A calling for research: Gmod Tower's original 2006 idea [Solved]

EnjoyCookies · December 11, 2015, 3:53am

I love it when devs post things from the past

macdguy · December 11, 2015, 4:10am

Well guys I found it all.

I have lots and lots of digital archives, but I never really organized the paper stuff. It’ll take me awhile to scan them all so here’s the first original draft of GMod Tower.

Zak · December 11, 2015, 4:31am

Main Looby:

Sick designs though mac, really shows how thought out GMTower was from the start.
I’m just starting to use pen and paper to design code architecture stuff myself here.

macdguy · December 11, 2015, 5:15am

Here’s the original Facepunch post back in 2006.

Sorry I don’t have the actual thread but I do have the text.

[code][center]

GMod Tower
[/center]
GMod Tower is an advanced map project. So what’s it doing in the Lua section, you ask? The answer is simple. The map is powered by Lua. All the events, systems, methods, and features are controlled by Lua. It’s a bigger Lua project than it is a mapping project.
There’s a lot to read, and it wasn’t easy to type, so please read all of it before posting comments about the project.

Website is under production. Don’t ask to make one for us, please.

Progress:
Mapping: 5%
Lua: 10%
Concept/Design: 85%
Music/Sound/Voice: 0%
Textures: 5%
Models: 0%
Website: 1%

History:
The GMod tower is a multi-story hyper interactive super complex. Its design and idea was first created late March 2006. The original idea was for it to be for a GMod 10 release party, which was canceled due to the push back of GMod 10’s release date. The project was then moved into a bigger secret project, but a computer crash led to devastation. The map was lost in the crash and has not been able to be brought back since. This tragic event did not stop the team from working on the tower. The good thing about starting fresh is that now we can build the tower for the new Lua and not the old Lua. The project is now under production again and we felt like sharing its information with the public and try to get some help.

Team:
The team working on the tower is currently made up of:
[list]
[] MacDGuy - Leader, Mapper, Designer, Lua Coder, Writer and Web Designer.
[] Wolfy - Mapper, Editor, and Designer.
[] Snillor - Mapper and Radio DJ.
[] Semaj - Editor.
[] Fizzy - Announcement Voice.
[] 11k - Modeler.
[] jlulian38 - Lua Coder.
[] trebor - Mapper.
[] BrazilianOWNage - Promoter, Editor, and Supporter.
[] tommo120 - Mapper.
[] Danharibo - Web Designer and Admin.
[] -Anders- - Lua Coder and Mapper.
[] StupiddOne - Map Designer.
[] SCopE5000 - Modeler.
[*] Blynx (Pheonix67) - Modeler.
[/list]

We are currently looking for Server Hosters (not home-lines such as cable, DSL, or dial-up), Mappers, Skinners, Texture Artists, and Lua Coders. If you are interested in working on this project with us, please post in this thread. Please include your MSN/Aim/Yahoo user name for further conversation about your skills.

Tower Game-play
The GMod tower can seem confusing to use at first, but you will have messages and a tutorial mode to help you out. While in the GMod Tower you have the choice to complete a set of missions. These missions can be found listed on the map which is located on every floor. By completing a mission you gain a level. For every level gained you acquire 35 GMod Coins and an optional bonus upgrade to your suite.
Once you have reached the max level you will be able to access Floor 0, the Golden Floor.

Tower Features
The GMod tower currently features many things. We want to push Lua and GMod to the next level. For your ease (of reading), they have been listed out below. More information about each feature can be found directly under the feature. Please note that all information found below is subject to change without notice.

[list]

[*] 16 Floors (soon, there will be a map of each floor)
Here is the list of floors of the GMod Tower. These floors are still being put into design, so some of the information found here might change or might be added to. Please also note that the tower can be added too. If you have an idea about another floor that you would like to see added to the tower, please post about it. You never know, your idea may be used.
All features are available 24/7 unless specified otherwise.

	[list]

[*] Floor 0 - The Golden Floor
This floor will be kept in secrecy until you reach the max level.

		[*] Floor 1
			You enter on this floor.
		[list]

[] Hotel Lobby - Here you can book your suite number and find out information about current attendees of the hotel.
[] Guest Relations - Here you can redeem GMod Coins for any earned object.
[] Chef Louie’s - Chef Louie’s is a high quality restaurant. This restaurant requires prior reservation. You can make reservations at the restaurant. The time to wait can be from three minutes to an hour (depending on reservations and amount of players). Chef Louie’s costs 25 GMod Coins per person. If you eat here, you can obtain temporary upgrades or special powers that could be useful for certain missions. (Not available on Sunday)
[] Pool (Inside & Outside) - Swim and relax in this beautiful pool featuring two slides and a lazy river.
[*] Suites 101-110 - The first 10 suites can be found on this floor. More information about suites and their hotel system can be found below under “Hotel System”.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 2
		[list]

[] Food Court - The food court is made up of 5 different food types (which are being decided upon). Food is health, so if you are low on health for any reason (coop missions, etc.), eat something here. Each order of food costs about 5 GMod Coins (1 GMod Coin = $2).
[] Suites 201-210 - The second floor of 10 suites can be found on this floor. More information about suites and their hotel system can be found below under “Hotel System”.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 3
		[list]

[] Route 66 Bar - The only bar you can find in the tower. Here you can order drinks for 2 GMod Coins a piece. Be warned, consuming too many drinks within an hour will make your movements erratic and you could develop motion sickness. This is most likely the worst state to be in for a mission.
[] Meeting Room - A place where you can talk freely about anything. All chat in this room is only displayed to other members of the room.
[] Shopping District - Shop for new items, suite accessories, and upgrades here. (Not available past Midnight (CENT) all week)
[] Suites 301-310 - The third/last floor of 10 suites can be found on this floor. More information about suites and their hotel system can be found below under “Hotel System”.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 4
		[list]

[] LazerBlazer - Most likely the first ever laser tag arena created in Source, LazerBlazer is a fun and addicting game allowing 8 players to play and involving the simple tool gun as a laser rifle. The tool gun will shoot a red laser beam and if hit, the target’s screen would shake and turn red for a few seconds. Points will be printed automatically and updated on the tool gun’s display. The winner of the round will be determined after five minutes have passed.
[] Shooting Gallery - Featuring 6 unique shooting arenas (space survival, police takeover, bottles & balloons, the mummy, dinosaur shootout, and HL2.), 3 different game modes (timed, accuracy, and leisure game modes), and the tool gun as your weapon, the shooting gallery should be a fun activity to play over and over again.
[*] Remote Cars/Boats - Drive mini-cars and mini-boats through a complex raceway.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 5
		[list]

[*] The Gallery (Single player Mission) - Contains famous pictures from scenes of movies, games, and TV. Enter the right picture and your mission of survival will begin.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 6
		[list]

[] Chess Room - A life-sized chess board. Play with your friend or your life-long enemy. Winner gains Chess medal redeemable for 5 GMod Coins at Guest Relations.
[] Checkers Room - A life-sized checkers board. Play with your friend or your life-long enemy. Winner gains Checkers medal redeemable for 3 GMod Coins at Guest Relations.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 7
		[list]

[] Puzzle: Impossible (Single player/Co-Op Mission) - Climb, jump, dodge, shoot, think, and survive during the most troublesome times in this puzzle adventure. Up to 4 players a team. (Only available during 7:00pm to 12:00pm (CENT) on Friday and Saturday)
[] Environment Simulator (Co-Op Mission) - Based on a dropped mod created by MacDGuy, you and your team of 5 (or less) must travel through time and space to recapture the world’s most precious artifacts. (Only available during Noon to 2:00pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm (CENT) all week)
[*] Saw: Interactive (Co-Op Mission) - Based on the hit horror movie, Saw, this co-op mission will have you solving tough puzzles, endangering your life, and most of all scaring the living hell out of you. Up to 4 players a team. (Only available during Midnight to 3:00am (CENT) all week)
[/list]

		[*] Floor 8
		[list]

[*] Building Complex - Just like GMod’s classic sandbox game mode. Build at your leisure. Note: The tool gun and spawning only works in this area. Every 3 hours (unless disabled by Admin) this room and any props are cleared out for lag compensation.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 9
		[list]

[] NPC Battle Royal - Place your bets on which NPC will dominate in the NPC Battle Royale. With levels based off of Super Smash Bros., the battles are never boring. (Only available during 4:00pm to 7:00pm (CENT) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)
[] Man the Turret! (Single player Mission) - Shoot down various foes and protect your base from disaster. The turret features 5 shooting modes (laser, bullets, flak cannon, missile, and flame thrower).
[/list]

		[*] Floor 10
		[list]

[*] Escape From Hell (Co-Op Mission) - Information about this mission is still being decided upon. (Only available during 6:00pm to 9:00pm (CENT) Tuesdays and Thursdays)
[/list]

		[*] Floor 11
		[list]

[*] Holiday Events - This is where all the holiday events occur. For more information about holiday events look for “Holiday Events” under Tower Features.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 12
		[list]

[] Arcade - Tons of fake arcade games to view here. Only some you can actually play. To find more information about arcade games controlled by Lua, look for “Arcade Games” under Tower Features.
[] Tron (Side-Mission) - If you can find this side-mission, you must defeat multiple competitions inside the Tron world.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 13
		[list]

[] Surf This (Single player Mission) - Surf like a pro and complete some of the hardest surf challenges available online. (Only available during 2:00pm to 8:00pm (CENT) all week)
[] Surf Arena - Train yourself to become the best surfer here. How to surf will be explained here.
[*] Skate Park - Chill out with your friends and skate all day and night.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 14
		[list]

[] GMod Mini-golf - Play on some of the hardest and most unique mini-golf courses and earn a medal redeemable for 8 GMod Coins.
[] Twists of the Mind (Single player/Co-Op Mission) - Explore the mind and alternate dimensions in this insane funhouse-like mansion. Find all the keys and you win.
[/list]

		[*] Floor 15
		[list]

[*] Dawn of the Dead (Single player/Co-Op Mission) - Blast your way through zombies in this action-packed thriller FPS, based on the House of the Dead series. Limit 2 players per mission. (Only available during 8:00pm to 4:00am (CENT) all week)
[/list]

		[*] Floor 16
		[list]

[*] GMod Theme Park - Located on the roof of the GMod Tower. In the theme park you can enjoy 2 roller coasters, a log fume, 2 experience rides, food and cotton candy stands, a Ferris wheel, mega dropper (or vertical trill ride), gyro tower, and a fireworks and laser show. At night time, the park lights turn on for an amazing sight seeing experience. (Park closes at 10:00pm every night)
[/list]
[/list]

	[*] [u] Holiday Events [/u]
	Holiday events are part of everyday life, so we don't want to miss out on them in the GMod Tower.  If you found a holiday that you would like to have an event occur in the tower, please post.  
	The following is a list of events that occur on certain holidays:
	[list]

[] Halloween (October 20-31)
[list]
[] Dark Mansion (Co-Op Side Mission) is enabled on Floor 11.
[] GMod Tower lighting for Floors 1-3 will be dimmed down for a more spooky appeal.
[] The radio will be playing ghoulish music.
[/list]

		[*] Christmas (December 10-25)
		[list]

[] Snow Plaza is enabled on Floor 11.
[] The GMod Tower will have snow in Floors 1-3.
[*] The radio will be playing Christmas music.
[/list]

		[*] Easter (April 8, 2007)
		[list]

[*] Egg hunt is enabled on Floor 11.
[/list]

		[*] New Years (January 1)
		[list]

[] Countdown Orb and Clock is enabled on Floor 11.
[] New fireworks show.
[/list]

		[*] Thanksgiving (November 22, 2007)
		[list]

[] Turkey Shooting enabled on Floor 11.
[] Round Table enabled on Floor 11.
[/list]

		[*] Saint Patrick's Day (March 17)
		[list]

[*] All players become green.
[/list]
[/list]

	[*] [u] Dynamic Time-Based Events [/u]
	During the course of your stay, you will see many strange events happen to the tower.  These will all be made with the power of Lua.
	More information about this will be discussed later.

	[*] [u] Hotel System [/u]
	Each player that joins the game will have to book a hotel suite.  The server can only hold 30 players (and there is only 30 suites available) so no one will be left out on suites.  However, when you leave the server after obtaining a suite, it will be open for the public usage.  Your earned upgrades to your suite will be saved with your Steam ID and will be loaded the next time you book a suite.

	[*] [u] Elevators [/u]
	We made sure that elevators are implemented in the tower.  There are 2 fully working elevators that will allow you to travel from Floor 1 to Floor 16.  Both elevators will always work at all times and on all days.

	[*] [u] Administration Management [/u]
	Players abusing or annoying other players will be handled by online administrators.  If there are no administrators online, an admin bot will handle the issue for you.  Just say “!adminalert playername” and the admin bot will remove the player from your area.

	[*] [u] Earning/Purchasing Upgrades [/u]
	While in the GMod Tower you have the choice to complete a set of missions.  These missions can be found listed on the map which is located on every floor.  By completing a mission you gain a level.  For every level gained you acquire 35 GMod Coins and an optional bonus upgrade to your suite.
	Once you have reached the max level you will be able to access Floor 0, the Golden Floor.

	[*] [u] Player and Prop Protection [/u]
	The tool gun and prop spawning will be completely disabled throughout the entire tower except the Building Complex (Floor 8).  The GMod Tower will use a modded tool gun to prevent players from removing modifying or meddling with anything they aren't supposed to.  Prop spam protection will be implemented and users attempting to tamper with the server in any way will be banned for 3 months.  A repeated offensive leads to a permanent ban from the server and GMod Tower’s entire database.
	Players will never be able to shoot other players, so murders cannot be committed.  However, if a player is desperate enough to damage a player another way, they will get kicked off the server.  The second offense will led to a 3 month ban and the third offense will led to a permanent ban.

	[*] [u] Arcade Games [/u]
	Some arcade games will be powered by Lua completely.  This idea is still being developed, and may never become fact.

	[*] [u] Support for 30 Players [/u]
	The server will hold 30 players max.  We feel that is enough GModers to enjoy the tower.  If the server ends up becoming full 24/7, a server upgrade will be made and the player limit will be raised.
	
	[*] [u] Lua Controlled Features [/u]
	[list]

[] Announcement System - The announcement system gives players vital information about the tower, updates, upcoming server downtime, known glitches to avoid, current available side missions, and more. Voiced by the one and only Fizzy, the announcement system should give the tower a sense of advancement to your experience. Lua handles the download and playback of the announcement system.
[] Radio System - With music selected by the musical genius Snillor, the radio is a good source of enjoyment that you can find nearly everywhere in the tower (mainly in F1-F3). Lua handles the downloading and organization of the music for the radio. The rest is controlled by predefined point entities.
[] Maps - Because Lua is so powerful now, we are able to create a dynamic map of the tower that has a GPS locater. With the map located on each floor, it should be easy to find where others are and where your friends could be. It will also help direct you to your wanted location.
[] Weather - The weather conditions are handled by Lua. The weather will have a pattern to it, and support for all seasons is being decided.
[/list]

	[*] [u] Save/Load Database Management [/u]
	GMod Tower will utilize the power of Lua for its database needs.  Everything will be saved to a MySQL server and backed up every Friday.

	[*] [u] Room For More Floors [/u]
	The GMod Tower will be designed so that it will be easy to add another floor to it with ease.

	[*] [u] Lua Connected Servers [/u]
	The tower will be split into two pieces. Two servers will handle each piece and the elevators will move you into the right server. Your data will be transferred between the two.

[/list]

Teasers?
The original GMod Tower made for GMod 9.0.4b was lost in a computer crash. However, this leaves the door open to fixing old errors, working faster, and implementing the new Lua.
The map was lost because of the crash, but I have created a not-to-scale teaser of the tower. Please be warned that this screen shot is for concept only and will not be the final product.
[center]

[/center]

Final Notes
The GMod Tower is a work in progress, that means any or all information above can be changed without any sort of prior notice. That being said, the ideas and floor design is not complete, so now is the time for any of you guys to come up with ideas and any changes you would like to see made to the tower. If got a good idea, post it.

Again, we’re searching for any interested dedicated Server Hosters (not home-lines such as cable, DSL, or dial-up), Mappers, Skinners, Texture Artists, and Lua Coders at the moment. If you would like to help us out, please post what your skills are. If you don’t fit any of the listed above, don’t be afraid to post that you would like to help out. You can still help us out even if it’s a little idea.

Thank you for your time reading all this information. It wasn’t easy to type all of it out, so if you feel that I left something out or didn’t explain something clear enough, let me know.
Please check back on this thread as it is subject to update every week.
[/code]

Zak · December 11, 2015, 5:45am

@macdguy : I formatted the Facepunch post into Markdown for reading convenience

##GMod Tower
GMod Tower is an advanced map project. So what’s it doing in the Lua section, you ask? The answer is simple. The map is powered by Lua. All the events, systems, methods, and features are controlled by Lua. It’s a bigger Lua project than it is a mapping project.

There’s a lot to read, and it wasn’t easy to type, so please read all of it before posting comments about the project.

Website is under production. Don’t ask to make one for us, please.
Progress:

Mapping: 5%
Lua: 10%
Concept/Design: 85%
Music/Sound/Voice: 0%
Textures: 5%
Models: 0%
Website: 1%

##History:
The GMod tower is a multi-story hyper interactive super complex. Its design and idea was first created late March 2006. The original idea was for it to be for a GMod 10 release party, which was canceled due to the push back of GMod 10’s release date.

The project was then moved into a bigger secret project, but a computer crash led to devastation. The map was lost in the crash and has not been able to be brought back since.

This tragic event did not stop the team from working on the tower. The good thing about starting fresh is that now we can build the tower for the new Lua and not the old Lua.

The project is now under production again and we felt like sharing its information with the public and try to get some help.

##Team:
The team working on the tower is currently made up of:

MacDGuy - Leader, Mapper, Designer, Lua Coder, Writer and Web Designer.
Wolfy - Mapper, Editor, and Designer.
Snillor - Mapper and Radio DJ.
Semaj - Editor.
Fizzy - Announcement Voice.
11k - Modeler.
jlulian38 - Lua Coder.
trebor - Mapper.
BrazilianOWNage - Promoter, Editor, and Supporter.
tommo120 - Mapper.
Danharibo - Web Designer and Admin.
-Anders- - Lua Coder and Mapper.
StupiddOne - Map Designer.
SCopE5000 - Modeler.
Blynx (Pheonix67) - Modeler.

We are currently looking for Server Hosters (not home-lines such as cable, DSL, or dial-up), Mappers, Skinners, Texture Artists, and Lua Coders. If you are interested in working on this project with us, please post in this thread. Please include your MSN/Aim/Yahoo user name for further conversation about your skills.

##Tower Game-Play:
The GMod tower can seem confusing to use at first, but you will have messages and a tutorial mode to help you out. While in the GMod Tower you have the choice to complete a set of missions. These missions can be found listed on the map which is located on every floor. By completing a mission you gain a level. For every level gained you acquire 35 GMod Coins and an optional bonus upgrade to your suite.
Once you have reached the max level you will be able to access Floor 0, the Golden Floor.

##Tower Features:
The GMod tower currently features many things. We want to push Lua and GMod to the next level. For your ease (of reading), they have been listed out below. More information about each feature can be found directly under the feature. Please note that all information found below is subject to change without notice.

16 Floors (soon, there will be a map of each floor)
Here is the list of floors of the GMod Tower. These floors are still being put into design, so some of the information found here might change or might be added to. Please also note that the tower can be added too. If you have an idea about another floor that you would like to see added to the tower, please post about it. You never know, your idea may be used.
All features are available 24/7 unless specified otherwise.
Floor 0 - The Golden Floor
This floor will be kept in secrecy until you reach the max level.
Floor 1
You enter on this floor.
Hotel Lobby - Here you can book your suite number and find out information about current attendees of the hotel.
* Guest Relations - Here you can redeem GMod Coins for any earned object.
* Chef Louie’s - Chef Louie’s is a high quality restaurant. This restaurant requires prior reservation. You can make reservations at the restaurant. The time to wait can be from three minutes to an hour (depending on reservations and amount of players). Chef Louie’s costs 25 GMod Coins per person. If you eat here, you can obtain temporary upgrades or special powers that could be useful for certain missions. (Not available on Sunday)
* Pool (Inside & Outside) - Swim and relax in this beautiful pool featuring two slides and a lazy river.
* Suites 101-110 - The first 10 suites can be found on this floor. More information about suites and their hotel system can be found below under “Hotel System”.
Floor 2
Food Court - The food court is made up of 5 different food types (which are being decided upon). Food is health, so if you are low on health for any reason (coop missions, etc.), eat something here. Each order of food costs about 5 GMod Coins (1 GMod Coin = $2).
Suites 201-210 - The second floor of 10 suites can be found on this floor. More information about suites and their hotel system can be found below under “Hotel System”.
Floor 3
Route 66 Bar - The only bar you can find in the tower. Here you can order drinks for 2 GMod Coins a piece. Be warned, consuming too many drinks within an hour will make your movements erratic and you could develop motion sickness. This is most likely the worst state to be in for a mission.
Meeting Room - A place where you can talk freely about anything. All chat in this room is only displayed to other members of the room.
Shopping District - Shop for new items, suite accessories, and upgrades here. (Not available past Midnight (CENT) all week)
Suites 301-310 - The third/last floor of 10 suites can be found on this floor. More information about suites and their hotel system can be found below under “Hotel System”.
Floor 4
LazerBlazer - Most likely the first ever laser tag arena created in Source, LazerBlazer is a fun and addicting game allowing 8 players to play and involving the simple tool gun as a laser rifle. The tool gun will shoot a red laser beam and if hit, the target’s screen would shake and turn red for a few seconds. Points will be printed automatically and updated on the tool gun’s display. The winner of the round will be determined after five minutes have passed.
Shooting Gallery - Featuring 6 unique shooting arenas (space survival, police takeover, bottles & balloons, the mummy, dinosaur shootout, and HL2.), 3 different game modes (timed, accuracy, and leisure game modes), and the tool gun as your weapon, the shooting gallery should be a fun activity to play over and over again.
Remote Cars/Boats - Drive mini-cars and mini-boats through a complex raceway.
Floor 5
The Gallery (Single player Mission) - Contains famous pictures from scenes of movies, games, and TV. Enter the right picture and your mission of survival will begin.
Floor 6
Chess Room - A life-sized chess board. Play with your friend or your life-long enemy. Winner gains Chess medal redeemable for 5 GMod Coins at Guest Relations.
Checkers Room - A life-sized checkers board. Play with your friend or your life-long enemy. Winner gains Checkers medal redeemable for 3 GMod Coins at Guest Relations.
Floor 7
Puzzle: Impossible (Single player/Co-Op Mission) - Climb, jump, dodge, shoot, think, and survive during the most troublesome times in this puzzle adventure. Up to 4 players a team. (Only available during 7:00pm to 12:00pm (CENT) on Friday and Saturday)
Environment Simulator (Co-Op Mission) - Based on a dropped mod created by MacDGuy, you and your team of 5 (or less) must travel through time and space to recapture the world’s most precious artifacts. (Only available during Noon to 2:00pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm (CENT) all week)
Saw: Interactive (Co-Op Mission) - Based on the hit horror movie, Saw, this co-op mission will have you solving tough puzzles, endangering your life, and most of all scaring the living hell out of you. Up to 4 players a team. (Only available during Midnight to 3:00am (CENT) all week)
Floor 8
Building Complex - Just like GMod’s classic sandbox game mode. Build at your leisure. Note: The tool gun and spawning only works in this area. Every 3 hours (unless disabled by Admin) this room and any props are cleared out for lag compensation.
Floor 9
NPC Battle Royal - Place your bets on which NPC will dominate in the NPC Battle Royale. With levels based off of Super Smash Bros., the battles are never boring. (Only available during 4:00pm to 7:00pm (CENT) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)
Man the Turret! (Single player Mission) - Shoot down various foes and protect your base from disaster. The turret features 5 shooting modes (laser, bullets, flak cannon, missile, and flame thrower).
Floor 10
Escape From Hell (Co-Op Mission) - Information about this mission is still being decided upon. (Only available during 6:00pm to 9:00pm (CENT) Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Floor 11
Holiday Events - This is where all the holiday events occur. For more information about holiday events look for “Holiday Events” under Tower Features.
Floor 12
Arcade - Tons of fake arcade games to view here. Only some you can actually play. To find more information about arcade games controlled by Lua, look for “Arcade Games” under Tower Features.
Tron (Side-Mission) - If you can find this side-mission, you must defeat multiple competitions inside the Tron world.
Floor 13
Surf This (Single player Mission) - Surf like a pro and complete some of the hardest surf challenges available online. (Only available during 2:00pm to 8:00pm (CENT) all week)
Surf Arena - Train yourself to become the best surfer here. How to surf will be explained here.
Skate Park - Chill out with your friends and skate all day and night.
Floor 14
GMod Mini-golf - Play on some of the hardest and most unique mini-golf courses and earn a medal redeemable for 8 GMod Coins.
Twists of the Mind (Single player/Co-Op Mission) - Explore the mind and alternate dimensions in this insane funhouse-like mansion. Find all the keys and you win.
Floor 15
Dawn of the Dead (Single player/Co-Op Mission) - Blast your way through zombies in this action-packed thriller FPS, based on the House of the Dead series. Limit 2 players per mission. (Only available during 8:00pm to 4:00am (CENT) all week)
Floor 16
GMod Theme Park - Located on the roof of the GMod Tower. In the theme park you can enjoy 2 roller coasters, a log fume, 2 experience rides, food and cotton candy stands, a Ferris wheel, mega dropper (or vertical trill ride), gyro tower, and a fireworks and laser show. At night time, the park lights turn on for an amazing sight seeing experience. (Park closes at 10:00pm every night)

##Holiday Events:
Holiday events are part of everyday life, so we don’t want to miss out on them in the GMod Tower. If you found a holiday that you would like to have an event occur in the tower, please post.
The following is a list of events that occur on certain holidays:

Halloween (October 20-31)
Dark Mansion (Co-Op Side Mission) is enabled on Floor 11.
GMod Tower lighting for Floors 1-3 will be dimmed down for a more spooky appeal.
The radio will be playing ghoulish music.
Christmas (December 10-25)
Snow Plaza is enabled on Floor 11.
The GMod Tower will have snow in Floors 1-3.
The radio will be playing Christmas music.
Easter (April 8, 2007)
Egg hunt is enabled on Floor 11.
New Years (January 1)
Countdown Orb and Clock is enabled on Floor 11.
New fireworks show.
Thanksgiving (November 22, 2007)
Turkey Shooting enabled on Floor 11.
Round Table enabled on Floor 11.
Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17)
All players become green.

##Dynamic Time-Based Events:

During the course of your stay, you will see many strange events happen to the tower. These will all be made with the power of Lua.
More information about this will be discussed later.

##Hotel System:
Each player that joins the game will have to book a hotel suite.
The server can only hold 30 players (and there is only 30 suites available) so no one will be left out on suites. However, when you leave the server after obtaining a suite, it will be open for the public usage.

Your earned upgrades to your suite will be saved with your Steam ID and will be loaded the next time you book a suite.

##Elevators:
We made sure that elevators are implemented in the tower. There are 2 fully working elevators that will allow you to travel from Floor 1 to Floor 16. Both elevators will always work at all times and on all days.

##Administration Management:
Players abusing or annoying other players will be handled by online administrators. If there are no administrators online, an admin bot will handle the issue for you. Just say “!adminalert playername” and the admin bot will remove the player from your area.

##Earning/Purchasing Upgrades:
While in the GMod Tower you have the choice to complete a set of missions. These missions can be found listed on the map which is located on every floor. By completing a mission you gain a level. For every level gained you acquire 35 GMod Coins and an optional bonus upgrade to your suite.
Once you have reached the max level you will be able to access Floor 0, the Golden Floor.

##Player and Prop Protection:
The tool gun and prop spawning will be completely disabled throughout the entire tower except the Building Complex (Floor 8). The GMod Tower will use a modded tool gun to prevent players from removing modifying or meddling with anything they aren’t supposed to.

Prop spam protection will be implemented and users attempting to tamper with the server in any way will be banned for 3 months. A repeated offensive leads to a permanent ban from the server and GMod Tower’s entire database.

Players will never be able to shoot other players, so murders cannot be committed. However, if a player is desperate enough to damage a player another way, they will get kicked off the server. The second offense will led to a 3 month ban and the third offense will led to a permanent ban.

##Arcade Games:
Some arcade games will be powered by Lua completely. This idea is still being developed, and may never become fact.

##Support for 30 Players:
The server will hold 30 players max. We feel that is enough GModers to enjoy the tower. If the server ends up becoming full 24/7, a server upgrade will be made and the player limit will be raised.

##Lua Controlled Features:

Announcement System:
The announcement system gives players vital information about the tower, updates, upcoming server downtime, known glitches to avoid, current available side missions, and more.

Voiced by the one and only Fizzy, the announcement system should give the tower a sense of advancement to your experience. Lua handles the download and playback of the announcement system.
Radio System:
With music selected by the musical genius Snillor, the radio is a good source of enjoyment that you can find nearly everywhere in the tower (mainly in F1-F3). Lua handles the downloading and organization of the music for the radio. The rest is controlled by predefined point entities.
Maps:
Because Lua is so powerful now, we are able to create a dynamic map of the tower that has a GPS locater.

With the map located on each floor, it should be easy to find where others are and where your friends could be. It will also help direct you to your wanted location.
Weather:
The weather conditions are handled by Lua. The weather will have a pattern to it, and support for all seasons is being decided.
Save/Load Database Management:
GMod Tower will utilize the power of Lua for its database needs. Everything will be saved to a MySQL server and backed up every Friday.
Room For More Floors:
The GMod Tower will be designed so that it will be easy to add another floor to it with ease.
Lua Connected Servers:
The tower will be split into two pieces. Two servers will handle each piece and the elevators will move you into the right server. Your data will be transferred between the two.

##Teasers?
The original GMod Tower made for GMod 9.0.4b was lost in a computer crash. However, this leaves the door open to fixing old errors, working faster, and implementing the new Lua.

The map was lost because of the crash, but I have created a not-to-scale teaser of the tower. Please be warned that this screen shot is for concept only and will not be the final product.

##Final Notes:
The GMod Tower is a work in progress, that means any or all information above can be changed without any sort of prior notice. That being said, the ideas and floor design is not complete, so now is the time for any of you guys to come up with ideas and any changes you would like to see made to the tower. If got a good idea, post it.

Again, we’re searching for any interested dedicated Server Hosters (not home-lines such as cable, DSL, or dial-up), Mappers, Skinners, Texture Artists, and Lua Coders at the moment.

If you would like to help us out, please post what your skills are. If you don’t fit any of the listed above, don’t be afraid to post that you would like to help out.

You can still help us out even if it’s a little idea.
Thank you for your time reading all this information. It wasn’t easy to type all of it out, so if you feel that I left something out or didn’t explain something clear enough, let me know.
Please check back on this thread as it is subject to update every week.

Foohy · December 11, 2015, 6:01am

I just wanna add, in the months before the initial public release, they did a group announcement for a bunch of beta testers and I quickly added Mac asking if I could be one.

He basically just said “You’re in” that entire time and it took him fucking days to respond to any of my messages, but that’s basically how I got attached to tower, as a beta tester for the original GMod Tower just before the first public release in 2009. Eventually it convinced me to learn to code in hopes that I could someday contribute to it. AND GUESS WHAT THAT’S TOTALLY HAPPENING

antieye555 · December 11, 2015, 6:30am

So those puzzle pieces in the virus port in that one alpha build of the map were for Puzzle: Impossible? That’s pretty cool

Matt · December 11, 2015, 6:42am

but that’s basically how I got attached to tower, as an annoying 14 year old right before it died in 2011. Eventually I stopped ignoring the pixeltail chat after they made elevator and convinced myself to make paradise for ballrace in hopes that I could someday not be a piece of human garbage. AND GUESS WHAT I’M STILL ANNOYING AS FUCK

cold_finger · December 11, 2015, 6:46am

All I remember from 2009 GMT were the bunny player models and that one fake GMT server that was just one big hallway that led to something. I don’t remember what it led to. Probably don’t want to remember.

Crunchy_Chicken · December 11, 2015, 6:53am

Of all the gamemodes made and planned for GMT, Puzzle: Impossible was the one I was most excited for. I was really bummed to see it taken off of the gamemodes tab on the old website.
In my mind, I had imagined it would be something like a more polished version of those coop puzzle maps you’ll probably still find on HL2:DM.

macdguy · December 11, 2015, 7:30am

That was actually what it was.

balianthemighty · December 11, 2015, 7:32am

Wow, I really love the sound of those single player/coop missions. If anything needs to make a return, it’s those. I know I’d play a hell of a lot more Tower, if it had some gametypes like that with more substance. And I’m a huge fan of coop. The option to play solo is nice, too. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of the gametypes we have now but being multiplayer only, without much depth, and only competitive, they do start to get old after awhile. Having some deeper content with the ability to play solo or coop would be amazing.

The Gallery sounds intriguing from its vague description. Puzzle: Impossible sounds really fun and the videos you released of it on YouTube looked awesome. Also, having played some of it (since a couple of the levels were in that Time Capsule you put together), I enjoyed it. For the Environment Simulator, again the vague description sounds pretty cool. Anything Saw-themed is bound to be creepy and awesome. Man the Turret! sounds really fun. Sounds like it’d be similar to Beach Head 2000. I absolutely love Tron, so I already love that. Twists of the Mind also sounds quite fun. I love trippy stuff like that. As for Dawn of the Dead, I’m always up for a good zombie shooter.

Well anyway, that’s just my two cents on all this. Hopefully, at least some of the stuff will make a return sometime.

Tanooki_Jon · December 11, 2015, 3:00pm

Holy shit… This is amazing! I love how ball race was even considered an idea before GMT was even a thing. Thank you mac, i’m so happy we have this information now, and as always, i’m excited for what the future holds as well! Thanks Mac!

zombieassasin417 · December 11, 2015, 3:58pm

This is awesome, It’s cool to see how the whole concept has evolved over the years

JamesDaGames · December 11, 2015, 6:03pm

Reading all of this was really insightful as I never knew the origins of the idea. Thank you for sharing!

CalculatorSpoon · December 11, 2015, 8:59pm

Make harvest a Tower Unite game world.
Earth needs it.

Tanooki_Jon · December 12, 2015, 2:03am

I just realized… What is this video? the map is not part of the GMT time capsule at all, and the documents say nothing about it either, the only thing i know about it is that it was a fake GMT server everyone joined, and some unknown thing happened at the end. My question is, did an admin or a player do that? And, What was at the end? (The end seems edited to me)

spongeyperson · December 12, 2015, 12:36pm

This has got to be by far the coolest post on the forums (besides the TU development thread showing off the new models). It really shows Tower’s roots and how it all started.

Clippy · December 13, 2015, 3:05am

I remember that video from a LONG time ago

hiotewdew · April 10, 2016, 1:37am

old paradise was THE BEST MAP ever. GRATS.