pl_indigo

[Pi Mu Rho]

So, I've been working on a new map. Payload this time, but with a few little gameplay twists.

Stage 1:

Stage 2:

 

[Vegeta897]

Looks great. What sort of twists?

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Well, each stage has a shootable switch. The track diverges - one route is harder but shorter, the other is easier but longer.
The hard part of Stage 1 carries the payload on a platform across the water. In Stage 2, it goes up an elevator.
So in every stage, you have an initial battle over which direction the payload is going to go.

 

[Vegeta897]

A battle between the two teams? But the way you said it made it seem like the routes are supposed to be about equal, in different ways. Wouldn't there be some argument among a single team itself? Heh, sounds like a lot of yelling is going to be happening.

 

[PriNcE oF SpAcE]

and who decides?

 

[Vegeta897]

Whoever shoots it last..

This would be very interesting.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

The switch locks out when the payload gets to a set point before the track splits, so there's a finite point where the battle (both between the two sides and intra-team) for the switch ends.

 

[Nibwoddle]

That getup is going to make one awesome explosion.

And damn! I wish this could be an alpine map.

 

[Gray Fox]

Well goddammit that looks and sounds so good.
Have you posted it at mapcore and interlopers?

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Nope. Needs a lot more work yet.

 

[Pesmerga]

Reminds me of your ZM map, the one with the crane overlooking a dried up dock or something.

 

[Escaep]

That looks amazing! Awesome work!

Edit:

Question:

How do you come up with these map designs? Do you draw it out on paper? Or do you just sit down, start a with something and slowly build on it?

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Usually, I have whatever the centrepiece of the map is in my head. I spend a day or two going over it in my mind until I can pretty much see the whole map and then I make it, altering details as necessary.
This one evolved a bit differently though - I was initially just playing around with how to set up a payload map - there's a lot of interdependent entities that need to be set up correctly - and then seeing if it was possible to have switchable tracks. From there, I went with one track going up, and one going down. Then it evolved into the top image you see there.

 

[Para]

Everything looks rather blocky, I guess that's just because it's unfinished?

 

[Omnomnick]

Beta when.

 

[Combine_Advisor]

The concept is great but it seems kind of empty...you can add some ... stuff..

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

That's because it's....not....done...yet

 

[Sloth]

Very cool idea, can't wait to play it, add something different to the TF2 feel.

 

[Laivasse]

Looking nice, hope there's another [HL2.net] event in the works for when this is eventually ready to be playtested.

 

[Crispy]

http://www.nealeroberts.com/media/indigo_4.jpg

In this pic there look to be a lot of acute angles that the player could get caught in, e.g. jumping up to the crowsfeet beams or falling on top of the askew control panel.

I want to run around and find your bugs because the map looks like your best yet!

 

[Omnomnick]

Your too late Crispy, I did that for Pi with stage 1

I helped him fix a major -outthemap- bug.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Crispy: I'll run a test of Stage 2 soon. I'll let you know when it's going to happen.

 

[Gray Fox]

I want to try the map so I can feel cool about getting an exclusive look.