Subscribe to download
gm_polar_express_v1.3

You can skip this fluff, any important information is in the F.A.Q below.
Bet you weren't expecting a Christmas map in October, but if stores can do it, amusquiz can do it.
So there I was watching bad memes on YouTube, one used a clip from the polar express.
After seeing ctf_convoy on tf2, I had some inspiration. I wanted to recreate the polar express as a fully functioning map. Source is a very limited engine, so of course I thought it was entirely impossible but I tried anyway.This is by far the most detailed and well developed map I've ever developed, and probably the most addicting to work on.

The engine is a fully animated 3d model, based on the same train engine as the polar express. Which in case you haven't read a wiki is based off the Pere Marquette 1225. Though the movie took a lot of artistic liberties with it, so I had to reference the movie and the Pere Marquette a lot during modeling. Even with the work I put out, don't expect the map to be a 1/1 recreation. The movie is really inconsistent and finding decent reference images is basically impossible.

As for the v1.3 update, I switched around textures and improved previous issues. I've also installed an actual polar express whistle, I found a decent one off youtube thanks to the recommendations. Though I am going to replace it real soon, the audio is less than perfect. Sorry guys about not doing much with it, I went from having one project (this one) to having two more. Two of them are large, like the largest projects I've ever made. One is a hl2 mod and the other is a rpg which I won't spoil anything.

1. HDR
   
2. Shiny gold textures!
   
3. animated train and bell.
   
4. five enterable train cars and a variety of spawns.
   
5. Navmesh, nav_mesh, nav mesh, or whatever you wanna call it!
   
6. Ai nodes for hl2 npcs to navigate, not that they can easily get anywhere.
   
7. An illusion of a moving train!
   
8. campfire on top!

F.A.Q
Q. How can I stop it?
A. You can't, it's possible for me to give it the option.
But it would require me to design an animation for the engine to gradually slow down.

Q. Can I take this map and use it on my server?'
A. Yes

Q. Can I use it on my art or youtube videos?
A. Yes, why would I stop you?

Q. Can you make a vehicle version?
A. No, as is the performance is dipping.

Q. I'm lagging really badly and wanna play it?
A. mat_specular 0 and mat_hdr_level 0 will turn down the taxing visuals. But huge drop in quality!

Q. I'm getting errors everywhere?
A. Try restarting the game.

Q. Can you make the dank express?
A. Yes, but it's pointless, you can just download a tomas model and replace the marquette model.
not to mention video editing software can really do the trick.

There is no content required, only the base game.

Warning! Do not reupload this map without the written concent of amusquiz.