TF2 CTF Decker Custom Map
mod
I'm moving this out of my sketchbook and into a P&P thread because it totally took over and dominated my sketchbook thread.
For those of you who have been following along... No its not dead, it inches ever so close to beta week by week. There hasn't been much to report on since I posted last until now. I wrapped up a bunch of back end stuff and managed to work on a few more pops, plug some leaks and get started on the 3D sky box.
Overview. Hopefully shows some of the symmetry.
Finished off the funnel and various other props, like the windows the communications tower and various props inside the bridge. Might change the big number to be the name of the ship (USS Leyendecker). Or I might put it some place else as an overlay.
You can see a few of the blue base props that still need to be switched out for red. The pilings don't look painterly enough, I'll have to retouch them. It's hard switching gears back to TF2 style =/
View from the topmost snipers nest.
More shots: http://www.vigville.com/wip/ctf_decker/
Whats left to do:
- Finish 3D Skybox
- Some props and texture work on the red base
- Detail blue & red spawn rooms
- Detail red intel room
- Change up the cliff displacement
- Place a few directional signs
- Go back over all the textures and props and make sure everything is optimal for download.
- Release beta, gather feedback and fix whatever people find.
I don't want to set a date, because it depends on how much I can get done in my very liquid free time but I realistically have about 20-30hrs of work left. I might take some time off work just to have a day or two to hammer out some of the more mundane, time consuming tasks.
EDIT:
I also mocked up a quick path(s) guide.
- Blue is the top most path. It's on level with the dock & flight deck.
- Orange is the middle level. It sits below the dock & flight deck.
- Green is the lowest level at the water line.
For those of you who have been following along... No its not dead, it inches ever so close to beta week by week. There hasn't been much to report on since I posted last until now. I wrapped up a bunch of back end stuff and managed to work on a few more pops, plug some leaks and get started on the 3D sky box.
Overview. Hopefully shows some of the symmetry.
Finished off the funnel and various other props, like the windows the communications tower and various props inside the bridge. Might change the big number to be the name of the ship (USS Leyendecker). Or I might put it some place else as an overlay.
You can see a few of the blue base props that still need to be switched out for red. The pilings don't look painterly enough, I'll have to retouch them. It's hard switching gears back to TF2 style =/
View from the topmost snipers nest.More shots: http://www.vigville.com/wip/ctf_decker/
Whats left to do:
- Finish 3D Skybox
- Some props and texture work on the red base
- Detail blue & red spawn rooms
- Detail red intel room
- Change up the cliff displacement
- Place a few directional signs
- Go back over all the textures and props and make sure everything is optimal for download.
- Release beta, gather feedback and fix whatever people find.
I don't want to set a date, because it depends on how much I can get done in my very liquid free time but I realistically have about 20-30hrs of work left. I might take some time off work just to have a day or two to hammer out some of the more mundane, time consuming tasks.
EDIT:
I also mocked up a quick path(s) guide.
- Blue is the top most path. It's on level with the dock & flight deck.
- Orange is the middle level. It sits below the dock & flight deck.
- Green is the lowest level at the water line.
Replies
also love that despite the different looks on both sides the layout seams to be perfectly symmetrical
i like your sense of details , lol
http://www.vigville.com/wip/ctf_decker/images/ctf_decker410016.jpg
Can't wait to play it.
hopefully it plays as well, too!
Genvivi, thanks. One of the guns was hidden when I did the last compile. A big gun just like on the left of this shot also goes in the back between the funnel and the crane. I still have to give the big guns another texture pass right now they are just AO and a tileable with some bad seams (or seems if your Canadian). They'' blend a lot better noce they're done.
DiZzy, thanks, I'll post server info when it goes beta. I plan on doing a public beta release so hopefully a few servers will pick it up also. I plan on doing a custom bunk for each class. I have a few rough ideas but I'm open to suggestions from anyone!
Billy, thanks, is easy to turn up the realism, not so easy to turn it down haha. It's easy to take it the other direction also. The first version I did of the blue plane looked like a happy meal toy!
pior, heh, thanks.
hobo, thanks buddy =P
Slum, ha two guesses who sleeps in the bunk under him...
Gr9y, thanks. I got the idea after reading an article about 2fort. It brought up the fact that its stupid (but fun) to have two bases so close. It stuck with me for a while and I had to solve it.
Lord Ned, I posted it over there, I like their site they have a lot of useful info. I had no clue about the week play testing, thats awesome I'll see if I can get it worked into the rotation when the time comes, thanks!
vahl, thanks
MoP, Hopefully! I've gotten some good feedback and made some big changes over it's cycle so hopefully there aren't too many suprises. Even if there are they should be pretty easy to fix. Its not hard to reroute hallways and change the shape of rooms. I tried to build it with making changes in mind. But like vahl pointed out, I really have to get it out there and let the people go nuts. Because a lot of the public play testing has been "this is new lets jack around and figure things out" and not a lot of "lets try and climb on top of the skybox" so we'll see how things go. I imagine finding a lot of things I didn't even think about...
There's one path from the water to the flag I have sealed off, I might open it back up but it really increases the traffic in the water and makes the intel room hard to guard, so it might stay sealed... have to test it in beta...
Was there any interesting things that came up in your initial play testings? Such as classes being able to take advantage of one area more than another and balancing that accordingly? Would love to get into TF2 mapping myself, but my brain hurts thinking off all the class possibilities right now.
The blue team has docked their aircraft carrier at the red cannery, hilarity and carnage ensue.
please send bugs and requests to "VIG at VIGVILLE dot COM"
Notes:
- Blue base: 90% fini
- Red base: 60% fini
- Shared areas: 80% fini
Please do not use any of the custom props or textures included with this map, in any other maps, YET!
Many of the props and textures are still works in progress.
I will release the props and textures as a custom pack once this map releases.
Download: http://www.vigville.com/wip/ctf_decker/ctf_Decker_b1.rar
Mirror 1: http://www.fpsbanana.com/maps/86135
More screenshots at: http://www.vigville.com/wip/ctf_decker/
(Click the thumbs for larger versions)
i might even reinstall TF2 to have a run around this, i love it!
The only thing I dislike is the deck of the ship, I think it would look nicer as wooden planks. Also, whats happening in that last shot? There should be something holding that cable up in the air surely.
I've been having a blast lately playing Zombie Fortress its a survival mode where one team is zombies and the other team is made up of survivors. I don't know how long its been around but there are a few good maps for it already one of my favorites being "Asylum".
Rob, yea there's only so much I (and my wife) can play test, its really gotta get out there take its lumps so I can fix what I'm blind to. The good thing is that most of the pathways are very pliable so if I run into any major issues I can change things up pretty easily.
Goth, thanks!
00Zero, Glad to hear you're going to give it a spin, thanks! And the 2 forts being built feet away from each other is kind of what drove me to make this map.
se7ered, thanks! Those are lights... If I do a custom sky map I'll plan on making it dusk, and at that point I would turn them on, but that would mean reworking quite a few textures on the outside props so we'll have to see. The sky box 2D & 3D is on the list of things to do.
zacko, thanks I hope it plays well, if not well that's what this is for. So far people seem to get lost pretty easily down in the bowels of the map, I'm not sure if that's because there are too many hallways, not enough signs, or people just getting their bearings on a new map? I'm ready to make some pretty drastic changes if I have to, but hopefully the feedback I got from alpha testing will hold up.
Nick, tanks tumor!
A.Kincade, thanks, I will finish it! Just not before DW4 is over ha! I have a lot on my plate right now, work is kicking it up a notch, DW4 is on and I'm locked in mortal combat with my cartoon nemesis (everyone should get one), and I have another side project starting up soon too.
Lee, wow cool, thanks! If you happen to keep it installed I'd like to know what you think of TF2 now with all the updates. If you get the itch to check out some other custom maps I know a server that runs some great ones (including this one) a really good custom map is Aerospace.
Szark, I hear ya, I've tried cracked concrete and now the asphalt. I'll toss some uniformed wood planks in there and see how it looks, thanks for the suggestion! I had thought about doing wood to be a little historically accurate, but thought people would get confused and think its 2 docks, but its worth a try, I know I could do more with overlays and such with a less noisy texture. After the map has been around and people get used to the idea, it would be easier to pull a switcher-a-roo?
Bromell & Brown, you're awesome! I'm up for making any changes to make it play well, so hopefully in the end it will be a winner! I built it with making changes in mind so I'm up for a lot of changes if that's what it takes. Just gotta find what I'm blind too
New beta version, with totally redesigned paths. Much smaller (file size and map size), simpler and quicker to navigate, and added a bunch of optimization improvements.
Still a lot of work left to do but its ready for play testing.
List of changes:
- Started a custom 2D/3D skybox.
- Changed it from day to night.
- Rerouted a lot of paths and simplified things.
- Reworked a lot of the props and optimized textures.
- Removed the lowest level from the bases.
- Added health and ammo to various places.
The night change looks great too. Still has good ambient light.
I'll have to make sure it gets up at cC.
hell, maybe we will see this map in one of the future tf2 updates!
awesome work man
Another forum I'm on does a weekly custom TF2 map test. I'll try to get Decker added to tonights game and get you some feedback.
So, if I remember from the commentary on Left 4 Dead, players naturally flock toward lighted areas over darkness. This might help with your new night setting....herd those newbies toward the intel.
-When running through the bases, it's sometimes difficult to tell which one you're in since a lot of the custom models have bluish textures. Adding a second skin with a warmer tone to them, or even just neutral colors would work well to distinguish between different areas. The same goes for the world textures you're using; there's a lot of blue in the red base since it looks like you haven't yet made red versions of certain textures. Fixing these will help a lot of navigation problems.
-The interior spaces of the bases feel pretty cramped and claustrophobic. You might be able to get around this by raising the ceilings a little.
-Most of the corridors inside the bases feel kind of boxy and plain. Add some more material variation, put some overlays and props in strategic locations and this will change.
-It's a little bit difficult to see where the intel room is, so adding distinctive textures and props around it should help make it more visible.
-The second level deck seems a little useless right now as the only way up is a single staircase or a rocket/sticky jump. I'd suggest adding a second way up from far inside the bases so attack and defense up there can do more interesting things.
Overall this looks like a really solid map and the custom content is incredible. I found myself just walking around and looking at the props, so great job. Iron out the layout and detail work and this should be pretty kickass.
Swizzle, I agree, thanks buddy
- The blue props in the red base are place holder until I get the flow ironed out I put prop creation/placement on hold.
"The second level deck seems a little useless right now as the only way up is a single staircase or a rocket/sticky jump. I'd suggest adding a second way up from far inside the bases so attack and defense up there can do more interesting things."
There's a staircase in the intel room I hid for this release. Soldiers and demos complained that they had very few rocket jumping spots that meant anything. Engies also thought there where too many exits to guard. It took 2-3 engines previously to properly defend the intel, now its pretty reasonable for 1.
So I thought why not allow airborn units access to the 2 top exits when escaping with the intel. I have a feeling you're right and that the stairs will need to come back for the final release.
I´d love to fight more on deck like in 2forts but normaly you´r running around in one of the bases
like Swizzle sayed, could the corridors use some more detailing
and there´s a part of the corridor where you have a lot of weird corners/edges.. this looks unnatural
also you don´t "feel" where you are.. i think this is bc the corridors lack unique spots you can easily remember
and the water texture tiles too often
btw.. liked the day-version more, but anyway.. the indoor parts need more lights.. it should be bright inside - imo -
to see more and to have a contrast to the outdoor ondeck part
but nontheless it makes already fun to play the map..
so keep going!
(I'm more of a dayman myself)
Three groups have added it to their "lets help test custom maps" game days over the next week I'll gather up times and servers and make a post for anyone interested.
I'm running a 24-7 server at 76.22.100.29:27017 (from home No longer running)
You can download the map from the server, but its probably faster to download it from here first, then connect.
Also check this out, some guy took the props and made this, I think it looks pretty cool, would have been nice if he told me instead of stumbling across it, but its cool looking.
http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=751494
Host: caffeinePowered TF Tuesday
Date: 07/07/09 Tues 6:00pm PST
IP: 8.12.20.112:27015
PW:littlecart
Host: CGTalk's Weekly TF2
Date: 07/08/09 Wed 6:00pm PST
IP: 209.246.143.142:27015
PW: polygon
Host: TF2Maps.net
Date: 07/12/09 Sat 9:00am PST
IP: 63.210.148.171:27015
PW:
Guns4Back2School
Date:
IP: 66.228.126.59:27015
PW:
I'll take any and all criticism you can toss my way. Don't worry about hurting my feelings. If we can't tear it down then I can't rebuild it stronger =P
Intel Room Changes:
- Add stairs to intel room.
- Move sub in the intel room to out of bounds area.
- Smooth out the clipping on the props on the 2nd floor of the intel room. (People seem to get caught when circling the floor while looking down.)
- Add second ground floor entrance to the intel room.
Spawn Room Changes:
- Remove the hallway bump/cut out that has health and a hatch. (near mess hall spawn)
- Flip and straighten out the center "mess hall" spawn room(s) so it feeds into the map in a more natural direction.
- Turn up lighting in key areas to help guide players to doors and exits, especially in the water exit rooms.
Lift Area and Water Area Changes:
- Lights and signs to guide players out of the water.
- Lift room has a doorway that looks like you can walk through, but is blocked. Either allow access or block it visually.
- The lower bridge doesn't extend far enough to the red side, people fall through the hole.
Misc Changes:
- Finish off WIP props and create the new Red base canary props and textures.
- Finish detailing both bases, props, overlays detail brushes ect...
- Less intel signs, more resupply signs.
Fixed that for ya.