Monday, April 27, 2009

CP Anasazi, part II



My TF2 map, CP_Anasazi has come a long way lately. I've been putting in 70 to 40 hour weeks on it, so that isn't a huge surprise really. I've learned an amazing amount about level design with the Source engine from it, and I thought I knew quite a bit already!

On top of it, I've created my own textures for the entire level. At the moment, there isn't a single Valve-created asset anywhere in it.

It's currently at beta version 480 something. You're not hallucinating that number - there really have been 480 iterations of this map. I give it a new version number every couple of major changes, and that adds up over the course of a few months.

It's on schedule for completion on May 4th. Given the initial schedule, it really didn't seem possible to finish a level of this complexity and size in under four months with only one person working on it, but I've surprised even myself.

There are things I want to add in it after it's been completed, a few custom models and more textures, but as it stands, it's a fun TF2 multi-player map, and artistically speaking, it's like nothing else out there in the TF2 world, something that was one of my major goals when I set out on this project.

You can see more pictures of it on my flickr page.

I intend on posting a video showing a fly-through of the level in the future here, as I need to put together a show reel of my work for my portfolio and website, so keep your eyes out for it!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

A new TF2 map, CP_Anasazi



Haven't updated in a while, seemed like a good idea today. Working on a new map, CP_Anasazi, a capture point map for Team Fortress 2, based on the Anasazi Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. Going to try and take a roadtrip out there to get a better feel for the place if I have the chance. Only a 14 hour drive, not too bad.

Making custom models and textures for this map (Maya and Photoshop), I'll post when I get them done.

I'm also waiting for the Left 4 Dead SDK to come out, as I'd like to give mapping for L4D a try. Lots of good zombie scenarios come to mind, and it's a really fun game to play. The best co-op game in existence, quite possibly. Definitely the first one where helping your team mate is not a chore *and* something that extends your chance of survival.