[WIP] ctf_Aerospace

Arhurt

L6: Sharp Member
May 7, 2008
315
140
Thanks a lot!

Yes, I have already changed from "Blue" to "Blu", you will get a chance to see the result in the blue plane skin soon.

And I agree, the sewers got a bit too long. If you take a look at my layouts, I ended up enlarging the entrance quite a bit. I made the Yard area considerably longer and added a sort of abandoned yard between the two bases. I'm reshaping it so that now you get to the basement of each base first, with some spytech/machinery, then get the a sewer area of each base with pipes and ducts, and finally in the middle an underground cavern of sorts (largely inspired by Guild Wars: Eye of the North expansion).

WTB: More free time!

Thanks for all the feedback guys!
 

oxy

L5: Dapper Member
Nov 27, 2007
208
30
Great amount of work so far!!

About the custom textures and logos: I think you should watch your color saturation. Most of the TF2 colors are a tad desaturated. Right now your plane and custom team logos are a bit too bright, compare them to the official logos.
Also on the Blu team logo might I suggest changing that font. I totally recongize it as the batman forever text.

Keep up the great work!
 

Arhurt

L6: Sharp Member
May 7, 2008
315
140
Thanks!

Yes, those renders are quite old and where done on my laptop and his crappy monitor. The textures in-game look a lot more in place with the TF2 design.

I have reworked the whole sewer area to have more variation of themes, now there is a small Spytech section and a cavern in the middle that should spice things up a bit. I should have an alpha version for testing by the end of this week if all goes well.

I've changed the Blu team's logo and fixed it's spelling, check it on the textured plane below, along with the most recent take on the Redbaron texture.

blust001.jpg


blust002.jpg


blust003.jpg


Blust01.jpg


Blust02.jpg


Blust03.jpg


Blust04.jpg


Redb01.jpg


Redb02.jpg


Redb03.jpg


Redb04.jpg


Thanks a lot for the feedback guys, I'm gonna do my best to take this map to the next level!
 

MangyCarface

Mapper
aa
Feb 26, 2008
1,626
1,325
Very nice modelling, however perhaps the level of detail in the skin is too much for a TF2 model? Maybe try to simplify the abrasions, look at the truck model ingame for help.

Anyway if you can get that alpha out by Friday we could playtest it on gameday... do try, we'd all love to see your immense efforts get some appreciation ingame :)
 

Arhurt

L6: Sharp Member
May 7, 2008
315
140
Thanks!

Yes I`ll try to get it done by friday. I just got a large project at work though and might have to take some of it home with me.

Yes I have been hearing about the texture look, I`ll try to get some in-game shots tonight. The current images not only are rendered directly from max, they use the default MAX scanline renderer, and not the Half-lamber renderer used by TF2. Also, the models are quite big, the blue engine stands taller than a demoman.

Thanks a lot for the feedback, greatly appreciated!
 

Arhurt

L6: Sharp Member
May 7, 2008
315
140
ALPHA 1 RELEASED!
(download here)

================================================

Planes

ctf_aerospace_a10018.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10012.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10011.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10010.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10009.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10017.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10016.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10015.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10014.jpg



ctf_aerospace_a10013.jpg



As you can see I have completely revamped the planes textures to be more in-line with TF2 style. The blue plane does not have LoDs or collision yet, but it sure looks pretty!


================================================

Layout

Basic layout hasn't changed radically from the initial project. The two paths leading to each base have been extended and connected.

ctf_aerospace_a10000.jpg


ctf_aerospace_a10001.jpg


================================================

Yard

This is the main path, the Yard. I'm setting the map in a deep mountain/forest military secret base, with observatories and towers in the distant mountains, so don't strange the waterfall.

Also, if you can help me on this topic, I could make this waterfall THAT much prettier by alpha2!

ctf_aerospace_a10002.jpg


ctf_aerospace_a10008.jpg


================================================

Base

Major change in the base layout has been the shift of the spawnroom out of the main hangar and into the back. The main hangar has been largely opened and is now a free for all capture-point. The holes in the roof add an extra layer of strategy, as scouts, soldiers and demoman can get there.

ctf_aerospace_a10003.jpg


ctf_aerospace_a10004.jpg


================================================

Underground

With the longer walk to each base the sewers was expanded in concept to a sewers/cave area. The pits add extra gameplay obstacles and tough the main path is obvious and strategical, the cave is perilous and frenectic.

ctf_aerospace_a10007.jpg


ctf_aerospace_a10006.jpg


ctf_aerospace_a10005.jpg






Here's a look at the readme:

Code:
=======================================================================

Aerospace

"The Government has issued a contract for the creation of the new line of combat planes 
that are to be the standard for the near future. Two rivalling companies, Red Aerospace
and Blue Aviation, are now battling for the contract.
After many months of lawsuits, legal actions and speculation, the The Government has 
decided to let both companies create a prototype, and has given advanced funding to both.
At the end of the deadline, both prototypes will be analyzed and the best one fully produced,
giving it's parent company will recieve the funding of a gazillion dollars for it.
Unfortunately, the production must be carried out in a secret location, and both companies
have been given one half of the terrain to estabilish their facilities. After many months
of hard work, espionage and peeking over the walls, they each have their own prototype ready
ahead of time. They could use this extra time to make their plane better, but stealing the
opponent's blueprints and sabotaging their planes seems like a better option.

And so their facilities have became a warzone."


=======================================================================

Map name: ctf_aerospace

Version: alpha 1 release

Version name: ctf_aerospace_a1

created by: arhurt


=======================================================================

Thanks for downloading the alpha 1 of my map!

It still needs a lot of work.


=======================================================================

Things I'm looking to improve:

- Does it play well?

- Are the intel rooms too hard/easy to defend?

- Does the map flow in a good pace or does it stall into turtling?

- Any class dominating or is it evenly balanced for each style of play?

- Are there any ways to sneak into an area you don't belong?

- Are there any ways to get "outside" the map?

- Are there any places the displacements are not properly sewn?

=======================================================================

Known Issues:

- Blue plane has not LoD or Physics model.
- Weird shadow on top of the waterfall.
- Many dev textures
- Custom textures need refinment.
- no ammo/health packs around map.
- Pits on cave do not kill you (don't fall in or you will be trapped!)
- Many playerclips are to be more obvious with props (includind the sewer pit)

=======================================================================


This map is being discussed at these forums:

TF2maps.net - http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=2157

Made in Brasil (portuguese) - http://www.leveldesign.com.br/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&p=5949


And you can get the Alpha 1 release here:

DOWNLOAD: ctf_aerospace_a1
 
Last edited:

MayorMcCheese

L1: Registered
Apr 24, 2008
24
0
Eh, the planes look dull now compared to post #24. But it's obviously a very nice map.
My game like to crash when I try to load it though.
 
Last edited:

DJive

Cake or Death?
aa
Dec 20, 2007
1,465
741

Arhurt

L6: Sharp Member
May 7, 2008
315
140
Eh, the planes look dull now compared to post #24. But it's obviously a very nice map.
My game like to crash when I try to load it though.

Thanks, I agree that the ones before had more personality (especially the redbaron model), but now they have other qualities, such as simplistic and minimalsit appearance.

The one thing I'm going to change is the blue paint, it needs more blue to stand out near redbaron, but I like the brushed metal surface a lot!

DJive, thanks a lot for taking the time to run trough my map tonight and shape it up a little bit for gameday. Much appreciated!

Sadly, I won't be able to join you guys this weekend, but I look foward for more opportunities.

Now I need some ZZzzz... :sleep: I'm on GMT -3:00, that puts me at 2:00 am here...
 
Last edited:

Snipergen

L13: Stunning Member
Nov 16, 2007
1,051
150
Good work, don't like the waterfall yet, that's not good enough hehe, overall looks very good though.

Best presentation I've seen too.
 
Last edited:

Dox

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Oct 26, 2007
588
62
I was going to mention that in one of the rooms it looked like there was no way for the plane to get into it in the first place, but looks like you're planning on redesigning it so.... Nice!
 

Arhurt

L6: Sharp Member
May 7, 2008
315
140
Thanks a lot guys!

@Crazychiken and Juice: lol

Snipergreen, I`m actually wondering removing the waterfall. It was not planned and was something that I built on the fly after messing around with displacements for a bit (quite an interesting tool indeed). I`m going to work on some concepts for the waterfall and then set my decision.

Dox, the Hangar doors are bigger than the openings in the map, as they are sliding doors that are halfway open, take a look at this sketch:

ctf_aerospace06.jpg


Thanks guys, I`m going to work on some more concepts now and then start refining the map. I`d love some feedback on gameplay, I hope it was fun and wish I could be there on gameday.
 

Vander

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Feb 16, 2008
506
215
It was alot of fun. I enjoyed the layout...BUT...and that's a big BUT...I'm a big fan of the scout. This map is extremely friendly to a scout. A good scout can zip back and forth overground and not have much to worry about from the enemies as he can go places most other classes can't. I would considering opening up a little more of the map for alternate routes for other classes.

btw, I vote to keep the waterfall. It's a nice touch.
 

Arhurt

L6: Sharp Member
May 7, 2008
315
140
Hey thanks Vander! I'm glad you had a good time at it!

One of the first directives I had at building it was to explore the different jumping techniques TF2 offers.
  • The scout has indeed a lot of options such as jumping above the waterfall, on top of the hangar from the tower ledge and over many of the "low obstacles".
  • The soldier can go on top of the hangar, jump up from the sewer opening, jump on top of the waterfall and straight to the second floor of the office.
  • A demoman can get to al those places and also on top of the Office building. Also
  • An engineer can get to the top of the Hangar's inner room using the dispenser as a ledge.

I know that engineers are somewhat a counter to scouts, and egineers really rely on the ammo placement that are still not in my map. Also the enemy base is still open during setup so an engineer building his setup might be ambushed by a lucky scout during setup.

I have some ideas to block off scout paths, I'll implement some on alpha 2 as well as the ammo/health packs.

As for the waterfall, I'm leaning towards keeping it too, let me finish my concepts and we can decide.

Thanks a lot, I'd like to hear from others as well.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
I thought the first image of the baron plane was the most appropriate for red. With the WW1 machine guns. but it looks very nice. You have an awesomely themed map.