Escape maps in Fortress Forever

[Eccentricity]

Before I'm told to search before posting, I have done my homework - but much of the information is old and/or out of date; hence the new thread.

This is my first post on the FF boards, so hello everyone! Go easy on me!

Now, regarding escape maps. I have played the vast majority of escape maps made for TFC to-date, as have several of my friends. We are all big fans of escape maps and their unique gameplay - so much so that we have nearly exhausted the mostly-finite supply available in TFC.

We have also played several of the escape maps for the popular mod, SvenCoop - however I'd be lying If I said that they are of the same quality as their TFC brethren (most usually devolving into monotonous monster-slogs).

Since I am an avid mapper for GoldSRC/Source, I figured that it was about time someone filled the gap left in TFC's wake. Before I started on anything, I figured I'd look around and see if there is a game/mod/community either based around, or supporting the development of escape maps on the Source engine.

Previously I had hopes in Synergy, however they have since simplified (and castrated IMO) their mod so much so that escape maps are much less feasible. I have looked at Obsidian Conflict, however they haven't updated in some time. I pondered Kreedz Climbing, and honestly it seems like the most "escape-friendly" mod at the moment. I even considered standard HL2DM, but that build of the Source engine has issues with several entities, and missing features compared to newer iterations of the engine.

I never really considered TF2, as it's gameplay and mechanics are carefully tailored to standard play - however it did make me think back to TFC, and then forward to Fortress Forever. This finally brings me to my question(s).

Firstly, are there any escape maps worth playing in Fortress Forever? Are mappers tending to use FF as their platform for creating escape maps in Source? Is there a comprehensive list of entities in FF that would compliment "escape-like" gameplay?

Secondly, if FF isn't suited to escape maps, what Source games/mods are? Is there a community here at FF that uses another platform to get their "escape fix"?

I ask these questions in an effort to establish where the Source gaming community is rooting it's "escape platform" before I start developing (and encouraging further development) towards Source-based escape maps.

Sorry for the rather lengthy post, but I have always loved escape maps, and want to see them continue through the current generation of games.

Thanks for your input!

[Ricey]

There are very few escape maps, I think there are currently 2 - 3 maps. I may be wrong.

Is there a comprehensive list of entities in FF that would compliment "escape-like" gameplay?

Lua.

[Crazycarl]

Originally Posted by Ricey

Lua.

To clarify, there are only three basic entities relevant to FF mapping--triggers, player spawns, and items. What these entities do depends on a Lua script that you release with your map. You can do a huge amount of customization of the rules of your game, but You are stuck with HL2's entities for the most part.

[Eccentricity]

Originally Posted by Crazycarl

To clarify, there are only three basic entities relevant to FF mapping--triggers, player spawns, and items. What these entities do depends on a Lua script that you release with your map. You can do a huge amount of customization of the rules of your game, but You are stuck with HL2's entities for the most part.

It's interesting to hear that there is LUA support for individual maps; that certainly opens up several possibilities. However with regards to the entities, have any standard HL2/Source ones been specifically disabled or removed for Fortress Forever? As in, are there entities that would exist in say, HL2 or CSS, but not in Fortress Forever?

With regards to my second question, do FF players tolerate, or perhaps even enjoy escape-style maps? Would that be something that the FF community would like to see more of?

If this is something that FF players would like, would FF developers be interested in at least making sure that FF remains in such a state that allows (and doesn't break existing) escape maps through future updates? Or if the FF devs are interested in being proactive, perhaps adding escape-style requests by the community (if there were to be any)?

And if the FF playerbase doesn't want to see escape maps in this mod, what other mod or game do you play them in/would like to see them in?

These are very open-ended questions (except for the dev-related ones), so everyone's opinion is both warranted and encouraged! Thoughts and ideas are very welcome!

[Crazycarl]

Most of the basic Source entities are there--you can't use anything from CSS, nor can you use any NPCs or weapons from HL2.

I'm sure players will be happy to see well-made maps for FF; whether they will play them is another matter.

We certainly try not to break existing maps with updates. Whether we implement a new feature is up to the interests of the individual dev and their ability to do it. We're volunteers, after all.

[zE]

I do like do play a bit of ctf / skill maps but late night with some friends just to chill escape maps are the best : )

I´m a mapper too (newbie one) and almost all entitys from hl2 will work in ff, and u also can use lua that allows you to do even + stuff, i would love to do some escape maps, but it requires advanced mapping skills to map them, because isnt only geometry and place resppaws and flags and ur done, u need logic entitys stuff and some advanced stuff : \

Atm the only escape maps in FF are is ff_escapebasex / ff_k_thegame / ff_heavy-machinery all made by the same dude.

I´m pretty sure all FF comunity would love to see more escape maps, because its fun to frag, but cooperative gameplay like escape maps are great to chill , im a server owner too and people dont play a lot the existing escape maps because they already played them like a lot of times : )

About breaking stuff in future versions and stuff, i did some maps that here broke with some new versions, but trought lua, i was able to fix them without new compiles and stuff : )

And btw u can decompile or get the files of the sourcegold hammer files save it as rmf, and open them in hl2 hammer and just change spaws entitys and textures and a lot of stuff will work for sure.

What i miss in FF atm compared to TFC is the tons of escape / fun maps.
If u make any escape map, ill upload and run it on my servers like right away