TF2Maps.net Major Contest #13: Asymmetry 2 - VOTING THREAD

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	xx	6
cp_extol_a5	xx	6
cp_fantasmud_b3	xx	4
cp_fieldworks_a2b	xx	6
cp_firewatch	xx	8
cp_hellwalkers_a1	xx	4
cp_highground_b7	xx	6
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	xx	4
cp_marinara_b0	xx	5
cp_villa_a8	xx	7
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	4
pl_borealis_a4a	xx	5
pl_dereggub_a4	xx	4
pl_divide_b1	xx	7
pl_ember_a6	xx	5
pl_enclosure_b5	xx	8
pl_erosion_a4	xx	6
pl_fracture_a6	xx	4
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	8
pl_redstone_a6	xx	3

I have changed all ''Fun'' Scores to xx till i play them.

 

Going to post some extended reviews of the map once gameplay is done, however feel free to ask for them in chat or something. Aesthetics votes are practically locked in for top 4

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	xx	4
cp_extol_a5	xx	8
cp_fantasmud_b3	xx	xx
cp_fieldworks_a2b	xx	4
cp_firewatch	xx	8
cp_hellwalkers_a1	xx	3
cp_highground_b7	5	7
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	3	1
cp_marinara_b0	xx	4
cp_villa_a8	xx	5
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	1
pl_borealis_a4a	6	1
pl_dereggub_a4	6	3
pl_divide_b1	4	7
pl_ember_a6	7	5
pl_enclosure_b5	7	9
pl_erosion_a4	6	4
pl_fracture_a6	xx	2
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	3
pl_redstone_a6	xx	0

 

I'll update it as I go through maps:

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	3	4
cp_extol_a5	6	9
cp_fantasmud_b3	xx	7
cp_fieldworks_a2b	5	5
cp_firewatch	xx	8
cp_hellwalkers_a1	2	2
cp_highground_b7	6	8
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	2	1
cp_marinara_b0	3	3
cp_villa_a8	5	6
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	1 (im getting missing textures on it for some reason)
pl_borealis_a4a	5	3
pl_dereggub_a4	5	4
pl_divide_b1	6	6
pl_ember_a6	3	4
pl_enclosure_b5	N/A	N/A
pl_erosion_a4	5	5
pl_fracture_a6	5	3
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	5
pl_redstone_a6	xx	3

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	xx	xx
cp_extol_a5	xx	xx
cp_fantasmud_b3	6	7
cp_fieldworks_a2b	xx	xx
cp_firewatch	4	8
cp_hellwalkers_a1	4	6
cp_highground_b7	xx	xx
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	xx	xx
cp_marinara_b0	xx	xx
cp_villa_a8	4	6
koth_shrine_asym_a8	5	3
pl_borealis_a4a	4	4
pl_dereggub_a4	xx	xx
pl_divide_b1	xx	xx
pl_ember_a6	xx	xx
pl_enclosure_b5	7	8
pl_erosion_a4	xx	xx
pl_fracture_a6	xx	xx
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	xx
pl_redstone_a6	xx	xx

Will update.

 

I haven't played every map yet, but I'm going to try to give my score for each one. Some existing scores might change later on as well. Apologies if this post ends up taking a lot of space, I'll try to format it later.

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics	Combined Score <xx/20>
cp_boondoggle_a7	3	3	6
cp_extol_a5	5	7	12
cp_fantasmud_b3	7	5	12
cp_fieldworks_a2b	8	5	13
cp_hellwalkers_a1	2	4	6
cp_highground_b7	xx	xx	xx
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	xx	xx	xx
cp_marinara_b0	xx	xx	xx
cp_villa_a8	xx	xx	xx
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	xx	xx
pl_borealis_a4a	xx	xx	xx
pl_dereggub_a4	5	4	9
pl_divide_b1	7	6	13
pl_ember_a6	xx	xx	xx
pl_enclosure_b5	5	7	12
pl_erosion_a4	7	5	12
pl_fracture_a6	xx	xx	xx
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	xx	xx
pl_redstone_a6	xx	xx	xx

Spoiler: Additional Comments

cp_boondoggle_a7:
Nearly every point on the map is similar or inspired by other maps - the most obvious example being this map's last, which is very derivative of cp_alloy. A point is also very similar to a map that ynders once made (which has since been deleted and I forgot the name.) Intentional or not, the point interestingly has the exact same problems the other map had. The hallways leading up to the last point are quite confusing and often chokey or spammy. Will need to play more. Some detailing was visible, but sparse.

cp_extol_a5:
The overall layout of the map seems to be very incomplete, as the first point is a placeholder and there is a lack of diverse or interesting routes. The map also has broken sounds, caused by a huge amount of ambient_generics. The sound issue is not layout related, but makes playing the map significantly more difficult. On the plus side, the map has high ceilings, which allows jump classes to continue their jumping. The lighting color is pretty bland overall, but does not detract from gameplay as a result.
The choice of the category "aesthetics" creates an interesting dilemma here. The map's detailing, except for its use of shadows at last and use of space, seems to get in the way of gameplay. There is an abundance of annoying railings and computer models that take up space. There is a shallow death pit which is fully lit and is filled with water, with no indication of it being a deathpit. The map itself looks pretty good, and I won't use these problems to count against the map's aesthetics, but I still think they are problems, and I would dock points if this catagory was named "detailing" or anything else more closely tied to how the aesthetics impact gameplay.

cp_fantasmud_b3:
The map makes good use of the limited number of ad_asteroid props. Blue's spawn looks pretty nice. Spawntime waves felt too long on both points. The last point was mostly a spambox, and the lobby leading up to it was overcomplicated. The majority of the map's sightlines are angled lines of sight through multiple doorframes, which I wasn't a fan of. There were multiple instances, especially on the platforms around point A, where small brush railings would inhibit the movement of the player, which was frustrating.
EDIT: After playing the map again, spawn times seem to be mostly fine. A point is very fun as spy or engineer. The lobby connecting A>B wasn't as problematic as I remembered, but I still think B point is pretty shallow. In particular, unlike on A, it's hard to figure out where red will position themselves at B - sentry spots are also not very obvious.

cp_fieldworks_a2b:
This map has very very nice brushwork. It isn't fully detailed, but managed to avoid coming off as samey due to the architecture on display. Each point had a distinct feel, which I appreciated. I think some areas were overscaled. Finding the connectors to each point was sometimes difficult.

cp_hellwalkers_a1:
To play this map well, you first have to open up the options menu. This map is so dark it's difficult to actually play - I turned up my brightness. Soundscapes are incredibly loud - I had to turn down my game sound. The layout itself is below average - there are awful sightlines into blue spawn, and the map is generally spammy and not too fun. Most of the alternate routes were useless or gimicky spy traps. The map's aesthetics capture the hell theme, however. I appreciated the wide use of displacements all through the map.

I wasn't able to play all of the maps because the server never played them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I've played a few of the final version maps in recent imps but I'll reserve adding the gameplay scores until I can be more sure about them all together. Hopefully I will find the time to get my notes together and get some more detailed feedback here in addition to the final scores.

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	5	3
cp_extol_a5	5	9
cp_fantasmud_b3	6	5
cp_fieldworks_a2b	7	6
cp_hellwalkers_a1	2	2
cp_highground_b7	7	8
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	3	2
cp_marinara_b0	4	2
cp_villa_a8	5	5
koth_shrine_asym_a8	2	0
pl_borealis_a4a	6	4
pl_dereggub_a4	6	4
pl_divide_b1	7	8
pl_ember_a6	5	5
pl_enclosure_b5	6	8
pl_erosion_a4	5	5
pl_fracture_a6	6	4
pl_quickflow_b1	5	6
pl_redstone_a6	2	1

Spoiler: Comments

cp_boondoggle:
Overall a pretty good attempt at an Alloy type map, the influence is very strong though and the final point in particular is very derivative of Alloy. I think something a little more unique would have made the map better overall. I found that in nearly every time I played the map, BLU either capped A or B and then rushed C for an early win, or it devolved into a slogging match with BLU taking A & B and struggling to capture C. The latter was more common. This was mostly due to the fairly tight entry points BLU had available, which were easily covered by either sentries or explosive classes. Also as a general map type issue, it was rather hard to co-ordinate pushes with fellow attackers whereas defenders could roam around and defeat BLU in dribs and drabs more often than not. I rarely saw B defended, A and C is where most people seemed to set up their defences when a round started.

cp_extol:
My favourite map aesthetically, I really like spytech overall and I feel this map really nailed it. None of the detailing felt distracting (though those railings everywhere didn't make much sense to me) and the lighting was consistently well done. Another thing I liked is that even though the map is all indoors, I never felt too cramped like certain indoor maps do... Won't talk much about A as I'm aware its pretty much been scrapped at this point - the biggest flaw in the contest version seemed to me that RED always really wanted to hold A when really they should have just fallen back and protected B when the critical mass of BLU on A reached its peak. This led to BLU capping A and then B in rapid succession before RED could respawn and get set up on the last point. Didn't always happen but it was often enough for it to be an issue. If RED managed to get ready on B to defend the gameplay felt pretty solid, however I kinda feel like the whole area was too linear with all the routes converging on the point area on the same height level. Don't really feel like the deathpit on that flank really achieved much other than irritate people who didn't realise it was one until they fell into it.

cp_fantasmud:
I like this map a fair bit, I think the asteroid textures were used to good effect given the rather limited detailing. Certain areas feel a bit lacking, I'm not a huge fan of the connections between A and B. They pretty much fall into the dull corridor type and I feel they could be varied a bit more to keep it interesting. I like the areas surrounding both A and B, though on the yard area before A there are some kinda significant sightlines that could be abused to good effect. An issue I noticed a few times is the defenders stacked up on the left/mid outdoors area (from BLU perspective) and left the right flank wide open. I don't know if this was just an issue with RED being lemmings and just following one another or that the right flank isn't signposted enough, but it was easy to flank behind RED and ruin their day without them suspecting anything...

cp_fieldworks:
A really solid map in my opinion - I thoroughly enjoyed the fights revolving around A, it was fun to defend and attack. There was a decent variety in height levels and routes available to both sides and there weren't any sentry spots that felt overpowered, all the good spots seemed to have a place to counter them from. B was pretty good, though not as much as A imo. Again there was a decent balance of routes and height, the biggest issue was that RED spawn was a bit too close to the point. The only really viable sentry spots were in the shack directly in front of RED spawn, and this led to some awkward situations as sentries would often go back up as fast as they were being destroyed. C is probably the point that needs the most work, BLU often had significant issues getting into the point area due to the limited routes available to attack from. One of the good flanks was easily locked down by a sentry that couldn't really be countered from anywhere else. I like the aesthetics going on around A, though I am not so sure about the solid coloured dev textures elsewhere. It was sometimes hard for me to work out where I was in relation to everything else, especially in the connectors between A & B.

cp_hellwalkers:
To be brutally honest, I can't stand playing on this map. Everything is dark, often too dark to tell teams apart from a distance without cranking up the brightness of my monitor. The layout is awkward, I had real trouble telling areas of the map apart, there aren't really any good landmarks - all the textures look the same, I don't feel the hell theme worked all that well for this map. Another issue is the routes from BLU spawn to A - You essentially had a choice of charging down a fairly long and narrow corridor and hoping for the best, or trying to repeatedly jump over a lava pit - not great options to be honest. Both routes essentially ended you up in the same place so RED didn't have to really move to kill you no matter which route you took. As a side effect of this I barely saw any of the other point(s?) other than running past as RED after spawning. The soundscape also gets rather irritating after a short while.

cp_highground:
This map sure came a long way since the first iteration! I like the gorge/alpine theme that is going on a lot, I think the balance of outdoor/indoor spaces is rather good too. In areas the lighting feels rather bright, I think it could be toned down for a better result overall. I must admit over the various iterations I felt A was the better point to try and defend, and I didn't really give the newer B much of a chance even though it looked like a better gameplay space than it used to be. Overall the playing areas felt varied enough with enough height differences to remain fun over multiple matches as both attacker and defender.

cp_laadeedaa:
Not much to say about the detailing as there isn't a whole lot of it, the lighting felt decent for the theme. I didn't like the gameplay much, it often felt too RED biased - there are multiple chokes in the map that are really awkward to assault through as an attacker. I did not like the water around B very much, I don't think it really added much to gameplay, this was compounded by the fact it was really difficult to see anyone in the water while above it due to its brightness. Last was especially hard to tackle as an attacker (not sure I ever saw it capped actually), you had 2 options to attack through and both were too narrow and easily covered by demos/sentries. I feel that BLU respawn needs to be tweaked as it takes far too long currently.

cp_marinara:
No detail as such to comment on really. Lighting was ok. The gameplay felt a bit awkward to be honest, on stage 1 attacking A is pretty fun, however taking B can be a real ball ache if RED are going for a forward hold. The flank on the left is a thin corridor that is held fairly easily by an enemy demo or pyro whereas to take the mid/right route BLU have to push through one smallish room, their entry to which is easily spammed by explosive classes and is also a massive sightline which can easily be abused by RED snipers near the point. Overall I feel the points are too close together, if BLU manages to roll A there is rarely enough defenders left to stop B being a free capture. Stage 2 was kinda broken in that BLU could leave spawn via a borked setup gate, the fights around A were pretty interesting though. The routes into B however were really messy, mostly due to those dumb doors. You can keep the doors closed pretty much permanently as RED if you stand in the triggers and force BLU to have to attack through the one route that doesn't have a dodgy door. I am not a fan of stage 3, the whole thing feels a too chokey overall and there isn't a whole lot of variation of routes either, the stage is just made up of fairly dull corridors.

cp_villa:
Fairly decent map, its a shame about the clipping being buggered. you can get into the BLU spawn as RED via a jumping class and get into other areas you probably shouldn't. Overall the map feels kinda confused and the map doesn't flow particularly well at all. Teams get fractured as nobody really knows where they are going and the map devolves into 1v1 or 2v2 fights all the time, rather than the team fights it should be! I like the beginnings of the theme going on, I'd be interested in seeing another map in the same style.

koth_shrine:
Not a great map to be honest, the gameplay spaces outside just feel like a load of props have been scattered around the place and the indoor spaces are too cramped for enjoyable fights. This is especially apparent in the point area, which is just a tiny room with 2 entrances in, not a fun place to fight in at all. There is very little height variation, and most of the map is boring and empty, devoid of any real routes other than left or right - sightlines are also a big issue in the garden area. I think the detailing has some potential, however the layout needs some significant changes for that to really be considered in my opinion. There are some broken textures on bridges/railings.

pl_borealis:
I rather like where this map is headed, the areas around the first point are really fun to fight around with some good gameplay spaces and height variation, however things start to go wry after that. In nearly every test I participated in, the 2nd point was held by RED. This was caused by a lack of decent flanks onto B for BLU, the tight area BLU had to push the cart through and some really significant sightlines that covered many approaches BLU would want to take. I think RED also spawned way too close to B for it to be viable to attack without significant effort. I can't really say much about the last point as I only managed to see combat on that point once. I like what I see of the theme so far, I look forward to seeing what you can do with it in the future.

pl_dereggub:
I really like this map actually, I feel like lots of the gameplay spaces are fairly open and varied which I enjoy in PL maps, and give a fair number of routes to take for both teams. The map does suffer in those open spaces however, as there are some significant sightlines which in the hand of a few good snipers can really ruin the other team's day, this is especially evident in the big open space around B/C, where RED snipers can sit back and see vast swathes of the map, especially the payload track. I think that area could probably do with being scaled down some, or adjusted so snipers don't have quite such an impact on the outcome of the map. I think the last point hits the balance between attack/defence really well, I'd like to see the map continued. Visually the map is nice and clean, with decent lighting throughout.

pl_divide:
One of my favourite maps overall I think, there are some really enjoyable gameplay spaces to fight over, especially both A and B. There are a few sightline issues that need looking at, but I don't have any major issues to bring up here. Detailing wise I like how A & B are going, though I don't really like the red brick smothering every wall around C, I'm going to assume that texture is somewhat of a placeholder though. I do like how the map gets more and more industrial in theme as the map progresses, I look forward to seeing how this map progresses in the future.

pl_ember:
I only managed to play this one a few times so I don't have a whole lot to say unfortunately. Gameplay felt decent throughout, I do like areas surrounding A & B, didn't see much of the final point though. Lighting felt a bit dull outdoors, indoors it was better I think.

pl_enclosure:
Oh boy, I think I played so many of the earlier iterations of this map that they have all kinda blurred together. Gameplay is fairly solid, though I have a few issues with sightlines in some areas, and still don't like having to push the cart past RED spawn in stage 1, sometimes BLU had to resort to spawncamping before they managed to get the cart through. Overall I liked the variety of routes and heights available to both sides, though sometimes they felt a bit too limited when it came to the final areas. I think the map as a whole looks pretty damn good most of the time, however there are areas that feel a bit oversaturated in regards to detailing, and could definitely be toned back somewhat. Some places felt a bit inconsistent in regards to the materials used with all sorts used in close proximity. I think the lighting could use some work, it felt rather flat and uninteresting though this may just be a result of the skybox used more than anything else.

pl_erosion:
Not really sure about this map to be honest, the first and second points feel fairly well fleshed out, however I feel that after those points the map takes some weird turns. Some of the flanks are really awkward and don't really feel intuitive as they bypass whole areas of the map. The last area is probably the worst of the map, BLU get a high flank that exits right next to RED spawn, which almost necessitates spawncamping as RED players are right there in front of you. This is made worse by the fact that BLU have to push the cart directly past RED spawn to finish the map, which again makes things awkward as RED players are spawning right next to you throughout the push.

pl_fracture:
I quite like this map, the area around A on stage 1 is fun to fight around, however the choke directly after A can be a big pain to get through if RED stack up on it. BLU have to push the cart through a fairly narrow doorway which is easily covered by RED, and they only have one alternate route into that area. Even though that route takes you onto the high ground, they can still be fairly easily countered by RED sentries and general spam. The area after that leading to B is decent, though often BLU struggled to push through as they have to get the cart past RED spawn, and again really only have 1 flank, which can be defended fairly easily. The start of stage 2 I wasn't really a fan of, the yard was too small and open to be very fun to fight around and as a RED sniper it didn't really feel like there were any good spots to stand and snipe from without being slaughtered the second the gates open. I like the push from that initial area though, but (forgive me if I'm remembering a previous version of the map here), it could often be made difficult as one of the rocks by last was non-solid and could be shot through by sentries - seemingly from nowhere as BLU!

pl_quickflow:
I quite like the map overall, the detailing, while obviously not final, gets the idea across well although some areas inside feel inconsistent mixing old rusty junk and clean tech. I do really like that the water fall, visible from the first point, is a component of the last point too (and also how it opens up as last is being capped)! As for gameplay, I like the area surrounding A, it feels the most fleshed out as it has some decent flanks and different height levels. Once it moves indoors however I feel the map gets a bit awkward, the routes get a little confused as the map tries to wrap itself round toward the waterfall and this leads to some dodgy gameplay around the point, I really think this area needs a good look at. I don't like how RED gets a low door from that flanks BLU completely, it just makes it really easy for RED to ambush BLU players coming out of spawn. I am not really a fan of the last area, though this is mainly due to the weird routes BLU has to the point.

pl_redstone:
Don't like this map much to be honest. The bright orange used, combined with the bright lighting makes the map very hard to look at overall. I think the first point is ok, however the area directly after it is a chokey mess. BLU have to push the cart through a long, narrow corridor which is easily defended by demos and snipers, and then if they manage to do that they then have to capture a point too - overall I don't think the point capping mechanic adds a whole lot to the gameplay. The only flank BLU has to B is long and out of the way, and is again easily defended by one or two RED players. After B the map generally devolves into a confusing, messy labyrinth. Routes take you all over the place, enemies pop out of seemingly nowhere and nothing seems to make sense anymore! Overall things feel overscaled height wise, and the last area has too many flanks from random locations. The RED spawn exits are also too narrow and easily spammed.

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	07	06
cp_extol_a5	02	10
cp_fantasmud_b3	07	05
cp_fieldworks_a2b	xx	xx
cp_hellwalkers_a1	01	02
cp_highground_b7	04	05
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	xx	xx
cp_marinara_b0	06	03
cp_villa_a8	08	08
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	xx
pl_borealis_a4a	07	04
pl_dereggub_a4	xx	xx
pl_divide_b1	07	07
pl_ember_a6	xx	xx
pl_enclosure_b5	06	09
pl_erosion_a4	09	07
pl_fracture_a6	05	04
pl_quickflow_b1	06	05
pl_redstone_a6	03	02

 

In case you've missed it, Firewatch has been disqualified for being broken.

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	06	05
cp_extol_a5	05	10
cp_fantasmud_b3	xx	xx
cp_fieldworks_a2b	xx	xx
cp_firewatch	xx	xx
cp_hellwalkers_a1	03	04
cp_highground_b7	04	05
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	xx	xx
cp_marinara_b0	xx	xx
cp_villa_a8	xx	xx
koth_shrine_asym_a8	02	03
pl_borealis_a4a	05	05
pl_dereggub_a4	xx	xx
pl_divide_b1	06	08
pl_ember_a6	05	06
pl_enclosure_b5	05	07
pl_erosion_a4	05	06
pl_fracture_a6	06	04
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	xx
pl_redstone_a6	03	03

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	6	6
cp_extol_a5	7	9
cp_fantasmud_b3	7	6
cp_fieldworks_a2b	my map
cp_hellwalkers_a1	4	3
cp_highground_b7	8	8
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	5	5
cp_marinara_b0	5	5
cp_villa_a8	5	7
koth_shrine_asym_a8	3	5
pl_borealis_a4a	6	7
pl_dereggub_a4	6	6
pl_divide_b1	7	7
pl_ember_a6	7	7
pl_enclosure_b5	7	7
pl_erosion_a4	7	7
pl_fracture_a6	xx	6
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	6
pl_redstone_a6	xx	4

Feedback:

Spoiler

cp_boondoggle:

Pretty okay map, I found it to be pretty similar to Alloy in a lot of ways. The visuals were okay, nothing felt too distracting, lighting was good, textures used were nice. One of my issues was that the rounds felt too long sometimes, after a while it became boring to try and defend and attack. Good healthpack and ammo placements, I never felt like it was a problem concerning gameplay. Another issue might be trying to defend both points, its hard holding A and B enough, but it can be done (probably cause time is too long?) Your last was an issue for me and a few other people as you needed to try and risk your life every time trying to get around it, also the matter its also pretty similar to Alloy as well.


cp_extol:

Great map I think, it sticks to general gameplay theory and masters it. The visuals were just right: Not distracting and pretty enough to look at. Lighting felt just right. Great use of textures and use of a unique theme that really helps it stick out. Gameplay wise it feels pretty solid, but the biggest issue is inconsistancy of holding the points. First point is a freebie of course but could easily do well without it (I know it seems weird without it but it can be done). I actually think the biggest issue is Red wants to defend the first point and doesn't want to focus on the last point because they're trying really hard to defend first point. This leads to backcapping which isn't a fun element to deal with (you're skipping a whole experience of a map). I'd like to see this map fleshed out and see more. Great work from yrr.


cp_fantasmud:

Good map, intresting using the moonbase theme, unique. Visually nice, clean textures and good lighting, textures were nice and complimented the map well, of course could have done more. Gameplay wise, solid. Good placement of health and ammo, didn't feel unbalanced at all, a nice last. Didn't do anything extreme but felt nice and typical for a a/d tf2 map.


cp_fieldworks:

(fuck chin)


cp_hellwalkers:

Eh map, I know this was made in like 9 hours, but feedback is feedback: Lighting is too dark in most areas, textures feel a little noisy (problem of using underworld theme), overall nothing really interesting to look at or really focus your attention on. Also my ears hurt. Gameplay it could be a lot better. Theres a ton of open space when trying to attack the first point, a few snipers could easily defend the first area. Map felt kinda flat too, and a bit samey without indoor areas or closed spaces. Biggest problem feels like lack of variety for diffient gameplay styles. Deathpits though are interesting but can be frustrating, they don't really help around the first point.


cp_highground:

Great map, I really like the visuals on this map. Reminds me a lot of gorge but with a focus on industry rather than outside. All the textures look clean, every area feels detailed evenly and nothing feels left out. The only issue visually is that the light_env feels way too bright, but if that was turned down a little it would probably be a solid 9. I had a lot of fun both defending and attacking. Hardly any issues with sightlines, areas were pretty easy to find and a lot of routes to attack places while being small enough to defend. I couldn't see any major issues with gameplay at all, its super solid imo.


cp_laadeedaa_a5b:

Decent map, I understand what theme its going for, lighting is good for a rainy map, a good atmosphere I can see. Textures aren't noisy at all. Its nothing bad, but should have detail as props, textures, ect. I like the fact each point in this map feels pretty unique, but the biggest issue is balance. It feels very defender-sided, espically towards the end. There are a few chokes people can barely get past. Last point's spawn was right outside the point, and blu's respawn time was really long to attack the first point. Not much issue with sightlines, but the 2nd point had an issue with the water being annoying to fight around.


cp_marinara:

Decent map, okay visually, clean look and decent lighting which help gameplay, textures not bad but could def look a lot nicer with time. In terms of gameplay it felt a bit inconsistant. Other times attackers would roll and sometimes defenders could hold very well. Theres a lot of hallways on this map, reminds me a lot of dustbowl's style. The point areas feel different for each one which is good. I guess i'd like more signs though. There were a few very nasty sightlines that probably could have been avoided. Some areas felt a little too open, otherwise its solid


cp_villa:

Decent map as well, I think visually this is appealing good use of theme, great lighting, textures aren't too noisy but the biggest issue is the skybox clipping into other areas.I'm marking it down a lot in terms of fun because it felt cramp in plenty of areas, clipping wasn't compliled in, and it was pretty easy to get lost. I like the general feeling of what its going for, but the size needs to be larger in general. Hardly any problems with sightlines which is great.


koth_shrine_asym:

Eh map, Visually nice theme but inconsistant, lighting is good, textures somewhat noisy. Gameplay wise it feels like it doesn't go anywhere. No signs, flat ground, just open spaces with a building that happens to have a point in it. It feels a lot like a trade map and it doesn't feel like theres anything much to it. Doesn't really allow for a lot of gameplay possiblities other than flanking or sniping. Theres no "routes" of this map either which make it feel strange.


pl_borealis:

Good map, I can totally tell what theme its going to be. Lighting is nice, clean look and textures make combat easy, Pretty decent but could always add more. Gameplay wise we ran into issues of easily abusable sightlines around the 2nd point. I like how each point feels though, its something unique for each one and areas don't feel samey. I really like the first point area. There were a few areas which attackers could just roll through and others were they were instantly stopped, could have been respawn times or just too long to walk to cart but would be something you could work on.


pl_dereggub:

Good map, Muddy has def tried something with this map that I enjoy. Visually very very nice, clean textures and great lighting, the thing thats missing is a theme and bunch of detail props but still great to look at. We ran into problems with the sightlines which seemed to be reoccuring. Each area feels different though, nice open landscape you typically see with payload maps. The last was fun as well. I can't really complain other than sightlines and some areas feeling too large, good healthpack and ammo placements.


pl_divide:

Good map, I see a ton of effort was put into this. Very clean stlye, lighting is awesome, neat theme you're going for, and theres some fantastic detailing work I can see. Unforuntately its not completely finished but i love what i see. In terms of gameplay it does suffer from the matter of sightlines like other payload maps, but there are ways around them so its not a huge issue. I like how different each point ends of feeling, some of these areas feel very unique yet simple, this shows you clearly understand how layouts of payload work and you've allowed yourself to play around with how they work for both teams. I find last needs to be worked up on, but i think each point feels right and great for what it is. I'd love to see much more from this map.


pl_ember:

Great map, I like the visuals of this map a lot, flat lighting but its a nice looking type of flat lighting. Lighting inside is good. Good textures and very clean. Always could add more to the theme and detail props but nothings an issue. Gameplay wise this feels nice as a payload map. Typically choke and hold for defenders and pushes for attackers. Solid, very solid. Last had some issues with spawn camping since soldiers could get up to the wall over top the point, and a few sightlines, otherwise no issues with layout or terms of fun.


pl_enclosure:

Good map, Visually it was kinda inconsistant. The first area of the first stage throws a ton at you face, but the second area decreases its detailing, and other areas feel minimal. I'm not a fan of the inconsistacy, but its alright. Not a fan of noisy textures or displacements. Also has a lot of themes and textures, use of jungle rocks, wood buildings, but then modern buildings with cages and piping feels strange imo. The lighting felt flat in a lot of areas, espically outside where shadows didn't really contrast with the other lights (thats a problem of using a jungle sky texture and lighting). Gameplay wise its nice, a few sightlines here and there but its a nice challenge to fight as an attacker or defender. Its not unbalanced at all and its solid and offers a different set for gameplay possiblities.


pl_erosion:

Good map, had a very nice visual tone which reminded me of hydro. Clean textures and good lighting, nothing i can complain about. For gameplay it was a good experience. A few sightlines here and there but nothing bad. There were a few flanks that seemed really strange to me, some that would lead entirely around areas, behind spawns, ect. The last had a problem where you basically needed to spawncamp to win the map. For last, the spawns are too close to last and resupply cabinets are too close to the door. Fairly good overall.


(I'll add the last 3 maps later)

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	xx	xx
cp_extol_a5	xx	8
cp_fantasmud_b3	xx	xx
cp_fieldworks_a2b	xx	xx
cp_hellwalkers_a1	xx	xx
cp_highground_b7	xx	xx
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	xx	xx
cp_marinara_b0	xx	xx
cp_villa_a8	xx	xx
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	xx
pl_borealis_a4a	xx	7
pl_dereggub_a4	xx	xx
pl_divide_b1	xx	xx
pl_ember_a6	xx	xx
pl_enclosure_b5	xx	xx
pl_erosion_a4	xx	xx
pl_fracture_a6	xx	xx
pl_quickflow_b1	6	8
pl_redstone_a6	xx	xx

Gonna rate every map's aesthetics since signs count as detail once I check them all.

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	5	3
cp_extol_a5	mine	mine
cp_fantasmud_b3	6	6
cp_fieldworks_a2b	8	8
cp_hellwalkers_a1	4	5
cp_highground_b7	6	6
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	5	1
cp_marinara_b0	5	1
cp_villa_a8	6	6
koth_shrine_asym_a8	4	1
pl_borealis_a4a	6	2
pl_dereggub_a4	7	2
pl_divide_b1	7	8
pl_ember_a6	6	8
pl_enclosure_b5	6	8
pl_erosion_a4	8	7
pl_fracture_a6	6	6
pl_quickflow_b1	7	7
pl_redstone_a6	4	1

Unless I change my mind from playing them again

I will review on request

 

My previous votes seem to be missing from this thread for some unknown reason.

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	mine	mine
cp_extol_a5	3	7
cp_fantasmud_b3	5	5
cp_fieldworks_a2b	4	5
cp_hellwalkers_a1	3	4
cp_highground_b7	3	5
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	2	2
cp_marinara_b0	3	3
cp_villa_a8	3	3
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	xx
pl_borealis_a4a	5	5
pl_dereggub_a4	5	5
pl_divide_b1	6	6
pl_ember_a6	5	8
pl_enclosure_b5	7	9
pl_erosion_a4	6	6
pl_fracture_a6	5	5
pl_quickflow_b1	xx	xx
pl_redstone_a6	xx	xx

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	5	5
cp_extol_a5	5	9
cp_fantasmud_b3	5	6
cp_fieldworks_a2b	7	5
cp_hellwalkers_a1	1	3
cp_highground_b7	5	7
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	3	3
cp_marinara_b0	xx	xx
cp_villa_a8	xx	xx
koth_shrine_asym_a8	xx	xx
pl_borealis_a4a	6	5
pl_dereggub_a4	6	4
pl_divide_b1	mine	mine
pl_ember_a6	6	6
pl_enclosure_b5	6	8
pl_erosion_a4	6	5
pl_fracture_a6	6	5
pl_quickflow_b1	5	7
pl_redstone_a6	2	3

My favorite map of the contest is pl_ember; it's really grown on me. I'm looking forward to seeing it improve!
People need to get in here and vote! Or finish their vote (need 13[?] to count).

 

Map name	Fun	Aesthetics
cp_boondoggle_a7	6	7
cp_extol_a5	5	9
cp_fantasmud_b3	6	7
cp_fieldworks_a2b	7	7
cp_hellwalkers_a1	xx	xx
cp_highground_b7	xx	xx
cp_laadeedaa_a5b	6	5
cp_marinara_b0	my	map
cp_villa_a8	7	8
koth_shrine_asym_a8	4	8
pl_borealis_a4a	6	6
pl_dereggub_a4	7	6
pl_divide_b1	7	6
pl_ember_a6	7	8
pl_enclosure_b5	7	9
pl_erosion_a4	xx	xx
pl_fracture_a6	7	7
pl_quickflow_b1	6	7
pl_redstone_a6	5	4

 

And that's time! Thanks to everyone who judged: we'll be collating the scores ASAP and should have the results up within a couple of hours.