(WIP) zps_SkyTavern

[TheCabo0se]

Alright, so, I recently went to my sister's wedding, and it took place at the Sky Tavern Lodge in Nevada. When I was there, I realized it would make a SWEET ZP map, so I took like 60-something pictures of the building while I was there so I could recreate it. So far, I only have the walls of the 2nd story of the building, but I figured I'd post some pictures.

Also, if anybody is good at modeling, I sure could use some help putting some custom models into the map. Ski racks, urinals, picnic tables, etc. Another major model I would need: A ski lift. I'll supply a picture of that in case somebody is feeling up to the challenge.

Here are some pictures of the lodge:

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/2607/skiliftxi4.jpg

http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/7608/skylodge1ei8.jpg

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/8058/skylodge2vd5.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3681/skylodge3zq4.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/36/skylodge4ap8.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/166/skylodge5op0.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/1600/skylodge6bz4.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/9388/skylodge7oh3.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4905/skylodge8mq9.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/2563/skylodge9qy7.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/8855/skylodge10gm6.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6719/skylodge11om1.jpg



I'm pretty excited for this map, so I'll probably be spending most of my free time working on it and I'll have some screens within a few days.

Please leave ideas/comments! Feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Dr.Van Gogh]

looks like a great idea .. great job

[UnluckyStudent]

Nice post. Lots of pictures and little text. Looking at them, I can illustrate some aspects of the map in my head, as I expect you were doing when taking these pictures.

In terms of the setting, it looks pretty generic. It consists of everything most ZP maps consist of. Kitchen, parking lot, mess hall, balcony, etc.

What do you plan to do with it? ZPS? What objectives are you planning?

You might get a few people who will make a few simple meshes for you, but I don't think anyone will put in the time to make everything you want, especially considering that the things you want are just as generic as the pictures you have.


The ONLY thing that is interesting about this is the lift. Unfortunately, I don't think you are going to put the time in to make that the focus of the map.

If you plan to put emphasis on the lift and have people use it, its going to be a testing nightmare. Here are the three main questions you need to ask yourself to make the lift:

1) How is the lift going to be used in conjunction with the objectives/goals of the map and the mechanics of ZP?

2) While using the lift, how is the experience going to be kept interesting?

3) What happens when people fall off?

Number one needs to be expounded. At this point you need to find a way to use the lift to both teams' advantage. Survivors should never be safe, because then it gets boring for everyone. Think about how much its going to suck if everyone has to wait for the survivors to ride a lift.

Oh and thats another thing, stop worrying about simple meshes that aren't needed anyway and focus on perfecting the lift. The lift doesn't need to be modeled. It will function perfectly fine made of simple brushes in hammer.

Of course, all this only matters if you are going to put forth the effort.

[TheCabo0se]

Nice post. Lots of pictures and little text. Looking at them, I can illustrate some aspects of the map in my head, as I expect you were doing when taking these pictures.

In terms of the setting, it looks pretty generic. It consists of everything most ZP maps consist of. Kitchen, parking lot, mess hall, balcony, etc.

What do you plan to do with it? ZPS? What objectives are you planning?

You might get a few people who will make a few simple meshes for you, but I don't think anyone will put in the time to make everything you want, especially considering that the things you want are just as generic as the pictures you have.


The ONLY thing that is interesting about this is the lift. Unfortunately, I don't think you are going to put the time in to make that the focus of the map.

If you plan to put emphasis on the lift and have people use it, its going to be a testing nightmare. Here are the three main questions you need to ask yourself to make the lift:

1) How is the lift going to be used in conjunction with the objectives/goals of the map and the mechanics of ZP?

2) While using the lift, how is the experience going to be kept interesting?

3) What happens when people fall off?

Number one needs to be expounded. At this point you need to find a way to use the lift to both teams' advantage. Survivors should never be safe, because then it gets boring for everyone. Think about how much its going to suck if everyone has to wait for the survivors to ride a lift.

Oh and thats another thing, stop worrying about simple meshes that aren't needed anyway and focus on perfecting the lift. The lift doesn't need to be modeled. It will function perfectly fine made of simple brushes in hammer.

Of course, all this only matters if you are going to put forth the effort.

Wow, I like how even though you weren't sure I was going to use the lift, you still put forth the effort to talk about all the possible issues. I was thinking having it a ZPO map (realize now that I made the thread name zps out of habit) and essentially, the main goal would be to restore power to the lift and just get TO it. Maybe have the entire lodge surrounded by a gate, and have another goal to find the gate key or something along those lines. As for the "generic." I basically left out MOST of the pictures of the inside. This place is HUGE. There is the main mess hall, and then another smaller one down stairs. There are a few storage rooms, an entire section of the building that i didn't have access to that was for ski rangers and it doubled as a medical station, and SEVERAL doors leading to the outside. On top of that, you'll notice in one picture that there is a small living area on the back side of the lodge. Probably the size of a small studio apartment. That place was basically a maze for me for the first few hours I was there.

But, as for making the lift operable, I wouldn't really want to do that for all of the obvious reasons you mentioned.

[TheCabo0se]

Actually, now that I think about it, if I actually knew how, I could make the lift work in essentially the same manner of the pod that you ride in at the end of half-life 2. Just make the chair model, and have it as a sort of vehicle that rides along a set path.

Still, the map would have to be PRETTY big to actually be able to take a chair lift to the top of the mountain. Pretty sure the peak was like another 1,200 feet from where the lodge was. Although I'm sure nobody would mind if it peak wasn't actual size. I'm not even sure what I would put at the top of the mountain as an objective.

Oh well. I still have a lot of time to mull it over.

[N1ck [X]]

Great idea for a map, can't wait to see some screenshots!

[UnluckyStudent]

Wow, I like how even though you weren't sure I was going to use the lift, you still put forth the effort to talk about all the possible issues.

I'm not sure how sarcastic this is, but I talked about the lift since it was the only thing that would make your map interesting and I partly wanted to try to convince you to focus on the lift. Perhaps talking about the problems wasn't the best way to try to get someone to do something but I was hoping you were of the conscientious sort.

It also provides an example as to how people should think about user experience in video games. I hope someone reading absorbs what I post. Now I am waiting for someone to make contrasts to what say, instead of the usual "Super awesome great job - can't wait to test it - you should make it an objective map" responses.



I didn't even think to look at the title for whether or not it was a ZPO. I guess I assumed it would have to be an objective map for the lift to be really useful. Honestly, it would be really disappointing if you didn't try to use the lift for something. The audience for ZP are very forgiving of bad maps, so it wouldn't even have to be perfect at first. Still, it would be nice way to show-up the rest of the mappers. *Integrating* a lift into the game play of this mod is intellectually unique.



Oh well. I still have a lot of time to mull it over.


Instead, why don't I help you on it? The more I think of this, the more I really want to try and tackle this. You think the hard part is getting the lift to operate? The hard part is using the lift properly to craft the players actions. I can't think of a more uninteresting environment for a video game than a box, dangling on a string in the air.

That said, let me know if you are going to avoid the lift part. Otherwise I'd like to get a ZIP file of all the pics you took so I can start bubble mapping this thing for you.