SuoW's tips to unique ctf mapping

[Suowarrior]

These tips should help the new and also the experienced mappers to make their maps more unique.

The originality of map, at least the most of it, comes from bases. If you have a base that hasn't anything special, your map isn’t special. Let's take a look about some default maps.

ctf_Laos, ctf_Viet, ctf_Division, ctf_Steel


These aren't the only default maps that are using this same thing, but I don't need more examples. The basic rule in these maps is that player spawns and the flag are near each other and there is nothing special elements near the flag (like bridges). So this is basic concept of basemaking. My hint is "get rid of it". The default maps have already used all the ideas that this concept has to offer. Shortly, If I see this kind of base I know by first sight the map has nothing new to offer.

How should we replace the basic concept?

There are two types of bases that are different from basic concept:

1) Basic base + "only player collides" polygons (bridges)

The method is that near the flag are "only player collide" polygons. That brings to game an effect that players can't go everywhere where flag and bullets go. This can bring a lot of originality to gameplay. The flag can go through "only player collide" by three ways: 1) Flagger dies, flag drops down 2) Flagger throws the flag 3) Flagger shoots the flag. Take a look at maps that are using this element.

ctf_Mastema by Wraithlike http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=28963.0
ctf_Silence by me http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=28080.0

At the end, that you understand for sure what I'm talking about. I make you an example about maybe the most boring soldat default map, ctf_Snakebite. So the goal is to make ctf_Snakebite unique and better by using "only player collide" polygons at base.

No fixes:



A boring base with ugly low route which is used only for escaping (and rarely even that).


Fixed:



Added two “only player collide” polygons


Let’s take a look at gameplay what new tactics these actions allow:

1)


A player can shoot the enemy's flag in low route, flag will drop down to bottom route.

2)


A player can shoot / throw the flag down.

The arrows tell you everything, unique isn’t it? What about doing map better? The low route is now a route which you can actually use for attacking by unique way. Also this makes playing smoothier.

That’s a great concept if you wish to make your map unique.


2) Player spawn and flag entirely different places

I guess you understand shortly what I'm heading at this. The very good gameplay thing at this concept is that attackers interest isn't at spawnkilling, cos the attackers are more interested getting caps. So when attackers are catching flag, they can't be spawnkilling at the same time. I just give you several examples.

ctf_X by me http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=28688.0
ctf_Guardian by me http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=28888.0
ctf_Strawberry by Wraithlike & Eagles Arrow http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=27597.0
ctf_Raspberry by Wraithlike http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=29167.0
ctf_Artep by Eagles Arrow http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=28783.0
ctf_Tension by Eagles Arrow http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=27593.0

For my last words I say the greatest originality comes when you use both concepts together.

[Blacksheepboy]

These are just my visions, you are allowed to disagree. That's why I’m talking about tips, not a tutorial.

Unneeded; people already know these are just your opinions.. It is almost like you are apologizing

Hm, maybe center the screenshots for a cleaner look? They are rather large and make the text seem like ants in comparison. For some reason, it makes it annoying to read the text [shrug]

Sorry for not really relating my comments to the meat of your efforts. Will do that later... I still have yet to read it all