I kinda like the enclosed area on the cap becuse it gives an opportunity to block really agressively. I think a better solution would be to reduce the cap time.

cp_sunshine_rc9

LEAGUE ADMINS: PLEASE USE THIS VERSION FOR NEXT SEASON(s)! If anyone has connections to any admins of any leagues, please contact them and let them know this is the newest version.

PLEASE contact me if there are any issues which need fixing! I can release a quick rc9a if need be.

DOWNLOAD (bsp)

Changelog:

• reduced file size drastically (repacking!)
• increased performance, optimization, and FPS across the map
• can't stand on wooden palette on last to see over boxes into lobby anymore
• clipping on structure behind last point refined
• aligned texture on metal beams above last
• changed all models/props_spytech/computer_wall03.mdl to *_wall04
• added one wooden palette to block slim sightline from last spawn
• moved medium ammo on low ground on last back to old spot
• refined displacements on mid
• removed two lights at flower in valley
• removed shadows on wood doors
• removed benches right outside of spawn
• clipped off a hiding spot in lobby
• extended high platform in valley towards mid slightly
• added box near high platform in valley to allow scouts to jump
• widened wooden ramp up to mid platform slightly
• expanded high ground next to lighthouse slightly
• filled in gap underneath wooden stairs next to mid forward spawn
• fixed a case where you could see the nodraw side of a brush
• extended the high ground near the staircase near choke on last by about 48 u
• fixed spectator cam on BLU last being linked to the RED last point instead of BLU
• added spectator cameras on second
• removed props in scaffolding under roof in lower lobby (above the healthkit used in rollout)
• removed tiled “brick” props on blu side near flowers and mid
• removed unnecessary brushwork on ceiling through cafe
• removed garbage props in cafe
• removed smaller arch doorway detail bits nearby pack on second and in flowers
• detailed the mid building some more – everything is blockbulleted and clipped, don't worry
• optimization pass, lots of hinting
• massive prop fade pass
• lighting changeups, less blinding whites now

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00001.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00002.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00003.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00004.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00005.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00006.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00007.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/84556731/sunshine/2015-11-30_00008.jpg

Great job with the optimization. I'm getting 10+ more frames per second throughout the map.

So exited to play this in pugs tonight, big Sunshine fan!

The optimization was a couple weeks of constant work plus about two months on and off. The project is so old that it took a while to figure out how to optimize correctly - I'm very glad it's running better! The 1.5-hour compile time was well worth the result.

no formatted changelogs, you hurt me phi </3
great update btw, 30 more frames woop

There's still a lot of time before the next ETF2L and ESEA seasons but I just wanted to gently remind people to give this version a few go-arounds and/or pugs before the pre-season rush starts. I'm not planning on releasing another major versioned update after this unless a certain specific thing happens; although there will always be future polish updates.

Remember, if you have any connections with league admins please let them know comfortably in advance that this is the most recent version. I have improved a lot of things (most notably framerate) and I'd be heavily disappointed to see the older versions still in use.

u rock phi

If anything, playing Sunshine in ETF2L was really fun for me. Probably the most fun out of the whole map pool. Its like a combination of all of my favorite maps hah. Seriously this should be a permanent map in the pool for now...

Why do you hate hiding spots so much :(((

The stairs at spawn door desperately need a clipping fix. Also I'm pretty sure the level string that shows up here can be disabled map-side, so that would be nice as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRhjqjyLE_w

I pointed that out that missing clipping to phi in chat when rc9 was first released and she didn't feel that it was major enough to warrant an update to the map on its own.

My thoughts on the map:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wgtJ0FjXNA

Last?

Cafe/Greece?

Arch?

Mid?

http://puu.sh/oNmaR.png

Just an idea I had. This would cover choke sightline from flowers if tetris were put in the exact right spot and would offer a wall to surprise jump over top of and allow people to sneak some cap time onto the point without having to eat so many spammed projectiles and stickies.

you asked for feedback, here's mine : sunshine features too many invisible walls (you improved a lot for reckoner) and the last point cannot be pushed. In etf2l mid last season every team was just sacking 3 or 4 players to lure the defenders out.
As the attacking team it's impossible to trade ubers because the defenders are far away from the entrances, it's impossible to sack a player in for the medic for the same reason, and even uber advantage pushes are hard to execute because offclasses such as pyro, heavy or engineer are good there, and because there is no good position to end up after the ubercharge.

For example on granary last after the ubercharge the attacking team can control the pipes, or on process the attacker can control the panic room, so even if the uber doesn't kill everyone the attacking team can still keep on fighting, and there is none of that on that last.

Besides, it's also extremely difficult to push out of this last.

I'd suggest re-doing it with a clear idea of what you want : either give an edge to the attacker (easy to push last, easy to hold second), either give an edge to the defender (easy to hold last, easy to retake second). If you make it so that it's both easy to hold last AND easy to hold second, no wonder it creates stalemates.

Hi! Phi here. Been working diligently off of the feedback I have gathered so far.

If you're a prem player in ETF2L, I'd be glad if you could add me and send me your thoughts real quick on the following topics:
- pushing out of last into second
- pushing from second into mid

as these are, so far, the hardest things to address for me within the map. Been receiving a lot of contradictory feedback on these so I would like to widen the pool of data I have to work off of.

If you know a prem player in ETF2L that'd be ok with giving me a few sentences, preferably suggestions of what they'd change, that'd be great.

I have a test compile of rc10 with various changes I will hand out to all prem players who add me as well. Thanks for the support and feedback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHHQg7GBcKM&feature=gp-n-y&google_comment_id=z121ebzqsqqrjroct23dwxzqfx31y52pf04

God bless you Sideshow. Just watched the whole thing and took tons of notes. You brought up SO many issues with the map that nobody has ever tangibly talked to me about before at this depth, and that I only vaguely knew existed (and really didn't have any tangible idea of how to fix until now).

If any players, especially other invite and prem players, want to comment on Sideshow's video - I'd be very glad if you could do it here! What you agree with, what you don't, etc.

I think I will have some "test" versions out sometime soon, just for people to play on and see how things work. Going to be a little while until I have made all the fixes, but I'll try to bring out a finished product (or at least test versions) during the etf2l/esea seasons.

Watching sideshow's video made me think about an idea I had before. Idk how good of an idea it is but:

http://i.imgur.com/hLsQMK8.jpg

I had the impression that removing the roof/walls on the cafe exit and changing the angle of the fence could open up the area that choke and cafe exit into, making it flow better for pushes, and be more of an area that teams could actually fight in rather than just being spammed out of one way or the other. The fence would have to be reangled to block sniper sidelines, but I feel like it could be a decent change.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CmtLhtAUkAARA8j.jpg:large

YES FINALLY CONGRATS PHI

The first version of this map was posted August 10, 2013 on tf2maps.net. Who would have thought, 3 years later, that the map would be one of my crowning achievements and would end up in game with the OFFICIAL matchmaking update that everyone has been excited for years for.

I am so pumped, y'all have no idea. So thankful for everyone who has tested and played the map during its development.

will rc9 be the ingame version or are there more changes?

There's a whole lengthy list of changes from rc9 to the ingame version that I've made based on league and player feedback. Unsure if I should drop the changelog before the update hits, but rest assured - lots of stuff has been worked on.

I'd like a change log, but I can't think of a legitimate reason as to why I can't wait a day.

Valve breaks it horribly somehow.

Knowing that Phi has the change log, I presume they did it themselves and valve picked it up before it was released to the public.

All the improvements I've made to the map were in the periods of time containing post-rc9 release and post-valve-contact time. Up until the very final deadline I was able to make whatever changes I wanted, and I had full control over the creative process.

I plan to update the map periodically when it goes official based on feedback from any tourneys it is present in, similar to what is done with CS:GO competitive maps.

The best part about it going official is that it's included within any content updates, and you don't have to manually download it separately from the rest of your tf2 files. The map will be constantly updated on everybody's end!

How long ago did Valve contact you about making Sunshine official?

They must've been aware of its existence for a while. They did use the halloween version in their halloween event last year.