[WIP] tc_meridian

[Buddikaman]

Hey Msleeper, Whats the IP to that server if you dont mind? Ive had a hard time finding servers actively playing A4.

Scott Petty
Environment Artist
www.Buddikaman.com

 

[msleeper]

The Custom map server is:
69.61.110.82:27015

It is probably not on by default, but the Nominations/RTV/Mapchooser should bring it up if you ask. You can see the map listing at F7Lans.com in our forums, check the TF2 board. We are adding custom maps to the server by request.

 

[Shmitz]

We had a CP-version of meridian run on this weekend's gameday. Since virtually every round ended in a stalemate with CP, I think that really isn't an option. CTF with no hud definitely plays a lot better, even if it's not optimal. I'm just going to have do more to get Valve's attention with the HUD issue, even if it means flying up to Washington and showing up at their front door. ¬_¬

 

[Ida]

I really wanted the CP version of this to work, but I understand that it's bit late to change enough things to make it play well.

While you're in Washington, Shmitz, tell them to fix the Payload HUD for maps where RED attacks.






Yes, I did understand that it's a joke.

 

[DarkNoghri]

I just finished playing through this for a while in today's Gameday. This is my first post on these boards, and I learned about this map from MangyCarFace's post on the steam forums under a new environments topic. We need new environments, and I'm excited about this map. Very excited.

Anyway, notes from my playtime. You may know some of these issues already.

These ledges look like you can jump to them. Especially since there's health on the one of them. If you jump for the one on the right, I think there's actually something you can land on, but you can't get back off of without falling to your death.


I kept having weird laggy/draggy issues on these bridges. Not really sure how to describe it.


For some reason, these bushes look out of place. Like they're not cartoony enough. The machinery definitely looks out of place. Models taken directly from HL2?



Putting a sentry up here is deadly when defending. Also, lighting is bad. I couldn't tell which team the dang spy was on later on.


If this stays cp (I hope it doesn't), I would advise moving spawn a bit away from the point.


My feet kept falling through the stairs. It's weird. Just the feet. But I could keep moving.


Other random notes:
There's no health. Like, anywhere.
Maybe add more arrows? Semi-confusing layout starting out. Especially in the robot room, there's a bazillion fake doors.
There don't seem to be many routes out of water where you don't die. And there's no real way to tell whether water's going to kill you or not.

Generally, I had no issues with performance. The hallways with rising steam were a small issue, but I was running 30-50 fps most of the time. People were complaining about lag more than anything else.

If you keep this cp, it's going to take some major rebalancing. But this level is awesome. There's a new marvel in every room. I ran around in it for a few minutes last night, but a clanmate of mine had never seen it before. Every new section he was like, OMG, there's a submarine bay? Giant robot? Awesome!

Keep up the great work.
With respect,
AOD_DarkNoghri

 

[Snipergen]

To me the bushes look damn fine, maybe a bit too paintery and brushy but still good enough.
And those machines are just custom models and nice ones too.

About the bridge issue, I have it too. It's indeed like you have lagspikes and jiggle forward and backwards a bit, only at the ends of the bridge. Might consider disabling collisions and use clip brushes?

I think people complain about fps, yes, but people who play counterstrike on low shouldn't play this game. I hate it to hear somebody whine about fps to conclude after asking what pc he has, he tells me it's a 3 yr old pc that his dad bought etc... Got bad fps? Lower your graphics. I play every game on low anyway to get max fps.

 

[Buddikaman]

re

Oh darn I missed a gameday. ;/

Anyways, I think what is happening with the bridge collision is that it wasnt placed into the ground enough, so its like your tripping over the edge. I might have to go back and rework them to make sure.

Scott Petty
Environment Artist
www.Buddikaman.com

 

[Shmitz]

Ok, so the first public beta will be released in the next few days. One piece of information I really need (and data collection on this can even start with a4, for servers currently running that) is statistics on area wins.

Unfortunately this is a bit more complicated than red vs blue, because area ownership is dynamic in a TC map. Basically, I need information for all rounds played, which area lost and which area won, or if it stalemated.

The rounds are as follows:

• Boat <-> Village
• Village <- > Temple
• Village <-> Sub Bay
• Village <-> Volcano
• Temple <-> Sub Bay
• Temple <-> Volcano
• Sub Bay <-> Volcano
• Volcano <-> Lair

If anyone remembers to mark down this information while they're playing, it'd be a huge help for determining what adjustments need to be made for balance.

 

[Noggin]

I managed to play it on a full public server today (Cock and Balls I think it was), was good fun.

Its a bit choke-pointy in places (Village <-> Sub Bay)

Played well tho it mostly ended in Stalemate, how about making it reverse CTF... take your Intel (or something new) to the enemy cap zone. I think thats a better alternative to CP.

Im sure Buddikaman could make a cool replacement for the Intel case too

PS Schmitz, check your PM's

 

[Shmitz]

It never fails to amaze me how my name has shown up next to my posts nearly 500 times on this forum, plain and easy to read, but people still want to put a 'c' in it.

 

[Nineaxis]

I think it's broken with CP. The intel rooms were designed for intel, and that means that scouts can quickly run through, grab the intel, and run out, or at least move intel closer to an exit, so sentries weren't too bad.

With CP's, you have to stand in the same place for multiple seconds, so sentries were devestating to gameplay and it was was stalemating.

Keep bugging Valve. CTF for this map is much better than CP.

 

[Shmitz]

I put a running win tally in the original post. Initial data comes from ColdFire's very useful sourcetv demos. Please contribute to the tallies if you can. =)

 

[msleeper]

Shmitz, when you have a new version, please let me know. We have played this on the F7Lans Custom Maps server and everyone loves it and wants more!

.

 

[crazychicken]

the intel doesnt show when you carry it

players shouldnt die when they fall down the cliff into the water below, they should just lose some health. its confusing

ctf is much more fun than cp, though some maps are very hard to win as an attacking team as camping possibilities with spawns and resupply so close to the intel make it too easy to defend

this map is cool and popular on my server, been in rotation a few weeks now 85.234.155.50:27040

 

[Nineaxis]

If the players don't die, they'll be alive but stuck in a different round, which doesn't really help, now does it.

 

[Shmitz]

I've reworked the layout for the temple area. It seemed a little too easy to sentry turtle in the basement, plus the entire area was a bit smaller and more clausterphobic than the other three main areas. Additionally, different routes into the temple will now offer more unique approaches to the intel, as opposed to just dumping players into the upper atrium.

The downside is it might be a little bit more prone to people running in circles, so I hope to get feedback in that regard.

I made the ravine deeper by the waterfall (which would naturally happen anyway). Hopefully people who try to get flames put out by standing in the waterfall will end up achieving that goal just by floating in deeper water instead. Add func_putoutflames to the wishlist. =P

Beta 1 should be very soon. I'm just waiting for a couple updated model files from Buddikaman.

 

[Noggin]

I still think reverse CTF would be a better 'solution' than CTF or CP.

 

[Noggin]

It never fails to amaze me how my name has shown up next to my posts nearly 500 times on this forum, plain and easy to read, but people still want to put a 'c' in it.

Could be worse, the could leave out the 'm'.

 

[Shmitz]

Reverse CTF would be as flawed as CP, or at the very least would require just as much of a redesign of the layout. CTF isn't a "solution", it's the basis of the design. Getting the flag out is the goal of the attacking force, while preventing that exit is the goal of the defending force. Both CP and reverse CTF are focused on the entry, not the exit.

 

[ColdFire]

I've made my own psychostat heatmap for tc_meridian, with both deathmap (default) and killmap (the one in blue), and all sections have been played.

The first time we played it, my community was quite lost as I've already said. Now that we know better the map, we really have fun playing it

Here's the heatmap:
http://www.coldfire.info/psycho/mapheat.php?id=45

The heatmap is updated every night