Japanese Castles, Ironworks, Troubled Waters, Courtyard + new map?, has anyone actually played it a lot yet? Battlesuit pwnage? yes/no?
otherwise Finnegans, Shining Forces sucks
Something more original:
Double Impact
Finnegan's
Japanese Castles
Reflux
Stonekeep
Throwing in Japanese Castles just for the crowd who doesn't like new stuff. I think Reflux has massive potential and deserves a chance, and Double Impact is worth a try too. I never understood the Double Impact hate, some people say it's unbalanced but I don't know why. The RA and MH are far away from each other, you have to venture to get more powerful weapons like the RG and LG, and the map offers increased strategic play with the special bars which can be activated with a floorplate, making it more interesting than your typical CTF map. Sure, there is a nailgun but Siberia has one too and it's played a lot, so any argument about that is flawed.
Of course if I had to choose between the two I'd pick Reflux any day... but these two should both be tried for the sake of it and I can't see anything bad about them, especially considering that they're both made by people working with the industry, so they deserve a bit of appreciation / respect.
Edited by EmeraldTiger at 18:31 CST, 2 December 2011
Well, he was wanting to make his map unique - to set it apart from others. And in my humble opinion, I personally think that is more important than trying to make a map competitive - when a map introduces new elements and gimmicks that you don't see very much it adds variety and flavor, and thus adds replay value. The usual CTF recipe calls for a quad or regen in mid (maybe a haste once in a while), but you usually don't see other power-ups. So even though a lot of CTF maps may have good, original layouts, they still leave a "vanilla" taste in your mouth - not bad, but when the options are available, why not go for the Rocky Road, or Double Chocolate Fudge?
Besides, it's all about adaption. If the enemy has BS, then the other team should be prepared with well-stocked defenders with LG, to ambush the BS carrier when he arrives. The combined forces of a team (and teamwork is what CTF is all about, right?) shooting at him, if they don't already frag the BS carrier, will certainly leave him weak enough to allow someone in mid to make the final blow. Another teammate can also guard RA and Medkit and grab them before the BS carrier can obtain them - he may not be able to frag the BS carrier but he will deny important items. I think Reflux has as much competitive potential as any other CTF map, it's just different - and that's far from a crime.
Edited by EmeraldTiger at 15:27 CST, 4 December 2011
"when a map introduces new elements and gimmicks that you don't see very much it adds variety and flavor, and thus adds replay value."
-Not for someone competitive.
"The usual CTF recipe calls for a quad or regen in mid (maybe a haste once in a while), but you usually don't see other power-ups. So even though a lot of CTF maps may have good, original layouts, they still leave a "vanilla" taste in your mouth - not bad, but when the options are available, why not go for the Rocky Road, or Double Chocolate Fudge?"
-Instead of having something stupid like a BS, he could've tried invisibility. With all the numbers at their disposal, it just makes no sense, common sensically and logically, to include such a powerful PU.
"The combined forces of a team (and teamwork is what CTF is all about, right?) shooting at him, if they don't already frag the BS carrier, will certainly leave him weak enough to allow someone in mid to make the final blow."
-The thing is, you need all four players to be hitting him with everything, and you can't miss. This is just unlikely to happen, and if he has a medkit or a teammate, it won't even matter if you do hit everything, as long he's determined to get out of the base, he doesn't need to even fight anyone, and can take all the shots. That means noone respawns in mid to take him out, and he has free reign across mid with support from team mates. Its just a fucking joke of a map. Its just depressing that someone with such little game sense is making maps instead of someone with a competitive mindset. After all, Quake is about gameplay, not avant garde.
Well, even if it is not competitive (and I still think it is imo) I personally believe that as long as it is fun to play, that is the important thing. I'd rather have someone on the level design team who is making maps with unique characteristics and gameplay for pure fun (which is what Quake and any other game was designed to be) than someone creating textbook arenas. Just my two cents. :)
Edited by EmeraldTiger at 07:33 CST, 5 December 2011