KotH steelmill b3

[Zan (rx8)]

steelmill - A rainy, semi-abandoned facility inspired by sawmill

Hello everyone, my name's Zan and this is my first mapping project!

Steelmill is a King Of The Hill map inspired from Sawmill. I really liked the rain and the general feel that it had to it and felt like there weren't enough maps like that.
So when i booted up hammer for the first time, following UEAKCrash tutorials to build the very basics elements, i knew what i wanted my first proper map to be like.

Layout wise i tried to follow "the Viaduct formula", while taking influences from other maps that i like playing.

Feedback on both the "artstyle" and the layout/gameplay aspects is much appreciated!
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[ZeSpice]

Versions is not only about detailing. Alphas is always time for testing and majority changes in layouts. And if this map never tested before, that map is better be alpha. Because this is very frustrating to make changes in layout when map is much detailed.
And again, watch this:

EDIT:
Ooooh, and yes. Layout looks interesting. =) But testing, this is what maps always need.

 

[Zan (rx8)]

Alright, i'll make a quick update and fix the name. Looking forward to submitting it to a gameday and see how it performs live.

 

[Zan (rx8)]

Stepped back to _a1 from _b1.

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[Zan (rx8)]

Minor tweaks in anticipation of it's first playtest.
Improved spawn rooms lighting and textures.
Also swapped some dev textures.
Floors and ceilings are now dev_measuregeneric01b (16hU greygrid), previously dev_measurewall01d (128hU greygrid).

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[Erk]

Hey. As I was playing this I noticed that the ramp to the elevated flank position made a strained metal noise as I was climbing this. I think this might be solved by using a player clip on top of it.

 

[Zan (rx8)]

Hey. As I was playing this I noticed that the ramp to the elevated flank position made a strained metal noise as I was climbing this. I think this might be solved by using a player clip on top of it.

Yep, i got that off the checklist. The first playtest got some nice feedback, and version _a2 should be up by tomorrow with the tweaks people suggested. I'm still not sure about ammo and health placement/sizes, but that's what playtests are for afterall.

 

[JKTwice]

Whens the next playtest?

 

[Zan (rx8)]

Full changelog:

1) Tweaked ammo and health pickups placement/size:

• Changed the small ammo pack next to the point to full.
• Changed the full ammo pack in the mid computer room (above the point) to medium.
• Added medium health and ammo to the 1st floor of the central building on either side.
• Added overlays beneath all pickups to signal the pickup respawn point.

2) The pointless dead end is now properly signaled and fenced off.

3) Improved general clipping.

4) The "noisy ramps" that lead to the mid computer room have been silenced.

5) New textures :

• Textured both spawn rooms (not defenitive)
• Textured the exterior of the mid computer room (also added some props on its roof)

Hopefully i didin't forget anything!


About future playetests:

Until i can get the map accepted in a gameday with a proper schedule, i'm limited to impromptu tests, so i'm sorry but i can't give you any accurate info. All i can say is that the impromptu list currently has 11 maps ahead of this, so you can get an idea.



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[Zan (rx8)]

*Hopefully* _a3 will be the final alpha stage for this map.
Layout seems pretty solid and i can't think of any major changes that need to be done.

Here's the changelog for version _a3:

1) Improved general clipping. There were way too many small clip brushes addition that writing a full list would be pointless. I mainly adjusted clippings on the decorative wooden frames and props sticking out from buildings.

2) Added ledges to windows to facilitate jumpers.

3) Tweaked the control point borders to closer match the capture zone.

4) The mid computer room and the spawn rooms now have some more detail.

Also, i will be updating the screenshots to match with this version.

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[Zan (rx8)]

Reduced file size from 7.5MB to 3Mb.

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[Zan (rx8)]

Gameplay has been proved solid, so i started with major detailing out of the map and decded to step up to beta.

Changelog for version _b1

1) Improved general clipping.

2) Applied the nodraw texture to a lot of not visible brush faces.

3) Removed the barrels and the cage next to the ramp outside spawn.
I am not happy with that building and I'm currently lacking better ideas, but it has never been a problem gameplay-wise.

4) Widened the doorways in the rooms to BLU's right (and RED's left).

5) Further detailing.

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[Zan (rx8)]

As usual, more detailing but most importantly, i decided to directly connect the computer room to the point.

Changelog for version _b2

1) Improved railings' behaviour

• They are now non-solid and their volume is occuped by a playerclip brush. (It gives the "illusion" of them being solid to players but you can shoot through them as if they weren't there)

2) Added a ramp that connects the control point to the computer room.
Also adjusted health/ammo pickups in the area:

• Removed the medium ammo pack on the point.
• Increased the medium ammo pack in the computer room to full.
• Reduced the full health pack in the computer room to medium.

3) Added more arrows to point players towards the control point


I took a break from mapping and tf2 in general for the past week because i felt like i was getting burnt out. Uptades should come out more regularly from now on.

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[Zan (rx8)]

There is not much here... The last playtest was right as the imp died so the demo i got out of it was a 4v4 match that slowly died.

I detailed the left area (from BLU's prospective) and added smooth logs on BLU side to get back up. RED still has to jump on crates.
Hopefully during the next playtest i will be able to choose wich method to use on both sides.

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