[WIP] pl_vipersden

[raz0rskyl1n3]

Overall i rather like the layout. I cant post a in depth review of the map because i haven't played it in a full round yet. All the suggestions I have, i think are being covered but ill bring them up just in case.

That cave area, that is near the water point has several displacement problems. Most of them just aren't meeting properly. This area also needs some cover the current format is too open. However I believe this is being covered.

I think there is a cubemap problem right now. Also the first pic here. I think is a bad placed no draw texture? But this will be fixed by detailing.

The first area after leaving spawn. With the row of trains. Against the rock edge I think some items/props would help, both visually and play wise. Just a couple of loose crates or barrels. Just lightly dispersed, random items.

The last item i didnt take a screeny. However its in the post above, second from left top row. That little open building near the first area. I think would be best too flip it, such that Red can take advantage of it, a soldier or demo could use it as a defensive spot.

When i do a actual play through of it i will post better feedback.

 

[Termaximus]

:thumbup: raz0rskyl1n3 Thanks for the excellent feedback! I love feedback with pictures. I'll take your comments one at a time.

1.cubemaps - not sure what happened, something with ratpak I think. will be fixed in b2
2.displacements - last night I deleted most of them to start fresh and be neater
3.red buildings - I've added a 'bridge' connecting the building you mentioned against the boundary wall and the two story building in center.
4.detail - I'm only about 20% done with
5.empty caves - caves are only about 5% done. will be adding much more obtacles and detail

I should have b2 done in a couple weeks. Look forward to future feedback from you.

 

[Termaximus]

Latest Screens:



Going from left to right starting with top row:[/b]
1.Overhead
2.Overhead of red side. Connected existing 2 story building on left with new player accessible two story building on right.
3.Overhead of blue side. Have not added much more yet.
4.I have cluttered up corridor leading to blue spawn (less sniper friendly).
5.Detailed church
6.Church also acts to limit both attacking and defending Snipers field of view

 

[GrimGriz]

I'd like to see some more vertical game in this map, like maybe a ledge halfway up some of the walls.

 

[Termaximus]

GrimGriz, there is a lot of vertical play on red side already and I plan to add a lot to the empty blue side.

 

[Rexy]

TerMaximus

I got the chance to play this on a server in Europe that was hosting all the tf2maps.net contest entries and my honest thoughts on this map was that the overall size was just too large. Players just seemed overwhelmed in the environment because of the scaling.

Sometimes that just happens to people making maps. It certainly happened to me back when I first started using hammer. For example take a look at this map:

See how tiny the players are in this map? There's NO simple fix for this. What did I do? I forgot about the project. I gave up, and I moved on to something else. It was a done deal, a necessary fuck up to realize what I had done, a learning experience.

But I think you can completely redo Vipersden, it's still a working idea that has potential. It's up to you.

 

[Termaximus]

Rexy, thanks for the feedback. I agree in b1 the scale was off. I have added a third cp, new routes, added more buildings to red side and stuff to blue side to fill up emptyness. I may even add a second blue spawn depending on how next play test goes.

 

[Termaximus]

The scale issue that Rexy brought has been repeated by others in the payload contest voting thread. I'm taking steps to correct this, including more small and medium size obstacles so cliffs don't dominate environment so much. The biggest thing I was able to do was drop the height of cliffs (primarily on blue side) from a whopping 1024 down to 512. This dramatically (and fairly easily) helped the scale problem. I'll try and post some screen shots tonight showing the changes.

In general production has slowed due to my MBA program revving up again, but my clan has been kind enough to host some private play test versions as I go so I am able to work out game play issues relatively on the fly. I hope to release a very polished b2 by mid March.

 

[Termaximus]

On the scale issue:


Another game play change:

 

[Sgt Frag]

I still haven't gotten a chance to go ingame and see this one.

But from those last shots I gotta say that track is too straight. You can keep the basic layout but you really need to throw some buildings or cliffs on one side that go out to where the track is.
Then down track do the same again but from the other side.
Then make the track curve around the stuff.
It'll give the pushing team a better chance, more cover and set-up spots for the other team.
It'll be alot more interesting visually too.

 

[Termaximus]

@Sgt Frag - Actually if you look at some of my earlier posts with full overhead shots you can see that track winds a lot and their is a lot of elevation change. Blue side, which is what you are seeing in the most recent shots is a bit empty still which I am working to fill it up.

 

[Termaximus]

Viper Cart

Introducing the Viper Cart



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgug77O5OxQ"]Viper Cart Video[/ame]

My good friend Josh "Jive Turkey" made these awesome moving snake models that crawl around the bomb cart as you push it down track. Be sure to watch video in high quality.

I'm on track to release pl_vipersden_b2 in a couple weeks hopefully.

 

[Termaximus]

I was able to get a lot done today, mainly on cliff displacements. I decided to take a few screen shots showing just the displacements.



School will be getting in the way for the next couple weeks. I'm shooting the release version b2 by the end of the month.

 

[Termaximus]

I was able to get more done this week than expected. I have finished the main part of all the outside cliff wall displacements. I need to make them a bit neater in some spots and still have to displace the inner cave walls.

Latest Screens


Latest ToDo
Fix game_round_win so Red can win (done)
Fix hole at top of blue side rock arch (done)
Fix sticky B door leading up from blue barn to red town (done)
Shrink outer cave so it is not so wide
Move track away from walls (done)
Fix too Sniper friendly ramp area in center cave (done)
Add more buildings/obstacles to open spaces (mostly done)
Reduce scale (primarily cliff walls) (done)
Add third CP (done)
Fix sticky cliff displacements, add player clips (mostly done)
Smooth out hills to prevent stickiness (done I think)
Make cart bullet proof
Add 2nd spawn for Blue
Fix buggy "Final CP" announcement
Make gallows
Make wanted posters/Make hanging flyers
Make sure setup for 32 people
Make sure points are awarded correctly
Make water deeper
Add a LOT more detail
Add more directional arrows
Add wall displacements to center caves
Render cubemaps in LDR and HDR
Add cameras
Detail large box at last CP as jail
Creat final explosion
Create 3D Skybox
Create and add Vipers 'wanted posters'
Create and add map start video
Create and add map start screen

 

[Rexy]

Looks good! Will this be done in time for gameday tomorrow?

 

[Termaximus]

Looks good! Will this be done in time for gameday tomorrow?

As you can see nope. lol. Will have b2 out by end of month, perhaps sooner. Busy with school or would be much sooner.

 

[Termaximus]

New Model Video

The theme of map is that the Vipers (blue) are going to blow up the Red Town jail and free their fellow gang members before they are taken to gallows. Jive Turkey, the creator of the Viper Cart, has made these animated medic hands. They stick out of the jail, randomly animate, and react to be being hit. He will also do some Heavy hands. Check it out and let me know what you think:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LfGIgPofWY"]Medic Hands Video[/ame]

Jive and I have formalized are collaboration into studio .

 

[YM]

OMG its the Once-ler

 

[Tinker]

Hahaha, that's great.

 

[Termaximus]

Lol, a happy coincident. For those who don't remember who the Once-ler is like me:

From the Dr. Seuss book The Lorax.