Che's 1st Look at Q3a CTF maps. Main Editor: Ebola!! Saturday December 4 
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Che's 1st Look at Q3a CTF Maps     December 4 1999

Source: [Savage UK Boardrooms]

Savage League

If you like to comment on Che's little review then rocket jump right: [Here]


Here we go...
Ahh having been playing the game all night I thought I would give you all a little idea of the CTF maps.

Let me say 1st all 4 of the CTF maps are mirrored, So no one sided play, Suprisingly enough No CTF level had a quad on it. Also the Q3a BFG is my dream come true, Its basically a well'ard plasma cannon. And to use it you need to aim just like the rest of the weapons. I also noticed doors will open when you shoot at them, Im sure that will be handy for something.

Q3CTF1 Dueling Keeps

Very basic map - Flag being raised on a platform with a jump-pad to get to it. A nice middle area with Surprisingly no quad just 2 rocket launchers and some armour, This map is suprisingly simple, but I think will be very popular. Only weapon in base was plasma, and rest are near middle.

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Q3CTF2 Troubled Waters

Absoloutley (prob spelt that wrong) Lovely looking map, With some amazing bright colours, I wont say which colours as im partially colourblind, but even to me it looked jawdropping.
Middle area has water and to get across their are 3 routes, 1 each side and a jump-acceleration pad in the middle. A nice little raised platform with a railgun invites you to just sit there and be a sniper.
The innerbase looks like the inside of a cathedral with the flag on a very small ledge accessable only by a jump-pad, With a good defence this flag is gonna be a right bitch to get yer hands on, not alone make it out alive. Between the main flag room and the middle are a set of jump-pads and multi level corridors.
I think ive made it sound more complicated as it really is, and this map too will be loved by all.
Ohh also in the water we have q2ctf2 style pipes leading to each base.

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Q3CTF3 The Stronghold

This map makes great use of stairs creating a nice open space feeling to the map. The flag room is a lovely open space style room with a suspended bridge each side and a main set of staris going up the middle. The center is a set of stairs that look great, and the middle I can see will be a nice place to battle it out. Each side has a 60 second Regen Tech type thing, Basically like a Quad but instead of 4 x power for 30 seconds you get recharge of health for 60 seconds. I can see attackers making great use of this. Between the middle and the base there is a few small corridors and multilevel bits.

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Q3CTF4 Space CTF

I think im gonna name this map the "marmite map" as people will either loath this map or fall in love with it. Its a jump-pad map like the demo space map. I got the feeling this map would be too small for 6v6 and the railgun is in such a position, If you have a good railer on your team they can pin down the enemy pretty easy and make their life hell. A nice little touch is the platform above the flag on each side as it appears to have a glass bottom to it / forcefield, but you can stand on it and look down at the flag and sniper the enemy trying to get the flag, Weather this is 1 way only i didnt test I think it is so the defender can be pretty safe looking down withough having to worry about being blown up from below. There are warp sorta black holes on this map 2 each side and although higly confusing at 1st, After about 5 tries they are ok once you understand what direction they are shoving you in.

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Conclusion

Im pretty impressed by Q3a CTF, nice and simple maps, And I am a little relieved after iD's last attempt at maps eg: Q2CTF6,7,8 which I thought were more DM style maps. The maps in Q3a really feel like CTF maps. And with no grapple I can see each map being an attackers nightmare as they are all except Q3aCTF3 map hard to get at the flag.

The Only really bad thing I can say for Q3a is that im running V3500, P3, Loadsa ram, And the FPS are very eratic most of the time, Leaving me feeling Q3a is not that accurate or responsive with low fps. Ohh and before you ask Ive turned EVERYTHING off and running in only 800x600 res. Mabey a tweak like what was released for Q2 will appear soon and all will be fine, I do hope So..
- Che -