432/nucleusbrushes.JPG
Psyphil
L3: Member
- Nov 6, 2007
- 125
- 60
Personally I think made the wrong choice releasing 2 arena maps and 2 (kinda) payload maps. One payload map A/D style was definetly needed yes but why concentrating on another gamemode? They've already got pl, cp, cp A/D, ctf, arena, tc and they would be better off concentrating on emphasizing e.g. ctf or tc. And 2 arena maps? One more would be a good call but 2 won't make more people play arena, only make people play less of the old arenas.
I think this update would be better off with Sawmill, hoodoo, 1 good ctf or tc and 1 cp (a/d or not). Or if they really had to create a new gamemode they should have done "tug-o-war"
On a side note, this doesn't mean I don't love Nucleus.
EDIT: Ya I can't see anything either Youme
I think this update would be better off with Sawmill, hoodoo, 1 good ctf or tc and 1 cp (a/d or not). Or if they really had to create a new gamemode they should have done "tug-o-war"
On a side note, this doesn't mean I don't love Nucleus.
EDIT: Ya I can't see anything either Youme
- Sep 12, 2008
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It's just a weird use of the cut tool (or carving) and displacements.