• Please make sure you are familiar with the forum rules. You can find them here: https://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/index.php?threads/forum-rules.2334636/

Merc Report - Seasons Greeting from Carillon Hamlet

CarillonHamlet01.jpg


Hello mercs,
Where will you go this winter, armed with your new toys? Carillon Hamlet, a small industrial village that was preparing for holidays has gone silent. We have heard rumors of vicious elves taking control of the area. The hotel and other businesses seem abandoned.

CarillonHamlet03.jpg


The town's old train has come to a stop. The Horzine Rail station is still and empty. At this time it’s unknown what exactly was being transported.


CarillonHamlet02.jpg


Investigate the dark winding underground tunnels. Scans have revealed some unusual activity. We’ll need some brave mercs to venture there.



The village is full of scenic views that would normally charm even the most bah-hum-bugs of Scrooges. Void of the normal seasons cheer, the streets are now home to the twisted holiday creatures. Clear out the area and paint the town in the usual seasonal red.

If all goes well, we’ll be sending the first groups of mercs into Carillon Hamlet within the next few weeks!

Carillon Hamlet is the latest Official Community map to be added to the game, created by community level designer Sam Smith.
 
Last edited:
CHEER THIS IS THE LAST MAP FROM THE COMMUNITY !!!!!!! 1! 1! 1 !! YUHU !!!!
We can only confirm that this is the official community map being added this year. :)


If Saber Interactive had the resources to do so, I imagine they'd censor the holiday zeds in a heartbeat. The fact that they can't is likely the only thing that makes the non-denominational winter holiday events remotely Christmas-y.

As I replied in the Steam forums, maps mostly being not so Christmasy has been a result of very common feedback in the early years after Killing Floor 2's release. Players expressed they did not want the majority of the maps to be tied to holidays or totally holiday themed.

It had nothing to do with politics or anyone's feelings about the actual holiday. Players just didn't want the pool of maps to be holiday themed from the updates happening each quarter around times that match up with holidays.

This map feels like a compromise in my opinion, it has some Christmas/ holiday props in it but it doesn't feel like a Christmas only map.
 
Upvote 0
We can only confirm that this is the official community map being added this year. :)




As I replied in the Steam forums, maps mostly being not so Christmasy has been a result of very common feedback in the early years after Killing Floor 2's release. Players expressed they did not want the majority of the maps to be tied to holidays or totally holiday themed.

It had nothing to do with politics or anyone's feelings about the actual holiday. Players just didn't want the pool of maps to be holiday themed from the updates happening each quarter around times that match up with holidays.

This map feels like a compromise in my opinion, it has some Christmas/ holiday props in it but it doesn't feel like a Christmas only map.
I mean it would would be some extra work, but.
What about taking a map, and adding 2 more seasons to it.
Say for example this carillon map, it has a standard variant, and to it add Christmas and Halloween themed textures and make those variant activate whenever each season begins (just like with the Christmas zeds)

And now both sides win, those that want event themed maps... and those that don't what seasonal event tied to maps.
(ofc the only thing that wouldn't win is the hard drive space :D)
 
Upvote 0
I mean it would would be some extra work, but.
What about taking a map, and adding 2 more seasons to it.
Say for example this carillon map, it has a standard variant, and to it add Christmas and Halloween themed textures and make those variant activate whenever each season begins (just like with the Christmas zeds)

And now both sides win, those that want event themed maps... and those that don't what seasonal event tied to maps.
(ofc the only thing that wouldn't win is the hard drive space :D)
That's a nice suggestion for future games. Making two versions of each map is not likely in scope for KF2 updates.
 
Upvote 0
Players expressed they did not want the majority of the maps to be tied to holidays or totally holiday themed.

I would really appreciate if TWI shared the google survey data. Because from what I'm getting from players on Steam Discussions and here is of the opposite direction.

I've heard people complaining about inability to turn off the seasonal skins (which applies to all seasonal skins, not the winter event only), which I can relate to, as the skins can be seen as absurdly over the top silly where it's not fun anymore. But complaining about the winter event being too chrismasy? Like, someone would say that this whole Gary Busey thing and Bad Santa was stupid? Or the christmasy map would be better off not so christmasy? If anything, Santa's Workshop and Gary Busey was fun and I haven't heard much to the contrary.
 
Upvote 0
I would really appreciate if TWI shared the google survey data. Because from what I'm getting from players on Steam Discussions and here is of the opposite direction.

I've heard people complaining about inability to turn off the seasonal skins (which applies to all seasonal skins, not the winter event only), which I can relate to, as the skins can be seen as absurdly over the top silly where it's not fun anymore. But complaining about the winter event being too chrismasy? Like, someone would say that this whole Gary Busey thing and Bad Santa was stupid? Or the christmasy map would be better off not so christmasy? If anything, Santa's Workshop and Gary Busey was fun and I haven't heard much to the contrary.
I don't think you can compare the Steam forums today to the Steam forums around 2018. Yes, not all feedback was positive around adding the Badass Santa over some other character non holiday related. But the overall feedback wasn't just around Christmas themes it was around all holiday themes. But don't forget we have multiple forums, a Discord, Reddit, and the major social media giving us feedback as well. Not just here and Steam.

The overall worry was that there would end up being more holiday themed maps than normal horror style maps because of how the updates align with holidays in each financial quarter.
 
Upvote 0
I don't think you can compare the Steam forums today to the Steam forums around 2018. Yes, not all feedback was positive around adding the Badass Santa over some other character non holiday related. But the overall feedback wasn't just around Christmas themes it was around all holiday themes. But don't forget we have multiple forums, a Discord, Reddit, and the major social media giving us feedback as well. Not just here and Steam.

The overall worry was that there would end up being more holiday themed maps than normal horror style maps because of how the updates align with holidays in each financial quarter.
To be fair, Badass Santa as a character is very weak, with voice acting and voice lines being rather boring, compared to a stellar performance as an announcer in santa's workshop.
 
Upvote 0