Writing .pop files

How do I write a .pop file for my map? I have heard that mvm.tf isn't as good as writing your own, so how can I?

 

I've heard the same about mvm.tf, but I found one person who said old.mvm.tf still works, so I've been using that for all my popfiles. I haven't encountered any problems so far. I'd still recommend learning basic popfile syntax so you can diagnose and fix problems yourself. You can learn about popfile writing from the links at the bottom of this post: https://tf2maps.net/posts/412536/
Or from a quick Google search.

 

where do I put the pop files? do I create a folder called population in scripts?

 

Yes. Some folks use mvm.tf and some folks get notepad++ for a more hands-on mission making experience.