Assignment Frenzy #1: Voting

[Ravidge]

Voting time!

A total of 17 entries for a almost unscheduled quick-fire contest is a huge success. Now comes the time to vote.
Above is a MULTI-CHOICE poll, pick your favorites. Once you've made your vote you can NOT edit or update you choice, so make sure you've made up your mind before you hit that button!
You may vote for your own entry, but I will remove those votes in the final tally (I wish I could just stop you from the beginning).

I strongly recommend checking out the maps in-game.

Voting closes: Thursday 21st (July) 21:00 UTC [Link to show corresponding local times] (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20110721T21)

[Click here to download ALL maps at once] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/assignmentfrenzy1_entries.zip) 56mb
[Click here to view all screenshots] (http://min.us/metyWZY#1g)

Author|Screenshot #1|Screenshot #2|Download
anova|http://min.us/metyWZY |http://min.us/metyWZY#2 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_anova.zip)
dabp|http://min.us/metyWZY#3 |http://min.us/metyWZY#4 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_dabp.zip)
dark|http://min.us/metyWZY#5 |http://min.us/metyWZY#6 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_dark.zip)
drwrench|http://min.us/metyWZY#7 |http://min.us/metyWZY#8 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_drwrench.zip)
godslayer57|http://min.us/metyWZY#9 |http://min.us/metyWZY#10 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_godslayer57.zip)
grazr|http://min.us/metyWZY#11 |http://min.us/metyWZY#12 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_grazr.zip)
jetti|http://min.us/metyWZY#13 |http://min.us/metyWZY#14 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_jetti.zip)
locnlol|http://min.us/metyWZY#15 |http://min.us/metyWZY#16 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_locnlol.zip)
locutus|http://min.us/metyWZY#17 |http://min.us/metyWZY#18 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_locutus.zip)
mickanator|http://min.us/metyWZY#19 |-|[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_mickanator.zip)
plipplop|http://min.us/metyWZY#20 |http://min.us/metyWZY#21 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_plipplop1.zip)
ritz|http://min.us/metyWZY#22 |http://min.us/metyWZY#23 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_ritz.zip)
sergis|http://min.us/metyWZY#24 |http://min.us/metyWZY#25 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_sergis.zip)
tomhoen|http://min.us/metyWZY#26 |http://min.us/metyWZY#27 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_tomhoen.zip)
tyker|http://min.us/metyWZY#28 |http://min.us/metyWZY#29 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_tyker.zip)
ym|http://min.us/metyWZY#30 |http://min.us/metyWZY#31 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_ym.zip)
zhan|http://min.us/metyWZY#32 |http://min.us/metyWZY#33 |[Download] (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1281220/TF2Maps/AF1/af1_zhan_02.zip)


==========================================

Point scoring:


All the entries that managed to place in the top 33%* will get 1 point. The #1 entry gets 2 points.
If first place is tied between 3 or less entries, each of these gets 2 points. If first place is tied to 4 or more entries, no one gets 2 points.
If the cutoff point at 33%* is unclear due to tied scores; All entries tied will receive 1 point, as long as the point receiving subset is <50% of the number of entries. If larger than 50%, none of the tied entries receive any points.
*it's not always possible to divide the number of entries into thirds (33%), the closest approximation that yields a integer will be used in these cases.
Assignment #1 has 17 entries; the cutoff will be at ~35,2941%
Participating in voting threads earns you points.
Voted in 3 separate assignment frenzy voting threads = +1 point
Voted in 6 separate assignment frenzy voting threads = +1 point
Voted in 9 separate assignment frenzy voting threads = +1 point

[Prestige]

anova: didn't have a lot of detail for a detailing assignment, seemed unfinished, just wasn't a lot there.
dabp: <3 the rain at night and the whole thing was very nice. skybox was a little bland.
dark: no chair on top the tower? where will i sit?
dr wrench: wow, a lot going on. didn't like the yellow rails, but other than that, it had some interesting areas. something about how busy it was, i dunno.
godslayer57: looks great, but i need a little more. not much going on atm. i see a lot of potential for more cool stuff.
grazr: well-done, nice rocks + displacements, creative idea. good work.
jetti: wow, you took the mining theme very literal, and put me right in the mines. i really like it.
locnlol: i see 2 buildings, with 2 rails on either side of them, some train carts and a grassy patch in the middle, and some trees, not much else - though it looks pretty good.
locutus: the displacement hill is way too unrealistic with how bumpy it is and some of the texturing and geometry is kind of bland. i generally like the scene though.
mickanator: was pretty bland overall, but well-done. i didn't notice the bird was fake until a few mins after looking at it :(
plipplop: really, really, good. cool geometry + idea.
ritz: very well done, waterfall, the crystals, and everything looks amazing.
sergis: heavy dying from the freezing cold? (http://blogs.965thebuzz.com/files/2011/05/Shut-up-and-take-my-money.jpg) was very cozy, i didn't want to leave :(
tomhoen: little too much fog, felt like it was a tad underdetailed in some places, but overall pretty good.
tyker: awesome. not much else to say. amazing work. prolly my favorite.
ym: pretty good, it's basically just a giant building with some giant rocks so it's kinda cramped with not much else.
zhan: very good, nice and cozy. i'd live there.

I hope this feedback from someone who has never detailed before was useful.

[yyler]

anova: empty, uncentered cap model, telephone wires that dont make sense. buildings feel like dev buildings.
dabp: great use of the barbed wire, wish there was more to it
dark: pretty nice, a little messy feeling, but overall good
dr. wrench: i dont like the rails either. good work though, but feels kind of like portal in places. clever use of a 3d sky for a map in a pit
godslayer: what's there looks good, but it's largely empty. good ideas with fairly well done execution that end up not making a scene so much as some things
grazr: good attention to detail, which is obviously important. the hole looks like a puckered butthole though. there is a smoke trail blowing opposite the way that turning thing is going. not sure why you'd mine gross water.
jetti: clever -- a side of tf2 that's really just hinted at in game. well executed i think
locnlol: this certainly looks better than the other mostly content-less entries i've seen. i was going to do alpine mining before i gave up
mickanator: dustbowl roofs. good idea for a facade (double silo) but the execution needs work.
plipplop: beautiful, like snowy upward. i like the wide doors. the mine cart is too deep in the snow comparative to the track.
ritz: good use of the giant hole idea. i like your displacement platforms with the crystals and little shack. i'm glad you made a teleporter.
sergis: lots of cleverness here. looks great, but doesn't scream mining.
tomhoen: cute, but lacking. agree on the fog.
tyker: wow, this is very cool. the no dumping sign is great and the mine shaft is spectacular
ym: feels like a 3d sky area. it's pretty well done, but there isn't a lot to look at, either.
zhan: lovely work. maybe it's my computer but your detail sprites are floating. stairs are too steep to be realistic as far as tf2 is concerned.

[clayton]

nice work. especially dabp and ritz. i've got to learn this detailing lark..

[edit: may i politely request for the next batch of assignment entries that info_observer_points be mandatory? :) cheers]

[Ezekel]

whilst in the end i chose sergis (the atmosphere combined with the log cabin sold it for me. i also like how it's nestled amongst the trees of the forest), i also really liked dabp's for the atmosphere and tyker's for the attention to detail + interesting structure (although i'd say that the roof might be a lil too thick).
having said that, i didn't dislike any of them, and all of you: well done. nice detailing :)

[DaBeatzProject]

My little list of thoughts..

ANOVA: Not much to see? Where is the (fine) detail? Buildings look bland. Try extending your roofs a bit to the outside. No models. Displacements with NODRAW texture. No sounds.

DABP: //

DARK: Cool geometry, some stuff doesn't make sense (clock??). Displacements are very noisy and rough/messy. Snow on roofs have to be models or overlays, displacements look bad. No sounds.

DRWRENCH: Weird ambient lighting. Odd, geometry. Ropes in 3Dsky are obviously way too thick. Some dev textures still visible. Boring square shape. No sounds.

GODSLAYER57: Same as ANOVA, extend your roofs. What the f*** how many supports are that under your roofs? SOUND! Random water. Overal feels a little bland.

GRAZR: Nice detailing, feels too square. Enough fine detailing (shrubs, rubble, props, ...). FFFFF those metal walls. Those underwater barrels are affected by a weird kind of fog. You stole the toilet from goldrush :) SOUND! Spectator camera!!

JETTI: The real mine! Boring lighting (everything is lit the same way). Some lights without props that can actually cast the light. I would make a mine look darker. Nice spytech part. No sound.

LOCNLOL: No fog, nothing to see. Basic blocks of buildings, no additional detail. Why did you make it mirrored? It looks really boring. No sound.

LOCUTUS: Thick roofs, thick planks, ... Looks unfinished. Lighting angle doesn't match Skybox texture! No rotated textures, no fine detailing. Boring square shape(s). No sound.

MICKANATOR: I like the silos+mining tracks. Dustbowl roof, can't be unseen. You have a nice looking detailed shack, but no entrance to it, or no way to look inside from eye level. Inside the big building is really bland. No sound.

PLIPPLOP: Nice use of vertical space, Spectator Camera!! Try rotating your textures/experimenting with different combinations. Snow blend on bottom of cliff needs swapped alpha. Nice structures. SOUND!

RITZ: Basic (boring) square shape. Try thinking outside the box. Why is there a pit with a waterfall? Nice crystals, but texture needs work. Original idea. Water needs bigger scale. Waterfall textures look bad in the shadow. You should have tried rotating the map 180 degrees. Sound! Spectator camera!

SERGIS: Cool idea, I like the apres-ski hut. :) Floating icicle up in the air. Nice idea of the snow on the fence, badly executed. Sound would have made it 10 times better (cracking wood in the fire, cold wind outside, ...). Spectator Camera! No sound!

TOMHOEN: An other square-hole-in-the-ground-map (see grazr, drwrench, ritz, ...). Thick roofs, bad textures. What's up with the fog man?? Not really impressive, sorry. No sound.

TYKER: CUTE minecarts! :) Idea of moving platform is nice, but badly executed - ropes too thick as well. So are your roofs, they should be ~4 units thick, not 16. Interesting lighting. Sound!

YM: Nice structures, good use of rocks. Badly lit props. No sound/spec cam YM!! Feels unpleasantly cramped in some places. Good looking overal. Where is conveyer number 01? :p

ZHAN: Nice brushwork, good use of textures and shapes. Feels like a fine alpine mining scene. Sound + Spectator Camera!!

[YM]

YM: Nice structures, good use of rocks. Badly lit props. No sound/spec cam YM!! Feels unpleasantly cramped in some places. Good looking overal. Where is conveyer number 01? :p

In the other thread I requested people run it with mat_bumpmap 0. Had this been a real map I'd have edited the props to remove their normals (which stuff up their lighting)

However recompiling them would have been way too much effort and a quick material only fix may have screwed up someone elses entry if my map was loaded before theirs.

[Tom Hoen]

Thanks everyone for your comments. This was my second try to make something detailed looking in hammer. I take your critisism and remember them in the future.

[grazr]

grazr: good attention to detail, which is obviously important. the hole looks like a puckered butthole though. there is a smoke trail blowing opposite the way that turning thing is going. not sure why you'd mine gross water.

Old mines fill up with rain water/runoff; they're obviously not mining the water ;p Both the (2) smoke particles and the anometer are facing left of the truck when you spawn.

GRAZR: Nice detailing, feels too square. Enough fine detailing (shrubs, rubble, props, ...). FFFFF those metal walls. Those underwater barrels are affected by a weird kind of fog. You stole the toilet from goldrush :) SOUND! Spectator camera!!

Water has an internal fog setting in it's proxy settings, nothing i could control, at least not within the time limit. Also i made the toilet from scratch D: it was a good detail!

[Steff0o]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1615325/tf2m/Af1.docx <- Feedback
All entries i voted for are marked in green

[Sergis]

Anova - Underdetailed map. The wire shouldnt be going straight through the poles. Seeing as there is health, ammo and capplate, will this be an actual map?
Beatz - Awesome. I demand you make a map with this theme. Really nice foliage. I wish the map had 3D sky to go with the rain. The blood in the entrance makes me wonder if the barbedwire is there to keep people out of the mine or to keep something in? Voted.
Dark - Nice map. If you're going for seamless 3D sky, dont edit disps after you've made sky disps and up the lightmap scale on the sky displacements. The not-rotated texture on the railings makes them look a bit off. How and why is that clock and coffeepot up there? Voted.
DrWrench - Too contrasty for my liking, made my eyes hurt a bit. You didn't place a cubemap in the map, resulting in pink windows. Why is one side a 3Dsky displacement? It doesn't receive world shadows, making it look ugly. Also, you should have used -staticproplighting.
Godslayer - Ok map. I wish it had something more though. Some more interesting structures instead of uniformly repeating elements.
Grazr - Nice map. Good job on the seamless 3D sky. I'm not a fan of the overall redness and the arch tho. The controversial metal wall texture is ok with me. The pit walls are a bit boring. Having some remains of elevator would be nice. Also, I have seen the exact same outhouse in Goldrush. Voted.
Jetti - Nice mine. Could be more open so it's more like a scene. The fade distance is too short on some of the boxes (and why do you even have the fade distance?). I couldn't run through the narrow tunnel, getting stuck in the corner. Also that tunnel could use more trusses. Voted.
Loc'n'lol - Mirrored "detailscene" with uniform windows and primitive skybuildings closeby? I am disappoint.
Locutus - Quite a simple scene and detailing. Would be looking better if it wasn't walled in.
Mickanator - I wish it had more texture variation. Dynamite shack is nice, but it has no door on the inside. The other shack is too empty for a detailscene.
Plipplop - Very nice. Reminds me of the prison in Butcher Bay a little. The walls should be broken up a bit more than just with one white line. Good thing we talked you into joining. Add spawns on either side of this and release an arena. I don't care if it's asymmetrical, I want to play it. Voted.
Ritz - Cool map. Water texture scale should be higher. Crystals didn't look like in screenshots, probably because of my DX8. How does the lift keeps its balance with only 1 rope attached and asymmetrically placed stuff on it? Cliff walls are a bit boring, also there could be more stuff inside the top building. Voted.
Sergis - Great map, I've sent an email to Valve recommending them to hire you. Good job on getting the exact desired effect on Prestige. Could use more lights and icicles and at least an overlay under the lantern in snow. Candle flame is sometimes not showing up when spectating, also there is a floating icicle.
Tomhoen - The fog is far too aggressive. The ridge the displacements have looks odd. Most floors are way too thick, blocky and primitive. -staticproppolys should be used to avoid ugly shadows.
Tyker - Very nice and atmospheric map. Very deep mineshaft. The supporting beams in there shouldn't all be the same width. Would be nice if the lift reversed rotation direction slowly, instead of "bouncing". The metal roof is way too thick. The lift platform could use more detailed structure. Yellow barrel spam looks samey, but it also looks like it belongs there so it's good. One of the wires in the mineshaft is going through a rock. When I stepped on the lift and it started to go down, the ropes disappeared. Cool crazy minecarts down there. Voted.
YM - Good looking map. The horizontal ladder is odd, also another ladder is casting an odd shadow on the rock. I have mat_bumpmap 0 at all times. Do gutters even make sense in a desert? I wanted to use some when detailing Namicott, but then I thought "this is a desert, it rains once in 100 years here". The metal sheets on roofs are bit lifted off the roof, looking odd. Voted.
Zhan - Ok map. The two white wood square window structures could use a bit more different designs. I wish the map had something more, but I liked it just enough to vote. Voted.

[Mick-a-nator]

I've tried to give an criticism open sandwich for each one, but I'm not great at giving my opinion using words. I ran out of adjectives quickly...

anova - Promising cp area but not detailed.

dabp - The rain is a novel idea, and it actually made me run for cover! Only a few small problems, which is to be expected with the time and size.

dark - nice layout/design but everything feels big yet cramped. In particular the displacements are extreme.

drwrench - I like the idea of the industrial mining theme, but it doesn't quite work with TF2's mining textures.

godslayer57 - The frame is overkill for the crane, which doesn't look like it can do much where it is. Not bad, but it feels like something is missing.

grazr - Good looking surrounding area and the pit is a good central feature, but the area doesn't seem to have any purpose.

jetti - Generally good quality detail and the crowded feel suits the mining environment, but nothing particularly stands out.

lochnlol - Mirroring makes me :( Feels like the interesting bit is behind the closed door!

locutus - A nice outside space, but the buildings are a bit mishmash and the displacement slope is bumpy and spiky.

mickanator - Terrible, clearly no skill at all. Never make anything ever again ever.

plipplop - Buildings look great but the odd bits and pieces look to crisp and clean. Outside area looks unnatural.

ritz - Nice area. The waterfall is great, but where does the water go!? imo the crystal doesn't go with the rock colour.

sergis - The cabin is brilliant, but it doesn't quite fit in with the mining theme.

tomhoen - The design is a little higgledy-piggledy, but otherwise very good. Detailing is mainly textural and there's a bit too much fog.

tyker - Everything looks very good, despite the huuuuuugely thick brushes. Props are a bit too repetitive and the ride down is nice but gets boring quickly.

YM - Good quality detailing of a good scene, but its small size makes it all feel off limits.

zhan - Lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. Not much sign of activity/ not very tatty but otherwise a nice environment.

[Prop]

I reallllyyy like the snowing nighttime one! High five Sergis!

[Jetti]

Oh crap, I missed Ritz. Uh, Rav, +1 for Ritz, plox?

EDIT: Oh darn, it says I can't edit or update. Whoops. Sorry Ritz. I'll vote for you in another to make up for it? :3

[Loc_n_lol]

Who dared vote for me ? This is an outrage !

And the vote is cast, congratulations, some surprisingly good stuff there.

[Aly]

Anova: Bland. There was a lack of detail itself, with no little props, little stories in those props. The wires on the telephone lines don't make sense, they're connected to the post
not the insulator thingy, and some of the textures on the arches are just off.

Beatz: Love the aptmosphere. Great particles, and sound, and lighting. Marvellous. I also like the floor texture, and the ingenous use of the security fence's bared wire.
However, with the scout-triple jump bat, I was able to get up, around the back and onto the rooves where I could see nodraw, but as this is for detailing, I won't consider this.
I do, however, expect you to make this into a map with the same theme, and will be dissapointed if you don't.

Dark: Nice job, overall look is nice, 3d sky is nice too. However, the blend between the 3d sky and map is a bit off behind the gate, as well as a severe lighting difference.
The wood texture on the railing of the walkway between the two buildings is also roated 90 degrees, the grain should be parralell to the length. Some of the displacements
are a bit funny and sharp, and some of the textures arn't aligned. Your rooves are also quite thick, but overall, quite nice, with some very nice geometry.

Dr. Wrench: Odd lighting, it seems overly bright. The yellow walkways contrast too much with the brown theme going, they stand out too much for a weathered place. Cubemaps
not built, which are quite important. Some nice geometry and displacement work, as well as some neat ideas. Pity it's ruined a bit by being in a big square hole. Some of the wooden
buildings also could do with some bracers, especially on the corner, and the silo looks odd with a wood texture.

Godslayer: Some nice detailing, however all over a bit empty. I like the sound, that definately helps, but there's just not much there. No fine details. ALso, your rooves could be
extended out a bit more. And I think a truck would snap those twigs as it drives up them. Especially a loaded one.

Grazr: Nice geometry, nice small details, good sound and particle effects. 3d skybox is blended perfectly, well done, love the outhouse, but I don't understand why there's a fireplace
inside it. Don't have many complaints, overall, nicely done.

Jetti: All feels a bit claustrophobic, but it is nicely detailed, with some nice geometry and very good displacement work. Nicely done.

Locnlol: Odd lighting, and the sleeper overlays are stretched too narrow. It all feels just a bit...empty. The skybox seems a bit emtpty too, witht he building ont he cliff looking bland and empty.

Locutus: THE BLOOM! Square hole, displacements a bit wonky, and the textures are often misaligned. Also, why is there a non-square peice of sheet metal serving as a bridge?
Also rather empty. Needs more depth, some plants, some bumpier ground.

Mickinator: Still a bit empty, like many others. It has some nice detail and geometry, but it seems bland. There's no colour varience, little plants, extra rocks, stuff left lying around.
Things like that.

Plip: Spectator camera was nice, and soundscape was nice. Some very nice geometry, and detail where it's needed. Could use a bit more varience in the textures and wood colour,
but overall very nice.

Ritz: Nice geometry, nice displacement work. Waterfall looks speccy, and the sound is nicely balanced. I love the gemstones, verry pretty. I think you could have used
a better water texture though, and the cliffs could use some more detail. But very nice.

Sergis: Very nice! Love the feel of the whole pace. But the snow clipps into the building. I love the log cabin idea, but the textures are all the same, and it looks odd when there's
a noticable defect in the texture. Great detailing, love the oven. The outside could use some more detail, but overall very nice!

Tomhoen: Fog is a bit odd, and the lighting is a bit...white and plain. Geometry seems a bit odd at times and it needs sound. Worst part is the fact that it's a square hole.
Good effort though.

Tyker: Nice detailing! Love the geometry, especially in the mineshaft. Moving platform and minecarts are nice, and I love the progression into the spytech base. But it gets a bit darn down there. But
shouldn't there be some cables or something pulling the platform? The outside is also a bit empty. Seems like it could use some more. Dustmotes are always nice too. overall, nice.

YM: Quite nice, but contrary to what I've said, it seems a bit cluttered. Nice geometry and attention t detail, however. Well done.

Zhan: (Going off screenshots for texture replacement) Nice overall. Those stairs look a bit steep to be natural, and the buildings arn't quite connected behind. Overall nice. Always a far for pretty alpine, but I wish there was more.

[Zhan]

Zhan: snow

Are you sure you have the right map?

[Aly]

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/560914400163263938/C3A3EDE0A913FD2FA341F9E76CF924B6064A2415/

This is your map, no? Looks pretty white. Maybe you overdid it on your HDR, but it certainly looks like...snow.

[Tom Hoen]

http://i.min.us/jeffG6.jpg (http://min.us/leffG6)
This is how it should look like.

[LeSwordfish]

...Well, something's up.

[C00Kies]

Hmm i must have done something wrong with my cubemaps... I know i put some in.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Tyker]

Anova: Sadly there just isn't enough here. Sharp cornered brushes, nodraws on displacements, sharp texture switches. I suggest to just keep on building: doing is the best way to learn!
DABP: Sideways rain! Nice sound! A dark corridor with blood splatters on the walls! Only a shame that there isn't much to look at from any other point of view then spawn, but the idea is great and executed very nicely!
Dark: A nice snowy checkpoint scene. Brushwork looks nice, but it has some sharp gashes en open spaces between supports on the wooden structure. The texture on the walkways is also not aligned. The 3D skybox's lighting and displacements do not fit the sides of the map, but at least there IS a 3D Skybox. No sound! The door has no collision, but the map is mostly for the scene itself which is nicely executed.
Dr. Wrench: This is quite big! The walkways are a bit small, and the yellow handrails seem out of place for their colour. Some props have no collision. I like the lights on the truck, nice attention to detail! There are some reflective 90% surfaces. Some textures are not aligned. It's quite big and there are things everywhere!
Godslayer57: Sound! The roofs are too thin, paper thin. The structure of wood up top is nice, but could use some variation in the placement of wood. Water in the desert? I like the continuity with the hatch and the gold in the truck below.
Grazr: Sound! The pit is nice, but the displacements for it seems awfully straight and rigid, especially the big pillar. It looks unnatural. I really like that the 3D Skybox fits perfectly with the rest of the level!
Jetti: A true mine level! The first screenshot is perfectly posed and taken, I really like it. On the map itself though, the corridors feel very small and I got stuck at one corner. It's a bit small. No sound! The tracks are laid down pretty well.
Locnlol: Not really a mine level, it looks more like a train yard. The textures and walls are bland. No sound! There isn't much to look at.
Mickanator: Prop roofs! It's a bit small, there isn't much to see. Not really clear if this is a mine theme or not. No sound!
Plipplop: Sound! Thematic lighting! Very nice brushwork! Good use of displacements and models! Only downside is that all but one texture is horizontal, it gets a bit repetitive.
Ritz: HOLY LOUDNESS! Sound! Nice waterfall! Idea is simple and well executed. Props, brushes and displacements are all very nicely done. Only the crystals seem a bit un-TF2y
Sergis: Very thematic! Great use of particles! The small space is used very well and the scene is portrayed nicely. Though it seems focused more on a winter cottage than on a mining theme. No sound!
Tomhoen: The pulley idea is nice. There is no ambient sound, only the pulley makes some. The fog is too near. The idea is okay, but the brushwork and props fall a bit short. Some things could also have been done with the lighting, it is very flat at the moment.
Tyker: Sound! The rope looks good in spectator but when I play the rope disappears? The roof is waaayy too thick. Nice idea with the mine shaft, but the brushwork is a bit stale. Mine cart madness looks fun! Repetitive models do not look fun! Brushwork is a bit stale all around. No 3d skybox! No particles!
YM: A lot of detail all over the place! Lighting is very bright and bland. It's obviously not made to be run around in, the shape to look at it is in a weird U. Nice particles on the roofs!
Zhan: Sound! Grass detail! Stairs look unnaturaly sharp and steep. Nice addition of a conveyor belt. It's a bit small and there isn't much detail though.

Nice job to everyone who participated! Making something at all is an achievement, now just learn more and make something even better next time! :D

[Sergis]

i did got a bit too carried away with the cabin :D if i could just go back in time a little bit and add a mine spiraling into underground around the mineshaft...
oh well, should have thought about it earlier

[grazr]

anova: This map has practically no props or attention to detail, it has no-draw'n displacements visible from the spectator cam and shadow/light bleeds at displacement seems. Geometry also has unaligned textures.
dabp: This map ticks many boxes in attention to finer details; including an observation point and scoundscapes. But lacks any attention to detail from perspectives other than where you spawn facing. The roof is bland geometry wise and the structure is solid brushwork when there could be further detail to explore within. When exploring the map beyond the observer point I found little of interest. Also the cliff texture on the floor looks out of place. As mentioned previously attention to finder details is excellent, however the scene was not made to be explored but for a single photo opportunity which was a bit disappointing.
dark: This map has gaps in geometry and displacements, it also has unaligned texture faces. Strange use of the security fence gate that clips into large boulders. The finer details seem to have been overlooked with the majority of props consisting of large rocks, trees and vehicles.
drwrench:This map is a hollow box with items “placed” within it. The details that litter the “walls” are chunky and with limited finder detail. Lighting is bland, often overly lit or under lit and with no real contrast. Props and textures are repetitive and the skybox cliff face is really dissonant.
Godslayer: This map is incredibly empty, two structures with no inner detail, no objects creating interesting shadows in the well lit outside area. Needs more detail than a puddle, a bush and some rocks.
Jetti: A unique approach to the contest criteria in that the entire map is set under ground. The cave systems are complex and usually interesting but suffers from corridors too narrow to include detail and displacements which frequently don't align. Also there are terrible shadows around certain locations.
Locnlol: Essentially mirrored there doesn't seem to be much work done here. The skybox is extremely limited in detail besides a couple skycards and bare geometry resembling a pair of buildings. No junk or detail in the map beyond some windows and train carts. The highly reflective windows also don't promote source's poor reflective capabilities; the single cubemap reflects too much too clearly and actually is quite ugly to look at directly.
Locutus:Although there appears to be the start of some displacement work it's unfortunately only just that, a start. Textures don't align on the cliffs and the are essentially the exact shape as the original brush. Textures also do not align on other geometry such as the roofs and the displacements on the ground cast shadow bleeds where they were not aligned at the seems. The beginnings of some finer detail which contrast against the bare flat cliff walls.
Mickanater: Ironicly this map hides it's greatest detail with a tiny hut with no entrance. The other structure is also accessible but beyond some truss work on the walls it remains remarkably empty. The large structure on the one flank opposite the cliff is remarkably bare, relying too much on the low resolution track prop to increase its aesthetics. If only there were more props outside such as increased displacement powers for finer alpha blend painting and increased use of “junk” props this map would have had a lot more potential.
Plipplop: Another map which ticked a lot of the “quality check” boxes. One of the few maps to sport soundscapes and an observer point. Good use of windows makes the structures feel alive though the inside lacks any real detail and the lighting tends to be overly uniform. As nice as the structure is the roofs could have used a lot more attention such as displacement work, since many of them are low enough to access/interact with.
Ritz: Again, a map which supports ambient sound and the waterfall creates a level of dynamism which is lacking in other entries. The water is not stretched enough to look right for TF2 (many official maps using 0.5 or 1 as opposed to the default 0.25). The crystals should have been used more up the cliff and the cliff should have had more detail considering how much space it took up on the screen. Also, where is this water going exactly?
Sergis: I can't tell whether there's an observer point or simply that you spawn at 0 0 0 but it's a good introduction to the map. There are many signs of finer details but I can't help but feel many of the mini “scenario's” are only made possible because of the atrociously low lighting conditions that also send weird coloured shadows through the forest. The smoke is strangely thick and floats of at an oddly acute and straight angle. This map could really have done with soundscapes to compliment the dynamic presence of particle effects.
tomhoen: This map does have an observer point which is an important first impression back lacks soundscapes which reduces the maps atmosphere. The map seems to have been abruptly finished as there appears to be the beginnings of some very nice detail but it doesn't really materialise beyond the many texture misalignments, missing roof segments and bad shadows/sloppy dispalcement work. The map is also “mining” in a very loose sense of the term, there are tracks but a payload is present instead of mine carts and the hole isn't really depicted as a man made feature, the map is more genericly desert than mining.
Tyker: The moving carts was a funny detail but the shaft kind of felt separate to the rest of the map, there was sound which was great but much of the detail felt obviously copy-pasted. Bad use of multiple skins on junk props and oddly thick roof brushes and misaligned textures kind of ruined a promising building design. The map could have also done with a 3dskybox to make it stand apart.
Ym: For someone with so much experience with shadows and light, this map really doesn't show off those skills/experiences. The lightmaps are horribly bog standard and look bad on the flat red texture utilised on the “main” structure and the rock models shadows aren't controlled any better. There's a surprising lack of attention to finer detail though the execution of windows and chimneys is better than most, the majority of the map seems very much a mess of rocks and unaligned displacements with shadow bleeds; and the 3dskybox doesn't look that nice either.
Zhan: This is a really nicely executed map, neatly made, soundscapes, seems to have an observer point, not too much clutter but reasonable attention to finer details. A shame the roofs could have been executed a little better but this is just a nit pick at an otherwise pleasant map.

[YM]

the rock models shadows aren't controlled any better.

I requested my map be viewed with mat_bumpmap 0. My reasoning is earlier in this thread.

[grazr]

That's like requesting to view your map in mat_specular 0 because you forgot cubemaps. Players shouldn't have to run additional console commands in order for your map to look best.

[YM]

That's like requesting to view your map in mat_specular 0 because you forgot cubemaps. Players shouldn't have to run additional console commands in order for your map to look best.

No it isn't and I explained why, it's only a small contest so I'm not going to do full model recompiles, and a simple texture edit may have screwed up someone esles entry if it was loaded afterwards.

Forgetting cubemaps is a newbie sin. Not having the time to remove a dozen normal maps for a weekend contest is perfectly acceptable.

And yes normally I'd agree with you that maps should work right out of the box but for a small contest, does it really matter that one map out of 20 needs an extra command?

[Fr0Z3n]

No it isn't and I explained why, it's only a small contest so I'm not going to do full model recompiles, and a simple texture edit may have screwed up someone esles entry if it was loaded afterwards.

Forgetting cubemaps is a newbie sin. Not having the time to remove a dozen normal maps for a weekend contest is perfectly acceptable.

And yes normally I'd agree with you that maps should work right out of the box but for a small contest, does it really matter that one map out of 20 needs an extra command?

I'm going to have to go with grazr on this. It should've worked out of the box. Even though its 1 out of 20 entries, no one wants to have to do a command for 1 map just because it'll look "better".

Doing a texture edit would not have messed with anyone's other entries if you recompiled it properly and with a new name. And I'm pretty sure you should know that. Forgetting cubemaps is a newbie sin, but hopefully the newbie learned from it, and knows how to fix them. Hopefully you learned its worth recompiling or just plan out using other textures.

Its too late to do anything about it now, so I don't see why this arguement needs to go on any longer.

[grazr]

No it isn't and I explained why, it's only a small contest so I'm not going to do full model recompiles, and a simple texture edit may have screwed up someone esles entry if it was loaded afterwards.

Forgetting cubemaps is a newbie sin. Not having the time to remove a dozen normal maps for a weekend contest is perfectly acceptable.

And yes normally I'd agree with you that maps should work right out of the box but for a small contest, does it really matter that one map out of 20 needs an extra command?

I'm wondering whether you couldn't have just used an info_lighting or were adament on using expert vrad compile despite the fact a full custom vrad compile would actually make your map look worse. If it was a normal vrad compile then an info_lighting would have resolved your issue.

But i guess what's done is done. Your map had visible problems and i couldn't just ignore it when reviewing it when everyone else managed to avoid it.

[YM]

wouldn't have looked it's best with info_lighting. The rocks would have had just as bad lighting because any that were partially lit, were also partially in shade, so swapping their lighting origin from light to dark, or dark to light would have only inverted the problem; only the small bouldery ones might have been better.

The thing that made it look worse is Valve's shit shaders why should a prop ignore vertex lighting just because it has a normal map? Answer: it shouldn't but source is like that.

[LeSwordfish]

Everybody else worked around that.