RedShip

RedShip rc3

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
Testing session live tonight! (Nov. 18)

Come join the fun:
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24/7 server running RedShip:
216.246.108.66:27015 5EGC.com|REDSHIP!|500FPS|HLSTATSX
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MQ
 

The_Ulf

L6: Sharp Member
May 26, 2009
399
115
The Ulf: dunno if you actually played the map, but like I mentioned in the changelog, I TF2-ized each every texture of this map. Now, this is a space ship themed map, you just won't find your usual wood plank and metal sheet textures, I'm sure you know that! :)

Not quite there yet, I'm afraid (assuming the video and screens are current). There areas that are using exclusively Valve textures are looking great, don't get me wrong - but you still have far too much, what to call it, granulation? in your custom textures. The level of detail is too high, or not muted enough, in your exterior sheet metal textures and whatever those lofty, geometric dark blocks are in the fourth screen amidst the awesome red lobby.

Additionally, TF2-ized style means TF2-ized props as well as textures. In the second screen, look at how those cone-vent-things in the foreground and background and the big ventilation system prop on the right stand out against the textures of the invasion ship and the piston-arm props. Compare the two big crates in the background of screenshot three to the smaller one in front of them. Also in the third screenshot, that track-end stopper is particularly mystifying to me, because I know there is an explicitly-made-for-TF2 equivalent copy of it, made by Valve, in the prop set. :facepalm:

You've made an unquestionably epic map, here, but it stands more as a mod of TF2 than a map for it.
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
I haven't had much comments about the custom textures since their TF2-ization.
About the models neither, but I agree, they're HL2 models and I would be more than happy if someone was willing to model replacement models for them.

MQ
 

Jamini

L4: Comfortable Member
Nov 14, 2008
196
47
Some bugs

Well, I've updated my server's version of the map and done a some other maintainance things with it. Currently things are looking great, however there are still a few comments that I see regularly when we play your map.

1. The run from BLU spawn, despite the people-throwers, is still exceedingly long. To the point where a good RED team can prevent BLU from ever even seeing the inside of the ship. While on average RED will win the first area nearly all the time unless totally outclassed.
2. The automatic teleporters in the first area are very easy to destroy, despite not
3. Some FPS lag on top of the ship above the command center.
4. The side vent into the cargo bay is totally useless.
5. The map forces the server to change to the next map in the rotation if the first stage is completed. Honestly I've never seen this behavior before and I doubt it is intended. (for testing purposes, I've tested this while alone on my server with mp_timelimit set to 240)

One method I suggest for solving the first two issues is fairly straightforward (although it'll probably require a lot of work) - Move the BLU spawn ship to the cargo-bay side of the RED ship. This will cut initial the run in half, and give BLU a much higher chance of successfully attacking. Additionally, this would change the static teleporters into a flanking route for RED, one that would require effort on BLU's part to disable.

For 3, I honestly think blocking LOS on the glass there would be the best option.

For 4, widening that area out so a player is not forced to crawl, and moving the exit in the ship back (towards the bow) behind the wall would change it from a slow, redundant route to the spammiest point in the whole map, into a nice flanking route for both teams.

For 5, I have no clue.
 

Uriak

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Apr 27, 2008
543
70
I've just looked at the video, and I can't help but notice the amount of wok on this map. I just can't imagine how an objective themed map would play in tf2, but I'm quite curious. I may try to have a playtest of it, but regular tf2 players are not very attracted by new gamemodes (and on a general basis, custom maps in general)

Well, if Jamini 5th point is real, it will be difficult to have a playtest.
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
Beta 16 is out!

The freezing bug while loading (directx 8 users only) has been resolved!
A texture used by the map got removed from the database by valve. Now everybody can enjoy RedShip. It is now 100% safe to put the map back in rotation.

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Jamini: awesome feedback man, awesome:

1- I've had this sort of feedback from a few people. The thing is, the map looks huge, while it's not any bigger than any other TF2 payload map. If you could count the time it takes from the BLU ship, to the front of the REDSHIP, you'd see it's as long a walk as when you're BLU on stage 3 Goldrush. The idea here is to have engies build teleporters.
If you use the throwing vents, it pushes you even further so the walk is cut by a good 5 seconds.

2- By design. So that the exiting of the RED team can be momentarily stopped and the game can progress for BLU. On a server full of people that know the map very well... this phase can take up to 3 minutes.

3- This issue is one I've worked on and optimized, but can still be improved. There are other spots on the map where the fps will drop too. I'll see if I got some time to fix that.

4- I agree that not many people know it exists and why it's there. But after 10 minutes of trying to get inside the ship, sending a heavy and a demo along with 2 medics on these vents will allow you to break a good defense setup. :) I've had it exactly like you suggest before, but testing concluded that a single uber behind the enemy line was devastating to the point where RED wouldn't guard the door, and just retreat and wait at the vent.

5- First time I hear of that. Local and online tests have proven to be ok until today. I'd have to see the server settings to see what could interfere with the map's settings.


Uriak: I know, story of every mappers life. :)

Citizen Snips: :)

Sorry for the huge delay, I was very very busy.

MQ
 
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MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
Beta 17 is out!!!

The biggest RedShip release to date!

Lots of changes/fixes/new stuff!! Check the OP for all the details and new screens!

MQ
 

Citizen Snips

L3: Member
Apr 8, 2010
118
16
I like the new implementations, but when my server tried running it, it crashed the server. Don't know if it's due to the map or the server.

Also it's kinda big, isn't it? I know it's a big map, but if I recall the previous version was almost half of this one's size.
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
I like your comment, Citizen Snips.
The map never changed in size really, apart from some widened corridors or rooms.
But a lot has been done to make the walk towards the objectives much easier and faster.
The map isn't any bigger than Goldrush, or Dustbowl, but I think it's the perception of it being a mother ship that makes people thinks it's that big. In that sense, my goal is achieved. :)

About the crash, well, I didn't get any email or crash report so far, and I've played on about a dozen servers for hours without a problem.

Server crashes? Happens all the time.

MQ
 

Citizen Snips

L3: Member
Apr 8, 2010
118
16
Hmm, well, it worked when I ran it on my own computer. Maybe he uploaded it to the server weird.

Though by the map being bigger, I meant filesize. The last version was about 50 MB, and this one's around 80.
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
Yeah I never crashed neither when testing on my own computer.
Bigger in file size, yeah, that's what HDR does. It nearly doubles it. I should've known you were talking about file size. :)
Beta 18 is pretty solid, it has everything I ever wanted in the map.
And from what I've seen, it's pretty balanced whether you play 5 on 5, or 16 on 16. It gets better if most people know the map, like on every map. That's why you gotta give the map a few rounds to get to know it.

Thought the Core is easier to defend when above 10 vs 10, especially if the defending team has 2 or more engies. But an Uber and it's history.

MQ
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
Finally, it's here.. release candidate 1!

A little bit of back story:

2209 - Planet Earth is now the host of well over 100 billion human beings. She is suffocating. 75 years after the creation of the first permanent spaceship, we are still looking for another home... not made of aluminum, titanium and australium. While some spaceships are populated by people happy to be living away from planet Earth, most of the ships are used for alternative resources or inhabitable planet search missions. Scientists, environmentalists, politicians and even law enforcement agencies have their own ship and work together towards the same goal: finding Earth 2.0.

The Biosphere Legislation Unit (BLU) have been monitoring the activities of environmentalists for the last 25 years. By respecting their cause and making sure nothing is done to harm the very planets activists protect and by supporting them on the political front, they've assured a climate of cooperation and respect between both parties for the well being of rare or near-instinct resources found on some potentially inhabitable planets. Recently, a group of suspicious activists calling themselves the Recycling-Environment-Development group (RED) have been reported to be secretly harvesting rare ressources found on those planets, and this, under false pretences.

They claim that their observation and information collecting activities help in documenting and in the preservation of rare resources, which is true. We now know that RED's supposedly secondary cause, the search for new inhabitable planets, is in fact their main objective. It has cost them a lot and have put them in a difficult financial position but it seems RED won't stop at anything to reach their goal. They are suspected of utilizing the very rare resources they claim to protect as an efficient alternative fuel for their outdated spaceship technology. The reward for finding a new home would be gigantic and bring a lot of money, new state-of-the-art spaceships and fame. Details about their true whereabouts are documented inside RedShip's computers. BLU has been ordered to seize RedShip and find the truth about RED's illegal use of this galaxy's valuable resources.



====== Changelog release candidate 1 (rc1) ======

- Red spawn: added a floor trap that allows access to the engine room in addition to the stairs.
- Extra time is now given for capping a point.
- Less respawn time for BLU during stage 2.
- Lowered RedShip teleporters powerboxes (objectives) so that they are easier to see and destroy with melee weapons.
- It's now impossible to destroy objectives by prematurely going in the next room. They won't take damage anymore until they are the active objectives.
- Core protective bars: removed weapon projectile collisions. Players can stand on the protective bars, but projectiles will go through them.
- RedShip: made the lower side vents easier to enter in from the outside.
- Added visual attractor for RedShip vents outside. It's now easy to tell where they are and that they exist.
- Fixed a bug where low-gravity would remain if stage 1 was space, and stage 2 wasn't.

Put it on your server and tell me what you think!

MQ
 

Fredrik

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 15, 2009
376
219
I'm going to be honest.
I've never like this map because the theme doesn't tf2 at all.
The gamemode is confusing. And the Sentry cart is OP.
Cool that someone makes something realy original anyways.
And I still have to say good job cus it's, even if I don't like it. :D
 

Mr.Blob

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Jun 12, 2009
573
249
I don't think the game mode fits tf2 very well. For example destroying teleporters and such. - It all seems very strange.
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
I understand you guys, I don't really like badlands and sawmill, but everybody wants to play them all the time. You can't make a map that'll please everyone. It's just sad that it's usually people that don't like stuff that post comments! :) Good thing I know the map is now running on many servers (including Korean servers... even with StarCraft 2, they find the time to play TF2! Impossible!).

Constructive feedback is essential and help improve the map. So thanks for you comments, they're welcome, like always.

I'll take the same example I always use to compare RedShip: cp_steel. People say it's big, confusing (you don't advance in a straight line), the last point can be capped too easily, and once D is capped, it's almost impossible for RED to win. Things that I know people say because they don't know the map very well. I play on a server with people that know it by heart, and cp_steel is one of the best TF2 maps and is perfectly balanced. There's a reason why valve picked it up.

Now, I'm not saying RedShip is perfect. It's confusing to newcomers, you've got objectives to destroy ON TOP OF playing the game like usually. The 3 carts are also confusing because it's new and the general opinion about the map is that it's too big and the layout is confusing. I hear the sentry being OP often too.

Here are a few facts that will answer some of your questions and clarify things a bit:

- The map feels big, but it's not. In fact it's one of the smallest payload map for TF2. It has only one part.
- The flow of the map always is straightforward: you go the front end of RedShip, then make your way inside back the other way.
- The walking time from the BLU spawn to your next objectives is generally shorter than on any payload map. If you use the exaust vents and enter RedShip using the vents too, you cut that time even more.
- The sentry cart is very powerful... when it's not sapped or out of bullets which happens A LOT when you play with people who know the map. Most of the matches I played with the sentry cart had it functional and supplied with ammo about only 40% of the time. It was always sapped, or scouts usually use 1 or 2 bonks to empty it and unless an engy is brave enough to make it to the cart, it stays that way and is useless to the BLU team. Again, sometimes it takes a suicidal run (or medic supported) to wrench it or homewrecker hit it and it's back up, but it's hard the further you advance in the map. IT IS going to beat a normal level 3 sentry. That's why engies need to think about where they put their sentries.
- The map is very symetrical. It has small symetrical differences inside, but from the outside it's extremely symetrical and therefore easier to figure out.

- And finally: it's a map that is more and more appreciated when played with other players (duh) and the more you play it, the more you know it, the more you like it.

I know we live in instant satisfaction times, get this now, be good right away, but just like most good things in life, RedShip is best appreciated when consumed patiently while taking the time to enjoy the moment.

On that, I hope it'll convince those who haven't played the map too much to give it a shot again then come back and tell me what they think.

See you in-game, folks.

MQ
 
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