RedShip

RedShip rc3

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
* Current version rc3 * (January 11th 2011)

This is RedShip, Basic Edition.
1 Payload that BLU must push until the end to win. Suits all types of TF2 players, but is aimed at a more casual audience.
Same visuals and general gameplay than the DC edition, but without objectives to destroy and only 1 type of payload: the regular Bomb.

---
For the Director's Cut version (with 3 payloads and objectives to destroy, for advanced players) go to:
http://forums.tf2maps.net/downloads.php?do=file&id=4481

Bug report, suggestions or some mad love you need to share?
Contact MoonQuake:
hl2_moonquake(at)hotmail.com


Here's a video walkthrough of the map's Director's Cut edition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuCsD-yU0ds


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RedShip (Basic and DC editions)
Payload map
by MoonQuake



1- Installation instructions
2- Mission Briefing - Director's Cut
3- More info about the Director's Cut
4- Contact me
5- Changelog for rc3





1----

====== Installation instructions ======


Extract the map file (pl_redship_rc3.bsp) from the .ZIP directly into the "maps" folder of your Team Fortress 2 installation.

By default, this folder is located at
C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\(your account name)\Team Fortress 2\tf\maps

Just double-click the .ZIP file, once you see the content of the .ZIP file, click and drag pl_redship_rc3.bsp (or pl_redship_dc_rc3.bsp for the DC edition) into the above mentioned maps folder. If you see a message saying it already exists, just click YES to overwrite it. This file is from the original author so you can use it and overwrite any existing previously downloaded file.

If you tried installing it with the above instructions and it didn't work, just do like with most custom maps you already have: join a server that runs pl_redship_rc3 and the file will be downloaded and placed at the correct location for you.
If you see a message that says the maps you have and the one the server have differs, delete pl_redship_rc3.bsp from the maps folder and rejoin a server running the map to redownload it.


2----

====== MISSION BRIEFING ======


2209 - Planet Earth is now the host of well over 100 billion human beings. She is suffocating. 75 years after the creation of the first permanent spaceship, we are still looking for another home... not made of aluminum, titanium and australium. While some spaceships are populated by people happy to be living away from planet Earth, most of the ships are used for alternative resources or inhabitable planet search missions. Scientists, environmentalists, politicians and even law enforcement agencies have their own ship and work together towards the same goal: finding Earth 2.0.

The Biosphere Legislation Unit (BLU) have been monitoring the activities of environmentalists for the last 25 years. By respecting their cause and making sure nothing is done to harm the very planets activists protect and by supporting them on the political front, they've assured a climate of cooperation and respect between both parties for the well being of rare or near-instinct resources found on some potentially inhabitable planets. Recently, a group of suspicious activists calling themselves the Recycling-Environment-Development group (RED) have been reported to be secretly harvesting rare ressources found on those planets, and this, under false pretences.

They claim that their observation and information collecting activities help in documenting and in the preservation of rare resources, which is true. We now know that RED's supposedly secondary cause, the search for new inhabitable planets, is in fact their main objective. It has cost them a lot and have put them in a difficult financial position but it seems RED won't stop at anything to reach their goal. They are suspected of utilizing the very rare resources they claim to protect as an efficient alternative fuel for their outdated spaceship technology. The reward for finding a new home would be gigantic and bring a lot of money, new state-of-the-art spaceships and fame. Details about their true whereabouts are documented inside RedShip's computers. BLU has been ordered to seize RedShip and find the truth about RED's illegal use of this galaxy's valuable resources.


REDSHIP is under attack!

RED : Save your crew and your ship
by defending the objectives.
Get outside and prevent the
BLU from invading the ship!
BLU : Take control of REDSHIP by
destroying key objectives
located on the ship. Make
your way inside RedShip and
get to the ship's core.
Destroy it to take commands.

BLU has prepared an assault on
RED's main sky base, "REDSHIP 450".
Their objective is to take posse-
ssion of it and hack its computers.
BLU plan on getting inside the ship
by neutralizing the cargo bay shield,
then to progress inside towards the
engine room, section by section.
Key objectives are located in each
section and destroying them will
grant access to the next section
until the engine room is reached.
If BLU succeed in destroying the Core,
they will take command of RedShip.
Will RED let them do this?

Good luck!

=========================


3----

========== MORE INFORMATION about the DC edition ============


General:

RedShip is a two part map that consists of Stage 1: The Assault during which the BLU team assaults RedShip in order to take possession of it, and Stage 2: The Retake, where the RED team tries to take back their ship.

RedShip is different from a regular payload map from its objectives that must be destroyed/defended.
You have to push a cart like in any other payload map, but RedShip randomly choses 1 from 3 different types of payload. (see below)
There's also 3 different possible atmospheres for the map: a sunny day up above the clouds, low-gravity space or sunset time above the lake on an unknown planet. They can play to your advantage depending on the class you play.
Sometimes you'll also have environmental objects to destroy that block your way or to unlock a path to help your team.


For the BLU team:

- Objectives are marked by yellow icons as seen on some of the screenshots. You must destroy these objectives.
- Each objective destroyed gives you 2 points and adds extra time for your team.

- The core gives you 3 points once destroyed.

- BLU cannot open locked vents to get inside RedShip unless the consoles in the Cargo room (objectives) are destroyed which will permanently open them.

- Like usually, pushing the cart gives you points, and reaching a capture point will reward you with points and extra time. Objectives that have been destroyed add extra time on top of the extra points mentioned above.


Payloads:

- If the playload you must push is the RE Cart (radioactive emission cart), you can activate it every 2 minutes. Once activated, the RE cart will start releasing radioactive emissions for a short period of time. During this time, only the RED team can get hurt by it. When the RE cart is ready and can be activated again, its antenna will start blinking and a message will show on-screen. This payload will not self-destruct when arriving at the final destination, the BLU team must use it strategically to get to the Core of RedShip, then destroy the Core manually using standard firepower.

- The "assault cart" (super sentry) has a level 1 super sentry mounted on it. The super sentry cannot be upgraded, although invulnerable, can still be disabled with the use of sappers (spy). This payload will not self-destruct when arriving at the final destination, the BLU team must use it strategically to get to the Core of RedShip, then destroy the Core manually using standard firepower.

- If the payload is a normal bomb (standard self-destructive bomb), the BLU team won't get any advantage during the battle. This payload will self-destruct when arriving at the final destination. The explosion will cause a localized but very powerful detonation that will destroy the Core and any players nearby.

- Each payload type include a super dispenser. This special dispenser acts like normal dispenser: it heals and resupplies like a level 3 dispenser, buy is invulnerable and cannot be sapped.


For the RED team:

- Protect the objectives to prevent the BLU team from advancing and getting extra time.

- RedShip is in lockdown when you start a match, so you can't use the vents to get outside. Only RedShip's teleporters can get you outside unless their powerboxes are destroyed (objectives outside) which will leave your team confined but protected inside the ship. BLU will then make its way inside by destroying the shield. As the game progresses and the BLU team destroys objectives, vents will get unlocked and free to be used by both teams to get in and out of RedShip more easily.

- During stage 2 (if the BLU team succeeded in capturing RedShip) The RED team will become the attacking team. The payload for the RED team will be the assault cart with a super sentry just like the one the BLU team can have.

- During stage 2, level 3 Super Sentries outside are guarding the RED spawn area. They can be sapped. If you do not have an engineer keeping an eye out for spies, your spawn area might get compromised and you could suffer a great deal of casualties and waste a lot of time.


Note:

The flamethrower does NOT damage objectives. Neither do the baseball (the bat itself does damage) and the jarate. Melee weapons, on the other hand, are very effective.


4----

====== Contact me ======


Email me for any bug report or suggestions.
Your comments are essential for making this map better.

Enjoy RedShip!

MoonQuake
Level Designer

hl2_moonquake(at)hotmail.com


5----

====== Changelog release candidate 3 (rc3) ======

- RedShip is now available in 2 flavors: the Basic edition (this version) and the Director's Cut edition.
- There is only one type of payload now for the basic edition: the bomb cart.
- There are no more objectives to destroy: just push the cart 'till the end and BOOM!
- Consequently, BLU cannot destroy the Core by shooting it in the basic edition. Only the bomb can destroy it.
- Added message about 2 different versions of the map at the start of a round.
- BLU ship is now at the front of RedShip for simpler and more straight forward gameplay purposes.
- BLU ship gameplay and structural changes to accomodate the fact that it's closer and easier to access for RED.
- The dispenser AND bomb now display an outline that can be seen through walls for easily locating the bomb while playing.
- Fixed a lot of tiny little bugs and visual glitches.

====== Changelog release candidate 2 (rc2) ======

- Gameplay improvements in term of flow and team balancing.
- Improved the visuals by adding more detail and models.
- Added displaying of hits left to destroy the Red Shield.
- The Super dispenser on the cart is now glowing and can be seen through walls, like on regular payload maps. The other cart parts do not, intentionally.
- Added an opening in the sniper vent (above the Cargo room) so it's not a "dead end" anymore and is another way inside the ship.
- Reduced number of console in CIC room from 8 to 4. (balancing was made accordingly) I know I should've done it earlier... :)
- Added shield model for every super sentry in the map making their invulnerability more obvious.
- Automated doors now open sooner, further away from the player.
- Fixed a bug where BLU team could destroy the Core by shooting at it and blowing it up using the Bomb Cart bugging the gameplay.
- Removed all easter eggs (arrgg) because of the new model limit of the Mann-conomy update.
- Slight performance improvements in some spots.
- Some visual bugs fixed.
- Added win messages to connect the gameplay to the backstory. (...a bit)
- Tweaked the FTL jump effect of the spaceship in the skybox :)
- If all is good, this will be the final version of RedShip. (after a recompile and proper naming, of course.)

====== Changelog release candidate 1 (rc1) ======

- Red spawn: added a floor trap that allows access to the engine room in addition to the stairs.
- Extra time is now given for capping a point.
- Less respawn time for BLU during stage 2.
- Lowered RedShip teleporters powerboxes (objectives) so that they are easier to see and destroy with melee weapons.
- It's now impossible to destroy objectives by prematurely going in the next room. They won't take damage anymore until they are the active objectives.
- Core protective bars: removed weapon projectile collisions. Players can stand on the protective bars, but projectiles will go through them.
- RedShip: made the lower side vents easier to enter in from the outside.
- Added visual attractor for RedShip vents outside. It's now easy to tell where they are and that they exist.
- Fixed a bug where low-gravity would remain if stage 1 was space, and stage 2 wasn't.
- Fixed a few visual glitches.
 
Last edited:
Apr 19, 2009
4,460
1,722
I give this map a go and :O The time it takes to kill the thing over the kart! I get what you were trying to do but please make it easer to destroy and make it so it stays the same shade for RED because it looks clear when it can still kill you!
 

Zanpa

L4: Comfortable Member
Jan 17, 2009
164
43
BIIIG SHIP !!11

From the screens, it looks very nice, though not very "TF2-ish".
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
The Political Gamer: lol. Couldn't agree more. I'm expecting the testing sessions to be at least 8 vs 8. But the map supports 32 players. Don't worry, I'll eventually make it so that the more players are on the BLU team, the more health the red shield will have, if it's an absolute necessity after a few rounds of testing. That would also make it much easier to destroy when a few players are in. Again, this needs to be tested, because of the time it takes for some players to join a game and load a map... it could not be representative once the game is a few minutes in. I got a few ideas about how to fix that. :)

Also, the shield is red and only kills BLU touching it. Does that answer your comment? I wasn't totally sure what you meant.


Zanpa: Thanks. And, exact! I wanted the map to look a bit more realistic.
 
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SiniStarR

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Mar 31, 2009
585
116
do i see hl2 textures in the first pic? that would be a no no. Where did you get that lovely fire :O
 

ricardojvc6

L6: Sharp Member
Jun 8, 2009
268
66
looks like the star wars ships from the empire hehe it looks like it
 

NovaSilisko

L42: Life, the Universe and Everything
aa
Feb 3, 2009
502
270
Looks good other then the HL2 textures.
 

human

L1: Registered
Jul 27, 2009
1
0
Interesting idea, horribly implemented. It takes way too long to break anything. Some of the interior looks ok, but the ship and skybox looks terrible. If you want it realistic, make it realistic. Don't throw hl2 textures with tf2. Its a TF2 map, make the textures fit the style.

Breaking the shield just isnt worth it. It takes too long and once its broken the actual PL game play is short and unbalanced. Every area is too small or narrow. Its more of a cluster fuck and haven for pyros.

Great idea, could use a lot of work.
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
Thanks everybody to take the time to comment. As you know already, it's greatly appreciated.

SiniStarR: yep, some are hl2 textures. It is an artistic decision and it will stay that way for now. TF2 just doesn't have the textures to support the theme here, and adding all these as "TF2 isez" custom textures would add a lot to the weight of the file. You just can't make spaceship things with barn and concrete textures and I don't like that a texture bank prevents me from doing the stuff I want! hehe
And yes that's real nice animated fire you see there. I just couldn't take it that TF2 doesn't support "env_fire"... I mean, c'mon! :)

ricardo: you're right! I was influenced by many sources during the process of making this map. Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica mainly without being a freak of SCI-Fi per se tough.

human: I'm glad you played the map on a server with at least 5 vs 5 players, and for at least 4 rounds and came here to report the experience you got from the play time! I'll keep your suggestions in mind.

Also remember that this is why we test maps, to adjust things and make for better gameplay.
 
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MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
The Ship... Yeah, I remember that game.

Absolutely nothing to do with the game, the word ship is the only thing my map and this game share. And maybe the fact that it's running on the Source engine. :)
 
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MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
BTW, how's the framerate for you guys?

It's not fully optimized, but it should run fairly smoothly on a not so recent computer.
 

3Suns

L1: Registered
Jul 11, 2009
29
12
I am new and green but I really like what I see in the screenshots. I don't know if the HL2 textures are showing there or not (and I completely understand the "don't mix textures" philosophy), however, I think it looks fantastic. With the bright yellows, and the blocky construction, it looks very TF2 cartoony to me.

One more thing, I really like that you have a mission briefing. I like the content of it, and that the gameplay is founded on it. I will keep an eye out for it on the servers, and try to give you feedback after I have played it.

Cheers!
 

Terr

Cranky Coder
aa
Jul 31, 2009
1,590
410
I'm actually getting a weird Deus Ex vibe... Like... Versalife on the PCRS Wall Cloud...

But the red forcefield thing? Yeah, definitely a BF2142 titan ;)
 

MoonQuake

L3: Member
Jul 18, 2009
111
21
Terr: I played a lot of BF2142, so you know where I got the inspiration for the shield, even though you can't destroy it by shooting it in BF2142.

JooDude: yeah, once you get to know the map, you get the edge over a newbie, vents being the way to go to get around defenses or snipe from a vantage point.
 
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Delusibeta

L3: Member
Mar 21, 2009
100
14
I got a bit lost on Gameday, so I can't comment on the quality of the map itself. So, aside from "More optimization!" that's all I can think of.
 

potatocubed

L1: Registered
Aug 4, 2009
21
7
I played this map yesterday on gameday, then procrastinated about leaving feedback. >_>

There are a lot of neat ideas here - I especially like the objectives system, although it occurs to me that do you need a cart at all? You could just have an objective-based blowing-stuff-up map, right?

That said, the execution was messy:

1. The assault cart was all over the place, and at one point it was moving on its own. That might have been a cloaked spy pushing it, but I don't think cloaked spies should be able to push carts. I also can't think why you would want the cart to move backwards.

2. HL2 vs. TF2 textures aside, I was spotting broken textures all over the place. As you leave the BLU spawn, on the left of the ship, there's a huge miscoloured patch of sky/water. I don't know what that is.

Also, in the room with the computers (3rd cap?) I kept thinking I should be able to see through the panels in the floor. I'm not sure if I was seeing void, or if it was just a trick of the texture you're using.

3. The layout is very, very confusing. There are arrows pointing off the side of the ship, which I later learned were for nigh-invisible vents. The interior space is cramped and twisty. It took me about five minutes to escape the initial RED spawn, even with the big arrow - for this, might I suggest changing the stair rail so that it descends with the stairs instead of sitting along the top edge of the hole? That should give a clearer indication that 'there's something down here'.

4. The cart leaves the tracks after the first cap. What?

5. Further to point three, the way the objective system works needs to be made clearer - even if it's just a notice at the top of the intro screen that says THIS MAP IS NOT LIKE OTHER PAYLOAD MAPS so impatient types like myself don't just leap in and then flail around for ten minutes.

6. The run time from the BLU spawn to the cart, especially in the later stages, feels very long.

7. Right after you get the cart, one set of those gates never opens, for anyone, from either direction. I feel like they should open, somehow, but I'm not sure what condition I would set it to.

So, summary: I like the ideas, but I think you need to tidy things up some. Personally, I'd be inclined to separate the fancy cart system from the objective system and put each on its own map - I don't think one map needs both innovations. Then again, I'm a total n00b so I could have the wrong end of the stick entirely.