FINAL 2.0 CHANGES/FIXES:
-Logs to each sniper deck removed
-Boxes in the middle removed due to their placement being annoying in terms of movement flow
-Middle tower health pack removed
-Medium base health packs removed
-Both sewer small health packs removed
-Planks added to allow easy crossing from stairway base exit to middle area, which helps avoid sniper fire
-Spawn points fixed to prevent players spawning on one another

Screenshots:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_arena_mach/

Download:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/arena_mach2.7z (7zip, 7.3mb)
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/arena_mach2.zip (zip, 10.5mb)
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/arena_mach2.bsp.bz2 (bz2, for server admins)

Screenshots:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_arena_mach/

Download:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/arena_mach.7z (7zip, 7.3mb)
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/arena_mach.zip (zip, 10.5mb)
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/arena_mach.bsp.bz2 (bz2, for server admins)

This is a version 1.0 release.  I did private beta testing to stomp any bugs that came in the conversion process.  If you do find anything major though, let me know.

Enjoy the new alpine environment!

Mach is small enough to actually keep almost all of the map. I am adding a way up from the previous flag area for arena, since the bases should be traversable in arena instead of putting that handicap in. The only thing I’ve really removed is one of the resupply rooms, since only one is necessary.

Here’s a progress shot:

Canalzone is a complex map that takes a number of playthroughs to grasp fully, but once you know your way around it is an excellent experience. The map has been extensively playtested in its TF2 incarnation so far, and it has proven itself as a fun alternative to the typical grind of other game modes.

Download:
http://vilepickle.com/map/dom_canalzone.7z (7zip, 10mb)
http://vilepickle.com/map/dom_canalzone.zip (zip, 22.1mb)
http://vilepickle.com/map/dom_canalzone.bsp.bz2 (bz2 for server admins, 21.5mb)

Screenshots:
http://vilepickle.com/map/screens/tf2_dom_canalzone

Changelist from B3 to Final:
http://www.vilepickle.com/map/readmes/README_dom_canalzone.txt

Have fun!

I think bringing a great deal of attention to fun and details to my next map will make it stand out.  You don’t see unique game mode maps with large amounts of detail work done to them.  They usually look pretty… bland.  I guess I have a lot invested in Canalzone, its modified Domination game mode (thank you BladeRoden for Dom), and its graphical fidelity.  I believe the fun factor was originally engrained in Quakeworld, but I’ve made many changes that make CZ retain its fun factor.

I do have one extreme worry.  The Heavy update next week is going to absolutely devastate the custom map community once again for another 2-3 weeks, probably longer with a new PL map.  I think we’re still recovering from Goldrush, in fact.  While I love these updates, I just hate that they destroy any chance of people getting their hard work played.  I guess if a map is heavily requested it will be included in an update.  Steel has proven that well enough.  It seems like Valve is aiming for 2 solid maps each release, so I presume 2 custom maps will be in the update after that.  While I don’t really expect them to ever use mine since they are remakes, I hope that this PL map included with the Heavy update doesn’t further ruin custom map popularity.

The CAL forums are loaded with people who absolutely despise Mach.  It’s hard to see through their childish and immature comments sometimes, but it just seems like CTF is dead to them.  They hate the game mode.  I wish I was more enlightened on that, but having come from a clan background and playing TF2 competitively, I see nothing wrong with CTF besides that it takes different tactics to succeed.  Perhaps people don’t understand those tactics.  On Mach, for example, the best way to win a 6v6 or 8v8 is to dominate the middle area.  If a team is bent on defending, they need to re-evaluate what they’re doing, as they’ve already lost.  So you need to play better than the other team to get the middle.  Why is that so terribly unfun?  What’s different about that then 5 point CP maps or anything else played in competition?  Not much, really.  I guess some people see it differently.

I would like to personally discourage anyone from making a map with the CTF game mode.  You are doomed to have an unplayed map, no matter how well you do it.  Those are the facts of TF2.  I would also stray away from 5 point CP maps, because those are extremely unpopular on public servers.  They are good for competition, which is very fun if you play it, but you’ll have to deal with the most obnoxious players in TF2 when attempting to get it played.  They almost always prefer stock maps anyway.  The best you could do is to create an A/D map or a Payload map.  I personally hate these spammy cluster maps, especially since I play scout, but it seems like everyone loves them (except comp. players).  That’s a mystery for another day.