HL2DM Winning Maps Released
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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by satchmo on Thu Apr 14th at 4:21am 2005


http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=409

I'm gonna take a walk around right now...
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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by satchmo on Thu Apr 14th at 5:39am 2005


I agree with Valve's decision 100%. dm_underpass is truly a masterpiece. I have never seen, or will probably ever see, a finer map than this one. It blows the competition out of the water, hands down.

The visual, the overall ambiance, the sounds, the lighting, and msot important of all, the connectivity, are all top-rate. I can't find anything wrong with this map. It beats anything Valve has come up with at this point.

In addition, it's also the best optimized. The framerates are great. In fact, they're far higher than most of the deathmatch maps with far less visual and props.

I am just stunned, in a good way.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Cassius on Thu Apr 14th at 5:40am 2005


? quoting satchmo
I agree with Valve's decision 100%. dm_underpass is truly a masterpiece. I have never seen, or will probably ever see, a finer map than this one. It blows the competition out of the water, hands down.

Wow, I'll have to see this one for myself.

EDIT: My report:

dm_underpass is really nothing special. It's not bad by any means - though, at places, it toes the line of mediocrity. The lighting is tasteful, with occasionally nice colors and shadowing, but nothing exceptional. The layout is more cramped than Steamlab, and I'm wagering it'll be a real pain to frag at a fast pace in this one. Worst of all, in my admittedly brief run-through, I counted only three areas in which the author used curved surfaces for any purpose. There are a few "pipeline" sewer tunnels, a few pillars with rounded corners, and a lone vent with a curved edge up in the far reaches of the map. The architecture is as boxy as it gets. This is bad.

If asked to rate it, I'd give it a 70% tops.





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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by omegaslayer on Thu Apr 14th at 6:37am 2005


IMO they are all good/mediocure. AND THESE ARE MY OPINIONS, SO DONT ARGUE WITH ME IF YOU DONT LIKE THEM.

Powerhouse was the best, the texture and lighting sceme all flowed to gether nicely, the atmosphere was right on with a warehouse/power station and what not (I really like the setting sun color against the rustng metal). Although the architecture/design is "boxy" (as cass puts it), it fits the level overall. For some reason this map reminded me of prisoner from Halo 1, which describes its gameplay well (as in its got verticle combat). It also had fitting ambient noise (generators and what not) This IMO was the best of the three. 95%

Resistance this map was nice also, I really like the use of the flares, they added some interesting light to the mixture. But other than that there really wasnt anything too special about it that made it stand out. I see potential for gameplay because it is open in most areas, but close in others. IMO this was the second best map. 80%

underpass is a map that has nothing really special about it (sorry smiley) but its true. The ambient sounds of the alarms were random (I think when ever I walked in certain triggers it would start the anouncer saying where you are...that made it unrealistic). The lighting was all the same just about (white). Like cass said the map is close quaters, and that can lead to poor game play. But i dont know. IMO this map shouldn't have won the #1 spot. 73%

If only yak had submitted torque......that map whoops all these in a nut shell. The verticle combat in torque is best, the sounds are great, along with the flow of eveything (too bad about the cube maps though smiley)

What happened to avalon?
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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Orpheus on Thu Apr 14th at 9:33am 2005


dm_underpass: I will have to look at the final release but I have had the map for a while now and saw nothing spectacular in it. yup its good, bordering on great, but its far from the best i have ever seen.

the other two maps i have yet to look at. will post comments later on those.

I can say without any hesitation that damned few must have looked at the map i suggested was the best i ever saw. "dm_inevitableconflict" has everything a map requires to qualify IMO. My only complaint, and its a major one was, the doorways were far to narrow for proper fragging, but the map is so huge that the odds of two people meeting in a door and becoming stuck on each other is nil.

we should begin a "wowzers" thread. one where we can post a link to our current favorite map. this would speed up the searching process IMO and get us the best maps quicker. course opinions vary a bit, but most of us are of like minds.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by SpiKeRs on Thu Apr 14th at 9:59am 2005


underpass really fits in with the whole city 17 theme brilliantly imo which is probs why it won. not too keen on resistence, cant really tell what its supposed to be. powerhouse looks amazing especially with the windows and the view from them <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">




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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Orpheus on Thu Apr 14th at 10:21am 2005


I want a map pack. I do not trust valves judgment to pick the "best"

I trust mine a bit more, since it has no ulterior motives to do anything other than pick the best. :/

if valve does not provide some sort of a map pack, it will only confirm my thinking.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by MJ on Thu Apr 14th at 11:16am 2005


well if the map compitition deadline wasnt so damn pressed im sure he could made even better improvements on this map. But overall its the well deserved winner out of the 3. Avalon is well... too artsy.




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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Orpheus on Thu Apr 14th at 11:24am 2005


? quoting MJ
well if the map compitition deadline wasnt so damn pressed im sure he could made even better improvements on this map. But overall its the well deserved winner out of the 3. Avalon is well... too artsy.

you know, herein lies the dilemma.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Agent Smith on Thu Apr 14th at 11:57am 2005


After playing through them a bit I'd say that powerhouse is a far
better map than underpass as far as connectivity and playability goes.
I found underpass to be extremely cramped, with lots of props and
things to get stuck on, as opposed to the more traditional and more open
style of powerhouse. That said I'd agree that underpass beats
powerhouse in the looks department, as it actually looks fairly real
where as powerhouse looks like its trying hard to be a UT map.

I don't know what to say about resistance, as it has some area's that
look alright, but the layout is fair s**t, at least compared to the
other winners. Personally I think its f**king awful, with a mish mash
of texturing and themes, poor construction throughout most, over the
top lighting and only two levels for z axis play. There were a number
of better entries than this one.

Over all I'd say out of the 3 that powerhouse 1st, underpass 2nd, and
resistance last. Generally nothing much exciting about any of them. [addsig]




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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by ReNo on Thu Apr 14th at 12:07pm 2005


I've added all 3 of the new maps to the rotation. I'll comment on my thoughts later, once I've actually taken a look smiley
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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Orpheus on Thu Apr 14th at 12:14pm 2005


? quoting ReNo
I've added all 3 of the new maps to the rotation. I'll comment on my thoughts later, once I've actually taken a look

more valve maps?

*sighs*

so much for a server with contents no one else has, the basic premise of the damned thing.

before you complain, that was not my words, i am just reiterating them.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Orpheus on Thu Apr 14th at 1:09pm 2005


Of the three.. man thats so yucky a term. Anywho's I think powerhouse was best, followed closely by underpass.. I chose powerhouse for its classic feel. underpass has to many narrow places to be my first choice.

as for resistance, it shouldn't even have been considered for a top placing. we have better maps right here.

/me is very suspicious about that map.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by ReNo on Thu Apr 14th at 1:19pm 2005


I don't think it was for content nobody else has, but for content that was created at the pit. I think that just now in the HL2DM community, people want to play servers with the brand new contest maps. If they come to do so on our server, then between those maps they will find content produced by snarkpit members. Besides, they aren't "valve" maps, they are still produced by community members (just ones who hang out elsewhere, such as mapcore or *shudder* the steam forums). I'm not saying they will stay on in the long term, but I think they deserve to be tested properly for a week or so.
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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by ding on Thu Apr 14th at 1:48pm 2005


Oh well - I was looking forward to see ReNo's "Echo" on the 1st place but since it is not finished, I'll have to wait.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Orpheus on Thu Apr 14th at 2:02pm 2005


*whispers to Duncan*

I think the server should run "any" top quality map.. remember? I am just telling you what "I" was told. I do not care how many valve maps, or non-snarkpit maps are run on it, just so we only have top grade maps. to me its a horrible sin to perpetuate low quality maps just because.. so do not get me wrong, i feel the contest maps are perfect, but i do not like double standards and feel it is always prudent to point out any infractions.

valve maps and contest maps hosted by valve are not snarkpit maps. if we are not going to run top quality maps just because they were not produced within our community, then "ALL" maps should count.

/ rant

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Andrei on Thu Apr 14th at 4:50pm 2005


Resistance and powerhouse look great, but underpass' indoor areas have terrible lighting and are fairly depressing. The outdoor environment looks great, though. Underpass isn't much fun either, most of the action taking place near that derailed locomotive. Powerhouse's main arena is large enough for 10 players to fight in without getting a touch of claustrophobia. Resistance is fun too but there really should have been some more sideshafts in there to link the main ones.
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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by habboi on Thu Apr 14th at 4:55pm 2005


The contest maps are quite well done, an American won... Heh

Honestly the Snarkpit server has great maps running on it although sadly there are a few good maps that I think should be added to the server that have died or hardly anyone saw them.

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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by fishy on Thu Apr 14th at 5:10pm 2005


how can it take more than an hour to download 3 maps that don't have any custom content? smiley [addsig]



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Re: HL2DM Winning Maps Released
Posted by Orpheus on Thu Apr 14th at 5:12pm 2005


? quoting fishy
how can it take more than an hour to download 3 maps that don't have any custom content?

must be your connection bud. both my comps updated simultaneously and took right at 12 minutes. both share the same DSL connection.

truth though, there has got to be more in the update than 3 maps :/

[addsig]





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