CTF-FNB-Rusty][
Map Info
	File Name ctf-fnb-rusty][.zip Author FraGnBraG Gametype UT Capture the Flag Date Added 02-17-2004 File Version 1.00 File Size 4.2 mb Player Count 8-16 Map Description None Review Rating 6 User Rating -- Overall Rating 6
Review
Reviewer Ironblayde Awe Score:  2.0/3 Date 05-01-2004 Build Score:  2.0/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  2.0/3 User Point:  Overall Score:  6/10 AWE: 2.0 I was a little unsure of what would await me in this map after seeing that strange, Neil Young-inspired screenshot the author used, but I needn’t have worried. Here we have a large, dirty-looking industrial facility. That might annoy some people since we’ve all seen it many times, but I never mind it when it’s done well, and it’s certainly done well here. As in CTF-FNB-Spacepods, another map I reviewed by this author, the architecture is very detailed and aesthetically pleasing, assembled with a competence that speaks of long experience. There’s trim almost everywhere, and decorative touches abound as well: metal beams, rusty pipes, rotating fans, drainage grates, and a number of openings through which a mountainous landscape can be seen. There are a handful of oddities to be found. The first thing I noticed was that the brushwork is a bit strange on the trim that lines the map’s many walkways, and so there are a number of places where the corners look too sharp, and a few instances of protrusions at the corners that shouldn’t be there. I might have chosen a different texture for the trim as well, since the one in there now features lines that move in the directions of the principal axes, and are aligned this way even when a piece of trim is placed at 45 degrees. That’s about it as far as obvious flaws in the architecture go. There were a few other things I noted here and there, but so minor they’re not even worth mentioning. Rusty][ is a very well-constructed map. The author has drawn textures from many different packs here (principally from RichRig, which is included) and worked them into a consistent theme. A fair number of custom textures are included as well, mostly for control panels of various sorts. Unfortunately, while it’s always nice to see custom textures included, many of these look out of place. The whole of the map looks dirty, ill-maintained, and… well, rusty. But the control panels are almost pristine. They would look much more at home in some kind of spacecraft, I think. Most of the team symbols are somewhat less than attractive as well. For most of them, the author has used those tall, hanging flags (the ones used in AS-Overlord), only cropped down to a square and with no border around them. They’ve also got bright, high-radius, highly saturated lights in front of them, as if they’re acting as significant light sources. But the texture doesn’t look like a light; it looks like cloth. These could have been done better. Aside from that, texture choices are done well. Lighting is pretty good too, though the team-colored coronas are too saturated, and the skybox lighting is a bit crazy. Finally, texture alignment isn’t very good, with lots of misses even on the floors, where it should be easy to keep things tiling properly. Still, it’s not too bad because there are so many different textures used; when two walls meet, it frequently happens that they don’t use the same texture anyway. BUILD: 2.0 Whereas the last map of Frag’s that I reviewed had quite a few BSP problems, this map has virtually none; the author’s brushwork here is very good. In my many test games I caught only two instances of BSP holes, and both were elusive, not easily reproducible. Very good work, especially in a map this size. A few minor oversights notwithstanding, botplay is excellent. The bots will own you if you let your guard down for even a second. They go almost everywhere (except for some of the better pickups – oops!), take multiple paths to and from the flags, snipe from strategic positions, and use their translocators effectively. The first time I played this map, I thought I was being sneaky when I grabbed the enemy flag and used my Anti-Grav Boots to quickly jump up to a higher level, but the bot behind me followed me right up with his translocator and rewarded my insolence with a rocket in my back. Ouch! There are a few oversights, though. The bots won’t go for the kegs or the Shield Belts, and once in a great while I saw a bot start running in place. Finally, sometimes it was a little too easy to sneak up behind the enemy snipers. Some strategically placed TeamTriggers might have made the bots even more formidable in that respect. One other thing I noticed here that was also in the author’s CTF-FNB-Spacepods is that the movers are a bit too slow. Players can get caught on the doors for a moment as they’re running through, and the lifts behind the flags really tried my patience. They don’t need to move at warp speed, but they shouldn’t stay open for four seconds. That gives a flag carrier a little too much time to get a head start before the defender can ride the lift to chase after him (assuming the defender doesn’t have or won’t use a translocator, anyway). The doors don’t move as you’d expect, either. Four of them use a texture that clearly appears to be a set of double doors, yet instead of sliding apart, they move up. Audio is decent. There are ambient sounds everywhere, well chosen and well positioned. I don’t think the music the author chose suits the atmosphere of the map very well, but to each his own, I guess. CAST: 2.0 Rusty][ has a very interesting layout to it. It’s not entirely straightforward, but it can be learned incrementally. In other words, it should only take a brief time to learn the map well enough to feel comfortable doing flag runs, but repeated play will reveal more paths and connections that weren’t immediately obvious, allowing players to take greater advantage of the architecture as they become more familiar with it. This is a very strong point in the map’s favor, but unfortunately it has two annoying problems that detract from it. First, door textures are used inconsistently. Eight of the map’s ten doors use textures that make them appear to be made from steel, and frustratingly, those textures are also used in a number of places that are not doors at all, just decoration. Thus while you’re learning the map, and even sometimes after you know it fairly well, you may find yourself running up to what looks like a door, only to find that it won’t open. That’s a disappointing way to end a flag run. The second problem is the use of warp zones. They are useful sometimes, but I think that including them here was a poor decision, particularly because most of them change your orientation. Thus you can be running in a straight line, and suddenly be heading in a different direction through the map, without any visual indication that you’ve suddenly been moved across space. If you don’t know the map well enough to realize that you just walked through a warp zone, this can be extremely disorienting. Also, hitscan weapons won’t fire through a warp zone, so you may have the unpleasant experience of finding that your minigun is suddenly worthless against the bot who’s filling the air with flak. It’s not too bad in that respect since the warp zones aren’t located in long hallways, but it’s still not pretty. The author’s readme.txt states that these warp zones replaced teleporters that were in the original build. Personally, I would have preferred the teleporters. Those flaws aside, the map is great fun to explore. There are multiple levels in most rooms, some tight spaces where you can annihilate bots with the Bio-Rifle as they’re chasing after you, secret rooms, platforms only reachable with the translocator, a path through the ceiling, and a fair amount of standing water at the bottom to claim the unwary. (Actually the author claims it’s a deadly mix of Drain-O, CLR, vinegar, and bleach, which doesn’t sound fun to swim in.) There are multiple copies of every pickup -- except the Redeemer, of which there is only one – and for the most part they are placed judiciously. Sometimes I felt that items were too often relegated to the sides and corners of whatever surfaces they happened to be on, but that’s not a big deal. FINAL SCORE: 6.0 Having seen a few of Frag’s maps now, I’m convinced he’s a talented guy. This map is no exception. It’s my favorite kind of Capture the Flag map: big enough for plenty of people, and laid out in such a fashion that strategy will win the day. It’s also a great single-player experience since the bots are so competent, so if you’re into challenging games of CTF, I’d definitely recommend downloading this, and then checking out some of the author’s other maps as well. Just be sure to give it a little time. The warp zones and non-opening doors are the map’s biggest flaws, and they can be quite aggravating until you learn where they are.
Map Comments
Armageddon_Man 05-01-2004 07:29 PM MDT   Parece lindo, el lunes lo veo. FraGnBraG 05-04-2004 03:27 PM MDT   Hey thanks for the review IronBlayde, some good points in there... :) Obviously I like this version over the original, but the original Rusty is still the more popular of the two (well, having said that, a lot of players really hate the map, but they're just lamers who can't use hammers and xlocs :P More relevant is the fact that "camping" teleporters and swimming (or hiding EFC) aren't as big issues as i was led to believe... Anyways, v2 has better gameplay than the first, imo, but that's just me :) cheers kingmango 05-04-2004 05:58 PM MDT   HEY YOU MOVED THE DEEMER!!!!! LOL I remember this map from it's baby steps days, and the thing that most struck me about it was how convincing the sheer immensity of the structure was. It was really easy to believe you were in some sort of offworld plant. Lots of opportunity to cross routes and IMHO a very fun map. I don't play much ctf anymore (never really did a lot anyway) but a fun map for a skilled flag carrier. Another recommended dl from FnB. Glad the bot issues have been for the most part resolved. I remember playing it on the server with bots and it was funny as hell.... Good work slaskan 05-10-2004 02:21 AM MDT   verry confusing i never found the flags!