Map Ideas

This thread is for tossing around map ideas, because I am absolutley certain that some people here either:

1. Have good map ideas, but is unable to make maps.
2. Can make maps, but doesn't have any good ideas for them.

I fall into the first catagory, I have several ideas for maps, but just can't grasp how to use the Hammer Editor, even if I could use it my incredible laziness would prevent me from actually making maps anyways. So to prevent my map ideas to go to waste I created this thread.



So my map idea is a linear CP map which I call tidepool, however the CPs would not be in a line or zig zag but rather (from the side):

     B---A       E---D
       \____C____/

With the RED and BLU bases located in A and E, located in seperate box canyons, and C located underground. The map will feature water, the tides will occasionally will rise and fall, changing the strategies used. During low tide the caverns have a little water resting on the bottom, but during high tide the caverns will be completley flooded, with a little water showing aboveground. This serves as to prevent a team from completley steamrolling through all the points at once, and to make timing more important.

For instance, during low tide C should be a very hard to defend point, but during high tide it will be completly flooded, meaning that attackers would have to risk drowning while the defenders have a steady supply of health, provided that they have a dispenser. Similarly, B and D is only accesable through these tunnels, where touching the edges will result in death (perhaps explained by being lined with poisonous sea urchins or something), meaning it is only accesable during high tide or by tunnels that are linked to the defenders base, but as with C it is hard to defend.

This would hopefully pose intresting strategies, for instance C is almost guaranteed to be taken during low tide, but the team who gotten C, lets say RED for example, would be unable to move towards D because D is only accesable during high tide; meaning that they will almost certainly defend the point. BLU would then have the choice either to regroup and assault C before the tides rise or defend D from the upcoming assault. Since B and D is uncapturable during low tide, this should encourage the team who doesn't have C assault it during low tide. Assaulting A and E would be just like assaulting a regular control point. In short, during low tide combat would focus around C, and during high tide combat would focus around B or D.

Class specifiaclly, the caverns should be pyro friendly. There should be plenty of cover, ambush spots, and flanking options; however it wouldn't matter during high tide when the flaregun, flamethrower, and axtinguisher is useless. Demomen should also be more viable during low tide, they can attack from behind without exposing themselves to fire; however since demomen grenades sink they won't be as useful during high tide, where other classes can react simply by swimming upwards. Medics and Engineers are especially important during high tide, to counteract the health loss from drowning.


So that is my map idea. Anyone want to make it. Feel free to post your own map ideas.

I'd love to see a map with a dangerous environment in it or with dangerous NPC.  You could have say a factory with moving machinery in it that can kill you if you go near it or have an environment where there are creatures in it that can kill you as well as the other team.

The Creature idea im afraid is well out of grasp for now, with their being no bots but the idea of moving threats is in work in some maps already, like the black ball in the snooker map, it kills anyone it runs over.

I had one where it was payload map and you were playing on the body of a woman on a beach.  I found making the right curves to be rather hard. 
I came up with another map, it would also take a little modifiying of the engine but you play on a beach for CP, and as you spend time in the sun you slowly burn(a meter), when the meter runs out you start taking damage.  You would have to run to shade or water to cool down.  All Cp points are in the sun, I could call it sunstroke.

Quote:

There's a way to flame ppl completely submerged. But I'm not telling!

Hello,
I am in a similar situation to Frost Army, I have ideas, but I have a basic understanding of Hammer (not a great understanding).  My biggest problem so far is textures.  I absolutely suck at making my map pretty.  I can lay a map out, but as far as taking it all the way to finished product I am at a loss.
If anyone would be interested in doing some work with me, please speak up.
I try for original elements in a map.  For instance, I had an idea for a closet with a trigger activated door, so when someone walks by in the hall way, it opens, but when you are inside the closet, you have to get right up on the door to open it.  This equals a great spot for a sentry, can't attack it without opening the door, or it catches someone off guard.

I'll have to find an image host before I can post images.

My idea is a Cp_2Fort. There are 2 Points in the middle, one below the bridge, one above. the Bridge is expanded, and has no roof. You need  smeone on both to capure. A staircase takes you to the Battlements, and boxes allow you to jump out of the pit. Points 2-4 are in the Courtyards, and 1-5 are in the basements, with the intel room removed.