CP Zinkenite B3a

[Rexy]

Ok, stage_b_5a is up, we played stage_b_5 earlier today. 5a fixes a nobullets fubar over the blue setup area. The changes include everything you see in the above screenshots, plus this picture of the 2nd cap being moved, similar to one of grazr's suggestion:

You can get b_5a here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1293763/cp_zig_stage_b_5a.bsp.bz2

 

[Rexy]

Anyone have any major beef with these changes? I'm enjoying them myself. Might start building stage 3 and just have this tested a bunch more times.

 

[Fruity Snacks]

I don't think there was too much of an issue with it, there was a sightline going down from the cave with blu, but I think its a good sightline, good for offence...

keep testing, see what arises.

 

[Vincent]

Had tons of fun, my crazy killing streak as a demoman with the new sword inside BLU's setup area was beast.

Although I think you miiiiight want to clip it off from RED, just a suggestion. I went ape shit on BLU. Most likely a fluke. Imagine if I had went heavy with a medic buddy.

 

[Rexy]

Alright, so aside from a few picky things I found here and there, and aside from later comments that arise from further testing, I'm in a comfortable spot to start building stage 3. It's going to be either 2 or 3 control points, and while I'd like to have 3, I won't be too torn if I can't work it out that way.

I'll be building based on this guide from before, even though it doesn't always work out exactly as planned, it's still a good start: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1293763/zig/zig_layout_wip_01.jpg

Edit, progress:

 

[Rexy]

Update to stage_c_1:

Updated to stage c, added 3 new control points in a single stage.

Check the download button on the original post for the file.

 

[Rexy]

Update to stage_c_2:

Moved blu's 2nd spawn back into the cave, to increase walk time to the last point (was pretty short before).
Increased capture time on all control points by 2 seconds each, (now 9, 7 and 5).
Fixed a clipping issue outside of red's first spawn.

Let's play!

 

[littleedge]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1490725/Clipchecks/Zig/cp_zig_stage_c_20000.jpg
I almost always forgot that door was there because all exits from spawn direct you towards the gigantic open area. So my suggestion is to bring the left-most spawn exit of BLU's closer to that door.

The door I made was an idea for a tiny tunnel that opens up after the point is captured to increase walk time slightly. Not quite sure how much of an increase it would be, maybe even nudge it over to the left a little more. With both changes, the ramp and the door, after capping A, walk times would be less annoying. But not even sure how better it'd be.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1490725/Clipchecks/Zig/cp_zig_stage_c_20001.jpg
Suggestion: Move spawn closer, and up a little. Remove the lower half of the ramp to the two upper spawn exits, have spawn doors level with it about halfway up. Having spawns so far back is kinda silly.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1490725/Clipchecks/Zig/cp_zig_stage_c_20002.jpg
Get rid of that fence. And that was the window we spoke of in-game. It's useful, but eh.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1490725/Clipchecks/Zig/cp_zig_stage_c_20003.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1490725/Clipchecks/Zig/cp_zig_stage_c_20004.jpg
BLU's sniper tower should have this little balcony so that other classes who walk up there not knowing it's a sniper nest can escape faster.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1490725/Clipchecks/Zig/cp_zig_stage_c_20005.jpg
Make this more useful

 

[Rexy]

Thanks little! Good suggestions.

Edit:

Update to stage_c_3:

Added a bunch of small changes based on feedback from littleedge.
Made the sniper tower overlooking C also a dropdown area (or a rocket jump area too!)
Changed the small window in the 1-way path at B to be a platformed drop off. This should be better for gameplay and also not irritate red players who go this way during their first time.
Removed the window prop from the window area at C.
Cut a hole into the base of the platform on the wall bisecting the area at A. This should be handier for blu traveling to take the 2nd control point, but keep the gameplay relatively the same.

Check the download for the file.

 

[LeSwordfish]

I liked it but that chokepoint after A is a disaster waiting to happen. (Unless there is a route past it and i'm just a dick.)

 

[Rexy]

I liked it but that chokepoint after A is a disaster waiting to happen. (Unless there is a route past it and i'm just a dick.)

There isn't, but you have to have it. There has to be a way to funnel the defending team into one spot to keep them from pushing the attacking team all the way back into blu spawn. It's a deliberate choke, and if there were multiple routes back to A, the defending team would be able to send scouts and spies, literally any class to flank through and Blu would probably never be able to make a push on the 2nd point. The idea is to hold up in the cave, build an uber, and/or set up teleporters and a sentry, and make pushes on the point. Red can enter the cave from the 1 path on the left and push through the cave if they want, but past the neck of the cave toward A, it's chokey intentionally. Consider other chokey areas of cp maps just beyond a first control point, dustbowl stage 2 and 3, artpass maybe. I'd like to hear opposing opinions on the topic though.

 

[Tinker]

Dustbowl is a bad example because especially stage 3 is just.. really terrible, gameplay-wise. The first point is a single spam corridor. Artpass is better because the chokepoint isn't actually where the gameplay happens, and does actually deter the defending team from pushing back to far. I'd have to play this stage again to see what's up in Zig, but generally single chokepoints are not necessarily bad, as long as the teams don't actually meet up there.

 

[LeSwordfish]

Artpass's chokepoint has a height advantage far more easily acessed by the attackers above it, whilst zig's is set further back.

Zig's height advantage for the point could well be utilised if you plan to change that area at all.

 

[Rexy]

Zig is now cp_zinkenite!

Updated to a1, all three stages playable.
Detail at about 50%, with some optimization.

Let's play! Check the OP for download.

Filler images:

 

[Pocket]

1. Are you planning to make a more detailed skybox texture
2. Not sure how I feel about third stage being three points
3. This map is going to be a bitch in the ass to have to download every time there's an update
4. Forklift textures still ought to be recompiled with non-sharpened mipmaps</brokenrecord>

 

[grazr]

Will the skybox really matter by the time he's created some 3dskybox tree cards? People hardly notice the details ontop of the cliffs, let alone the fact that the sky is as plain as dustbowl's; and if it's really that bad he can throw in some cloud card's into the 3dskybox as well.

EDIT: Also i agree about the chokepoint point Rexy made, it's important that BLU can hold the territory they gain. It's also a good idea though to provide a drop down for BLU. This was good for goldrush's final, less effective in dustbowl because it's so narrow (and 2 way).

 

[honeymustard]

Cool bananas!

 

[DaBeatzProject]

I always felt there was something wrong with the ceilings of your caves. Mostly because your caves are (edit: supposed to be) natural, compared to most (mining themed) tunnels in tf2, which are made by humans. So this made me thinking, and I think I've come up with a cool solution. Excuse me for the lot of scribbles, this wasn't finished and was made in about an hour. And it's my style.

Original image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/642432/zigcave01original.jpg

My edited version: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/642432/zigcave01edited.jpg

Basically what I did is raised the walls quite a bit, to create a more natural "cavern" like feeling, which gives it a more immense scale, instead of a tunnel with some random unfitting stalactites here and there. And I also, because I am oh so arty-farty, played a bit with some lighting effects which are probably too expensive for TF2 to use. (shiny rockwalls etc)

I hope you take this into consideration - it was fun to paint!

edit: contact me if you want the higher res version

 

[Fruity Snacks]

DABP, it is people like you who make me feel bad about not ebing artisitic.

 

[Void]

jesus fucking christ

beatz are you a wizard