CTF-Delude

Download: Available as part of HOLP3V2

CTF-Delude is a map for Unreal Tournament 3, released as part of the HOLP3 Volume 2 community map pack. The map took one week to make, with five hours spent per day on average.

The flag rooms (pictured above) are built with a letter ‘C’ shape around the flag. I used a similar design in DM-Rustees to surround a damage amplifier, the map’s central power item. The goal behind the design is to allow easy entrance, but a challenging exit. The player can access the flag from all directions, but when leaving, the player is limited to a single direction.  The design also benefits the defending team so the fighting is most intense at the bases during a flag run.

My opinion of jump pads and teleporters in multiplayer gaming has always been that the fewer, the more hardcore. However, in CTF-Delude I designed two distinct floors; the second floor can only be accessed via translocator, jump pads, or jump boots. When designing the middle of the level (pictured below), I chose jump boots as a central gameplay element. Access to the second floor is limited, especially for a flag carrier (who cannot use the translocator). However, jump boots can give a flag carrier almost as much mobility as other players, which makes the jump boots an essential item for a team’s success.

The map visuals started from questioning why most capture the flag levels rely so heavily on team colors. With previous levels, CTF-Vogel and CTF-Politicos, each team base is clearly defined  as red or blue with some basic environment tones to fit with the theme. In CTF-Delude I set out to create an environment with a yellow tone and only the subtlest team colors necessary for navigation. I continued with this yellow tone and tech theme to the point where some hexagon tiles are colored like honey combs. The result is a synthetic hive theme unlike anything I’ve seen before.

Credits: The HOLP team for testing.

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