TF2Maps.net Contest #8 - KoTH, Sponsored by STAR_
- Thread starter Fruity Snacks
- Start date
Deodorant
L6: Sharp Member
- Oct 31, 2011
- 263
- 214
I have a theme idea for a koth map that could end up looking pretty neat in the hands of a talented mapper. As I'm most definitely not entering this contest, I'm gonna leave it up for grabs if any one of you is feeling creatively starved:
koth_outage
It's set in a dense pine forest (alpine/swamp) at night, with heavy rain and thunder. The spawn rooms are rickety wooden sheds. The courtyards are muddy glades crossed by truck tracks. The central area of the map is a transformer station, which can be entered through torn down sections of the surrounding wire fence. Transformers and maintenance sheds provide an interesting map layout. Somewhere near the hill, a tree has fallen over some power lines and dragged them down, forming an insta-kill environmental hazard.
koth_outage
It's set in a dense pine forest (alpine/swamp) at night, with heavy rain and thunder. The spawn rooms are rickety wooden sheds. The courtyards are muddy glades crossed by truck tracks. The central area of the map is a transformer station, which can be entered through torn down sections of the surrounding wire fence. Transformers and maintenance sheds provide an interesting map layout. Somewhere near the hill, a tree has fallen over some power lines and dragged them down, forming an insta-kill environmental hazard.
If you're really interested PlayStuff have a highlander server+team and is willing to support us through this contest so perhaps that's your best bet. I'm hoping we can at least organise 1 TF2maps team so we can have equal influence/involvement in any such highlander PUG's.
Depending on STAR's UGC influence, we may be able to coax some "more" official highlander testing, but we've not had that much information on that side of things. Mostly it's about getting maps into the UGC and as with our comp-CTF contest, that doesn't necasserily mean comp alpha testing.
Mr. Happy
L6: Sharp Member
- Jul 16, 2008
- 320
- 158
Might enter this though I don't really know highlander. Always wanted to play highlander though.
Been planning on doing a KOTH map in a particular theme using particular art assets anyway, but still need to finish frostline and murky and rfhmp and re and do pp and apad...hmmm.
To everryone that says "but I just started a koth map!" (and I don't know which maps those are) throw it away or finish it later. If your only a week in just throw it away or finish it later it's not a big deal just do it if you want to. Or don't. I don't know!
Been planning on doing a KOTH map in a particular theme using particular art assets anyway, but still need to finish frostline and murky and rfhmp and re and do pp and apad...hmmm.
To everryone that says "but I just started a koth map!" (and I don't know which maps those are) throw it away or finish it later. If your only a week in just throw it away or finish it later it's not a big deal just do it if you want to. Or don't. I don't know!
Last edited:
I had to put cp_vanguard on hold to participate in the cp contest. putting cp_vanguard on hold to make cp_omen was the worst decision I ever made and I still regret it to this day. vanguard became a far better map than omen could ever be. all I want to say is contests are evil and will break your soul. ...eh, I mean, make sure it's worth it if you're going to put your map on hold for the contest.
Last edited:
- Mar 20, 2012
- 391
- 806
If it makes you feel better, I have a few pictures of cp_omen in my "inspirations" folder for this contest. I think it's a beautiful map aesthetically.
Although I do agree - Vanguard looks more interesting gameplay wise (which is, of course, more important).
fun fact: omen got the lowest aesthetic score.
I'm not sure if you're making fun of me or...
- Mar 20, 2012
- 391
- 806
Absolutely not. I guess my tastes are just untraditional. I really like how the BLU side looks.
EDIT: I should explain: I don't mean it's perfect aesthetically, but you have a few ideas going on that I think are really neat. The overshadowing cliffs and the massive BLU hydro-damn just give a sense of uniqueness. It's a theme that has not been attempted before. I wasn't there for that contest, but my best guess would be that you probably got snagged on some blandness, as the architecture and mood doesn't seem to change throughout the level. However, I quite enjoy a lot of the views that Omen offers.
Enough to make me re-think some of my own themes.
Last edited:
A lot of people feel obliged to enter a contest because the competition is nice and having a deadline can inspire you to create a more finished product than you might otherwise. Not to mention community involvement and "opportunity".
I agree though, sometimes it's best to pass on a contest and concentrate on more solid projects that have more potential. I also regret entering the Valve artpass contest, not just because i didn't win/get runners up but because i had other maps that needed polishing off and i basically wasted 4 months on a project i knew was too experimental for me (i was testing out the farm theme which i could have done in a 2 week detail experiment instead). The only good thing to come out of it was the fact Earkham kindly made some hay bales for me.
I think i might well do this. Two hours of experimenting with KOTH gave me zero good ideas, whilst ideas for remaking Jackal and Levee, a 5cp, and my 72hr cp-monstrosity are just dribbling out of my ears.
Mr. Happy
L6: Sharp Member
- Jul 16, 2008
- 320
- 158
I love contests because of deadline, motivation, constraints, structure, exposure. Prizes are nice too, but really, it's a great opportunity for exposure and practice and to make something in a structured way.
So you spent time on vanguard, then made omen, and then spent more time on vanguard and finished it and it was better than omen? It sounds to me like you may have improved, or like each map you made was better than the last? Or maybe you spent more time on vanguard than on omen? Maybe working on omen improved your skills and helped vanguard become awesome?
All I'm saying is that a week isn't a very long time when you think about 52 weeks in a year and TF2 has been out for years.
So you spent time on vanguard, then made omen, and then spent more time on vanguard and finished it and it was better than omen? It sounds to me like you may have improved, or like each map you made was better than the last? Or maybe you spent more time on vanguard than on omen? Maybe working on omen improved your skills and helped vanguard become awesome?
All I'm saying is that a week isn't a very long time when you think about 52 weeks in a year and TF2 has been out for years.
not really, all my development time on omen was me struggling to not recreate vanguard. all that time I wanted to work on vanguard but couldn't. It's kinda sad.
btw, just want to take the time to thank STAR for sponsoring the contest. it's really nice of him to not only sponsor the contest, but also promote the mapping scene.
Godslayer57
aa
- Sep 1, 2009
- 573
- 323
Well I guess it is about time a contest fits in with my two months of free time....