Rocket Ravine

PL Rocket Ravine b6

DannBo

L1: Registered
May 9, 2010
27
13
This is a redesign of my old tf2 map which was called pl_canyon, set in a large ravine up in the mountains. This new and improved version of the map is entitled, "Rocket Ravine."

After abandoning work on the map around 2010 to focus working on my L4D2 campaign, Day Break, I've decided to come back and redesign it to begin balancing it for 24-32 player servers and accommodate all the new weapons since the release of the old version of the map.

BLU's objective is to deliver the payload to RED's HQ on the other side of the ravine and blow up RED's rocket before it launches. There are a total of five control points, including the launch pad. Each control point captured earn's BLU team 1 point and delays the rocket launch by a few minutes.

This is technically the 9th beta counting all the old versions of pl_canyon, but since its essentially a new map now I think it would be good to start over with beta testing since I've changed quite a bit with it.
 
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ades

L4: Comfortable Member
Jun 27, 2014
165
58
woo thats nice hope to see it in a gameday some time
 

puxorb

L69: Emoticon
aa
Dec 15, 2013
531
798
This looks pretty cool! The detailing and theme are interesting too.
 

Kube

Not the correct way to make lasagna
aa
Aug 31, 2014
1,342
1,849
Erm... Not to be a bother, but there's already an official map called "Ravine," so...

I'll just leave you to yourself.
 

Kube

Not the correct way to make lasagna
aa
Aug 31, 2014
1,342
1,849
Except this isn't "Ravine", this is "Rocket Ravine"

Bob: What server should I join?
Von Durswich: The one playing Ravine.
Bob: Joined.
Von Durswich: Where are you? I don't see you on the player list.
Bob: Oh, did you mean Ravine-ravine? I'm on Rocket Ravine.

I rest my case.
 

DannBo

L1: Registered
May 9, 2010
27
13
I could have called it Rocket Canyon I suppose but it didn't roll off the tongue as nicely. But yes I realize there is an arena map just called "ravine" but I'm hoping the fact that this is payload + the difference in title will be enough to distinguish it. Oh well. Perhaps I'll change the name again in the future, but it's rocket ravine for now :)

FYI: as indicated on the download page my contact email is dannboeing@gmail.com and This is my steam profile, so feel free to contact me if you want to beta test, as I'd like to be involved with that. My chief concern for this first beta is functionality, as there are a lot of elements that I cannot test for on my own, and so I want to make sure that populating the map with 24-32 players doesn't result in any unforeseen edict overflows, frame drops, etc. Assuming everything is working, I'll be making layout/balance changes based on beta testing, so constructive feedback + comments on what does/doesn't work well would be much appreciated. Cosmetic changes will likely come later.
 

Bunbun

aa
May 18, 2014
401
782
I could have called it Rocket Canyon I suppose but it didn't roll off the tongue as nicely. But yes I realize there is an arena map just called "ravine" but I'm hoping the fact that this is payload + the difference in title will be enough to distinguish it. Oh well. Perhaps I'll change the name again in the future, but it's rocket ravine for now :)

FYI: as indicated on the download page my contact email is dannboeing@gmail.com and This is my steam profile, so feel free to contact me if you want to beta test, as I'd like to be involved with that. My chief concern for this first beta is functionality, as there are a lot of elements that I cannot test for on my own, and so I want to make sure that populating the map with 24-32 players doesn't result in any unforeseen edict overflows, frame drops, etc. Assuming everything is working, I'll be making layout/balance changes based on beta testing, so constructive feedback + comments on what does/doesn't work well would be much appreciated. Cosmetic changes will likely come later.

You can get your map tested on the TF2MAPS.nets servers by submitting your map here : http://forums.tf2maps.net/forumdisplay.php?f=35.

P.s I recommend you to start from alpha next time you create a map, beta seems to be a big wild jump here.
 

Muddy

Muddy
aa
Sep 5, 2014
2,574
4,592
Bob: What server should I join?
Von Durswich: The one playing Ravine.
Bob: Joined.
Von Durswich: Where are you? I don't see you on the player list.
Bob: Oh, did you mean Ravine-ravine? I'm on Rocket Ravine.

I rest my case.
Just bear in mind that "Ravine" is a commonly-used word in the English dictionary, not something specific to TF2. It's not like this map is called "Rocket DeGroot Keep".
 
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DannBo

L1: Registered
May 9, 2010
27
13
You can get your map tested on the TF2MAPS.nets servers by submitting your map here : http://forums.tf2maps.net/forumdisplay.php?f=35.

P.s I recommend you to start from alpha next time you create a map, beta seems to be a big wild jump here.

Thanks for the info, and like I said this isn't entirely new and the design changes from pl_canyon are based on previous beta alpha tests. Perhaps it would have been better just to redo the layout with tool textures but I reused a lot of portions and elements from the old verison. While it may look fairly detailed I only used a handful of textures for this build and the brushwork is still pretty blocky for most of the buildings and can easily be changed.
 
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Crash

func_nerd
aa
Mar 1, 2010
3,315
5,499
2015-04-04_00-13-27.jpg


Just a heads up, your entity count is way over the recommended limit. Your map will definitely crash full servers. You want to keep that below 1400.

Type in report_entities into the console to see where it's hitting you the worst. From a quick glance, it looks like you have quite a few dynamic props as well as spotlights/ sprites.
 

DannBo

L1: Registered
May 9, 2010
27
13
Thanks for the info crash, I think I know what entities I can remove, I'll see if I can update it tomorrow. I was concerned the edicts might be a problem but I wasn't sure how many extra edicts get used up when 24-32 players are introduced.

One of the reasons for the spotlights was that I was having trouble getting the lighting right, and I was probably going about it the wrong way. Is there any way to get ceilings to be less jarringly pitch black without the use of spotlights directed towards them? Is it an ambient light level issue? I like the map having dark darks, but it would be nice if the interiors could be lit a bit better.
 
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Dec 28, 2014
330
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Bob: What server should I join?
Von Durswich: The one playing Ravine.
Bob: Joined.
Von Durswich: Where are you? I don't see you on the player list.
Bob: Oh, did you mean Ravine-ravine? I'm on Rocket Ravine.

I rest my case.

There are plenty of TF2 maps with similar names, like Badwater and Snakewater. Or Badlands and Badwater.

Plus several maps are made for multiple gamemodes and they have the same name.

TF2 maps having similar names isn't really a big deal.
 

UrbanX

L1: Registered
Dec 10, 2012
5
1
One of the reasons for the spotlights was that I was having trouble getting the lighting right, and I was probably going about it the wrong way. Is there any way to get ceilings to be less jarringly pitch black without the use of spotlights directed towards them? Is it an ambient light level issue? I like the map having dark darks, but it would be nice if the interiors could be lit a bit better.
Sounds like a leak. I've never had black ceilings in lit rooms in any other case. If a leak exists, vrad doesn't do bounced light.
 
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killohurtz

Distinction in Applied Carving
aa
Feb 22, 2014
1,016
1,277
Thanks for the info crash, I think I know what entities I can remove, I'll see if I can update it tomorrow. I was concerned the edicts might be a problem but I wasn't sure how many extra edicts get used up when 24-32 players are introduced.

One of the reasons for the spotlights was that I was having trouble getting the lighting right, and I was probably going about it the wrong way. Is there any way to get ceilings to be less jarringly pitch black without the use of spotlights directed towards them? Is it an ambient light level issue? I like the map having dark darks, but it would be nice if the interiors could be lit a bit better.

This isn't a leak issue, it's just bounce lighting. This article does a good job of explaining how to adjust this by editing the .vmts of your floor textures. Alternatively, you can add softer "light" entities alongside your "light_spot" entities so that some light is cast at the ceiling.
 
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DannBo

L1: Registered
May 9, 2010
27
13
This isn't a leak issue, it's just bounce lighting. This article does a good job of explaining how to adjust this by editing the .vmts of your floor textures. Alternatively, you can add softer "light" entities alongside your "light_spot" entities so that some light is cast at the ceiling.

Using light entities was how I made up for it in the past. Thanks for the info. I think the wood textures don't bounce light as much as the others do, leading to a lot softer lighting; I hadn't thought of that. I'll look into changing the floor vmts and see if that helps.
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
Another way to ensure more light bouncing is to compile with the -final option on. Anyone who's tried to compile a 2fort edit and looked at the ceiling in the spawn rooms knows what a difference it can make.
 

UrbanX

L1: Registered
Dec 10, 2012
5
1
This isn't a leak issue, it's just bounce lighting. This article does a good job of explaining how to adjust this by editing the .vmts of your floor textures. Alternatively, you can add softer "light" entities alongside your "light_spot" entities so that some light is cast at the ceiling.

I know its bounced lighting. I was just saying I've never seen anything that could cause it other than a leak. This one is new to me.
 

DannBo

L1: Registered
May 9, 2010
27
13
This isn't a leak issue, it's just bounce lighting. This article does a good job of explaining how to adjust this by editing the .vmts of your floor textures. Alternatively, you can add softer "light" entities alongside your "light_spot" entities so that some light is cast at the ceiling.

Ok, just tried this and that completely solved my lighting problem and so I was able to delete a good several hundred edict-consuming entities. Thanks! I'll get this compiled and release another beta version that shouldn't have an edict overflow problem.