ARENA Ferrous

Bakscratch

Finisher of Maps
aa
Oct 29, 2010
714
1,492
Ferrous is a Arena map based around a train which is set to top off at the Ferrous station, just north of the Foundry.
Prep Up, Men! Blu and Red are both sent to a train yard where they must fight for control! They both arrive by train at exactly the same time. Whats more manly then COAL, IRON, METAL, TRAINS and CATS NOTHING I SAY! So its time to PREP UP, MEN!

Winner of the 2014 Winter Classic 72 Hour mapping contest.

RC1: Optimisation and number of small things
 

Lenny

L2: Junior Member
May 2, 2013
90
35
This is the setting for Ferrous Bueller's Day Off, isn't it?
 

Bakscratch

Finisher of Maps
aa
Oct 29, 2010
714
1,492
Geez, Bakscratch, you really know how to detail. One of your maps is gonna be made official one day (unless Valve continues to be preoccupied with their precious hats, which is quite likely).

Thanks! Ill be sure to go back and make this map better soon!

I really like this map. The detailing is great too.
How did you achieve the sun rays effect in the 2nd and 4th screenshots?

Its just the Skybox :)
 

Egan

aa
Feb 14, 2010
1,375
1,721
Hey Bakscratch,
so after playing the map a couple times we (seba and I..) have a general conclusion of if the map should be in the showcase, but we think it would be fair to give you some feedback of our thoughts and maybe you can create a fixed version for us to playtest again shortly.

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Looking down from the top of mid you can observe all entrances towards the point, meaning that controlling the top routes also controlled the bottom routes. We found that the map devolved into a quick chaotic battle for control of the top of mid, rather than anyone utilising prediction and strategy to assume where people might show up differently each round.

Mid being so open also made playing heavy feel particularly useless since he tends to stay away from open areas and hopefully catch people by surprise, but mid is open from the top, and the side routes are sniper magnets.

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Jumping up these was annoying. Should add a playerclip to this spot since it looks like you can walk up it, and it would make the route smoother.

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Remove these small healthpacks under the stairs at mid. In general you have too much health on this map - you could take immense risks at the start of the round, and could easily recover from the first attack for control of the building without even having to go out to the sides for the medium or the two small health packs.

You may also want to remove the small health packs just in front of spawn. You shouldn't really encourage people to camp near spawn, but they are at the base of the routes to top of mid again. They aren't useless, but again, you have a lot of health packs on this map.

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It always felt useless wandering to this side of the map, unless you're sniper picking off dumbies who forgot the route had no use. Going up the crates as most classes serves no purpose. Perhaps give a way for other classes to get from the containers to the roofs.

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You can jump over this fence near spawn.

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You should clip this flatbed trailer so people don't get that bug thing where if you jump at a step sometimes it stops your motion. A few people mentioned it happened.

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This pipe at red spawn is a bit strange, having a support thing just sticking out. I guess not a big deal.

(Stuff from Seba):

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these models look awkward; I think they were made for patching up windows

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no vertex lighting

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tire inside concrete doesn't make much sense imo; also the seam between normal and displaced concrete is very ugly

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no detail props; some unobtrusive props and posters would do wonders for mid

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no detail props

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I don't think anyone aside from spectators sees this; the tire is fine, but the metal is rotated the wrong way and is the wrong color

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boring spectator camera; an excellent place for a rad logo or something

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another boring camera; map generally needs more interest on vertical surfaces

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the metal window frames are too thick I think; either make them thinner or remove them
 
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