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[Map Release] cp_follower (final 1.0)

CURRENT VERSION: FINAL 1.0
The map was updated on April 23, 2009.

After several months of playtesting and feedback, cp_follower has finally reached final 1.0! This release signifies a significant milestone, but it does not mean all development has stopped. If something is discovered, a fix will soon “follow”, but that should not happen due to the amount of testing the map has gotten.

Follower is an original 5-point CP map influenced primarily by Granary and Badlands. The map is intended for a competitive setting first, though it should be fine for public servers as well since it is modeled closely after official Valve maps.

Download/Screenshots at http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?ltr=F&t=6434 (official page for the map, includes 7z, zip, and bz2)

FINAL 1.0 CHANGEs/FIXES:
-The steep slopes on each side of CP3 have had 2 rocks added to make their existence more clear (players sometimes got hung up).
-Small ammo added to lower 2-3 connector area.
-Small graphical errors fixed.
-Middle area optimized further.
-Slightly reduced the size of the sniper room looking out into the CP1 area so snipers weren’t quite so powerful while far back in the room.
-Increased the width of the CP1 platform from the right sniper room so it blocks more of the lower CP1 area when snipers are inside the actual room itself. This should force them to expose themselves more to get better shots.
-Added a small basketball-themed section to the first spawn areas.
-Clipped railroad tracks at mid better.
-Removed a hiding spot at lower mid Cp that could hide a scout for back-caps too easily.
-Small ammo added to mid on/near CP.
-Fixed the CP’s on the HUD capturing backwards.

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If you’re interested in the early development process, I took a few Hammer screens during the initial blocking phases and during early texturing. They can be found at http://vilepickle.com/map/follower_dev/

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Tactics

CP 3
Attacking:
There are two distinct paths to the center point: the left hill and the center building. The center building route takes slightly longer to use but provides a flank route and mutiple (smaller) exits. Most teams choose to use the left hill to establish a tight group on that side to battle the other team. This can be dangerous since it sometimes leaves a medic’s back open to attack. Scouts use the center building to abuse the multiple exits and to stay alive. Sending a heavy class or two through the center building at the beginning can have a positive result since unexpected stickies or rockets can throw a team off from behind. Since the center building is more tight it may not be a good idea to send the entire team that way, but may prove to be effective as well.

Attacking via a CP2 hold is best accomplished through a failed assault from the attacking team or a clever back-cap. The team must be swift after a successful defense because the attackers will be located in the middle building on equal ground of CP3 when they respawn. Scouts can hide in the Cp2-3 connector overpass and drop down if an entire team is pushing and the defenders are securely in the CP2 building in order to back-cap.

Defending:
Defending CP3 is best accomplished by pulling back and being on or near the control point. This can see most of the entrances and the team should be able to find medic cover with the trains nearby.

CP 2 / 4
Attacking:
If a team is holding the CP2-3 connector area, ubers will most likely be used outside instead of near the actual control point. The winner of this fight is uncertain and is typically based on the skill of the players since there isn’t much in terms of height advantage in the connector area besides the greenhouse or the top of the hill. If the defenders are defending the actual control point it is helpful to have the medic combo come in the right upper flank entrance to clean out defenders using the catwalks while the other attackers fight on the control point level.

Defending:
Defending the connector is a viable strategy. A scout can cover the dropdown entrance. A demoman can cover the narrow building entrance, and the soldier/medic can cover the hill entrance. They can rotate depending on where the attackers are focusing.

The actual control point defense depends on playing the flank entrance properly so the offense cannot get in from behind. A demoman can abuse this entrance if done properly while his teammates cover the front entrances.

CP 1 / 5
Attacking:
When attacking, uber is essential to cleaning out the final defense. Coming in via the right doorway is a good approach, as well as using the top entrance to gain a possible height advantage on the bridge. The last control point can be defended quickly by defenders, so it is important to kill several (perhaps all) members of their team to capture.

Defending:
Holding the last point is accomplished by having a demo on thh side stickying the point and having at least two players using the bridge for height. Staying near the point is essential since it can be taken quickly.

Using an Alternative Class
Using a pyro or spy may be useful in parts of the map. The center building is close quarters so a pyro may shine in that area. Pyros may be able to airblast people off of the center point as well. There are many alternate routes around the center area, so spies can abuse this to get behind the other team with ease.

I kind of want to have as much of the sides done as possible before I clone again. At least I want the clipping to be done since that will frustrate any testers greatly.

No ETA on the bsp, but I’ll try to do a good amount this week 8)

Looks so sick dude.

From the screenshots it looks a lot like the layout of granary, too much like granary.

Granary + lumberyard = this by the looks of the screenshots.
Still, it does look pretty well layed out. We’ll see how it goes.

will prolly be either this or arnold’s map to take the win, both are amazing and all that i would just like to see some new good maps that haven’t got their basic layout’s taken from granary/badlands, ah well :F

Looks good so far.
Beware of rooves with a slant as steep as ss1’s, it could be deceptive in that it looks like playable area but I assume you’ve clipped it off (overhangs over major game arteries means total lockdown from above)
Up your water from .25 to 1, looks a lot better in tf2
Fencework may look awkward without trim at its base, a wooden or concrete panel for example where the fence can terminate, as the large ground displacements won’t have fine lightmaps
SS3 looks like it has a bend in the fencework in the bottom left. Perhaps try a smooth slanting angle so that players won’t find the clipwork above it frustrating when attempting to fly around
Can’t verifly positively, but SS1 looks like it has three buildings, all textured brick, but with different trim on top each; the middle one (ibeam material?) looks like it stands out a bit. Maybe go for the red trip across all 3?
This is graphically bitchy, but a problem with the alpine material is that it can look awfully strange when it’s just large ground displacements with the trees placed. If you can do some dispwork like in badlands with the rounded, raised areas that give flat ground some real flavor to it, the trees would look a lot better propped up on tiny plateaus like that, etc

Like what you’ve got going, keep up the fine work.

(edit: I said “looks good so far” twice dur)

Looks a LOT like granary. Actaully looks like granary with alpine theme, layout almost identical :/
Still it looks very nice, will check it out when you post the bsp :)