Thunder Mountain

Thunder Mountain
Basic Information
Variants:	Mannpower
Developer(s):	Unknown
Map Photos

Thunder Mountain is a Valve-developed Payload map included with the Engineer Update, revealed on Day 4 thereof. It is the third official Payload map to be developed and released since the Heavy Update, and one of three Payload-based maps released during the Engineer Update, the others being Upward and Hightower (a Payload Race map).

Thunder Mountain is a multi-stage Payload map, like Gold Rush and Hoodoo. However, unlike other Payload maps, it features new gameplay elements such as a bridge which must be raised in order for the cart to cross, and new types of cart tracks. Going down, the cart will roll whether it is being pushed or not, and if it is going up, if it is stopped with no-one pushing, it will roll to the bottom of the hill. These sections are marked with yellow and black caution tape-like decor.

Goal

• BLU: The BLU team's primary goal is to guide the cart on its tracks throughout the map. By continuously pushing the cart forward and breaking through RED defensive positions, it will detonate and the BLU team will be victorious. Failure to push the cart forward by having teammates near it will eventually result in the cart slowly moving backwards after a period of time, eroding your team's past progress.
• RED: Opposite the BLU team's objective, the team function of RED, as a group, is to deter and stall the BLU team and prevent them from advancing the cart to its final destination. By fighting off their opposition for a long enough period of time, the RED team will be victorious. The most effective way to stall the BLU team is to remain very close to the cart, thereby halting it from moving even with BLU forces nearby.

Locations

• First Courtyard - Just outside BLU spawn is a courtyard that resembles Gold Rush 1-1.
• Bridge - At the end of the First Courtyard is a small, tighter section of woodwork that leads to an unraised bridge. By pushing the Payload onto the point the bridge raises slowly until it is high enough for the Payload to cross.
• Final Spiral - In Thunder Mountain 3 is a large tower, which the BLU team slowly climbs over the course of the round until they push it into a hole in the centre, detonating the Payload.

Easter eggs

• On stage 1, in the BLU spawn, the player may see some BLU characters in an area similar to the Soldier Training map, around a blackboard. They will occasionally taunt, albeit with no weapons, and will also occasionally do the Thriller taunt regardless of the time of the year.

• On stage 1, near the BLU spawn, there is a cliff edge overlooking train tracks. Sometimes a train hauling lumber will travel across it with appropriate sounds.

• On stage 2, in the RED spawn, one may see the RED team swimming in a pool.

• On stage 3, near the second checkpoint (third dot), off in the distance the Sniper can be seen near his camper van (the same one seen in Meet the Sniper), a tent, and a fire.

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  The BLU characters as seen on Thunder Mountain, stage 1, from BLU spawn.

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  The train as seen on stage 1 of Thunder Mountain.

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  The swimming pool Easter egg as seen from inside the swimming pool as seen on stage 2.

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  Close-up on the Sniper Easter egg as seen on Thunder Mountain, stage 3. The camper van is not visible on this screenshot.

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  An aerial picture of Sniper's tent and camper van on Thunder Mountain, stage 3. Sniper is not visible on this screenshot.

Trivia

• Thunder Mountain was originally teased on Day 1 of the Engineer Update, on the Map of Mann's Land, an area that a number of game maps occupy.
• Thunder Mountain is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada range, located in California. (Wikipedia)
• This is the first official map to feature the characters of Team Fortress 2 performing actions outside the map, which can be found in the easter eggs section of this page.

External links

• http://www.teamfortress.com/engineerupdate/