...some quick things we're learning making the TF2 map

1. Make sure your spawn rooms are perpendicular to - not part of - the main path.
- It seems obvious, but we missed this for awhile. It's not a great experience when the flag holder can run through the safety of the spawn room to easily get to the capture point without people being able to chase him.

2. Keep engineer sentry range in mind for all major meeting points and defensive points.
- The should be a generous amount of good sentry spots in the map. For players, taking the time to setup a sentry and then have it destroyed by people simply shooting out of it's range gets frustrating. We made a prefab of this distance to move around the map as needed.

3. Large wide-open areas tend to be lacking for team-based play
- Areas like this may be fun for snipers, soldiers and scouts, but we saw that the resultant gameplay to be too unorganized for fun team play especially with the other classes. We have ended up constraining more as we go and the level is getting more fun.

4. If you are going to place the flags multiple floors up, don't let the capturer simply drop off to get away
- Constraining this with fences has given the defenders a better chance to regroup.

5. Make sure the spawn room exits are simple and obvious.
- At first we had 3 ways to go, one of which went up the stairs. This was really confusing (even to us!). It seems like 2 directions from the room is ideal...one to battlements and one to flag area.

6. We made Snipers pits within view of each other.
- Allows snipers to have to kill and avoid being killed by each other.

7. Most importantly - testing the map with people is worth 1000 hours of theory.
- So much becomes obvious when we watch and play with people. We play on opposite teams and constantly switch classes to see how it feels with each. Also we have all talk on (sv_alltalk 1). Pay attention to what people are saying and suggesting, but also notice events such as why people drop (sorry about the unfair squishing!).


Extra Bonus - Here are some stats I found on the forums that have proved usefull:

All Classes

Walk ---- 83h x 49w
Crouch -- 56h x 49w

step ------------ 18
Jump ----------- 43
Jump + Crouch -- 70

min height before fall damage -- 269 (this is lower if you crouch)

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Class specific (listing highest values I was able to attain, recommend lowering these unless you want the jumps to be as difficult as possible):

Sentry Range ---------------- 1132.15
Engineer Sentry Jump -- 136 (jumping from top of your sentry gun to reach higher locations)

Scout double jump ----------- 90
Scout double jump + crouch -- 117

Soldier Rocket Jump -------- 324
Soldier *Super Rocket Jump -- 528

Demoman Sticky Jump --------- 608
Demoman *Super Sticky Jump -- 960

*Super Rocket Jump - crouch just before you do standard rocket jump.
*Super Sticky Jump - crouch just before you do standard sticky jump.
These are kind of difficult to pull off, you have to time it just right. I find the demoman more difficult to super jump.