CTF-Sahagin
Map Info
	File Name ctf-sahagin.zip Author Ulukai Gametype UT2k3 Capture The Flag Date Added 01-14-2003 File Version 1.00 File Size 3.87 mb Player Count 8-12 Map Description None Review Rating 5.5 User Rating 6.5 Overall Rating 6.5
Review
Reviewer Shock6822 Awe Score:  2.5/3 Date 02-06-2003 Build Score:  1.5/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  1.5/3 User Point:  +1 Overall Score:  6.5/10 If you havent heard of Ye Olde Ulukai by now, you deserve to be slapped with a trout. CTF-Sahagin is his first map for UT2003, and a very eagerly anticipated one at that. The first thing you notice about Sahagin is the looks and atmosphere. Granted, it borrows meshes and ideas from maps like TokaraForest, but the map is still atmospheric. As far as pure looks, the map is definitely above average, but nothing wowing. Lighting is fine, no whitewashing or any of that gunk you see on alot of maps out there. The map is properly sourced. Texturing is decent for the most part, but some things, like the teleport, just looked weird to me. The terrain isnt bad per se, but it is easy to get stuck in and can get annoying, which Ill talk about later. Bots seem a tad weak on the map. I often saw one or two camping the shock hallway, maybe one in the base, and the rest were out doing whatever they were doing. I played for awhile, and no bots got any caps or even got past the teleporters, which was...odd... There are a couple odd odd static meshes here and there, but nothing major. The playability on the inside is fine, but once outside, I was dipping below 20 at times. This map may strain some peoples computers. And now, we get to what matters. Gameplay. Frankly, it isnt Ulukai quality. One can get stuck in the terrain, I and many other people thought the teleporter idea ruined the flow, and the inner base can get awkward, especially since a human defender would just camp the lift to the flag since its sort of in a corner. Item placement is alright, although I know the snipers out there wont like the little post provided inside the base. Also, one of the pathways on the outside dead ended and you had to jump into water or to a terrain path on the left with health vials...why? The flag was also easy to cap for me despite the toughish placement of the flag, perhaps it was the bots or the fact that RL whores can dominate this map (Im a self-confessed RL whore :P) The inner bases should have been expanded more as well. Pros: Atmosphere, some of the aesthetics Cons: Terrain, teleporters, FPS problems, weakling bots Bottom Line: Ulukai quality? No. Worth the download? Yes. I think there is fun to be had with the map, but dont expect to be wowed or anything.
Map Comments
Desperado#2 01-15-2003 12:29 AM MST Rating: 7   Damn the rating thing!... no 6.5 :| oh well 7 will do :) -Gameplay- Gameplay is different than many ctf maps I have seen, that is a good note. But than I saw the teleporters just like cliffyb I think those are hacks to join two bases artificially… Teleporters really kill gameplay imho. I do not see why you could have not joined them together with a middle arena type room with the halls leading in and out from it… Oh well besides the teleporter hack… the gameplay is alright. -Visuals- Visually this map is nice. Not magnificent but nice. What I did not like was the mountains In the distance. You could see where they ended and made the whole mountain effect and atmosphere useless. The terrain could have used more layers for greater detail. Some parts in the terrain you get stuck which is not great for gameplay. The inside design is nice but still very simplistic compared to what can be done in this engine. Although simplistic could help game play a good bit :) The static meshes for this level are nice but they need some better textures on them to really bring out the hard work of those models. -Technical- The terrain has some spots that you get slightly stuck on and some that you can get stuck for a bit till you translocate out of the gaps/holes. I saw a few static meshes that were not aligned correctly. -Overall- Not a bad map I was a little disappointed because when I saw the screenshots this map looked awesome but sometimes screenshots tend to lie a bit. The map plays ok (better than some retail maps) If you are ctf lover download it. This is a keeper. -Request to mapper- please get another version out of this map. work with it a little more because it can be a really nice map it just needs more loving ;) Ulukai 01-15-2003 01:27 PM MST   I hate the terrain I've made; it's way too 'spiky'. The whole teleporter fiasco came about because I had a lot of trouble trying to mirror the terrain - they were going to be warpzones but they don't seem to work as intended in UT2K3. I'm quite pleased with the overall atmosphere in the flagbases, although as a whole, this map isn't something I'm especially proud of. I need an excuse. I know, I'll borrow one from British Rail and go with "Wrong type of snow" =) [morpheus] 01-15-2003 02:04 PM MST Rating: 7   This is a pure 7. A really nice map with great interiors, which completely darken the gorgeus exteriors(unlike in Antalus, you won't get stuck in it). The only frustratings things are the damn teleporter in the middle and the fact, that the bases and 100% identical. DocEDo 01-15-2003 03:41 PM MST Rating: 5   Nice indoors but to small. I'd like more rooms etc. Also stick to the theme. Outdoors are VERY simple. Luggage 01-15-2003 06:25 PM MST Rating: 6   Yeah right, pity there's no 6.5... :( But since Desp gave it a 7, I'll give it a 6 to even it out ;) Ulukai, what did you think when you released this map? When I downloaded it I was expecting ownage, but what I got, to be blunt, were a really great base design with a mediocre, unfinished-looking outdoors. Man! Now those great bases are wasted, and you have to think up new ones for the next, better map! What a shame! :/ Some things that would have improved your terrain... - Decolayers. Proper use of grass can do wonders. - Cliff things, static meshes that act as rock walls. Allows you to have big height differences without getting that spikey terrain syndrome. - Um... getting rid of collision for some of the static mesh bushes. Feels kinda weird standing on them :p - No Teleporter mirroring... :p I suppose you started on the terrain without thinking about the final thing, or you were just messing about... well, maybe you already found out, but using that "mirror" function of the terrain editor helps lots :) Btw... it took me ages, no, AEONS to actually realize that there were two terrains. :p I really sincerely hope you're already working on a new map, I really dig your other stuff. And I know you can do better than this! (Still this is TONS better than most other maps I've had the incredible joy of seeing...) Cheers man, keep it up! DialAJunk 01-15-2003 09:21 PM MST Rating: 6   It's good, not great; unfortunately. However the bases themselves are great, and the entrances to them are as well... (i love the little statice mesh detail in the ceiling of the caves when entering the bases, very good design work there). It's too bad the outdoors is just so average in comparison (visually and technically); it kinda brings the whole experience down a couple notches. Something to keep in mind... really spikey terrain can do wierd things to performance on some machines. I have noticed a pattern on some machines where a "stutter" effect ensues, when terrain is too wildly done. Not frame rate issues, but stutter issues. It's wierd and I think i have about narrowed it down to the height maps people are using. Not all maps suffer from it. Some machines get it, while others half as powerful dont experience it, so it's definitely not a sytem power issue.... Anyway, good start with the new engine Ulukai. But why does the skybox only look good at high-highest texture detail?????? At normal it looks like crap Jaxter 01-16-2003 07:40 AM MST Rating: 7   Always been a big Ulukai fan, glad to see him working with the new tech. Hope to see a re-work of DM-Outland, I loved that map! (btw, Ulukai if you were to do such a thing I could help with static meshes, oil tanker etc.) Jahman 01-16-2003 11:15 AM MST Rating: 9   This is a great map, and I have never downloaded a map I was dissapointed with, but I like this. I look for the good in all maps. Claw 01-20-2003 10:53 AM MST Rating: 6   I was trapped in the terrain once. Gah. I give a 6 for the base design alone, although even there are a few disappointments. The fires don't burn, and strong light filters through the big skylights in the flagroom, despite the dark sky, while a smaller skylight nect to the lift remains shrouded in darkness. Ahem. The lift was also very simple, and I didn't notice him fist, wondering how I was supposed to get to the flag. I liked the look of the teleporters really, but I could have imagined some additional features making them slightly cooler. Morgoth 01-21-2003 09:52 PM MST Rating: 8   This is a fun map, I love the base layouts, and the flag locations. I did get stuck in the teleporter with the flag :P, but other then that great map. With a few tweaks and a couple more cups of coffee Ulukai's map will be ownage!! Thank's for a great map!! David Spalinski 02-05-2003 05:55 PM MST Rating: 5   Just downloaded this finally and was sadly dissapointed. The insides of the bases are very pretty, but thats I can say thats good about this map. The outside looks worse than tokara forest, and is not fun to play in because of all the pits that require a translocator to get out of. Also, the layout seems half-assed. It was like, hey I don't feel like making these places connect together, so I will mirror it and put a teleporter. I also don't like the way the flag requires an elevator ride to get at. I am sure this has all be said, but I am just dissapointed. I have faith that ulukai can make something better for his next 2003 map though, sahagin shows promise, but lacks finish. please add the icing on the cake next time. -={JUDGE}=- 02-06-2003 11:34 AM MST Rating: 7   I really like the interior of the bases. The layout is quite nice and has good spacing for moving around easily. The only problem with this map is the terrain. If a version 2 of this map was done.. and the terrain smoothed out a bit it would play better. Cliffy says the teleporters are a "hack", but it doesn't bother me a bit. STelcontar 02-06-2003 11:49 PM MST Rating: 5   Looks great had potential. There are too many places to get stuck in. The paths are very narrow, forget getting by someone with the flag. darthnili 02-07-2003 07:24 AM MST Rating: 5   translocator festival! Nice bases, outside terrain pretty much sucks, hardly playable. ZxAnPhOrIaN 02-16-2003 08:27 PM MST Rating: 7   Nice map for a first! Terrain needs smoothing, though. I can't wait until i upload CTF-Afterlife! goto the developer journals area of the Unreal Wiki for details! (sorry for getting off task, thought ;)) Toonces T. Cat 03-07-2003 09:29 AM MST Rating: 2   Looks good...Plays like crap! I gave this thing a full week on our server and it's coming off today. The players absolutely hate it in almost every respect. From the incredibly bad frame rates in some places to all the stuff you can hang on, I have received nothing but a steady stream of very bitter complaints about this map. Draco 03-15-2003 03:32 PM MST Rating: 8   Good looking map. bruenor 03-27-2003 07:29 PM MST Rating: 7   tight map with good graphics and better gameplay (i played it over the network with a few friends though, that may affect the gameplay). I would like to see a second version thats a little bit bigger though, that and the spots on the terrain where u can get stuck are my only probs(i found 2 spots). Good Job. O ya and the teleports take them out and ill give an 8 ;) SealClubber 03-28-2003 12:32 AM MST Rating: 6   a pinch too big Chrysaor 03-28-2003 12:06 PM MST Rating: 7   The flagbases are extraordinary, but the rest was kinda bleh. Teh rolling skylight in the flagbases is easily the best architectural piece in any UT2003 map yet. paras 09-14-2003 08:05 PM MDT Rating: 10   This map is the epitome of excellence. It rewrites the definition of perfection to something undreamed of, transcending to a cosmos far superior to all things conceivable in this world. Mr. Ulukai will have his name forever etched in the annals of history – as the premier map designer of his era. We cannot help but feel minute and gaze in wonder at such a magnificent masterpiece. I earnestly hope he brings his splendid aptitude to more of Unreal Tournament 2003’s various team game types. Well, ya, a complaint. How about tinting the lights so I know whether I'm on the blue side or the red side? Manticore 10-12-2004 03:55 AM MDT Rating: 7.5   This map converts to UT2k4 but again it's one of those situations where autoconvert trashes the skybox textures (don't ask me why). It has a beautiful Tokara inspired look and interesting terrain features and flagbase details. The teleporters are especially nice. A worthwhile download for anyone who likes to mix their CTF play with a decent dose of eyecandy....