KotH SharkBay RC2

[Billo]

In this version:

➤ Detailed most of the map ( Around 80%)
➤Added more clipping
➤Added more lighting
➤Extended a part of the ship up by 64 hammer units based on feedback.

Notes:
After 3 designs, 3 detail passes we are finally here!
You have no idea how excited and proud I am of this map and how much I improved. It blows my mind I did so much work and prepared this map for a beta release in a month. Previously It took me 8+ months to do the work I did this time around and I am honestly surprised.
I released this version earlier than I wanted. I was thinking to fully detail it first and then release it but I want to gather as much feedback as possible to improve the map for the workshop release.

Also sorry for being absent for the couple of months. Truth is after playtesting eruption over and over and getting negative feedback predominantly I was done with it. When you spend hours improving the map, and listening to feedback and you get comments like "I hate this map", "Nothing's changed" and stuff it really grows into you not gonna lie.
But I digress. I am back, I am excited to be working again and I cant wait to listen to your feedback and opinions. Enjoy the map.



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[Billo]

-Did what the title says lol-

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[Billo]

This update includes:

➤Detailed the Entire map ( expect the boat , waiting for a model )
➤Soundscapes
➤3D skybox
➤ Improved lighting
➤ Fixed some problems
➤ Changed a few stuff based on feedback such as the brick textures
➤ Changed the shark model to the agent gun one.
➤ More clipping all around.

Notes:

We are really close guys. The next update will be the workshop release and I cant wait. The map is done. Sorry for not including cubemaps in this one. They gave me quite a headache. I spent like 3-4 hours today trying to make them work with little success. I Will include them in the next update though. For now I really want to hear your opinion and feel free to share your feedback with me.




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[Yrr]

no shark pit?

 

[Wilson]

Shark pit or riot. (It also would make ten times more sense than built in aquariums inside industrial warehouses.)

 

[Billo]

At first I was going to make it, I even prepared the doors that open and close but after a few discussions I decided to keep them on the wall since most aquariums look like that:

 

[Wilson]

We know what aquariums look like, the issue is that they make no sense in the location they are in, even by TF2 standards, and are just a waste of cool detail idea. At very least the spawn rooms should be spytech to have the aquariums make some degree of sense.

 

[Yrr]

yea it looks super weird having an aquarium wall in a warehouse

 

[Billo]

Yeah I can improve it, and I will.

 

[Billo]

In this update:

➤ The boat is a model now created by Krazy
➤ Most props fade away after a distance in order to improve fps
➤More clipping and optimization
➤Changed the sky and fog colors to match better.
➤ Added cubemaps
➤ Made the skybox with the playable space look seamless
➤Removed the highground in the front of the ship because it opened new and powerful sightlines
➤ Other general fixes and Improvements

Notes:
WE DID IT BOOOOYS.
This is my first completed map. It's working properly and was made right this time!
I am honestly really excited and optimistic. But I am not forgeting everyone who helped me. I included you to the workshop but I will include you here too:

Special thanks to:

Krazy - For creating the ship model
Cig0073 - For creating the first sharkmodel.
Da Spud Lord - For providing me the func_croc logic for the shark jump attack
Yaki - For creating a "custom" water texture which solved the seamless skybox problem.
Toopliss - For feedback and help
DatGmann - For the agent gunn shark model



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[Billo]

In this update:

➤ The boat is a model now created by Krazy
➤ Most props fade away after a distance in order to improve fps
➤More clipping and optimization
➤Changed the sky and fog colors to match better.
➤ Added cubemaps
➤ Made the skybox with the playable space look seamless
➤Removed the highground in the front of the ship because it opened new and powerful sightlines
➤ Other general fixes and Improvements

Notes:
WE DID IT BOOOOYS.
This is my first completed map. It's working properly and was made right this time!
I am honestly really excited and optimistic. But I am not forgeting everyone who helped me. I included you to the workshop but I will include you here too:

Special thanks to:

Krazy - For creating the ship model
Cig0073 - For creating the first sharkmodel.
Da Spud Lord - For providing me the func_croc logic for the shark jump attack
Yaki - For creating a "custom" water texture which solved the seamless skybox problem.
Toopliss - For feedback and help
DatGmann - For the agent gunn shark model



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[Billo]

Today was the release of my first ever fully completed map.
Thank you guys for your help all these years couldn't have done it without you.
Also Thank you for sharing my excitment and happiness today. Really appreciate it.

 

[MegapiemanPHD]

What time is it? Feedback Time!!!


-The brushwork parts of the ship are really, really thick. It seems kind of odd what is and isn't brushwork with complex areas like the cabin being brushes opposed to more in depth detail that can be gotten from a model.

-More really thick brushwork for these bathrooms. Probably could use the 2fort sink in here instead of that blocky thing that's there now. Also the signage for it is just masive

-is this texture supposed to be like this on these crates? Seems kind of off. The big lakeside crate models might look better here than brushwork stuff anyway if they fit the same space

-the streached out hazard tape doesn't look great. Turn off texture lock so they tile better

-same hazard tape issue here. Also if this is supposed to be a sliding door then some kind of track on the top or bottom of it would help sell that idea better.

-There are cut up versions of the spawn door models in TF2 with one specifically being the rolling part that may work better here than this brushwork

-While I get the joke of the sniper and heavy in a boat, it feels out of place on a more finished map, especially since it's so easy to notice. Perhaps move them out of the way so it's less a feature of the harbor's vista and more of an easter egg people can find

-Thick steps

-really thick sign

-this corner feels kind of dark. Also perhaps the decker dock crane would look better than these brushwork cranes here

-while the red spawn building looks all nice and fancy, blu's is pretty basic and dull

-this sign feels out of place at a dock opposed to in a city

-more thick brushwork, maybe see what can be done with TF2's wall crane models

-The shark models look great elsewhere in the map but these shark hats as fish are kind of odd

-I really like this area but again, think out the brushwork so you can add more detail

-the aquariums are neat but they don't really fit the warehouse design of the spawn buildings. If it's supposed to be the spytech part of the spawn then it could use a better transition between the 2 themes

-what in the world is this thing supposed to be?

-it's kind of weird that this crane is holding up a plank that's attached to the same building that it is

-I really like the design of this building but the rest of the map's buildings don't really reach the same detail level

-perhaps some more angles on these tracks here so it looks less like basic brushwork

Last thing to add are the car horns. I get that you're using the mannhattan soundscapes for this map BUT that map was closer to a city and implied traffic than this map is. Having those car horns so close to mid makes me think there should be a road or something there for them to be coming from but there just isn't. They really sound out of place.

Anyway, that's all for now. Hope some of this helps

 

[Billo]

Damn thank you my dude.
Really appreciate the time you took to give me this much feedback. I will release an update in the upcoming days and I will try to cover as much as I can. As for that metal box you're wondering what it is,
It's a diving cage for sharks

 

[Billo]

This version includes:

➤ More detail on the ship. ( Added props , stains etc )

➤Fixed not being able to build on the boat.

➤ Changed some wooden textures to fit more

➤ Changed some things based on feedback such as removing the big city sign from each courtyard, getting rid of the fish etc
Special thanks to:
MegapiemanPHD
Defcon
Erk
For giving me tons of feedback on this version.

➤ Added more detail and easter eggs around the map

➤Replaced the Red's side garage detailing area with natural terrain so as for the area to make more sense.

➤Tweak the lighting in some areas.


Notes:

So far the reception of sharkbay has been really positive!
I have seen some youtubers like Big Joey and Aar feature the map in a video of their's and I couldn't be happier.
I prepared some changes and improvements to the map, Maybe after this I see myself potentially updating the map one more time and then I think I should be done.
Thank you again for your kind words and support. Really means a lot to me. I will never forget all those people who playtested the map with me all these years dancing and celebrating the release of the map on the tf2maps EU Server with me, I had such a good time.
Anyways that's about it, see ya




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[Billo]

In this version:

➤ Remade the spawn for both teams
➤Changed the Health and Ammo placements inside the warehouses
➤General fixes, clipping and changes based on feedback.

Notes:

From the last playtest I seen, people tend to use only the right route to get into the mid building flank. Someone pointed out that perhaps the problem is the spawn itself, since players press W and just move forward. So I tried to fix it somehow by reworking the spawn itself. I really need feedback from you guys to see if the changes I made with the packs and the spawn was a good step to the right direction.



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[Billo]

In this update:

➤Changed the shark cage textures
➤Made some changes based on feedback
➤Improved the fps
➤Replaced the brush crates on spawn with normal props
➤Replaced the rope with chains on the ship

Notes:

Guys thank you for the detailing feedback I appreciate it but the meaning on the b12 test update was to get feedback on the new spawn and health pack placements predominately. Judging from the playtest it worked fine but I am curious to hear your opinions.




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[Billo]

In this update:

➤Remade both spawns from the ground up
➤ Changed the spawns' position so as to make the players head to all directions a lot better and hopefully more players will get to the point this way.
➤ More detailing was added
➤ Clipping and fps improvements.
➤ Fixed an exploit where players could get out of the map.
➤ Added more sound effects
➤ General fixes and improvements based on feedback.

Notes:
Well this is it. I think the map is done. I am personally really happy with how the map turned out and I am very thankful for your help and feedback. Some youtubers even featured my map to their videos which makes it even more exciting for me.
I heard some really nice words from all of you and this has been a hell of a journey. It took me 5 years to learn how to make 1 map correctly but here I am.
Expect in the upcoming days me to release some sort of "history of sharkbay" where I would explain what I had in mind while developing the map, why I did what I did as well images supporting the whole thing. There are some things and designs that you never seen and I figured it would be interesting to say the least.



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[Billo]

In this version:

➤ Changed the layout of the warehouse interiors to direct the players to the point rather than the flank

➤Added a few new teleporter spots. If needed more will come

➤Done some changes based on feedback.

Notes:
Alright I knew I would update sharkbay once more, I cant really escape it can I?
Anyways, It looks like the spawn changes weren't enough, they helped dont get me wrong but the map needed something more. I came up with a new design which didnt require too many changes and it could solve the problem. I want to note a few things. I didnt fully detail the map with the new changes YET. I still have a few more things to do in the map based on your feedback. But I wanted to test those changes sooner rather than later so as to see if they will work on not. Hope It plays better.
Oh also, since I added a new doorway, it more-less have an impact to the fps. If that's the case let me know.



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[Billo]

in this update:

➤ Detailed the map a lot more
➤ Added more clipping around the map
➤ Changed a few things based on feedback
➤Added more easter eggs around the map. (one of which is a pickaxe and a miner's helmet which is a reference to Termine a video game my team and I recently released. You can find it on gamejolt and itchio)
➤Tweaked the lighting a bit

Notes:
I think I am done with this map, I did everything I wanted to do and I feels so good to finally finish something you have been working on for a while. Thank you guys for your feedback and help over the years. In the upcoming months I see myself remaking eruption from the ground up as well as finishing caribbean, I really want to finish that one soon, so keep an eye for those. Anyways enjoy the map.



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