[map] cs_river

This is a a discussion topic for the map "cs_river" by Gbus which can be found here

Map description:

This is a small map set in a jungle, it's kinda like vietnam or the congo. The goal of the map was to try and achive a realistic looking enviroment unlike maps such as aztec where roung grassy terrain is neatley in triangles. I think i achived the goal, it looks cool and plays real fun too.

Please give me feadback

Map screenshots:

Those screenshots don't even fit on my screen (1280x960) and are almost half a megabyte. If you shrink them to 800x600 we'd have a better (and faster) first impression.

You pulled off the swamp theme pretty well. Considering it's a CS map "kinda like Vietnam or Congo" is insufficient. You should think of a name for this place otherwise it gets to anonymous. I don't have CSS installed but from the screenshots, which I think show only the best parts of the map, it looks like there are hardly any focus points. Anything, a small shack, bridge or the like would be enough but the river and forest alone is too empty.

The map was supposed to be like a real jungle not some cs maze. You gotta play it to see how the gameplay works on it, a shack or any big cover would ruin the map. The gameplay is ment to create the thought that you could be shot at anytime which of course like in vietnam and this map you can, which is very fun.
And also not to be rude or anything but... de_dust or cs_assault are a bit vague too, which is what i thought your where supposed to do, come up with a name like that.

I agree with reaper47, the screens are huge.

I like what you have so far, I think it'd be nice if you made the trees denser more like a forest (though I don't know if performance would allow that).

Can't say much about the playability, I don't really play CS or CS:S and I haven't downloaded it (I might, to have a look around) - but visually it looks pretty cool, a cold, dark, dreary mood..

To be honest, I wouldn't have a problem with the anonymous nature of the map if you didn't mention it in the description specifically. Maybe you should just strike that and say it's "in a jungle" period.

If you really think the map doesn't need any cover at all (?) then add something flat or a a detail in the skybox, some different lighting... Just to loosen the strict color scheme a bit. It was meant more as a visual detail.

The lack of cover could be fun, but I don't think you'll have to devote the whole map to a single gameplay idea. Getting shot out of nowhere for the 5th time in a row isn't that much fun at all and I'd be more than happy for a little change and trying a safer route then (which brings its own challenges).

I generally think that packing as much possibilities as possible into a map while keeping its identity should always be a goal. It's tempting to not change anything on a map once there's a nice flow of gameplay established but sometimes more IS more. I don't say that specifically about your map but it's something you should consider.

Jungles aren't 10 feet of shore before sheer cliffs around shallow rivers. Realism doesn't translate to fun in most situations anyway, especially in CS. CS realism is about being convincing enough to be plausible, while at the same time having a layout that's created for the sole purpose of being a video game level. Even if there were more realistic maps, the core gameplay of CS doesn't fit the setting and makes those levels feel crowded, overly-complicated, overly-simple, or just poorly thought out. CS is a tactical FPS with an emphasis on skill and technique as well as team play, not realism. The "maze" type of level is 'the most efficient path to fun' with CS gameplay, because it sets up spots for cover, camping, sniping, nades, rushes, etc.

Your the first person to think my maps are bad, i think they are briliant and so do alot of other cs players... are you just bad mouthing all my maps for fun?? That how you get your kicks?