[WIP] pl_valley (tentative name)

[Vander]

Damn that looks nice.

 

[AWESOME-O]

save your bsp in real and tf2 style man, see what the folks actually want

 

[necro]

well, if someone wants standard tf2 desert/industrial/mining, I can point them to quite a few user maps. If someone wants a different environment, like a mountainy, snowy type map, hmm. Not too many choices. So sue me for trying to do something different

I really hope I get as much criticism on the layout as I already have on the aesthetics. When is the next playtest day?

 

[Vilepickle]

If he wants to make it realistic, I say let him. It's his map. It at least LOOKS good.

 

[R3dRuM]

How bout you make it like tf2...

You can use the same textures, but make them tf2...

 

[Noggin]

Great work Necro, that looks about 5 months in not 5 days in! (for me anyway)

Maybe if the skilled people of tf2maps can help make some TF2 style textures, I made some custom textures (in the files section) tho Im not sure they will work for this map.

 

[necro]

thanks guys
OK, I just got a little bit of playtest in. In general, I think the layout and scale is working. Some things I will fix though:

- River is a bit isolated once you fall down there. Gonna smooth out the banks in more spots to make it easier to get out
- Still not enough defensible spots for engies. I'll make the little shack a little more protected.
- Jury's still out on whether this'll be sniper heaven. 1 guy did tag me a couple times. Gotta study the sight lines and maybe add more trees.
- The friggin cart seems laggy for some reason. Not sure if HL2 has a prob with an animated prop tied to a train
- Gonna up the size of the ammo/med packs at the checkpoints
- Gonna add player clips to the fallen trees to make it easier to cross the river

 

[MayorMcCheese]

There's a reason there are few in this category... It doesn't work.

Not to start a huge debate but how many good tf2 maps have you played with realistic textures? It's hard to say how it will feel during actual game play.
I'd rather play with realistic textures than none at all (orange x)

 

[Chicky]

Hey necro.... I heard you joined the server after I left the other day. Too bad, cause I would have loved to talk to you and give you some feedback. Hope you don't mind, I nabbed your map for my 24/7 pl map server. There's so few pl maps that actually work right now. :/

Anyway, first let me address the textures. I've had many - and I do mean many - people who jumped on the server to see what your map was all about and not one person complained about the realistic textures. I think your textures is what makes your map so amazing. It looks absolutely beautiful!!!! I wouldn't change the textures - no matter what anyone else says!!! Maps do not need to be cookie cutter.

Second, while both carts worked, I didn't even notice that my team had a cart until the other team had already won. Might be good to add some sort of hud.... maybe something that shows if they've captured the first point at least? Also, is there a way to tone down the cart sound? It's so loud!

I noticed that in the river, there's a chunk of ice missing in one area. You can see down below the ice, but you don't fall through. Also, there seems to be some bushes or trees or something missing behind that because you can see back behind everything. Just something you'll wanna fix at some point - assuming you didn't know about it already.

Also, scouts can get up the mountain and see over everything - many things disappear or become hollow because of it. Didn't know if you were aware of that or not.

I'd love to see your next version of this map. I think it's absolutely amazing and it's definitely needed with the lack of good pl maps. Lots of people working on maps - not a lot of maps working good enough to be on servers. :/

 

[necro]

Hope you don't mind, I nabbed your map for my 24/7 pl map server.

No prob, though I should have named it pl_test or something. People keep thinking its a finished map

I wouldn't change the textures - no matter what anyone else says!!!

Thanks. I'm just ignoring any texture comments at this point. Its been beaten to death already.

Might be good to add some sort of hud....

Yeah, gonna have to fake it though, since the watchers dont support 2 carts.

Also, is there a way to tone down the cart sound? It's so loud!

Done. Hadnt noticed. Thanks.

And yes, I'm aware of the other issues and will tackle them soon enough. I've been more focused on making the map playable right now and will polish up the aesthetics later.

Constructive criticism like this is extremely valuable. Thanks for taking the time bud!

 

[Snipergen]

Man thats just stupid if you don't texture it tf2 style. [SNIP]

Why won't people get it ffs this game's art direction is superb and you are gonna motivate mappers to totally ignore it? Thats lame dude.

EDIT, on your new screens you just use some tf2 props and textures AND hl2 props and textures? That's even worse! Make up your mind.

 

[YM]

I'm affraid I have to side with snipergen once again.

TF2 is cartoony and set in the desert of the 1920s
If you want to have a map that is set in a different location and/or be realistic, go do it for some other game!

I really don't understand everyones problem with this. Its blatantly obvious, if people make realistic maps for TF2 they are just turning it into 'just another FPS' which it isnt, this ISNT CS:S, this ISNT DOD, this ISNT COD4.
This IS TF2 - where maps are set in deserts, where graphics are cartoony, where nothing is realistic.

In my opinion, and I'm sorry for this, your map does look really quite nice, but for Team Fortress 2, realistic maps do as much damage to the game as orange maps or maps like mario_cart.

 

[psihomir]

I agree with Youme, except for the desert part. Valve themselves said that they're working on 2 new maps set in a new environment (source) Plus, Granary for example isn't exactly in a desert - you can see a ship close by. I think that a lot of stuff can fit TF2's art style, if done right. I myself am quite satisfied how my snowy map is developing and it's very TF2-ish, if I can say so myself

 

[Chicky]

Well isn't a desert either. Isn't 2fort supposed to be a farm or something?

 

[joshman]

I'm affraid I have to side with snipergen once again.

TF2 is cartoony and set in the desert of the 1920s
If you want to have a map that is set in a different location and/or be realistic, go do it for some other game!

I really don't understand everyones problem with this. Its blatantly obvious, if people make realistic maps for TF2 they are just turning it into 'just another FPS' which it isnt, this ISNT CS:S, this ISNT DOD, this ISNT COD4.
This IS TF2 - where maps are set in deserts, where graphics are cartoony, where nothing is realistic.

In my opinion, and I'm sorry for this, your map does look really quite nice, but for Team Fortress 2, realistic maps do as much damage to the game as orange maps or maps like mario_cart.

Sorry to disagree, but actually its 1963. Thats what the spawn room calender said.

 

[Arhurt]

I think that, you want to map for TF2, fine. You don`t want to bother with the textures, fine. just don`t expect everyone to like it. Most players don`t give a sh#t what the map looks like, but for those that do, you will not get the same praise as if you took the extra effort to make those textures TF2 style.

Is your map good? Yes.

Is it in line with TF2 art style? No.

Will people like to play on it? Yes.

Will people who understand the concept of TF2 and care about it like to play on it? No.

You are the one to decide if you want to keep it as it is or not, but I honestly belive that if you went trough the effort of putting TF2 fit textures in there you would have a 5-star map right there.

Do I like it in TF2 as it is?

No.

 

[Jive Turkey]

There are some real close-minded people on this board. Looking at those shots I feel the only textures which look out of place are the wood-siding and cobblestone textures on the sides of the buildings. They have that photographic look to them with too much visual noise going on. The other textures, in particular the grass/rocks/snow base palette look very good and are an especially welcome change of color scheme. The use of color overal is pleasing with good highlights from those red buildings. This map does not look too HL2.

Until some professional watercolorist with ample amounts of free time comes waltzing in here with a penchant for doing pro bono freelancing work we're going to be stuck using the same boring textures ad nauseum. The TF2 style nazis should go buy traditional art supplies and get to painting custom texture packs for us instead of whining. I like and respect the art direction of TF2, and I have been on maps which look too HL2, but you're just being too critical here. This map is looking good. It isn't as though any of these maps has the viral potential to infect every last server with a visual style you're not digging. Voice your criticisms all you want, but stop being so melodramatic and possessive of the community as a whole. Don't like how it looks? Refresh server list...

 

[Vander]

Necro, I think you have hit on something good here. Your layout and idea is so good that everyone just wants it to be the best that it can be.

I think the biggest concern from the "TF2 Style-Nazis" is that if you placed a bit more effort into getting the textures to fit the TF2 theme (not necessarily desert, but I'm talking that era in time along with the cartoonified look), you would be hitting a homerun here, no doubt.

I'll play it no matter what, but you have a lot of potential in this map! Put everything you got into it!

 

[TheBladeRoden]

Sorry to disagree, but actually its 1963. Thats what the spawn room calender said.

1968 actually

 

[Jive Turkey]

Damn they're right. Those clearly aren't 1968 rocks and grass. And that snow. That's 1970s snow at least. Don't get me started on that anachronistic 1880s overcast sky...