CTF-ThaidOne
Map Info
	File Name ctf-thaidone.zip Author Bilstein Gametype UT Capture the Flag Date Added 11-12-2001 File Version 1.00 File Size 1.35 mb Player Count 6-10 Map Description None Review Rating 6 User Rating -- Overall Rating 6
Review
Reviewer Gnome and Sapper Awe Score:  2.0/3 Date 07-22-2005 Build Score:  2.0/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  2.0/3 User Point:  Overall Score:  6/10 REVIEWER: Gnome and Sapper DATE: Sunday, July 24th, 2005 TODAY'S MAP WAS PICKED BY: SAPPER CTF-ThaidOne by Bilstein AWE: 2.0 BUILD: 2.0 CAST: 2.0 GNOME: Wow Sapper. It's been awhile since we've reviewed a CTF map. What made you pick this map today? SAPPER: Because Bilstein's other map was freakin' awesome and because it's been awhile since we've reviewed a CTF map. GNOME: Makes sense... THE AWE FACTOR GNOME: It should be notes that this was the first map Bilstein ever made. It should also be noted that he built it back in late 2001. Although we can't factor those little tidbits into our review score, this map probably would have received a higher score if we could. SAPPER: What we have here is a slightly above average map by today's standards. Fairly even across the board. In terms of everything, it does have some failings, but it doesn't have any flaws. So I'm going to pretend to be nice today. GMOME: How generous of you Sapper. SAPPER: DM-ThaidOne presents itself as a massive industrial storage facility built, for some unknown reason, atop a lake of molten metal in what appears to be a cold, high-altitude region. One could inperpret the skybox as sort of a volcano but it's not very clear. GNOME: Although this kind of architecture has been overused in the past few years, it maintains it's integrity quite well. There are tons of different textures in use and all of them blend together almost seemlessly. Trim is used fluently and very little is missed. I found no texture misalignments. No unsourced lighting. No real design flaws. I especially liked how lighting and decor was used to avoid seeing large and completely bare walls. And as you can see in the first two screen shots, the other thing I really liked was hot the stairs came complete with handrails that was something other than a long square bar. SAPPER: Honestly though, there is a clear and definate contrast between the interior and the exterior that didn't fit so well together. The lighting in and around the magma was in may opinion too bright and too hot. Didn't really fit with the skybox which you can view quite well through the giant sweeping windows. While the skybox gave me a sense of dreariness, I swear I could almost feel the heat running around inside the central area. I would imagine that either water or slime would have fit in much nice. The blue or green color wouldn't have generated as much light and would have made the environment seem cooler. GNOME: Everything else was good though? SAPPER: Yeah. Everything else was good. THE BUILD GNOME: Once again, I must remind everyone that this was a 'first attempt' map and as such, I would like to praise Bilstein for his efforts. Sound came into play very nicely. There was even a very cool, very loud boom and sizzle sound effect that you heard whenever something fell into the magma. It didn't even have to be a body. It could be something as small as a gib. Brushes were well-used, although I didn't find all that many. For the most part, visuals were great. SAPPER: Except there was one HOM that just didn't seem to make any sense at all. And just like the last two maps we reviewed, there are no movers or lifts to speak of. I would how come we keep missing out on those. THE CAST GNOME: I think this was the weakest area of the map. The size and design of this particular map is directly related not so much to gameplay or playability, but replayability. In general, in order to keep playability up, a larger map requires more players. This one should have between 10 and 16 players. The problem however is that it's not properly offset by enough multiple paths to get from one place to another. SAPPER: Right. There are lots of different ways to get from a base entrance to the flag, and there are several ways to get between base entrances. But well-guarded bases are nearly impenetrable through the use of a bottle-necked lower entrace, two pill-boxed upper entrances. GNOME: Bottom line here is that frags will be high and flag captures will be few and far between. This is among those maps that I imagine the more elite online players would enjoy. Regular people may not like it as much. SAPPER: Especially since regular people usually play with bots, and regular people usually need some sort of a challenge. Bots were adequate here, but botpathing was predictable and somewhat two-dimensional. They won't go after the megahealth or the redeemer. OVERALL GNOME: This is the most mixed-feelings map I've ever played. A very difficult one to review and score. If the visuals were improved, I could see it being comparable in most aspects to DM-November. SAPPER: I'm a little bit disappointed, but then again, the difference between Bilstein's first and second map is phenomenal. If he ever did a third one, it might just be the best map ever created. And if not, at least we can look forward to a good solid gameplay. SCREEN CAPTIONS: 1) With such big, bold banners, there's no mistaking where you are. 2) Just getting to the flag is a major health hazard. 3) Through the eyes of your base, you can watch for intruders. 4) Finally, a map artist who knows a thing or two about texturing. 5) Keeping this area well-guarded may mean the difference between victory and defeat. 6) I'd like to break open some of these crates and see what's inside...or sell some of them on eBay. Liandri wouldn't notice if one or two went missing, would they? 7) A bot in the distance provides a little bit of scale. 8) Welcome to Blue Base! Upon entering, you'll be able to get some refreshments at the cafeteria before before our lab technicians murder you and cut up your corpse for scientific experimentation. 9) You see? Dessloch is already waiting for you.
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