Photofinish

martijntje

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Aug 2, 2009
539
334
Some people hate it, some love it (and that's a good thing).

servers that run this map


beta 9(latest released version)
85.92.145.107:27035



beta 8
66.207.169.202
8.6.74.135:27015
207.210.254.99:27015
220.148.248.178:27015

beta 7
85.234.148.80:27075
64.34.183.187:27015
62.75.187.155:27015
65.33.217.225:27015
82.98.132.75:27155
85.14.231.178:27015

(screenshots from this "ad" are outdated)
attachment.php
 
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Jack Riguel

L10: Glamorous Member
Jul 19, 2009
721
254
First things first, get the map off megaupload. Put it on filefront or something. If you want it to get tested on Gameday then you'll need it elsewhere.

I like this idea, it's funny watching the karts run around the track. It's like playing SSBB on the Mario Cart level.

Right, here's a few suggestions:

1.) Too much health.

Even though the heath packs are strategically placed, there needs to be less of them. Arena mode focuses more on the medic for heath rather then the items. Heath is placed mostly in the place of water to help counter pyros, who otherwise would be made too strong in arena mode.

2.) Spawns
Spawn.jpg


RED and BLU's spawns are too close together, and they're very easily accessible. Without much cover between the two. Players can easily begin attacking each other immediately after the rounds starts. In most arena maps, there's a small quiet before the storm of the match really begins.

3.) The Karts cut corners.
Hit.jpg


This can easily be fixed by adding a few more path tracks. As it stands the Red Kart is a devious little machine that'll cut into the middle of the track and travel across the ramp. Also, I'd suggest you add some sort of overlay to show where the karts are traveling. Even in the Well maps, the train travels in a very easily identifiable, straight path, however there are still train tracks to show where the train will go. For this map, you might just want to add some sort of path, like a darkened part of the road where the karts have traveled.

4.)The Karts float.
Floating.jpg


Easy fix, just either lower your tracks or make sure the trains are set to be 0 units above the path_track.

5.)Ramps are too high/steep/skinny
Ramps2.jpg

Ramps.jpg


This is a very common problem with both starting mapper and even intermediate mappers. While these ramps are smooth and can easily be scaled, they appear to be too high and two narrow. Keep in mind, the TF2 design is considerably larger then any other source game. In your map, the spawn rooms are actually a bit too large, which makes the ramp up to the second floor look very steep. If you use the dev wall textures, a good rule of thumb for a basic room size is one and a half blocks. As for the ramps, you also might want to widen them a bit, so it looks like more then one person can go up it at a time. Remember this: while the same team is passable through one another, spyies are not. Give them enough room to navigate around.

As for the second screenshot, this edge needs to be covered. You get stuck in the place shown since the ramp ends on both sides.

*pant* *pant*
Sorry for the long post, but I love death-trap based arena maps and this one seems like it could be a lot of fun. I'd love to see it on gameday some day.

EDIT: Forgot to say, Ubers are killed by the Kart. That was a fix since the train-stopping grief on Well.
 

martijntje

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Aug 2, 2009
539
334
First things first, get the map off megaupload. Put it All the suff you said

Thanks a lot, that is a lot of helpful advice


1.) Too much health.
I don't play a lot of arena, so yeah, I placed to much health, I'll remove some of it
2.) spawn rooms
I agree on you with this one. I will place non-openable doors on one side of the
3.) Cart doesnt cut corners
I dont find that much of an issue, I will take care of it

Darkening the ground is a good idea, I will definitaly do that
4.) Carts float
ouch, will fix that
5.) big spawns, steep hills.
Never thought of that, I will make the track closer to the ground and the first floor of the buildings lower

I will definatily like to see it at gameday. changing reupload method now, any tips on where to upload?
 

pl

L5: Dapper Member
Mar 6, 2009
248
55
I personally think that this map is too open. You need to find some places to add cover, so that it is less sniper-friendly.
 

Jack Riguel

L10: Glamorous Member
Jul 19, 2009
721
254
I use filefront and it works just fine for me. You'll need to register but it's simple and free, just remember to write down the link so you don't forget it.

In regards to the karts cutting corners, what I meant was that in the screenshot I'm standing in the middle of the path and I got hit by the kart. This won't be so much a big deal if you designate where the karts will be going with an overlay or some sort of visible path. Take a look at the sdk files for any Valve PL map. You'll see that at every corner there's tons of path_tracks to make the corner smother and look right. Plus, the more you have the more you have control over where the karts will go.
 

PenPen

L5: Dapper Member
Apr 24, 2008
207
136
Well I think this map is great as a stupid fun map where you can screw around with your buddies.

It's also a welcome map for snipers, since they can stand on the grassy area and snipe away safely.

I think in gameday you got plenty of feedback and you can refer to what they said, if you're thinking about keeping the current idea. The next step would be making the buildings more TF2-like, and make the spawn room look better.
 

martijntje

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Aug 2, 2009
539
334
Well I think this map is great as a stupid fun map where you can screw around with your buddies.
At the gameday the players where all heavies meleeing, so yeah you are right
It's also a welcome map for snipers, since they can stand on the grassy area and snipe away safely.
Dont know about that, the grass part provides no cover, so you are easily kiled there
I think in gameday you got plenty of feedback and you can refer to what they said, if you're thinking about keeping the current idea. The next step would be making the buildings more TF2-like, and make the spawn room look better.
I will continu with this, seeing as there are people that like this map.

also there will be a koth version, once I figured out how to actually make a koth map. (any tutorials?)
 

Micnax

Back from the dead (again)
aa
Apr 25, 2009
2,109
1,585
At the gameday the players where all heavies meleeing, so yeah you are right

Dont know about that, the grass part provides no cover, so you are easily kiled there

I will continu with this, seeing as there are people that like this map.

also there will be a koth version, once I figured out how to actually make a koth map. (any tutorials?)

Use Boojum's Gametype Library (in the [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=4674"]Ultimate Mapping Resource[/ame]), which has the KOTH setup.
 

potatocubed

L1: Registered
Aug 4, 2009
21
7
Hey hey. I had a quick run around the map and I noticed a few things:

1. The carts still float. This is most obvious when they're going up- or down-hill.

2. While I think what you've done with the one-team-clip on the spawns is pretty cool, as a demoman I was still able to stand in the other team's 'hayloft' and lob grenades and stickies through the floor. This is a problem if a ninjaneer drops a sentry there.

3. In the track corner by the red spawn (the one furthest from the blue spawn) there's something odd going on with the textures.
 

martijntje

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Aug 2, 2009
539
334
Hey hey. I had a quick run around the map and I noticed a few things:

1. The carts still float. This is most obvious when they're going up- or down-hill.
I know, I might just completely redo the cart/train
2. While I think what you've done with the one-team-clip on the spawns is pretty cool, as a demoman I was still able to stand in the other team's 'hayloft' and lob grenades and stickies through the floor. This is a problem if a ninjaneer drops a sentry there.
I will try to fix that. (dont know how to yet)

3. In the track corner by the red spawn (the one furthest from the blue spawn) there's something odd going on with the textures.
There arent any curved track textures, so I rotated some textures, I know
 

potatocubed

L1: Registered
Aug 4, 2009
21
7
Would it be possible to use track entities instead of track textures? Then you'd lose the rotating problem.
 

martijntje

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Aug 2, 2009
539
334
Hmm, the comments arent coming anymore, wich is quite a pity. I hope I get some nice results from the next gameday.

[ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=8881"]Map Testing - Saturday August 22 - Euro Server - TF2Maps.net Forums[/ame]

all join the party.

As to prevent certain comments, I am already working on the nex beta wich has the followin
-better visuals
-no more getting into enemy spawn.
-no more building in spawn
 

J4CK8

L11: Posh Member
Mar 4, 2009
820
243
This map was actualy really fun to play for me. The only thing I'd change is to add a buidling and maybe some cover around the grass as you can see too much of the land.

The carts are jsut hilarious. I remember to check my right as I left spawn to make sure it wasn't there, so if anyone thinks it should be moved then you have no road sense :p

I didn't find it irritating to be killed by it either for some odd reason. I actualy found it funny to be firing away my stickies onto the cp and the nsuddenly to be launched miles across the map as a ragdoll.

when yo usay no more building in spawn, does the include the roofs? No one seemed to get any furter than a level 1 sentry on there whic hwas taken down easy but if a whoel nest was up there it would be impossible.
 

martijntje

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Aug 2, 2009
539
334
Thanks for the comment, it quite useful
This map was actualy really fun to play for me. The only thing I'd change is to add a buidling and maybe some cover around the grass as you can see too much of the land.
Glad to hear you like it. I presume you played b2. b3 is avaible for download wich has trees (cover) on the grassy parts
The carts are jsut hilarious. I remember to check my right as I left spawn to make sure it wasn't there, so if anyone thinks it should be moved then you have no road sense :p
That was what I inteded. Crossing the tracks is a dangerous thing, you can either check if no cart is coming, with the disadvantange of being easily attacked by the other team, or focus on the battle and hope the cart doesnt come.
I didn't find it irritating to be killed by it either for some odd reason. I actualy found it funny to be firing away my stickies onto the cp and the nsuddenly to be launched miles across the map as a ragdoll.
glad you like it. I think the carts are pretty decent quite now.
when yo usay no more building in spawn, does the include the roofs? No one seemed to get any furter than a level 1 sentry on there whic hwas taken down easy but if a whoel nest was up there it would be impossible.
nope, inside the spawn. you could build right before the spawn door or actually inside the spawn door.

b4 coming soon. wich will have mostly visual improvements.
 
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Inqwel

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 2, 2008
308
59
Couldn't enjoy it. First time getting killed by the cart was unexpected since you just walked out the spawn. After that, getting killed by it was getting irksome. The annoyance with the cart really was hard to see coming. Couldn't hear it coming, couldn't see it always coming. It had more kill on Saturday's game than players did.

There needs to be more buildings, places to fight around in. Those large open fields don't serve much purpose.

The Saturday 22nd game day's version featured the red cart going though red spawn.
http://forums.tf2maps.net/picture.php?albumid=95&pictureid=704

(Just missed it in the screen shot but it was sliding though the wall.)
 

martijntje

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Aug 2, 2009
539
334
Couldn't enjoy it. First time getting killed by the cart was unexpected since you just walked out the spawn. After that, getting killed by it was getting irksome. The annoyance with the cart really was hard to see coming. Couldn't hear it coming, couldn't see it always coming. It had more kill on Saturday's game than players did.

There needs to be more buildings, places to fight around in. Those large open fields don't serve much purpose.

The Saturday 22nd game day's version featured the red cart going though red spawn.
http://forums.tf2maps.net/picture.php?albumid=95&pictureid=704

(Just missed it in the screen shot but it was sliding though the wall.)
It does that with the blu spawn asswel. the track is laid out well. I don't know what it causing it.

Getting killed right after you spawn isnt fun. I will think of a warning system.