Some Originality

I had wanted to do something original with this map. I'm not sure it's a quality people care about in game development these days. (Look at all the derivative games out there.)

One of my complaints about vetting game designers through mods and mapping is there is little range for them to work within. The gameplay, characters, weapons (or even the fact the game is about using weapons) and so on, are set for them. They really are relegated to being craftsmen - implementing within a framework that's been given to them.

With TF2 I was attracted to the game enough to be willing to engage in being a craftsman on its behalf - to make a map for it. Other games I haven't had an interest in mapping for because, frankly, their subject matter is thin. They take themselves too seriously, or saturate themselves in adolescent power fantasies. TF2 was one of the first games to hold a mirror up to those power fantasies, and show how absurd they are. So that tongue-in-cheek element drew me in.

But I still wanted to put my own stamp on what a TF2 map could be. It's nice to see mappers and modders who try to push originality. So I tried to do that in ways you will see...

Next: Narrative...

(Download map...)