[WIP] CTF_Icefield

MangyCarface

Mapper
aa
Feb 26, 2008
1,626
1,325
Part 1 of 2 in a mappack by Acegikmo and MangyCarface

MAP: Icefield
Version
Author: MangyCarface, Acegikmo
Gameplay: An "invasion" type symmetrical CTF map. Players take the intelligence from their resupply room to their opponents' capture point to score.
Description:

2fort is a stalemating, frustrating mess that scales poorly with 32 players; the outside has limited options; the inside, frustrating sentry locations.
To solve these problems, Icefield is designed with a more varied, open center with opportunities for all classes to shine; the interior has several unique options for invading players to take down difficult sentry locations.

Players spawn with the enemy's intelligence in their resupply room, immediately allowing a player to grab it, and his teammates to form an escort group around him. Confrontations with intelligence players are therefore much more intense than 2fort or well, as you may encounter them anywhere in the map. Expect to see battles where both intel carriers have to fight to the death for the next point. Teamwork is the only overpowered aspect in this map- sticking together a la L4D will quickly ensure a victory, but care must be taken to actively defend.

Time starts at 6:30, capped at 7, and 1:30 is added for each successful capture. Demo/soldier jumps in the middle are are limited by a slight push downwards to prevent unfair situations in which the intel is hopped balcony to balcony. Intel is returned to resupplys after 40 seconds- no one likes camping the intel for a minute in 2fort.

This map is currently in alpha. Nothing is set in stone, and all graphical errors take a sideline while gameplay is refined. Please enjoy!

Screenshots:

Red base/capture point:
ctficefielda30000yf7.jpg


Top view of center area:
ctficefielda30001pb7.jpg


Center area viewing RED side:
ctficefielda30002cp9.jpg



DOWNLOAD LINK
 
Jan 31, 2008
555
1,482
You were really fast with this layout.
I hope we can finish the second map at the same time ;)
 

HeaH

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Oct 2, 2008
553
102
Actually I like the CTF mode when it's played on good maps like... Aerospace! :p I can't wait to try this out!
 

Ravidge

Grand Vizier
aa
May 14, 2008
1,544
2,818
Played this, great fun.. I still haven't memorized the entire layout so I can't play it as well as I want to yet.
I played sniper for a little while and shooting from the exit with the bridge you get a wide and nice sightline. might be a little too good tho... you should somehow force the sniper to move around more if he wants to have a better view... Don't get me wrong here, snipers should have spots that are great for sniping but atm some spots are a little more than just great.

Also I got this flag bug, might just have been on my laggy end, happened twice.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn220/Ravidge/tf2/ctf_icefield_a10000.jpg
 
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dirtyminuth

L5: Dapper Member
Nov 5, 2007
221
15
I'm anxious to see what sort of winter effects you can pull off. Ice, ice floes, icicles, snow drifts, snowmen, an errant plow, cavemen trapped in the ice, etc. You've got a great opportunity to capitalize on a rarely-used theme!
 
Jan 31, 2008
555
1,482
I'm anxious to see what sort of winter effects you can pull off. Ice, ice floes, icicles, snow drifts, snowmen, an errant plow, cavemen trapped in the ice, etc. You've got a great opportunity to capitalize on a rarely-used theme!

I had worked on my snow environment for a while before mangy and I decided to release two maps in this theme.
I will probably make a thread about it once we've detailed both of the maps.
Here are some screenshots of a few tests I made so far:

test_glacier0001.jpg

test_snowbuilding0000.jpg

test_snow_20009.jpg
 

FreeLance_FoX

L6: Sharp Member
Sep 6, 2008
353
173
HOLY CRAP. You guys are amazing! I've been waiting patiently with waiting rapture for the mapper(s) who are first to achieve a map of such quality with the snow theme!

Those screens are FANTASTIC ace! I can't wait to see them in action! The 2nd screen is really amazing, great job.
 

MangyCarface

Mapper
aa
Feb 26, 2008
1,626
1,325
Cerious, this map is possibly better optimized than 2fort already... and this is with basic planning and hint brushes. Expect similar framerates with an extraordinary amount of detail.
Also, not a fan of gydan personally. And as Acegikmo and I mentioned, this is a 2 map map pack.

The possibility of griefing exists as much in 2fort as it does in icefield. If a player decides to sit around with the intel, then yes, the game will go poorly. It's a shame, but it's what it is. A helpful admin will slay them instantly.

Edit: just realized you said you'd grief. Therefore you're a big old faggot and I'll probably ignore any feedback you offer, sorry mate
 
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drunkie

L1: Registered
Jul 21, 2008
39
10
What I'd do with your kind of gameplay: Take flag, never let go. EVER.

This is the primary flaw with Avanti-style gameplay; you can easily grief, and without a video explaining the basics, players will be heavily confused with how it works. While I'd rather see it as a Gydan-style map (4 cp attack/defend), it's your map, so do what you want. However, if you don't create the proper information to guide new players through the map, many won't bother with this map.

Artistically, this map takes the cake easily. Make sure you don't shove too much detail everywhere, so the map is less visually distracting and much better optimized, while staying clean and organized.

When I was thinking about doing an assault map, I had thought that you would want to make the flag do damage to the carrier. This would not only hopefully alleviate the greifing (maybe doing less damage the further you get away from it's spawn point), but would also force the team to work together more with the medic needing to heal the target. Who knows tho :(

Love those screens tho, the metal building is just amazing imo.
 

Cerious

L420: High Member
Aug 10, 2008
455
133
The problem with ctf style gameplay, or any kind of symmetrical gameplay for that matter, is that a team can either push or defend. Most teams will turtle, causing an endless stalemate. Placing the intel in the spawnroom to bring it to the opposing base won't do much to alleviate this problem, as a team will still turtle. This is more like Hydro style. In Hydro, you have to invade the enemy base and stand on the point, while you also defend your own point or else the enemy can sneakily cap. This map is fundamentally similar. I can't wait to see how it turns out visually, but the gameplay is pretty much to confirmed to be an utter shitfest as it stands right now.
 
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theydidntnameme

L1: Registered
Jan 2, 2009
40
8
hey man! this is looking great! i love ctf maps! im also a fan of it being reverse ctf. as a matter of fact im working on my own reverse ctf type map. i admit i havent played your map yet, but i do have one small piece of feedback i hope you take into consideration.


Demo/soldier jumps in the middle are are limited by a slight push downwards to prevent unfair situations in which the intel is hopped balcony to balcony.


i would highly suggest against using this artificial barrier to maintain your vision of game flow. a better solution would be to create an overpass so the players can see that they cannot physically complete the jump, or to reproportion the map so such jumps are unattainable. please read all of the following quote, its an excerpt from a professional level designer that talks about this situation of altering the game design for the sake of level design:


Normally there is a fine line between game design and level design but smart people are able to
think in the right way and know where the problem might be. So my advice for the level designer
with problematic areas in their maps is to consider that there is a fair chance that it can be his
fault, too.
For example, the game designer decides that all thin wooden planks are destroyable. Now the
leveldesigner complains that he sometimes need undestroyable boards because otherwise the
opponent can destroy the only cover in that area very quickly. He decides that some of the planks
in his level can not be damaged. Okay, if something has special features it should be obvious that
all similar objects have the same abilities. Continuity is an old school design rule and should
never be changed. If you have problems with one of the special objects in that specific situation
then you simply shouldn't place it there. Just use your brain and think about another solution like
a lower stone wall as cover or whatever. Causing frustration and perplexity is the last thing you
want in your level.
I know that you are now waiting for an example where the game design is wrong instead of the
scolded mapper. Especially the problem of badly designed/balanced weapons shouldn't affect the
level design. If a flashbang blinds everyone in a radius of 50m, the designer shouldn't make too
many small areas in the level. Frag grenades which you can throw through the whole level and it
remember more about artillery shouldn't produce levels where every wall is 30m height. Before
the submachinegun is too powerful and the mappers only design wide open fields in their levels,
they should start a small revolution against the game designers. I guess since you've read the
article this far, you have enough experience to remember enough of the other examples.
Discussions are good as long as both sides are able to accept that they might be wrong, and are
able to make compromises.


hope you take this into consideration! i am very excited for this map:thumbup:
 

Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
t looks like you reskinned the grass for the snow blend? (the egdes look like the edges of a grass blend)
 
Sep 12, 2008
1,272
1,141
Wow Mangy, can't wait to see how it'll look when it's detailed!
And for the detailing; what about using some of these?
IJspegels2.jpg

But I've no idea what they're called in english :D
Keep on the good work with this theme guys! :thumbup1:

DBP
 
Jan 31, 2008
555
1,482
t looks like you reskinned the grass for the snow blend? (the egdes look like the edges of a grass blend)

Yeah, I used the same blend modulator texture as in the grass. I think it gives the snow a frosty look.
But right now both of our maps (ctf_icefield and cp_frostbrew) are still in alpha versions. But when we start detailing we'll experiment some more with texturing and see what looks best.

Wow Mangy, can't wait to see how it'll look when it's detailed!
And for the detailing; what about using some of these? *image*
But I've no idea what they're called in english :D

That would be icicles :)
Like I said; we'll look into it once we detail the maps
 

Zeewier

L9: Fashionable Member
Sep 20, 2008
619
262
Is there already a way to show footprints in the snow?

I know that there is an error where tf2 fails to load some kind of footprint (from my understanding) material...
EDIT:
http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=4548

You could try creating that file and see what happens with snow textures :)
(or maybe i should do it myself :p)

EDIT2: I did some research; there is something in the GCF :/ *continues*

EDIT3/4: It seems to refer to a left and right version of a footprint, that points to an to me unknown decal in the file decals_mod2x.vtf
 
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